The Return GRUMPE 323 Hatch.

Welcoming me back to Drag Racing via a Pro Street 323, Bill Nabhan daggled the carrot and I took him up on the offer to pilot the radical Mazsport 323. For the few years prior to taking on the 323, I'd been racing Motocross/Supercross and had an absolute ball, but with racing the bike each week took it's told on the fitness side of things and I decided to slow down a tad after injuring my knee pretty badly at a Stadium Cross held under lights at Homebush. Besides, the thought of being behind the wheel of Bill's newest toy was too tempting.

Fact Sheet

Car - Mazda 323 4 door hatch

Engine - 13B S4 turbo( Mazsport )

Rotors - Lightened and balanced S4

Shaft - Cross-drilled and balanced

Intake - Custom plenum with 4 x 1000cc injectors

Turbo - Garrett T04

Exhaust - Custom manifold and 3" pipe (Pro Racing's Pete Cleary)

Cooling - Custom Alloy Radiator and 3 inch intercooler (Mick's Metalcraft)

Gearbox - Jericho 4 speed, vertical gate shift and steel bellhousing

Clutch - McLeod's twin plate clutch and steel flywheel

Diff - Custom 9", 5.1Strange Gears, Mark Williams Alloy Carrier, Mark Williams full spool, 35 spline billet axles (Craft's Diffs Parramatta)

Interior - Sparco Pro 2000 Seats, Autometer Gauges and custom Interior

Wheels - Weld ProComp Stars 15x12 rear and 15x3.5 on the front.

Paint - Spies & Hecker Barbados Green (by Bronko Vinko)

Power - 441rwhp @ 6200rpm and 22psi (Mazsport Dyno Dynamics)

The car ran a 10.3 in Melbourne before I owned it. Its best time with me was a 10.71 @ 88mph at the 2000 Jamboree at Willowbank, but unfortunately with major ignition problems and other gremlins, we never actually got the car running anywhere it's full potenial. Rushing the car to the track was to blame for the poor showing at that event. In October 2000, we entered the Performance Car Shootout at Queensland's Willowbank Raceway with a new and improved set-up including a full re-wiring, new Turbo package etc., but on the way to the track the car was involved in an accident the trip and was pretty badly damaged. I decided then that it might be time to start fresh and the shell was sold making way for my GRUMPE RX-2 Coupe.

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Thank You's

Without these guys listed below, my job wouldn't have been possible. In two words "Absolute Legends" Thanks guys.

Firstly, my very patience girlfriend Simone McIntyre, Bill Nabhan, Craig Wasson, Mick's Metalcraft, HI SPEED Auto Electrical, Bryan Vanspanje, Linsell Industrial Supplies. Revolution Racegear Auburn (Aaron, Nathan and the boys), Gareth Davies from Spray Fever, James Ryder, Pete Cleary, Darryl Sutherland, Red from Craft's Diffs, Jim Rowley, Marty Heard....