Group A Mitsubishi Colt Starion Turbo

[cavvy]

Originally Posted by William Dale Jr

No, you were right. Scott was dropped by Nissan at the end of '86 when they had the problem of three talented drivers not fitting into two seats, despite the fact that he had been that year's Bathurst pole-sitter. He was then picked up by Brock for an abortive ATCC season, missing several rounds after destroying the hallowed #05 Commodore during testing at Lakeside, before being let go by the team before the final round of the ATCC. Scott then took over lead driving duties in the factory-supported Mitsubishi squad as Brad Jones fell out of favour.

Brad Jones ran for Team Ralliart Australia including Bathurst 1985/6/7. Raced in Asia a number of times including Macau & in Japan. Rolled at Fuji 87 & it was then he seems to have fallen out of favour.

In trying to better understand (unsuccessful)what happened at Fuji I can say the Starion ran in the Japan Touring Car championships 1985-88.

[BILTEL]

This is great.

I know where the Mark Hales normally aspirated car is. It's not a normal 8 valve Starion engine minus the turbo. It's a 16 valve engine based on the galant vr4 minus a turbo. Staions are so heavy as a standard car, it didn't really stand a chance.

The modprods car is Neil Philpotts. He's still got ot, but has fitted an Evo 16 valve head to it know.

Keep it coming!!

[Al Weyman]

I will hopefully have a run out with Phil later in the year with the IROC-Z, fortunately as I have slightly had to degeld my car for Pre-93 rules and running on list 1b's I will drop a class or two so won't be in the same class as Phil. There is another chap out with a more standard Starion as well that seems quite reliable and should be in my class (I think, it gets a little complex).

[Starion 1990]

I know where the Hales Starion is aswell, in my garage . Hi Biltel , still as enthusiastic as ever. If anyone wants to know more about the car then get in touch. I am always after pictures of it if anyone has some.

[chunder]

Hehe, get the damned thing running! Or is it a project??

[GTRMagic]

For Sale... Ex-Sampson Ex-Taylor Xerox Shop ex-Crosswell Mitsubishi Starion

[BILTEL]

MMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

[rallycrosscraig]

Biltel

did you know that in the 1984 video, Borderline, by Madonna, Madonna is filmed singng sat atop an Mk1 starion in white with chrome wheels..

but who owns that car now?

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by rallycrosscraig

Biltel

did you know that in the 1984 video, Borderline, by Madonna, Madonna is filmed singng sat atop an Mk1 starion in white with chrome wheels..

but who owns that car now?

Its not a Starion.. its a Nissan 280ZX. (Thanks YouTube)

[Starion 1990]

Chunder. I suppose you could call it a project as I have owned it 8 years and never driven it. It is pretty much ready to go though.

[BILTEL]

Originally Posted by rallycrosscraig

Biltel

did you know that in the 1984 video, Borderline, by Madonna, Madonna is filmed singng sat atop an Mk1 starion in white with chrome wheels..

but who owns that car now?

Thanks anyway!!



Steve

You've been getting that old car going for too long. About time you gave it to me!

[BILTEL]

Originally Posted by BILTEL

Thanks anyway!!



Steve

You've been getting that old car going for too long. About time you gave it to me!

Of course I meant Simon!!!!

[davyboy]

Group A Starions were quite popular in rallying funnily enough. Austin McHale actually built one from scratch in 1988 and I used to see it being towed around to events on a trailer in Dublin back then. There's a very interesting article on it here. Just scroll down the PDF a bit. [sorry Mods can't add this as a link the prescribed way]

http://pacenotes.net/images/mitsubishifeature.pdf

[KA]

Wasn't sure which of the Group A threads this fits into best, but a nice find on YouTube- about 10 minutes of highlights of the 1986 Fuji InterTec race- Starions, XJS, Commodores, Rover, Volvos, 635, hordes of Nissans and Corollas- I put in in the Starion thread as there's one on the front row up with the Jags, and we don't have an XJS thread...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FIbc...eature=related

[davyboy]

What a grid of cars !

That Starion was certainly able to hold its own down the long Fuji straight wasn't it. Any idea what speed they were doing at the end of it, must have been pretty tall.

Thanks for positing that KA... great one.

[chunterer]

I haven't looked yet but what a truly mouthwatering prospect. That must have been the entry or entries in Group A before the Cossies and M3's began the demise.....

I will have a look sometime over the weekend with relish!!!!

[KA]

Originally Posted by chunterer

I haven't looked yet but what a truly mouthwatering prospect. That must have been the entry or entries in Group A before the Cossies and M3's began the demise.....

I will have a look sometime over the weekend with relish!!!!

Late 1986 season- think the Fuji race was just after the end of the ETC season, October/November-ish. TWR blew the dust off the big Cats for a farewell tour (they went on to do the races in NZ over the winter of 86/7, although they were actually out of homologation for the last one or two), and were joined by the RAS Sport ETCC Volvos, the Brock and Grice VK Commodores, and the TWR Rover that was sold to Japan, plus all of the regular Japanese Starions, Skylines, etc...

I spotted a Merc 190 in there as well, so possibly one of the Snobeck cars made the trip, although I think there may have been a local example or two- (kit-builder's memory kicking in again -I seem to recall seeing a Japanese 1/24 kit of a Leyton House-liveried Merc somewhere)

There's some other Japanese Group A stuff on YouTube as well, but that is the longest clip I've seen.

[davyboy]

It must have been one of the largest ever field of Group A cars... it certainly rivals anything I've seen or read about at Bathurst.

[Jesper OH]

Originally Posted by KA

Wasn't sure which of the Group A threads this fits into best, but a nice find on YouTube- about 10 minutes of highlights of the 1986 Fuji InterTec race- Starions, XJS, Commodores, Rover, Volvos, 635, hordes of Nissans and Corollas- I put in in the Starion thread as there's one on the front row up with the Jags, and we don't have an XJS thread...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FIbc...eature=related

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67739 - this should cover the TWR Jags at least.

Thank you for the link. Frank de Jong has the results: http://homepage.mac.com/frank_de_jon...86%20Fuji.html as do the JAF: http://www.jaf.or.jp/CGI/msports/res..._id=1986000686. 52 cars on the grid, 25 entries completing the 5 hour (thats a sobering 775 km to my calculation) duration with Volvo winning the race for the second year running.
The #2 Akihiko Nakaya/Bradley Jones and the sister #5 car of Kunimitsu Takahashi/Kenji Takahashi both retired.

Jesper

[chunterer]

Just watched the Fuji clip. Great stuff. Think you're right KA looks lie 2 190's in the field.

The Jag's were certainly showing their age by this time weren't they? but still a helluva good car

Massive array of baby class Corollas and Civics further back - don't think any series ever had that many 1600 cc cars!!

The driver of the lead Starion was certainly engaging in some pretty lurid late braking - can't have had much left of his tyres!!!

[Jesper OH]

Ideed, two 190s in the field. Dany Snobeck and co-driver Alain Cudini finished 6th overall driving #34, winning the 2.5 class (continuing their ETCC form), while the #77 was a Japanese based car in the hands of Masahiko Kageyama and Kurosawa (first name unknown, but it if you know, please tell).

Neil McGrath/David Sears retired from the opening round of the 1987 AJTCC at Mine - from memory, Autosport said this was the Snobeck car of '86. Somehow this entry never appeared in the results since.

Does this imply that we need a Mercedes-Benz 190E-2.3-16 (A5269) threat?!

Jesper

[KA]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

Ideed, two 190s in the field. Dany Snobeck and co-driver Alain Cudini finished 6th overall driving #34, winning the 2.5 class (continuing their ETCC form), while the #77 was a Japanese based car in the hands of Masahiko Kageyama and Kurosawa (first name unknown, but it if you know, please tell).

Neil McGrath/David Sears retired from the opening round of the 1987 AJTCC at Mine - from memory, Autosport said this was the Snobeck car of '86. Somehow this entry never appeared in the results since.

Does this imply that we need a Mercedes-Benz 190E-2.3-16 (A5269) threat?!

Jesper

Sounds like a plan- I might start one off shortly...

[ghinzani]

Viva GT might recall watching the Brodes team loading their Starion into their Truck at Silverstone, then literally chucking their expensive refuelling system in on top! They had a big budget. Anyone recall the special 3 spoke wheels they had made like the Colt logo? Very expensive, very prone to breaking when ran over kerbs, filled with air or generally looked at!

[BILTEL]

I do know where some of those wheels are.

Simon (with the works btcc car) his brother has at least one set and another set were drilled to fit 5 stud hubs and are on a green Lancer Turbo trackday car.

I've heard a few tales about the wheels I think they were too weak and only used for one race on the Jap cars.

Very happy to be proved wrong though.

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by BILTEL

I've heard a few tales about the wheels I think they were too weak and only used for one race on the Jap cars.

Very happy to be proved wrong though.

I wouldn't want to find out to be honest!!