In my opinion very few cars in history fit this description, here is my list of cars in the last 15 years that I feel are deserving of that title. But I'll start by saying that this is my all-time favorite "factory built" race car.

http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000310031985/

Mr. Hamburger was onto something great here. Unfortunately the "Firehawk" went on to become a watered down option package in later F-body's. Good for the masses, not good for the speed freaks. Keep in mind folks, this was a firebird that gave the F40 a run for its money. In 1991 you couldn't buy this much performance for twice the price of a Firehawk! Not even the ZR1 or NSX of the era could hold a candle to this beast. These cars ran low 12's with blistering trap speeds, handled like a racecar, and had a very high top speed. Anyone in doubt is welcome to research this monsters legacy. If anyone has era road tests on this car, notice the discrepancy between the low 13 second 1/4 mile time and the scorching triple digit trap speed in the teens.

I've been up close and personal with one of these, and needless to say the car is unreal. SLP, in Toms River NJ had a '91 with comp package on it, still in the wrapper for $35K about a year ago, and I saw one go for $26K on Barret-Jackson not too long ago.

Feel free to add any cars I may have missed. These are all US market cars BTW, (I left out NSX-R/CTR etc.)

1991-1992 Pontiac Formula (B4U pkg-w/comp pkg optional)
1991 Ferrari F40
1993 Ford Mustang Cobra R (also extremely rare early 90's American steel)
1994 Porsche 911 C2 "America"
1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R (slightly less exotic than it's predecessor but nice)
1995 BMW M3 factory lightweight (try finding a nice used one out there today)
1996 Chevrolet Grand Sport LT4
1997 Viper GTS Coupe ACR
1997 Camaro SS LT4 (less than 50 made, 330hp, 1LE brakes/susp, SLP upgrades, etc. closest they ever came to a 1st gen Firehawk in the later cars)
1997 Acura Integra Type R (98,00,01's also, but imo 97 was the "purest")
2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R (ouch! The meanest Stang ever!)
2002 Porsche 911 GT2
2003 Porsche 911 GT3
2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM (supposedly there are 2 stateside, legally)
2004 Ferrari Enzo
2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradalle
2004 Subaru WRX STI (no luxuries, all speed)
2005 Mitsubishi EVO MR (a technological marvel)
2005 BMW M3 Competition package (our watered down CSL)

I stopped at the '05 model year, considering there's a firestorm of new "race" cars out for '06 and beyond (Ford GT, Viper Coupe, C6 Z06, 997 GT3, etc.)




Modified by H-PIMP at 11:54 PM 11/25/2005

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RRa_kcaLb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">lets talk about off-topic</TD></TR></TABLE>

You dont have to participate if you dont want to.

Lotus Exige
360 Stradale CS
Z32 Nissan 300ZX SR71 model ~ 100 made
Porsche GT3? Ill revise, this needs to be a GT3RS
I think there was a rumor about a later model Z06 called a "Blue Devil"

 

I remember that Firehawk. If you look at magazines of the time, they all remarked that just as capable of a car could be built in your garage for far less money.

IIRC, when you checked that option box at the GM dealer, the car was built on a normal GM production line, then afterwards the car was shipped to SLP where they did the upgrades, then on to the dealer.

A lot of money it was, and the article even remarks on this.

Later on SLP got a little wiser with their option packages and how you could purchase them. But the early Firehawks...not sure I'd call them "factory built" like the mid 90's Cobra R was.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by migs &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Lotus Exige
360 Stradale CS
Z32 Nissan 300ZX SR71 model ~ 100 made
Porsche GT3? Ill revise, this needs to be a GT3RS
I think there was a rumor about a later model Z06 called a "Blue Devil"</TD></TR></TABLE>

Lotus totally slipped my mind, Challenge Stradale was mentioned though.

Was the SR71 Z built by Stillen for Nissan? I vaugely remember those cars (brembos, yokahama wheels & tires, etc?)

Hey, even a regular GT3 is pretty racy especially with the brake upgrade.

As far as the blue devil Z06 goes, I think it's an anniversary '04 Z06 blue/white/red modded by Doug Rippie Motorsports, but I may be wrong about this.

 

The Challenge Stradale is the street trim model. There is a CS that deletes the cats and other things to make it non-street legal, but from what I was told, its still a production car.

A company based out of Dallas made the SR71's, not Stillen, however Stillen did make a batch of a few of them as well.

Oh oh, Gallardo SE.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I remember that Firehawk. If you look at magazines of the time, they all remarked that just as capable of a car could be built in your garage for far less money.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Nowadays even cheaper, a donor bird shell $500, a 425hp GM crate $3500, etc. You get the idea.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
But the early Firehawks...not sure I'd call them "factory built" like the mid 90's Cobra R was.</TD></TR></TABLE>

True, not really factory built, but you could buy one off your local pontiac showroom and that is good enough for me.

 

I'd disagree with some on the list like the STi. Fast does not equal "factory build race car". I think it has to be limited production and purpose built.

The Sti has sound deadning, and optional subwoofer. No way...

 

If you want to get like that where there are no luxuries, no AC, no sound deadening, no nothing, alot of the above mentioned cars would be checked off the list. However, your point with the STi is agreed with me as well.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jond &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd disagree with some on the list like the STi. Fast does not equal "factory build race car". I think it has to be limited production and purpose built.

The Sti has sound deadning, and optional subwoofer. No way...


</TD></TR></TABLE>

'04 STI had no sound deadening and no stereo at all. Just a delete plate over the radio area and empty speaker wells, they were pre-wired though. For '05 Subaru made the car more "civilized". I'd say an STI is "purpose built" ('04 being the purest form) pretty stout hardware for a grocery getter (Brembo's, suspension, drivetrain, all pretty hardcore by anyones standards) The base WRX is not.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by H-PIMP &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


True, not really factory built, but you could buy one off your local pontiac showroom and that is good enough for me. </TD></TR></TABLE>

True, but where is the line drawn? The local Honda dealer was selling an 'AEM Perf. Package' on their new (at the time) 2000 Civic Si's. They cam with AEM CAI, lowering springs, wheels, exhaust, some other AEM crap, etc.

I know this may not be a racecar, but the car was full warranty and OK'd by Honda.

Only difference being that there was not a 'check box' for this car, but no Hondas are check box cars...all are trimlines with dealer-installed accessories.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Todd00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

True, but where is the line drawn? The local Honda dealer was selling an 'AEM Perf. Package' on their new (at the time) 2000 Civic Si's. They cam with AEM CAI, lowering springs, wheels, exhaust, some other AEM crap, etc.

I know this may not be a racecar, but the car was full warranty and OK'd by Honda.

Only difference being that there was not a 'check box' for this car, but no Hondas are check box cars...all are trimlines with dealer-installed accessories.</TD></TR></TABLE>

True, but the AEM package was available all over the US, which meant honda dealer techs did the install, not AEM. Ed Hamburger's name is synonymous with racing and/or hardcore small block chevy performance in general, all the way from fast street machines to a nascar level of small block insanity.

Seing as General Motors allowed brand new production Formula's to be drop shipped to SLP, that says alot about them into itself. The same can be said about the Yenko cars, Baldwin Motion Cars, etc. from the late 60's. All "factory" race cars but the work was farmed out by GM. '69 COPO 427 Camaro not withstanding, since that is a true factory race car.

So I'd say that there is a fine line that defines "factory" race cars. You also have manufacturers like Saleen that take the raw product and make it their own.

 

I'd like to throw another car into the mix. Perhaps someone with a bit more knowledge can judge if this car is worthy or not:

1987 Buick Grand National GNX. This car created quite a following. 3.8L factory turbo charged V6. 276hp at 4400rpm and 360ft-lb at 3000rpm!!!

 

i always loved grand nationals... mint GNX can bring a pretty penny... makes me miss my low 12 sec syclone

 

If you are going to mention the STI or EVO you have to mention their predecessors:

Mazda 323 GTX
Celica All Trac Turbo

Then similar to our ITR's, I think the early Mopar Shelby's were produced in limited numbers and need to be mentioned.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by H-PIMP &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Lets talk about "factory built" race cars....</TD></TR></TABLE>

The list of factory built homologation specials will end up being a very, very long one.

It would include cars even like the Porsche 917, which was the fastest production car ever in 1970. They were required by the FIA to license them for road use (old rules) if they were going to race at LeMans. The car was produced with the specific purpose of ending the Ford and Ferrari domination of endurance racing and the World Championhip of Makes.

The cars would easily run over 230 miles per hour as they left the factory, so Porsche would not sell them to anyone not known by the family.

Luckily for world order and the safety of us all, the 1969 regulations only required 25 complete cars to achieve homologation.

The car took a year to sort out, but ended up such a dominating force in its final year that the entire class of car was eliminated.

The car is most remembered in its Gulf Porsche, LeMans-winning livery:



In a less exotic vein, Porsche has long produced a line of "Porsche 911 Carrera RS-R" models. These were produced in a Honda Integra Type R kind of fashion, with slight changes to the motor and factory elimination of many power accessories and weight-adding features that club racers would not want on their cars. Like the Integra Type R, the Carrera RS-R involved some surprisingly human-intensive operations in the production of the cars.



This is a 2.8 RS-R from 1973/1974. Homologation rules required 500 of them.

 

One to add to the list:
1965/66 Shelby GT350-R
It didnt even have window rollers. You had to pull the window up and snap it in place.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jond &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">One to add to the list:
1965/66 Shelby GT350-R
It didnt even have window rollers. You had to pull the window up and snap it in place.</TD></TR></TABLE>

quick but funny story about this car. when they were being produced, a few rental car dealers were able to get their hands on a couple of these cars, but had to be taken away once they had discovered that the people renting the cars were taking them out to the tracks, and even pulling the motors and switching them with their stock motors!

makes you wonder what would happen if an ITR was on a rental car lot

 

GK and Jond, notice I said the last 15 years or so. I didn't include the '85 Ferrari 288 GTO for that reason. I'm aware that the list is a very long one, but I only used the 60's cars as an example of what SLP is doing.

Davidnyc, the 323 GTX and alltrac Celica were great cars, unfortunately their manufacturers never took the awd turbo thing as serious as mitsu and subie did. And just to clarify, the EVO's true predecessor is the 1991-92 Galant VR4. I'll never forget back in the 90's, one of the times I got my *** handed to me in my 400hp Fox body by a "little white Galant". And yes the Shelby Omni GLH and Turbo Lancer Daytona were wickedly fast in a straight line, but you're likely to melt the brakes right off those cars just on warm up laps, let alone prolonged track abuse. My original intention in this thread were cars that can be taken right from the showroom to the track with 0 alterations.

Halewia Brando, I didnt mention the GNX, because although ASC Mclaren did the upgrades to the suspension/wheels/body, the grossly underbraked GNX was not fit for the road course without a major brake upgrade. Not to mention the 3.8 SFI Turbo's don't like being thrashed around road courses, they tend to explode on track.

 

The blue devil is a project c6 vette undergoing testing now that should make the zo6 look tame. beleive its to be about 600+hp and coming out after the z06 thats just now in dealers limited production car though. We'll see.... LOve the pictures of these past great cars keep them coming.

 

Back in the day, I tried to get my dad to by a Galant VR4 --- didn't work lol!

 

F50 GT as well.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by H-PIMP &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
1991 Ferrari F40
1995 BMW M3 factory lightweight (try finding a nice used one out there today)
1997 Acura Integra Type R (98,00,01's also, but imo 97 was the "purest")
2000 Ford Mustang Cobra R (ouch! The meanest Stang ever!)
2002 Porsche 911 GT2
2003 Porsche 911 GT3
2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM (supposedly there are 2 stateside, legally)
2004 Ferrari Enzo
2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradalle
Modified by H-PIMP at 11:54 PM 11/25/2005</TD></TR></TABLE>

-my favorites out of the list above.


if you were to include older years... my choice would be a

1973 Porsche Carrera RS.

and of course the 959.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jond &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd disagree with some on the list like the STi. Fast does not equal "factory build race car". I think it has to be limited production and purpose built.

The Sti has sound deadning, and optional subwoofer. No way...


</TD></TR></TABLE>

But the Impreza 22B then, that's more like it I think?

 

I`d like to add a car to the list.

1998 Renault Spider.
Mid engine RWD, 950kg, 150hp.

 

most of these "factory built" cars being mentioned are intended road cars. not race cars. they may be sold as a homologation models to allow them to be able to race the car but they are still intended to be road cars with mild track use. true factory built race cars are few and far between.

the 1995 M3 Light weight is one. the 2000 Cobra R another. Shelby GT Mustangs, 911 GT3RS, etc.

these were cars built purely for race teams and avid collectors to buy who wanted a true race car. they were meant to be a platform to build a race team around. they just so happened to be street legal. most of the cars being listed are street cars. they have race quality parts, but have been toned down dramatically from a "race" model to be comfortable to drive on the road.