1980 MAZDA RX7 GROUP B REPLICA
THE GOBSMACKING car you see on t hese pages, is not Ing var Carlsson’s 1984 Group B R X7, but any normal person would be hard-pressed to pick t he differences.
A four-year-long labour of owner Matt Love, t he build began wit h a rust y old shell, t hat – wit h t he help of a second donor car – he completely built himself “front to back".
As close as physica lly possible, t his car is a nut-and-bolt focused tribute to that hallowed Group B R X7.
Armed with build material from the FI A and CAMS, Love tracked down the f ibreglass panels from Europe. The car houses a spec-correct PP dr y-sumped motor.
“I ca lled up AP Racing and it just so happened the bloke that built them back in 1984 was there and k new how to remake them,” says Love.
He says t he only parts on t he car t hat majorly differ from Carlsson’s are t he Holinger gearbox, t he diff which was a mix of a Toyota Hiace component – and a Cusco Supra diff, and t he steering rack.
The car has competed in ra llies around Austra lia, and t he goal t his year is to cross t he pond and have a steer in New Zealand.
Love spea ks of t he build being a slow-burn in its early years as his attention was elsewhere in his persona l life, but now he is semi-retired, he’s prepared to give t he car his f ull attention and to keep on racing.
"THIS CAR IS A NUT-AND-BOLT FOCUSED TRIBUTE TO THAT HALLOWED GROUP B RX7"