In June closing 12 months, Stefan dropped through the Datsun Shop ZA in Middelburg, South Africa to take a look at a set curated through brothers Riaan and Thinus Jacobs and their father Rudi, and try the entire automobiles they’d below the knife. A kind of was once a 1982 Nissan Stanza being constructed up as a tribute to an iconic South African circuit racer – the Clarion 1800 SSS of Dick Sorensen and Barry Flora.
As you’re about to peer, the auto is now completed. Stefan stuck up with Riaan and the Stanza previous within the 12 months, whilst on the best way again house from picking up his Volvo S60 Polestar in Cape The city
The Nissan’s transformation started 3 years in the past, after in the beginning having been became a race automotive through Martin Richards in 2016. “Martin discovered an acceptable donor automotive whilst on vacation in Johannesburg,” Riaan recounts. “I fetched the auto and delivered it to the auto transporter to be taken right down to him in Cape The city.”
Right through the preliminary construct, which noticed the Stanza cross from totally stock-standard street automotive to circuit racer, Riaan assisted Martin with some hard-to-find portions, together with a whole M75 LSD-equipped rear finish.
At the Stanza’s of completion, Riaan travelled right down to Cape The city for its debut at Killarney Raceway. It had grew to become out rather well, however as time went on there have been chronic engine problems.
Rapid ahead to 2019, when out-of-the-blue Martin phoned Riaan asking if he sought after to shop for the Stanza. “On the time I used to be 90% of the best way thru a scratch-built Nissan pickup venture referred to as FAT AMY. I stated to myself, ‘Oh properly, Amy wishes to move’; I sought after the Stanza extra!”
Riaan had all the time dreamed of establishing a tribute to the Sorenson/Flora Clarion Stanza, a automotive that had taken the Magnificence C win right through the 1984 Castrol 1000 at Kyalami. This was once his probability.
The brand new acquire arrived on the Datsun Store as a rolling chassis. Riaan knew precisely what he sought after to do with the auto and, importantly, he additionally had the length race portions to construct it. “The ex-Nico van Rensburg Stanza gave me the physique package, wheels, and an engine,” he says.
The Stanza took form temporarily with the fitment of all of the wide-body package and massive entrance spoiler, which Riaan says wanted just a little of TLC to get it again into form.
Out again, some chopping was once required as a way to are compatible the vintage Compomotive CX500 3-piece mesh wheels in 16×9-inch and wrapped up in Bridgestone semi-slicks (16×8-inch on the entrance).
Within the early ’80s, maximum South African works race automobiles had been temporarily pieced in combination; the focal point was once on successful championships now not highest presentation. In rebuilding this automotive, Riaan stored that pondering in thoughts because the Stanza can be raced now not entered in presentations.
It’s one of the most the explanation why he selected to simply respray the outside white (with the proper blue and pink striping); the internal and engine bay stay pink, in well-used situation.
The engine is a Nissan L18 1.8L SOHC four-cylinder unit operating new Nissan pistons, a Datsun Pageant S280-spec camshaft from Van der Linde Traits – who additionally ported and flowed the cylinder head – in conjunction with new Nissan valves, Crane springs and a baffled oil pan.
At the consumption facet you’ll discover a pair of 45mm Weber side-draught carburettors, and at the exhaust facet a TNT Efficiency header operating right into a complete tradition machine. MSD ignition supplies a loyal spark.
Something that assisted the engine construct was once Dick Sorenson supplying one of the vital unique paperwork from his race automotive, together with the amendment specifications and dyno plot. This now not most effective helped Riaan construct an engine as with reference to the unique as conceivable, however printed that the Clarion Stanza was once making round 135hp when it raced in ’82. The reproduction engine is outputting lower than 10hp shy of that, one thing Riaan places right down to its decrease compression for reliability and the usage of 95RON octane gasoline versus race gasoline.
The facility unearths its approach to the bottom thru a Toyota 21R 5-speed gearbox tailored to suit the Nissan engine by means of a custom-cast bell housing and the aforementioned M75 rear finish, each adjustments made right through Martin’s possession.
Suspension-wise, the entrance finish makes use of Ian Glass inserts in changed struts, tradition camber plates and adjustable keep an eye on palms, whilst the rear advantages from a 3-link setup with coilovers. And relating to the brakes, there’s no scarcity of forestalling energy because of AP Racing 4-pot callipers and 300mmm rotors up entrance, and Alfa Romeo callipers paired with Nissan Skyline rotors out again.
There are lots of neat main points in this construct, however two particularly truly stand out. The primary is the motive force’s seat – the bucket Martin used at his first actual oval monitor race long ago within the day. The second one is the hand-painted major livery, as finished through Oeloff Indicators, which is 100% how the sponsors’ names would had been offered at the unique automotive. It’s a glance that’s not easy to overcome.
“That is one in all my favorite automobiles in our assortment,” says Riaan of the completed construct. “From the long-lasting livery to the South African manner of physique package advent of the length, it looks as if a regular saloon automotive you can discover status within the pits of any racetrack right through the ’80s.”
Brad Lord
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Pictures through Stefan Kotzé
Instagram: stefankotzemedia
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