1981 Datsun Bluebird - George Fury Race Replica ... (SOLD)

George Fury was to Nissan what Pete Brock and Al Moffat were to Holden and Ford respectively. A gun racer on dirt and tarmac - he won the Australian Rally Championships twice, once in a Datsun 1600 and then in 1980 in a Nissan Stanza. He also notched the runner-up position in the Australian Touring Car Championships. Twice!

In 1981 Nissan decided that circuit racing was to be it's major competitive emphasis. Fury joined Fred Gibson for Team Nissan notching up 8 starts in the Bathurst 1000 for Nissan with a best finishing result of third in the controversial 1987 race. And George was bloody quick. On 29 September 1984, George Fury put his Nissan Bluebird Turbo (an imported version with a Nissan Z engine turbo motor and fabricated IRS) on pole position for the 1984 James Hardie 1000 touring car race with a time of 2:13.850. This remains the fastest time by a closed sedan on the old 6.172 km Mount Panorama Circuit before the introduction of Caltex Chase in 1987 increased the lap distance to 6.213 km. It was the first time a turbocharged car had won pole at the Bathurst 1000.

To put this into perspective, Brocky gave it a good crack, but couldn’t match the ballistic Bluebird’s average of 165.97km/h, tripping the clocks a mere three hundredths slower. That lap time wouldn’t be bettered by a touring car for six years. Tony Longhurst finally milling a hundredth off it in a Group A Sierra RS500. By then the track had another 41 metres grafted into it, but it wasn’t until 1991 that the mighty Skyline GT-R at the hands of Mark Skaife could improve on Fury’s Top 10 Shootout time.

Now we are not selling Fury's genuine 1981 race car. But a very good tribute to that car that can be either enjoyed as is or further enhanced as a Tribute race car or even developed into a terrific Group C weekend racer.

This was a one owner car until 2019 when the current owner purchased it and sourced a full Group C touring car race flare kit, repainted the car with the racing stripes, added the big rims and new tyres (F 245x40x17 and R 275x40x17) and started turning a plain Jane Dato into a George Fury Race Replica. And boy does it go great. Running the matching numbers L20B 2.0L engine and 4 speed manual gearbox, the Dato has covered a log booked 152,301 Klms from new. Sold originally through Wights Datsun in Traralgon, Vic, this model Datsun is getting hard to find and certainly is appealing to a Datsun enthusiast with a sense of adventure and a creative flare.

This is a cracker little Dato that needs a Garrett T03 Turbo (available as an aftermarket kit), a sports steering wheel, side pipe and a roll cage and then look out baby, this will be a real little ball tearer.

Available for inspection in Brisbane, QLD. Or if travel is difficult, AMCS will gladly arrange a video inspection of the car using WhatsApp and of course there is no issue with door to door freight delivery anywhere in Australia or New Zealand. (Ref. 5600)