The Staff of Motorsport Marketing
The Staff of Motorsport Marketing Writer
11/28/19 8:00 a.m.

 

Story by Johan Dillen • Photography by Dirk De Jager

It was wicked. It achieved four-wheel drive in an unusual way, with two engines packing a total of 650 horsepower. And it came very close to winning the 1987 Pikes Peak hillclimb. “I could see the guy waving the finish flags,” driver Jochi Kleint recalls of the biggest letdown of his career. …

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JesseWolfe
JesseWolfe Reader
11/28/19 9:07 a.m.

I loved the era of twin engined Pikes Peak cars. 

 

RossD
RossD MegaDork
11/28/19 10:17 a.m.

Neat, i didnt know about double engine factory racecars.

irish44j
irish44j MegaDork
12/3/19 4:28 p.m.

still not as cool as the Durocco ;)

I remember when he first posted up this video like 13 years ago and thought it was pretty awesome then :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7NX7usASD8

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/3/19 6:43 p.m.

In reply to irish44j :

The Durocco is pretty rad. Is it still out there? 

irish44j
irish44j MegaDork
12/3/19 9:15 p.m.
David S. Wallens said:

In reply to irish44j :

The Durocco is pretty rad. Is it still out there? 

no idea, though I saw something a year or two ago on Jalopnik or something about it?

wspohn
wspohn Dork
12/4/19 11:16 a.m.
RichardSIA said:

Inspired by the twin-Mini no doubt.

Or the Chris Lawrence designed Deep Sandersons

brianathasport
brianathasport New Reader
12/9/19 9:36 a.m.

Where is that CRX? I'd like to swap a couple of K's in it.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
12/10/19 6:26 p.m.
brianathasport said:

Where is that CRX? I'd like to swap a couple of K's in it.

Last I heard, it hasn't changed hands but the owner isn't interested in selling it. 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/10/19 6:39 p.m.
David S. Wallens said:
brianathasport said:

Where is that CRX? I'd like to swap a couple of K's in it.

Last I heard, it hasn't changed hands but the owner isn't interested in selling it. 

Correct. There was a teaser in the CRX community recently that it was going to be fixed, but I think it's going to remain in "ran when parked" mode for some time.

If you're going to swap Ks into it, you might as well just pick up another CRX and start from scratch.

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
4/12/20 5:24 p.m.

Just checking our stats, and looks like more than a few of you enjoyed this piece. I enjoyed reading it as well. smiley

JohnH240ZOriginal
JohnH240ZOriginal New Reader
4/16/20 4:09 p.m.

Very enjoyable. Can't say for sure but I was probably standing on the outside of the switchback at Devils Playground when it went past! Those were the good old days. So many races, so many cars. Back when it was a REAL race on REAL dirt. Rohrl, Mouton, all the Unsers and the legendary Leonard Vahsholtz.

Jim Pettengill
Jim Pettengill HalfDork
4/16/20 9:31 p.m.

... and Gay Smith, John Wells, Gary Lee Kanawyer, Rod and Rhys Millen, and dozens more.  Remember the year Leonard was driving a Ford Explorer in the truck class with the rear window open, making a great rear spoiler?  The year Gary Lee Kanawyer won, I remember him rocketing up the curving straight between Elk Park and the hairpin below Double Cut, rear end of his open wheeler dancing around on full throttle, hanging the inside front wheel significantly over the edge of the bend without a hint of lift.  Brave drivers facing a real challenge.  It's still a challenge, much faster, but the great races were back when it was all dirt! 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/16/22 11:28 a.m.

So, since the original discussion, I tracked down the CRX. We could not agree on a price although I could have paid what he wanted.  Then, six months later, the owner posted it for sale and it got some press. It's a little rough these days but salvageable. 

As far as I know it's still for sale. I decided not to pursue it because it would have been too much of a preservation gig instead of a chance to improve the car, and without the ability to test drive it I'm not sure I'd enjoy it more than my '85. 

Still think about it, though...

taruffi
taruffi
1/16/22 3:14 p.m.

I still have the Car & Driver CRX - south of Ocala, Fl.  Since 1996.  Always stored inside and was running like any properly maintained Honda when last driven.  Shut down due to fuel cell letting gas run out under the car.  Has 50K miles on it and Marvel Mystery oil in the cyls.  What it needs is fuel cell refurb, brakes upgrade, battery/tires, and a couple  of other minor fixes.  I will have the last of the brake parts in a few days and will then deal with the fuel cell.  I think the 1830 PGM-Fi engines are interference, so we will change the timing belts.  Never wrecked or rusted.  My plans are to drive it the way it was built to be driven, and maybe let it be seen at some shows, before I sell it.  (I am near 81 yrs. old)  Oh, and for sure, a vid. of it flat out. (147)   

NOTE: this car is a riot to drive.  Launches are hilarious.

 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/16/22 5:33 p.m.

Glad to hear you're getting it back on the road!

wspohn
wspohn SuperDork
1/17/22 12:33 p.m.

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