calling extension's autoconf/make from distutils

[Gary Jefferson]

I've got a python extension that comes with its own standard autoconf/
automake system, and I can "python setup.py build" just fine with it
as long as I have previously done "./configure" in that directory.

However, 'python setup.py bdist_rpm' can't hope to have done './
configure' first, as it untars and tries to build the extension there.

Is there a hook for bdist_rpm (and friends) that will allow me to
insert a './configure' in the build process, sometime before it tries
to build the extension?

Thanks,
Gary