Description:

This IMSA Spirit started life as a Gremlin, which was being built by racing fabricator Ed Allen into a RS production racer. He sold the car to Amos Johnson of Team High Ball when Ed went to work for THB. The car was finished at the THB shop and had its first race on July 4th, 1976 at Daytona. From 1976 through 1978 it was used by THB as a rental car, but we do not have documentation of how many races it may have run during that period. In 1979 the car had a Spirit rear clip installed to take advantage of AMC contignecy money and was sold to Milton Moise who first drove the car in July 1979 at Daytona. Later that year Milton's 18 year old daugther Patty (who went on to IMSA and NASCAR fame) drove the car in the Kelly Girl Challenge races at Road Atlanta (September '79) and Daytona (November '79); these were the first professional races of her long career. Milton continued to race the car until 1982 and in 1983 sold the car to an employee, Steve Crew. Steve drove the car at the final IMSA RS race that rear wheel drive cars were allowed (November '84 at Daytona) and stored the car after that. In 2005 the car was removed from barn storage in northern Alabama, completely intact, but in need of a thorough freshening. The car has had all mechanical, electrical, fuel and oil systems upgraded, replaced or restored. The suspension and brakes were upgraded and new wheels and tires installed. The engine is a fresh Dennis Shaw (the original THB engine builder) 232 inline six with less than one hour of race time on it. The body did not require any repairs and a fresh coat of paint was applied, leaving the "patina" of the orignal race car intact. All graphics are copies of the orignals and it is currently in the Kelly Chalenge livery as Patty Moise would have raced it in 1979. The car has been verified by Amos Johnson, Dennis Shaw and Ed Allen from the original THB race team.


History

The car was raced from 1976 through 1984 in the IMSA RS series and also raced twice in 1979 in the Kelly Girl Challenge. Confirmed drivers include: Milton Moise, Patty Moise, Tommy Riggins, Brent O'Neil, Harry Chilcon, Don Courtney, Emory Donaldson, Les Delano, Andy Petre and Steve Crew. It has competed in the last two IMSA RS Reunion races with SVRA (2006 & 2007).Performance Data

• IMSA RS
  
• 2805 lbs
  

Engine

• Dennis Shaw Racesports
  
• AMC
  
• In Line 6
  
• 232 cid
  
• 275
  
• 238
  
• 500 CFM Holley 4 barrel
  
• cast iron - modified factory
  
• cast iron
  
• cast iron
  
• Eagle forged
  
• forged flat top
  
• custom grind
  
• aluminum
  
• 6 into 2 header
  
• less than one hour
  
• 1
  

Fuel System

• 
  
• Fuel Safe
  
• 5
  
• 22 gallons
  
• electric
  

Oil/Water System

• custom
  
• stock
  
• stock
  
• custom
  

Electrical System

• MSD
  
• none
  
• Optima yellow
  

Transmission

• Borg Warner
  
• T-10
  
• 4
  
• Husrt
  

Rear End

• AMC
  
• factory posi
  
• 3.20
  

Body

• factory unibody
  
• Blue
  
• good
  

Chassis

• modified factory a-arms
  
• modified factory leaf
  
• AFCO racing
  
• 11
  
• 15x7 & 15x8 Magnum 500
  
• Hoosier TD
  

Interior

• Grey
  
• 10 lb Halon
  
• G Force camlock
  
• Auto Meter
  
• 3 spoke steel
  
• like new
  

Spares

• IMSA RS 1 barrel induction system
  
• aluminum flywheel
  
• 3 engine blocks & heads
  
• original IMSA RS wheels/tires
  
• B/W T10 4 speed