While surfing eBay Motors we came across item number 170293663976. It's a Mazda 323 GTX with only 7,814 original miles on it, which makes the $6,500 Buy It Now price seems reasonable. Long before the Subaru Impreza WRX and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution became household names by offering turbocharged, all-wheel-drive, Japanese rally car goodness to the common man, there was a similar offering from Mazda. From 1988-89, Mazda buyers could go into their local dealership and order a turbocharged, intercooled, sixteen-valve, 132-hp Mazda 323 GTX. That might not seem so remarkable to people growing up in the era of the Mazdaspeed3, but back then it was quite extraordinary. The 323 GTX was built to help Mazda meet FIA homologation rules so Mazda could go rallying. Despite that attractive package, only about 1200 GTXs ended up in American garages, mainly because they were kind of expensive compared to the competition. A similarly quick 16-valve VW GTI cost about $1,000 less, for instance.
When you read the description for this particular listing, though, you realize this little Mazda has a few extras. For instance, this particular GTX has a roll cage. It also has some stickers on it. There are a ton of auxiliary gauges inside as well. Okay, it's a race car. Peering under the hood you see that the owner has made a few modifications to the engine bay: instead of the stock 132-horsepower four-banger, there resides a 1.5L race motor that pumps out more three times as much chutzpah. In fact, it puts out 425 hp, enough to push this little pocket rocket to a top speed of 177 miles-per-hour. And that figure is verified.
You see, this is a Bonneville class record holder. Based on the 1987 factory WRC model, Don Marsh's Patrick Motors, of Dublin, Ohio had Roger Mandeville of Mandeville Auto Tech in Spartanburg, S.C. do the build. It still holds the N/R SCCA Land Speed Record. As the description says, "The car is incredibly versatile. It could be used in Land Speed Racing, Drag Racing, Road Racing, Rallying, Drifting and Solo events as well." You could even change the gearing and try to crack 200 mph. One thing you might have trouble doing with it is getting it registered for the road. Those Goodyear LSR tires don't look to be D.O.T. approved, but what do we care? We love the idea of owning the fastest example of anything for just $6500. The bidding ends January 18 at 18:30:00 PST, so get on it.
When you read the description for this particular listing, though, you realize this little Mazda has a few extras. For instance, this particular GTX has a roll cage. It also has some stickers on it. There are a ton of auxiliary gauges inside as well. Okay, it's a race car. Peering under the hood you see that the owner has made a few modifications to the engine bay: instead of the stock 132-horsepower four-banger, there resides a 1.5L race motor that pumps out more three times as much chutzpah. In fact, it puts out 425 hp, enough to push this little pocket rocket to a top speed of 177 miles-per-hour. And that figure is verified.
You see, this is a Bonneville class record holder. Based on the 1987 factory WRC model, Don Marsh's Patrick Motors, of Dublin, Ohio had Roger Mandeville of Mandeville Auto Tech in Spartanburg, S.C. do the build. It still holds the N/R SCCA Land Speed Record. As the description says, "The car is incredibly versatile. It could be used in Land Speed Racing, Drag Racing, Road Racing, Rallying, Drifting and Solo events as well." You could even change the gearing and try to crack 200 mph. One thing you might have trouble doing with it is getting it registered for the road. Those Goodyear LSR tires don't look to be D.O.T. approved, but what do we care? We love the idea of owning the fastest example of anything for just $6500. The bidding ends January 18 at 18:30:00 PST, so get on it.
[Source: eBay Motors]
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