N.T.M.  MARK IV

A Competitive S.C.C.A B/SR

Norcross Tabin Manufacturing built two Mark IV cars.  These cars were identical and designed as B/SR cars with 2 Liter Engines for power.  Both chassis are monocoque glass fiber.  The only metal cast into the fiberglass is the roll bar with the rear suspension trailing arm attachment points.  Chassis number 5,  (S.C.C.A. roll bar designation 007 294) was completed on May 30, 1972.  The wheel base is 88” with a 61” front track and a 64” rear.  The weight, according to the original SCCA log book, was 980 pounds.










 

 

As delivered in 1972, the cars reflected the slab sided box design just beginning to become popular with the larger CanAm cars.  As with previous N.T.M. cars, the radiator was mounted in the extreme rear of the car.  Air was drawn over the rear deck and down through the radiator and out the back of the car.

Several attempts by owners and drivers were made to improve the Mark IV.  Wings and spoilers were added in an attempt to improve handling.  Without the design and engineering expertise of Steve Norcross and the driver / builder communication of Mort Tabin, race car development proceeded at a slow pace.

 

 

 

 











 

 

Besides adding spoilers and wings to improve handling, engine cooling remained a problem.  The picture at left shows the Mark IV retaining the rear mounted radiator.  The two pictures on the right show added scoops in the rear deck for twin side mounted radiators.  This was an attempt to improve cooling and weight balance.

Various engine and transaxle combinations were tried.  Chassis #6 had been delivered with a BMW 2 Liter coupled to a FT 200.  Chassis #5 was delivered without an engine but with a FT 200 transaxle.  Owners tried several Ford power plants including the tried and true Ford SOC 2 Liter with Weber carburetion.

This car has raced several classes including D/SR with a Suzuki KZ1000.  









 

In the fall of 1977, with Jim Predith driving, the car was crashed heavily at Nelson Ledges destroying the body, breaking the front suspension off at the outboard hiems joints and damaging the rear uprights.  With all this damage the monocoque  tub and Predith remained unhurt. The original Mark IV body molds were lost in fire at N.T. Manufacturing so it was decided to use the Mark II body as a replacement.  This picture is a 1972 picture of the N.T.M. Mark II.

The use of the Mark II mold remains today.  Never fear, there are replacement body parts available for the Mark IV with the Mark II body.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

N.T.M.  MARK IV

A Vintage Racer

I purchased N.T.M Chassis #5 in 1993.  The Ford engine and transmission had been replaced by a motorcycle engine.  The car had been raced as a D/SR and finally used as a buck for Chrysler concept cars.  The monocoque tub was there as was most of the suspension.  The Mark II body had been removed and grafted to a Lola T440 body.

 

Once assembled some of the modifications were evident.  Glass fiber had been cut away in the right pontoon to provide oil cooler ducting.  These were covered with aluminum plates.  The top of the rear hoop (the transaxle support) had been cut away to allow room for the chain drive.  Holes had been drilled everywhere for mounting "this and that".  Yes, that was asbestos glued to the back of the drivers seat for cooling.  The picture on the far right shows N.T.M.'s fuel cell.  Rigid foam partitions were made in the left pontoon.  A heavy coating of butyl rubber reinforced with glass fabric was applied.  Finally, foam rubber was forced into the cell. 

                                                 

The monocoque tub was cleaned, patched, repaired and painted.  The fuel cell was removed.  The chassis sat in this condition for five years awaiting the body.  It was decided early on to restore the car using the Mark II body.  It had raced with the Mark II body, the body molds were still in existence and the Mark II body was much prettier. 

I asked Mort Tabin why all the N.T.M.s had survived for thirty years.  They survived the years, before vintage racing, when an old race car was just that, old race cars.  Mort said "they were just too pretty to throw away".  The pedal assembly of the Mark IV shows the attention to detail that guided  Tabin and Norcross.  The aluminum pedals have the letters N.T.M. cast in place.

I purchased a Loyning prepared Ford SOC 2 Liter and a Hewland Mark 9 transaxle from a  TIGA Spec. Racer.  The engine remains unmodified from the Loyning set up. The Hewland is 4 speed with gears.  

A Stahl header kit was purchased and the front and rear body supports were fabricated and installed.  The dry sump system was changed to a Titan Series II and the pump was moved to the right side of the engine.

N.T.M.  MARK IV

Today: For Sale

 

The following pictures were all taken in July, 2001.  The pictures are shown as thumbnails and will enlarge for easier viewing. They shows the present condition and state of completion  of the N.T.M. Mark IV.  My asking price is $15,000 with all extras and spares including all historical documents and pictures.  The car is located in San Marcos, California, just 25 miles north of San Diego and is available for viewing almost any time. Please contact me at:

Steve Bush
726 Brass Lantern Road
San Marcos, CA 92069
760-471-7836
sab92078@home.com

 

The Mark II body front and rear sections have been attached.  The doors remain unattached.  Some of the interior air ducting for the front mounted radiator have been fabricated.  The cut out portion of fiberglass for the radiator intake is included. My intention was to take in air at the front, pass it through the radiator and exhaust it through the front section in front of the windscreen.

The brake calipers on the Mark 9 are from the TIGA S/R.  There are no rear brake rotors.  The original half shafts are included.  Also, included is the center set up for a motor cycle chain drive. 

The Titan Mark II dry sump pump was installed.  The Titan Standard pump is included.  More Norcross detailing is evident on the front wheel hubs.

A gear drive starter from the TIGA is included as the Stahl 4 into 1 header.  Four extra wheels are included, 2 each 10" wide by 13" and 2 each 12" wide by 13".  The top brake calipers shown in this picture are off the TIGA.  The bottom ones are extra new front calipers that fit the N.T.M. The steering wheel and pedal assembly is included as is the clutch bracket, cylinder and rod.  The brake calipers in the far right picture are off the TIGA with the original N.T.M. calipers barely visible to their right. 

 The radiator is custom made aluminum.  The original N.T.M. brake cylinders are in the background.  The three newer brake cylinders are the brake and/or clutch master cylinders off the TIGA.  The shift linkage is off the TIGA with attached universal joints.  Extra gears for the Hewland are included as are various tune-up parts for the Ford.

More CAR DATA added August 26th.

 

Year:             Completed May 30, 1972

Make:           N.T.M. (Special, built by Norcross Tabin Manufacturing

Model:          Mark IV (B/Sports Racing Car)

Designation:  Vintage Eligible Sports Racing Project

 Owner:        Steve A. Bush

Address:       726 Brass Lantern Road

                     San Marcos, CA 92069

                     United States

Owner Phone: 760-471-7836

Owner FAX:   760-471-7836

Owner Email:   sab92078@home.com

 

Manufacturer Serial Number:                     Chassis Number 5

SCCA Roll Bar Designation:                      007-294

Engine Number:                                         None

Gearbox Number:                                      H9-4469

Logbooks:                                                  None

Condition:                                                   Car is 90% parts complete, 70% labor complete

Price:                                                          Asking $15,000

Location:                                                     North San Diego County, California

 

Description:      Car includes rolling chassis with body.  Engine and transaxle are mounted.  Body needs mounting of doors, completion of interior stiffening and windscreen.  Transmission needs installation of shift linkage.  Dry sump and pump are installed on engine with all oil lines but a Titan Mark II pump drive wheel and belt are needed.  Front and rear suspension is complete with the exception of shocks and springs.  Steering is complete but steering wheel must be installed.  Brakes are complete with the exception of rear brake rotors.  Clutch is complete including slave cylinder and bracket.  There are no gauges.  All hydraulic lines and wiring must be completed.

 

History:    (See description of Mark IV, Chassis #5 for car that is for sale on eBay!)

EVERYTHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED

TO KNOW ABOUT N.T.M.

But Were Afraid To Ask

 

 

NORCROSS TABIN MANUFACTURING

The  principals of Norcross Tabin Manufacturing were Steve Norcross and Dr. Morton Tabin.  The two met  in  July  of  1967  at  an  autocross.   An  interest in cars brought Norcross and Tabin  together  and  a  loose  partnership  was  formed  while spectators at Indianapolis Raceway Park.  The first partnership, potentially including  Chuck  Ulinski, was to be named “TEAM N.U.T.” (TEAM Norcross Ulinski Tabin).  Dr. Tabin, a psychiatrist, didn’t approve of  the name  “for  professional  reasons”.  Eventually, Ulinski was dropped from the venture and  the  N.T.  Manufacturing (Norcross-Tabin-Manufacturing) venture was begun.

The  two agreed their first venture would be a D/SR car of fiberglass monocoque design similar to the Chaparrals  of  Jim  Hall.  Steve Norcross was the principal designer and constructor with a strong background  in  automotive  suspension  design and glass fiber construction.  Dr. Mort Tabin filled the role of driver and principle financier.     What  would  make  N.T.M. sports racing cars different, and still unique about all N.T.M cars,  was they  were  built  using “cheap” resins and reinforcements.  Plain fiberglass and polyester resin, the same products used by boat manufacturer’s,  were used.  Colin Chapman’s Lotus Elites and Elans also took this approach rather than the expensive  epoxies  used  by  the  Chaparrals.   The concept was to build a no nonsense race  car  without  using  unobtainable  (Products  called “unobtainium” by Bruce McClaren.), exotic and/or expensive products.

        

 Beginning  in 1969 N.T.M. built seven sports racing cars: one Mark I, two Mark II’s, two Mark III’s and two  Mark  IV’s.  All cars were built as D/SR cars with the exception of the Mark IV’s, which were built for B/SR.

       

Late  in  1975, NT Manufacturing sold all the sports racing drawings, molds, parts (including a third Mark III tub) and productions rights  to  Chuck Ulinski and Bob Reeser of Champaign, Illinois.  Ulinski and Reeser started NTM SPORTSRACING CARS offering Mark  II,  III and IV kits and completed cars.  As of August 1976 NTM Sportsracing “sold and  delivered  one,  have another  available immediately and have one under construction”.  Literature dated 10/18/76 indicates NTM  Sportsracing  had for sale a Mark IIIB (Chassis #6) with a Honda 750 installed and a Mark IIIB (Chassis #5) to be  built  to the customers specifications.  It is also assumed Ulinski did not build any cars and “sold and delivered one” was  the  Mark  III  (chassis  #2)  built  by N.T. Manufacturing and sold to Harry  Stewart  of  Nevada  City,  California.   The      “another available immediately” car was the blue Mark II purchased from N.T. Manufacturing and presently  owned  by  George  Brown.   The  “one under construction” was probably based upon the uncompleted  Mark III tub purchased from Norcross,  also  built  by  N.T.  Manufacturing, (chassis  #5?),  sold  to Butch Moses.  Ulinski appears to have provided his own chassis numbering  system  using  a  “B”  designation  and  numbering  these  last two Mark III D/SR cars chassis #5B  and  chassis  #6B.   These  chassis should not be confused with the B/SR cars, chassis #5 and #6.

       

 Steven  Norcross  entered  the commuter car market with STEVE NORCROSS  DRAGONFLY  CARS  in  Urbana, Illinois.  The  first  prototype DRAGONFLY was powered by a Koher snowmobile engine producing 93  hp  and  an estimated  40  mpg  and variable ratio, via V-Belts, transaxle.  The wheel base was 88” and the  track  was  52”.   The weight  was  1250 pounds.  The projected selling price of the DRAGONFLY was “under $4000.   After  2250  miles  of  testing  it  was determined that the 67 mph top speed was insufficient and a new engine  and  transaxle  combination  would have to be tried. 

       

Ulinski  and  Reeser  sold  the  remains  of their venture to George Edis in  South  Carolina.     Mr.  Butch  Moses  of Henderson,  North  Carolina and Mr. Chip Haddock purchased these parts, original shop drawings  and  chassis  and molds  for  the Mark II and III with the intention of reproducing the cars, using exotic carbon  fiber  technology,  for modern  SCCA  racing.  A SCCA ruling prohibiting the use of carbon fibers construction put an end to  this  project.  Moses now has these parts and a complete Mark III chassis and body built by N.T. Manufacturing and, until  recently, the “factory” Mark II.

 

 

THE MARK I

 

During the first months of 1968 the one N.T.M. Mark I was constructed.  It was raced as the “factory” car, driven by   Dr.  Tabin,  and  used  as  the prototype for the Mark II’s. The chassis  was  a  fiberglass  monocoque  tub,   bulkheads, pontoons, gas tank, and seat with a aluminum roll bar.  A rear aluminum subframe bolts to the  fiberglass  chassis  at  the roll bar and carries the engine mounts and rear suspension.  The front suspension is  carried  on  large aluminum  surface brackets bolted to pockets in the tub.  The track is 48”/front and 47”/rear.  The wheel base  is  78”.  The  brakes  were Airhart.  The original power was a three cylinder two stroke 850 cc SAAB coupled  to  a  Webster   transaxle.   The  original  color was red gelcoat and cream gelcoat.  None of the cars was ever  painted.   The  bodies        weighed about 53 pounds being hand lay ups of one layer of ¾ ounce per square foot mat and one layer of 6  ounce  per square yard cloth finished to a thickness of .045 inches thick.

       

 The  first  outing  of the Mark I occurred late in the 1968 season at Waterford Hills in the rain.  No  drain  holes  had  been  provided  in the tub and the car filled with several inches of water.  According to Tabin, the  inertial  effect  on  braking,  acceleration and cornering left much to be desired.  Drains were added before the second race.   Tabin  and  Norcross  had  become  friends  of Larry Schneider and his partner, Gene.  Their car,  an  Ocelot,  had  been  heavily  crashed towards the end of the 1968 season but because of their divisional points advantage they had been invited to  the  ARRC  at  Riverside.   Larry  and  Gene asked to use the N.T.M. and fitted  one  of  their  SAAB  engines.   Ron Dennis,  their  driver and driving with a broken ankle, suffered many mechanical problems and the car failed  to  finish.

       

 Jim  Leach,  a “Professor” at the University of Illinois, joined the N.T.M. team.  Jim had never attended  college  but  had  become  an expert in casting technology.  In his personal foundry, in his back yard, the front suspension uprights,  rear  hub carriers, steering box and pedals were cast from an alloy called Tinsalloy.  According to Jim, Tinsalloy is an alloy of  aluminum which is age hardened, the older it gets the stronger it gets.

       

 Norcross  now  proceeded  with  the  redesign of the Mark I.  According to Norcross, “The  redesign  of  the  Mark  I included  all  new  suspension, a major number of tub modifications, new doors and the addition of a  spoiler  to  the rear  body  panel.   The front body section was the only thing I left alone.  Jim Leach had done  hub  carriers  for  the Mark  I,  but  since  they didn’t work out with the new suspension geometry, they were  scrapped  and  new  patterns made  along  with front spindles, steering box pedals, little hub caps plus some other stuff that I’ve  forgotten,  probably because it didn’t work out.

        

 During the winter of 1969/70 N.T.M. sold the Mark I to Dick Johnson.  Johnson wanted to race D/SR using a Honda  750.  NTM undertook the modifications which included replacing the rear of the fiberglass tub structure with a  steel  tube  subframe,  replacing the rear suspension with Mark II components, modifications to the front tub  and  painting  the car purple.  Johnson raced the car for the next season.  NTN got the car back because of the money still owed.

       

In   1971  NTM  sold the Mark I to Eleanor Morris  of  Watervlist, New  York and Karl Danneil.   Both  Morris  and  Danneil  were drivers of the car.  The car was painted purple when it was sold to Morris. The  Mark I qualified for the SCCA National Championship Runoffs in 1974, 1975 and 1976.  In 1976  both  Morris  and  Danneil  earned Northeast Division invitations to Road Atlanta with the same car.  Danneil was a  DNQ  at  the  Atlanta  event  in  1976  with  a  best time of 1:51:76 before an off course  excursion  damaged  the  right  front.   On   August  11,  1973  in the Harold Jacque Memorial at Watkins Glen.  Ms. Morris’ qualifying time  was  1:57.8  compared to 1:37.8 for Tabin in the Mark III.

       

 Ms.  Morris did not repair the car after the Atlanta wreck and stored the car until 1989.  In 1989 she sold the Mark  I to Greg Rickes of Latham, New York.

       

 In  1992  Rickes  sold the car to Kirk Buecher and Leonard Arnold of Greeley, Colorado.  The restoration was completed in early 1997 using a non-Honda 833cc motorcycle engine.  The car now has a full SCCA type roll cage and is blue in color.  In early 1997 the car was for sale for $13,000. 

 

 

 

 THE MARK II

 

The  intention   of  the  design of the Mark II was to “win D/SR races in the Midwest  Region  of  S.C.C.A.”.   Midwest Region  was  the  “absolute  hotbed of D/SR competition in the United States” in the late  1960’s.   To  this  end  two N.T.M. Mark II’s were constructed.  The dates of construction are unknown. The  factory car” was red and campaigned as #31.  The original power was again the SAAB 850.  The  construction dimensions  were  the same as the Mark I. Sometime during the 1969 season Mort Tabin decided  the  Honda  S-800 was  the  best choice of engines and he managed to purchase one from Hal Needham.  Norcross  proceeded  to  mate the  Honda  S-800 with a Webster/Hewland Mark VIII and replace the SAAB.  According to Norcross,  “The  S-800 conversion  was  fairly straight forward with the exception of the exhaust system, which altogether had nine  feet  of  tubing  and  was  a  true bundle of snakes.  It was actually the same system that the  front  engine  Yoshimura  S-800 sports car used.  We were afraid to change it because of the potential loss of power and we didn’t have a dynamometer at  the time.  The other problem was with the clutch disk.  I could see no way to adapt the Honda disk to the VW  transmission  shaft.   What  we  wound  up doing was to install the center spline fitting from a VW disk  into  a  7  or  8  inch diameter  metal  cutting saw blade and then removed the facing from the Honda clutch disk and reinstalled it  on  the modified saw blade.  We used that same clutch disk for all the racing, in both the Mark II and Mark III factory  cars.

 

Toward  the  end of the 1969 season  Tabin purchased a new Yoshimura Honda S-800 and an  enormous  amount  of spare parts.  Knowing the “old” S-800 couldn’t beat the Central Division competition, the new engine was  installed.  The  first  outing  for the new engine was at Savannah.  Tabin had a great race with Don Ramsey  with  both  drivers lapping  the  field.   Tabin  won  on the last lap.  The next race was at I.R.P..  The engine  blew  in  practice.   It  was shipped back to Japan where Pop Yoshimura repaired it.

The  Mark II finished the 1969 season in a tie third place for Central Division D/SR.  Both Ramsey and  Tabin  were invited to the ARRC  where Tabin finished second, using the old engine, to Marv Thompson’s Bobsy/Sunbeam, also from Central Division.

About  this  time, Steve Gilbert and Gary Voss joined the NTM crew.  Both were students at the  University  of  Illinois.  Steve was an engineering student and loved engines.  Gary was studying art.  Both worked hard and unpaid.

After initial sorting problems the Mark II began to win races in the 1970 season.  By the time they entered Mid-Ohio they had won three straight.  Oil overheating problems caused Tabin to elect to DNF rather than ruin an engine.  The chief  competition again came from Don Ramsey in his home built “O”, the factory Ocelot and Bob Snider also  in  an Ocelot.   Marv Thompson had moved on to another class.  Tabin finished 4th in the Central Division and 2nd  at  the ARRC in 1970. 

 

In 1971 Tabin scored a perfect 54 points in the Central Division, six wins out of seven races, and qualified but  DNS at Atlanta. 

This  car  has been converted to Kawasaki Motorcycle power  by Butch Moses of Henderson, North  Carolina.   The Mark II was purchased by Dr. Paul Meis, a Honda S-800 vintage race driver, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and was  restored by Peter Kraus of Kraus & England using a S-800 coupled to a Webster five speed transaxle.   The  car is  currently white with a gray tub and is being campaigned in S.V.R.A. with Dr. Meis driving.  Dr. Meis is  also  the owner of the Mark II body molds.

The  “second car” was sold to Chuck Ulinski of Champaign, Illinois.  The color was blue and remained  powered  by the  750  Honda.  This car campaigned in SCCA D/SR until recently and is currently powered by a  Suzuki  and  has been  sold  by  Steve  Linn  to  George Brown of Lahaina, Hawaii.  This car is  in  Colorado  and  has  recently  been campaigned  in Rocky Mountain Vintage races.  After two unsuccessful outings destroying two Suzuki engines,  the car converted to 1600 power coupled to a Hewland 5 speed transaxle. 

THE MARK III

 

Two Mark  III’s  were  built by Norcross. One additional Mark III was completed by Uliniski.  The chassis was completely fiberglass monocoque with  the  rear  aluminum  subframe removed  and  the  rear suspension and engine mounts carried on the fiberglass tub.  It was a  totally  “new”  car  and much smaller than the Mark II.  The body presented a totally new look also reflecting the “slab side” design of  current CanAm cars.  The track was 44 inches front and rear with a 75 inch wheel base.  According to Tabin, “the whole concept  of the Mark III was to keep frontal area to an absolute minimum.  The Mark II was a much  better  handling car  and a dream to drive while the Mark III was much faster on the straights but unpredictable in the  turns.”   Tabin used the words “scary” and “twitchy” in describing the Mark III handling.

N.T.M. Chassis #2, the “factory car”, was completed April 1, 1972. The original body color was red with a gray  tub and  the  number  was  30.   This  car  was taken to, but not qualified, the Atlanta  run-off’s  in  1972  where  it  was wrecked  badly  in  the  left front due to vibrations caused by misalignment of the rear drive shafts.  The handling was not  as  good  as  the Mark  II but it was faster.  At that time the car was geared for a 145 m.p.h. top speed and had no trouble gaining  top R.P.M. n 5th. gear.

The track was then increased to 46”front and rear by adding 1” spacers at each wheel on the “factory car” to improve handling.   A  1  ½” addition was made to increase the width of the tub between the wheels on both  sides.   A  new wider body was made and it was painted white.

On  August  11, 1973 the Mark III was qualified by Tabin for a SCCA National with a 1:37.8 at  Watkins  Glen  and then set a new D/SR fast lap record of 1:30.4 or 96.69 mph.  William Green, Historian of Watkins Glen International  confirms  this  record  still stands for the “pre chicane” course and the N.T.M. is still listed  in  the  Watkins  Glen record  books.  Since the chicane was removed again the present D/SR record was set in 1985 by Michael Weir in  a Weir III at 1:29.48.

Chuck  Ulinski  became  the owner of Chassis #2 in 1975 purchasing it from N.T.M..  In 1977 it was  sold  to  Harry Stewart  of Nevada City, California by Chuck Ulinski.  Stewart, a Datsun car dealer, removed the Webster  transaxle and  S-800 engine with the intention of installing  a Datsun engine and race C-Sports Racing.  The engine  was  sold to  Norm  Hart, a San Francisco area D/SR builder and racer.  The engine was used in Hart’s Honda/Elva.   About  a year  later,  seeing that the engine bay was an impossible fit for the Datsun, Stewart sold the car to  Dick  Steihert  of Spring  Valley,  California.  In May, 1987 Steihert sold the car to Steve Bush of San Marcos, California.  There  was no  engine  or transaxle but a Honda S-800 engine coupled to a Webster 5 speed was original N.T.M..   The  roll  bar was  symmetrical  with two braces.  The radiator was rear mounted over the transaxle.  This car was restored  in  the “wider” configuration by Steve Bush of San Marcos, California using the original S-800 purchased from Norm Hart.

Bush  sold  the Mark III in April, 1993 to Dave Dexter.  Dexter sold the car to Ken Cottrell of  Lilburn,  Georgia.  In June, 1995 Doug White of Winston-Salem acquired the car from Cottrell. 

One of the other Mark III’s, chassis #5 (?), was completed with a asymmetrical roll bar with one brace and is owned by Butch Moses.

The  third Mark III was destroyed in a fire in a barn according to Moses.  Parts of this car were removed  by  Moses.  This  was  the  third  Mark  III built by N.T. Manufacturing and never completed  by  N.T.  Manufacturing  of  NTM Sportsracing.

Another  Mark  III,  built  about  1980  by Chip Haddock, is owned by  Rob  Henley  of  Charlotte,  North  Carolina.  According  to Moses, this car “is much heavier than the original N.T.M.s”.  Presently the chassis and suspension  are FOR SALE.  Henley is keeping the narrow body for a SCCA D/SR project.

 

The MARK IV

 

Two B/SR cars were built for customers.  These cares were designated Mark IV’s.

 

N.T.M. Chassis #6, a B/SR car, was completed June 3, 1972.  It is currently owned by Dereck Harling of Windsor, Ontario.  The wheel base is 88” with a 61” front track and a 64” rear.  The weight, according to the original SCCA log book, is 980 pounds.  N.T.M. built this car and sold it to Bill Roush.  The original engine was a 2 liter single cam BMW but it was changed to a Cosworth BDD and then to a Hart.  The transaxle was a Hewland FT 200.  Roush sold the car to Dennis Clopper who sold it to Don Woodruff who sold it to Mike Major.  Major removed the Cosworth and the Hewland and started converting the B/SR car to a D/SR  car using a motorcycle engine.  Strebig purchased  the car from Major.  In November, 1998, Derek Harling purchased the car and is intending to restore it for vintage racing.

 

N.T.M. Chassis #5 (S.C.C.A. roll bar designation 007 294) was completed on May 30, 1972 and sold to Dr. Quinn Calhoun of Chicago.  Calhoun became a Sports 2000 driver from the Detroit Region.  He resold the car without racing it to Mr. Joe McRoberts, then powered by a Cosworth 1800 BDE.  Again, after never racing it, McRoberts sold it to Mr. Jim Predith in April 1975  Predith raced the car with the Cosworth 1800 BDE and a Hart BDF engine in S.C.C.A. out of the Detroit Region.  Predith determined the major shortcomings of the car were braking, not getting the tires up to racing temperature and engine cooling.  In an attempt to solve these problems he replaced the rear mounted radiator with two side mounted V.W. radiators, ducting the hot air onto the rear tires, a successful attempt to get the tires up to racing temperature and provide the additional cooling.  Predith also determined the front brakes were “marginal, only lasting 15 laps at Elkhart Lake”.  He later determined the brakes were wearing because of  the brake pads did not pull back from the rotors due to spindle flex.  The car was crashed heavily at Nelson Ledges in the fall of 1977 destroying the body, breaking the front suspension off at the outboard hiems joints and damaging the rear uprights.  With all this damage the monocoque  tub and Predith remained unhurt.  Predith sold the car, after the wreck, to Ed Murray who removed the FT200 and the Ford, reconfiguring it with a 1000 cc Suzuki engine for D/SR.  Murray also fitted the car with a Mark II body, purchased from Steve Norcross.  In this configuration it held a lap record at Waterford Hills.  Murray sold the car to an unknown subsequent owner who sold it to Chrysler Corporation of Detroit, represented by Darrel Morley of the Chrysler Design [Styling to the old fashioned guys] Office. They were investigating various low cost sporty concepts to rev up the Plymouth image.  With budgets being extremely tight in the early 80's Darrel suggested buying the NTM tub as an appropriately sized, ready made, drivable buck for styling mock-ups. The Design team bought the tub and a standard KZ1000 engine.  The owner kept the racing engine and Darrel Morley bought the Mk2 body! Morley mated the Mark II N.T.M. body to a Lola T440 FF.  Chrysler moved the car to their Chrysler Pacifica operation in Encinitas, California in 1986.  Chrysler Pacifica removed the engine and used it in some developmental work.  Larry Nelson bought the car from Chrysler Pacifica in 1987.  Wayne Mitchell bought the car from Nelson in 1993 and immediately sold it to Steve Bush of  San Marcos, California. Bush intends to restore the car with Ford power and the Mark II body.

 

 

Engine:                    Loying prepared Ford Sports 2000 engine.  Engine remains class legal for Sports 2000.  Engine was removed from a running TIGA Sports 2000 and condition is unknown but there is no reason to believe there is any problem.

Fuel System:            Ford Class Legal mechanical pump on engine.  There is no fuel cell.  Fuel lines are not complete.

Oil System:               Standard Titan pump which mounted low on the left side of the engine of the TIGA was replaced with a Titan Type II, mounted slightly higher on the right side.  Oil lines, dry sump and tank are complete.  Pump pulley and belt are needed.  Titan Standard pump and all brackets are included. 

Water System:          An aluminum radiator has been fabricated and is included.  It must be mounted and water lines installed.

Electrical:                  Standard Sports 2000 ignition is included.  Coil is included as are extra Ford ignition parts.  There are no gauges or wiring.

Gearbox:                   Hewland Mark 9.  Four speed gears installed with some extra gear sets.

Body:                       Body is N.T.M. Mark II body.  New and needs finishing.  Body molds are available for use by others.

Chassis:                     The chassis is a fiberglass monocoque tub,   bulkheads, pontoons, gas tank, and seat with a aluminum roll bar.  A rear aluminum subframe bolts to the  fiberglass  chassis  at  the roll bar and carries the engine mounts and rear suspension.  The front suspension is  carried  on  large aluminum  surface brackets bolted to pockets in the tub. The wheel base is 88" with a 61" front track and a 64" rear.  The weight, according to the original SCCA log book, was 980 pounds.

Dampers:                    Aged SPAX units and must be replaced.

Springs:                       Some springs included.

Suspension:                 Suspension is as last raced and should be disassembled for inspection.  Suspension is 100% complete.

Brakes:                       The original front brakes are intact, including original calipers and disks.  Also included is a second set of new front brake calipers.  The rear brakes are attached to the Hewland and are not original.  There are no rear brake rotors.

Steering:                      The steering is complete.  The rack and pinion was fabricated by N.T. Manufacturing.

Wheels:                       All wheels are aluminum two piece.  Two 12" wide by 13" diameter and two 10" wide by 13" diameter are on the car.  Four other wheels of the same size are not mounted and included.

Weight:                        According to the SCCA log book of the sister car, the weight, ready to race, was 980 pounds.

Interior:                       The seat is an integral structural part of the car and is in place.   There are no gauges, restraint or fire system.

 Spares:                       Spares and uninstalled parts are mentioned in the above descriptions.