1989 Nissan 300ZX Turbo w/ Racing Pedigree

With the newly launched digital auction platform Stratas Auctions offering vehicles that suit car collectors of all backgrounds, the luxury auction portal has now listed a vintage racing machine amongst its current available stock. This 1989 Nissan 300ZX is sure to stand out amongst collectors as it’s the first of the racing 300ZX series to ever be publicly offered for sale.

“This 1989 Nissan 300ZX is a strikingly well-preserved piece of automotive history,” states Stratas Auctions Founder Lance Butler. “This machine has successfully competed at the most iconic racing venues around the world and is iconic to Nissan’s dominant motorsport efforts of the 1980’s and 1990’s. We couldn’t be more excited about featuring this legendary car on our digital platform.”

Built in 1989 as one of seven factory-supported Nissan 300ZX racecars for the Clayton Cunningham Racing team, chassis #002 had seven top-five finishes in 1989, including a 3rd at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course as driven by well-known and successful Nissan driver John Morton. The following year, this chassis was treated to several upgrades by Cunningham Racing, including a chassis and wheelbase extension for stable high speed driving and the addition of custom fabricated water-cooled brake system.

With these much-needed upgrades implemented, Cunningham Racing had developed a newly updated 300ZX platform that lead to the car’s first victory at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in 1990. This racing machine would go on to successfully compete from 1990 to 1992, logging a total of four race wins and 16 top-three finishes over its 45-start career.

After its competitive career was completed, the car was fitted with a passenger seat to provide an on-track experience for passengers. Chassis #002 is the only car of the series to have chassis modifications to accommodate a passenger seat and safety harness, adding a level of exclusivity amongst the grouping.

Under current ownership, the 300ZX Turbo has been brought up to full mechanical operation for competitive use. In preparation for track use, the engine and spare powerplant accompanying the car were fully rebuilt by Roush Performance. As recently as 2019, this one-of-a-kind machine notched victories at both the 2019 Long Beach Grand Prix and the 2019 Rolex Motorsports Reunion.

This impressive Nissan 300ZX still wears the iconic red, white and blue Nissan livery it raced with in period. Having never been crashed or needing major repair, this 300ZX race car remains very close in originality and specification to how it was first raced.

The only deviations from originality on this 300ZX are the addition of modern Garrett turbochargers, of which the originals will accompany the sale, and added A-pillar down tubes to the chassis for modern safety and racing regulations.

In addition to the sale of this exceptional piece of motorsport history, the vehicle’s seller has agreed to help the new owner with full starting, racing, and maintenance protocols.

For more information on the 1989 Nissan 300ZX and all vehicles available at Stratas Auctions, please visit www.stratas.auction or call 310.749.0174.

1989 Nissan 300ZX – Photos