Photos: The Perry Drury Collection

[Steve Holmes]

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Some of the stunning images from Perry Drury will likely be familiar to Roaring Season members, as Perry's good friend Ellis French has posted several of them here over the years throughout various threads. But I felt it time we brought them altogether in one place, so to speak, with a dedicated thread.

These photos were all taken by Perry, from Launceston, during the late 1960s through mid 1970s. They cover events both in Tasmania, and elsewhere, including Calder. They're all pit shots, and all in colour, and the quality and detail is amazing. Indeed, they sometimes require a double take, just to be sure they're not of old cars at modern historic events, such is the clarity.

Also, they're all of sedans, and Perry clearly loves the V8s. So if you're not big on V8 sedans, you might not enjoy this as much as those who are. But we know plenty of people here do love this subject.

So, here it is. The Perry Drury Collection

[Steve Holmes]

Kicking things off is a famous and hugely successful race car, if not so much in this particular guise, under this ownership. Pictured here is the former Bob Jane ZL1 Camaro, which won the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1971 and 1972.

Its a genuine ZL1 alloy big block car, and this was how Jane raced it in '71, before CAMS introduced a 6 litre engine limit for 1972, at which point it was fitted with a cast iron small block 350. Jane backed up his 1971 title, by winning again with the small block in '72.

When Improved Production was phased out at the end of 1972, this car was assigned to the Sports Sedan ranks, but not before it made one more appearance in the Calder round of the 1973 ATCC, after some changes were made to supposedly bring it in line with Group C rules. Jane qualified on pole, and won the race, only to be excluded later, when it was deemed the car was not actually legal after all.

Jane entered the Sports Sedans ranks, not with this car, but with his new HQ Monaro, and the Camaro was sold to Jim Smith, who repainted in the brilliant Camel Filters colour scheme for the next several years. But very quickly, the Camaro became outdated as the new breed of mid-engined, lightweight Sports Sedans quickly took over, and these old Improved Production cars became also-rans.

Of course, Bob Jane eventually tracked the car down many years later, and had Myles Johnson restore it back to its 1971 alloy big block ZL1 guise.

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[Steve Holmes]

Norm Beechey's mighty Monaro, during the 1971 season, when Norm was attempting to defend his ATCC title.

1971 wasn't to be a good year for Norm, as, while the Monaro had got faster, so the competition had got faster again, and the Monaro was invariably the third or fourth best at most rounds. In addition, in an attempt to keep pace, it became somewhat brittle, and only reached the finish in two of the seven rounds.

The year was not a total loss, however, as Stormin' Norm showed the field the way home at Calder, round 2 of the series. However, he'd been bettered in qualifying by Allan Moffat, Bob Jane, and Jim McKeown's Porsche, and it was only after Jane blew the clutch on the opening lap, and Moffat retired with overheating, that Beechey took what would ultimately prove to be his last ever ATCC race win.

Check out the brake scoops! Non-production front spoilers weren't allowed, so these served double-duty.

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[Steve Holmes]

This is Malcolm Ramsay's incredible HQ Kingswood, that contested selected rounds of the 1972 ATCC, the final year of Improved Production.

Ramsay, a Formula 5000 racer, fitted the HQ with a fuel-injected F5000 Chevy, and, with some intensive development, was one of the leading contenders. He finished 3rd at Symmons Plains, 2nd at Calder, 3rd at Adelaide, and 2nd at Warwick Farm, putting up some impressive performances. His open wheeler commitments came first, hence he didn't run the full campaign, but regardless, still finished 6th in the 1972 ATCC, and taking into account the Class points system which put the smaller and slower cars of Michael Stillwell and Bob Holden ahead on points, was really 4th.

The Kingswood was forced into the Sports Sedan ranks from 1973, Ramsey sold the car, and it quickly went downhill, eventually being scrapped. A sad fate for what was an impressive, but largely forgotten front runner in the final era of Improved Production.

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[Ray Bell]

The HQ Kingswood was actually fitted with a Repco-Holden F5000, not a 350...

In fact, I don't think it would have been eligible with a 350 as these were only in Statesmans and Monaro 2-doors up to that time. And maybe not yet Statesmans.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Ray, I actually said it had an F5000 (5 litre) Chevy, not a 350. Thanks for the Repco-Holden correction though.

And you're right, given it raced as a Kingswood, a 350 Chevy, or any Chevy for that matter, wouldn't have been allowed. However, if he'd raced it as a four door Monaro instead, a 350 would have been OK.

[Steve Holmes]

Jumping ahead in time, this is Grant Walker, over from New Zealand, when he contested selected rounds in the Australian Sports Sedan Championship. Walker ran races in the 1976 ASSC, as well as the 1976 Marlboro $100,000 Sports Sedan Series.

He took a single points placing in the ASSC, finishing 3rd at Surfers Paradise, while in the Malbroro series, he finished 8th in Round 2 (all the races were held at Calder Park) in a quality field. These are the only points placings I can find for him, but I assume he entered more races than just these two.

This car is, of course, the former factory racing RS2600 Group 2 car built for the 1973 ETCC, which was purchased late that year by Paul Fahey, and which, when later fitted with a Cosworth GAA V6, won the 1975 NZ Saloon Car Championship. Its rare to find a photo of it in these colours.

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[Steve Holmes]

This is Frank Gardner's incredible Chev Corvair Sports Sedan, as it appeared in its first season, 1976. The car was only painted these colours this first season, before it went black in 1977.

Gardner missed the opening four rounds of the 1976 Australian Sports Sedan Championship, and the 1976 Marlboro $100,000 Series. However, the three races he contested in the ASSC he won, and the three races he contested in the Marlboro Series, he won. As a result, he placed 2nd in the ASSC, and 3rd in the Marlboro Series. Essentially, this car dominated Sports Sedan racing from the outset, and easily won the 1977 ASSC.

In a way, the Corvairs domination had a negative impact on Sports Sedan racing in Australia, which, at the time, enjoyed a stronger following than touring car racing. It was just that much more superior, and it wasn't until Jim Richards' debuted his newly constructed Falcon XC Sports Sedan in 1978, that the Corvair (by now driven by Allan Grice) finally had some genuine competition.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is our 'cover car' for this photo collection. This is a rare colour photo of the 'other' Super Falcon. This car was intended for Allan Moffat.

Like its sister car built for Pete Geoghegan, this Falcon started out as an XW, and made its one and only appearance in XW guise at the final round of the 1970 Australian Touring Car Championship, where Moffat drove it briefly in practice before the motor expired. It was, however, very fast in a straight line!

For 1971, neither Super Falcon appeared at the opening round, as development continued, but Moffat's made an appearance at Calder Park, Round 2. Once again, this car suffered engine dramas in practice, and Moffat opted to qualify and race his Mustang. Both Super Falcons were at Sandown, for Round 3, where both drivers also brought along their Mustangs. In the end, they both chose to race their Mustangs, after putting in faster times in practice.

Again, at Surfers Paradise, both drivers raced their Mustangs. Indeed, Geoghegan didn't even bother hauling the Falcon up to Queensland. Moffat was again faster in his Mustang. His Super Falcon, however, did race, in the hands of local John French, who fought race-long with Geoghegan's Mustang for 3rd, before eventually settling for 4th place. Moffat tested his Super Falcon at Mallala, but instead raced the Mustang, while again Geoghegan only brought his Mustang. At Lakeside, both Super Falcons appeared, but again, both drivers decided to race their Mustangs, which were faster. Once again, John French was drafted in, this time to race the Geoghegan Falcon, and finished 5th.

Neither Super Falcon went to the final race at Oran Park, as both Moffat and Geoghegan were in the hunt to win the championship.

While Geoghegan opted to continue with his Super Falcon for 1972, pouring a vast sum of money into its development, Moffat instead walked away from the project, and focused on his Mustang which was a proven winner. Of its various issues, getting power to the ground seemed to be a major problem, and for Moffat, his Mustang was a far better option. Moffat never drove his Super falcon again, and its thought to have been stripped of its valuable parts and scrapped.

Its interesting to consider, that this car was intended as a replacement for Moffat's Kar-Kraft Mustang, which, when this project kicked off, had barely been racing for a year. And while Moffat's Super Falcon proved unsuccessful, he'd eventually race the Mustang for six seasons, finally retiring it in early 1975.

Note the huge brake ducts beneath the front spoiler in this photo. You have to assume these also served to provide added front downforce.

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[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Thanks Ray, I actually said it had an F5000 (5 litre) Chevy, not a 350. Thanks for the Repco-Holden correction though.

And you're right, given it raced as a Kingswood, a 350 Chevy, or any Chevy for that matter, wouldn't have been allowed. However, if he'd raced it as a four door Monaro instead, a 350 would have been OK.

The 4-door Monaro didn't appear until either the HX or HZ model, the latter I feel sure, so there was no 4-door Chevy option there. Though a 307 Chev was used in the HK sedans.

Boy oh boy there were some rumours around about those 'Super' Falcons at the time... I remember overhearing someone in the pits (like someone from the Geoghegan camp) saying about how Ford had outsmarted themselves with technology, "...chrome bores..." was a part of the conversation. This was, I think, in the wake of some smokescreens they threw at, again I think, Calder or Sandown.

Whether it was true or not, I don't know, but the stories were certainly abroad. And didn't 'old man' French nurse them to the line well?

[Steve Holmes]

Ray, you are probably on the money with regards to the Super Falcons. They were technological wonders. It would seem the goal was to make them as light as possible, and as powerful as possible. But they lacked rigidity, which was something Geoghegan had built into his car for 1972.

You are right regarding the Monaro four door, although it was actually on the HQ that this model became available. I thought the four door Monaro was released just a few months after the two door (which was July 1971), but in fact, the four door Monaro was introduced in March 1973, so obviously too late to be an option as an Improved Production car.

[John McKechnie]

Dont forget there was also the HJ between the HQ,and the later HX , HZ.

[Steve Holmes]

Here is Bob Jane's wild little Repco-Brabham V8 powered Torana Sports Sedan. This photo demonstrates the high level of presentation that was common on Bob's race cars.

Sports Sedan racing was big business in the early to mid 1970s, and there was a barrage of new machinery being built, which really picked up pace when the new Toby Lee Sports Sedan series began. This car first appeared in 1971, and was consistently developed through until 1975, the last year under Jane's ownership.

I'm fairly certain this photo was taken in 1974. That being the case, Jane used both the Torana and his HQ Monaro to win the first ever Marlboro $100,000 Sports Sedan Series, which he'd created, and which was held at his Calder Park race track.

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[Ray Bell]

You'll see beside the Torana is the Ron Harrop EH, another with a Repco F5000 motor...

Jane's Torana originally (1973?) ran with a high wing and the 4.4-litre Repco OHC V8 from the Elfin 400 crashed at Bathurst. Later Frank Gardner got to it as a member of the Jane team (beginning of '75) and put a Chev into it. It ceased being a nice neat car at that time, I can't remember where it went later.

[Steve Holmes]

You'll see beside the Torana is the Ron Harrop EH, another with a Repco F5000 motor...

Jane's Torana originally (1973?) ran with a high wing and the 4.4-litre Repco OHC V8 from the Elfin 400 crashed at Bathurst. Later Frank Gardner got to it as a member of the Jane team (beginning of '75) and put a Chev into it. It ceased being a nice neat car at that time, I can't remember where it went later.

Yes thats right Ray, it did have the big wing. It appeared in 1971, but was banned by CAMS.

[Steve Holmes]

Here is Ron Harrop's charismatic old EH Holden, which he originally started racing in the early 1970s in the 6-cylinder touring car category at Calder Park. Calder owner Bob Jane was reportedly quite impressed by Harrop, and brought him in to his team, as a sort of satellite operation. As well as the car being repainted in Jane racing colours, Bob also loaned Harrop one of his fuel-injected Repco-Holden motors.

The EH was fairly conventional, and built to a small budget, but was still very quick. Harrop raced it through to the end of 1976, the year this photo was taken, before he sold it to Wayne Mahnken. Mahnken then fitted it with a turbocharged 202ci Holden motor, which was understandably a massive challenge. There were multiple failures, but at its peak, the motor was said to produce over 600hp. Did Jim Richards race this car once or twice when his Falcon XC Sports Sedan failed?

Mahnken eventually sold the EH to Stewie Douglas in the early 1980s. He raced it for several years, before retiring to concentrate on his son Taz's racing career. Taz would eventually get to V8 Supercars.

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[Terry S]

You'll see beside the Torana is the Ron Harrop EH, another with a Repco F5000 motor...

Jane's Torana originally (1973?) ran with a high wing and the 4.4-litre Repco OHC V8 from the Elfin 400 crashed at Bathurst. Later Frank Gardner got to it as a member of the Jane team (beginning of '75) and put a Chev into it. It ceased being a nice neat car at that time, I can't remember where it went later.

The full story from go to whoa of the Torana was in Australian Muscle Car issue # 25.

I particularly like the comment from Bob Jane to his mechanic Pat Purcell the first time he drove it after Gardner had bastardised it:

"oh my god, what have you done to my beautiful little car?" '

[Ray Bell]

I can understand that...

Jim Richards did drive the EH at least once, maybe when the Mustang was out of action or something. He set the lap record at Oran Park, from memory.

[Steve Holmes]

Here is Bryan Thomson's big block Camaro Improved Production car in its early guise, before it was painted Alfa yellow.

The car was already a race car when Thomson bought it, albeit, a 396ci big block drag car. Thomson, from Shepparton, Victoria, did most of his racing at Calder Park, a race track possessing just four corners, a long front straight that doubled as a drag strip, and two shorter straights. He figured that if his Camaro was good for 11 sec 1/4 mile times, it'd be well suited to the Calder layout. That was actually a pretty good guess.

Big block cars never really achieved a lot in circuit racing during this era, and few teams were actually game enough to try. It wasn't until Bob Jane built his ZL1 Camaro for 1971, albeit, with a much lighter alloy block, that a big block car could regularly beat the best small blocks.

Note that while the Camaro has been converted to right hand drive, the wipers are still set for lhd.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is the PDL Mustang at Calder Park in 1972, over from New Zealand as part of a small team of Kiwi sedans that went to contest a Trans-Tasman challenge against the Aussies. Thats Paul Fahey at the rear of the car.

I don't have the race report to hand, but from memory the event was not good for the PDL team. The car suffered engine damage in private testing, and I don't know that it even raced. I think Bob Jane offered Fahey his Camaro to drive, but the Kiwi politely declined.

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[Steve Holmes]

Great shot here of the rear end of Dennis Marwood's Camaro at Calder Park. This was probably about 1972, and likely the same event that the PDL Mustang was photographed above.

You can see here the severe flaring for the huge rear wheels that the NZ rules were allowing by this stage. Some teams managed to flare the guards nicely. You'd have to say this was not the prettiest of efforts. Note the Wild Wheels sponsorship on the spoiler. That was Graeme Addis' company.

This is, of course, the SCCA Trans-Am and A/Sedan Camaro that Joe Chamberlain took to New Zealand in late 1970.

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[Steve Holmes]

What a great looking car this is! This is the former Greg Cusack, Fred Gibson, Niel Allen etc Mustang that first appeared in Australia in 1967. It was team mate for a time to Pete Geoghegan's Mustang. Its one of the batch of 26 turn-key A/Sedan race cars built by Shelby.

This photo was taken circa 1971, by which time it was owned by Tony Calvert. Pictured at Symmons Plains.

This is the car that was for sale for a long time at Canepa's in the US: http://www.canepacollection.com/detail-1967-shelby-mustang-trans_am-used-5117120.html

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[Ross Hollings]

I thought Pukekohe only had this sort of pit surface !!!!!!!

[Steve Holmes]

Allan Moffat's awesome Brut 33 Mustang (formerly his Coke Mustang) aboard his ramp truck transporter. This is from 1974.

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[Steve Holmes]

Pictured at Calder Park is Grant Aitken's Ford Escort FVC, over from New Zealand, to take on the Aussie Sports Sedans. This is the former Paul Fahey Alan Mann Racing Escort that won the 1971 NZ Saloon Car Championship.

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[seaqnmac27]

Pictured at Calder Park is Grant Aitken's Ford Escort FVC, over from New Zealand, to take on the Aussie Sports Sedans. This is the former Paul Fahey Alan Mann Racing Escort that won the 1971 NZ Saloon Car Championship.

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And Pat Crea's Cortina behind

[tweaks]

On right of Brut Mustang is the Harry Lefoe / Neil West Hillman Imp in background...

Cheers
Lynds

[Steve Holmes]

Here is Bryan Thomson's wicked Chevy V8 powered Torana Sports Sedan which he commissioned when he decided the big block 427ci Camaro Improved Production car he'd been running was just too expensive.

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[Steve Holmes]

The car that re-wrote the way Sports Sedan were built. John McCormack's Repco Charger. Fitted with a fuel-injected F5000 motor that sat in the cockpit alongside the driver, the Charger was an instant success when it first appeared in 1974. From here on, all Sports Sedans followed its lead.

Very quickly, technology overtook this car, such was the pace of development. By 1976, when this photo was taken, the car was being raced by Tony Edmonson, and no longer a match for the very latest machinery.

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[Ray Bell]

Notice the Torana that's got the blue stripe on it, to the right of the Edmondson car and partially obscured by the Harrop EH?

Built from a genuine road-going XU-1, who remembers the details of this one? The sign on the side is 'Seligson Clare', print machinery dealers etc in Sydney.

[Steve Holmes]

Good spotting Ray! I am pretty sure that is Frank Ure's Torana. I think he still owns it?

[seaqnmac27]

Good spotting Ray! I am pretty sure that is Frank Ure's Torana. I think he still owns it?

Frank Ures Torana Buick from 1974

http://http://www.motorsportarchive.com/Frank%20Ure%20Torana%20Sports%20Sedan%20Oran%20Park%201974.jpg

[Ray Bell]

"Web page not available"...

The car was featured on pages 36 & 37 of Racing Car News in November '74. It certainly didn't do much racing, a real shame was that it never ran at Amaroo, where it would have been dynamite.

[khyndart in CA]

I may be interrupting this thread but I wanted to share this photo that I took in August 1970 at Oran Park. I thought this 1970 Holden Torana GTR entered by A.C. McGrath, a Holden dealer in Liverpool,NSW, was one of the best looking cars at the track that day.
I would be interested to know who drove it then and if it had any racing history ? Thanks.

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(Ken Hyndman photo )

[Terry S]

I may be interrupting this thread but I wanted to share this photo that I took in August 1970 at Oran Park. I thought this 1970 Holden
Torana GTR entered by A.C. McGrath a Holden dealer in Liverpool,NSW. was one of the best looking cars at the track that day.
I would be interested to know who drove it then and if it had any racing history ? Thanks.

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(Ken Hyndman photo )

This was driven by Barry "Bo" Seton, Glenns father. It was quiet successful prior to the intro of XU-1's.

I recall an article on it in Motor Racing Australia many moons ago.

[Steve Holmes]

Thats a great looking car Ken. Does anyone know what sort of wheels those are?

[Ray Bell]

I think they might be Cairns wheels...

[Ray Bell]

Actually... a story...

At the time Bruce McPhee was tied in with Ford. Talking about the upcoming Bathurst race with the XU-1s having been released, he said to us one night, "They should have it pretty right, they had their test mule at Bathurst at Easter."

He was referring to Bo's car.

[John McKechnie]

Steve- compare these Torana wheels with the ones on my Monaro when Bunce raced it at 1975 GP.
He got them from Aus....................

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks John, I think the wheels on your Monaro were Mawer wheels, which were very popular Australian made racing wheels of the era.

[Steve Holmes]

I think they might be Cairns wheels...

Thanks Ray, they're neat looking wheels.

[khyndart in CA]

Upon further review, my photo of the Seton Torana was probably taken at the May 17th 1970 race meet at Oran Park not in August.
Sorry for the mix up.


(Ken Hyndman )

[Steve Holmes]

Here is Brian Foley's beautiful little Alfa GTAm, which appeared in Australia for the 1971 ATCC, in Improved Production form. It replaced Foley's Porsche 911, which incidentally, went to New Zealand to be raced by Jim Palmer.

The Alfa wasn't successful in Improved Production, with Foley scoring points only twice; picking up a 6th place finish at Surfers Paradise, and 5th place at Mallala.

For 1972, with the fast growing emergence in Sports Sedan racing, and the rich prize money being offered, Foley fitted the GTAm with an alloy quad-cam Alfa V8 motor, sourced from Alec Mildren. It looked incredible, with its inlet stacks poking up through the hood, and it did notch up some good results, but was sold at seasons end. Its now been restored back to its 1971 Improved Production guise.

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[Steve Holmes]

Prior to racing the ex-Bob Jane two-timeATCC winning Camaro, Jim Smith raced this very special Rover P6.

Its one of two Traco powered factory cars built by Bill ShawRacing for British Leyland, as part of a large-scale plan to enter the BritishSaloon Car Championship. The Rovers were built to FIA Group 2 rules. They werewild looking cars. To homologate them, BL needed to build 1,000 units, but thisnever happened, the project was canned, and the two prototypes were sold off, with this one making its way to Australia.

Where is it now?

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[Steve Holmes]

Pete Geoghegan's mighty HJ Monaro SportsSedan. Financed by Laurie O'Neil, designed and built by John Sheppard, itfeatured a mix of exotic Ford GT40 parts, fuel-injected small block Chevy, andHewland trans-axle. It was a winner straight out of the box, and alwaysspectacular with big Pete at the helm.

This is the way the car looked during is first season, in 1975,before the bulky box-flares were added. Note the lack of racing numbers.Perhaps the cars first event?

The team fought with CAMS throughout 1975 over the HJ nose, as CAMS wanted it gone, replaced by an HQ nose, because the HJ was never made available with a Chevy motor. CAMS eventually won.

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[Ray Bell]

That Alfa was a pretty wild car...

I have a story about it I did some time ago:

Fast That’s Past – Brian Foley’s Alfa V8 - As published in Motor Racing Australia


After making his name in a Sprite and climbing to the top in a Mini, Brian Foley went racing in Porsches. But he always loved Alfas, so when the fastest Alfa he could get wasn’t fast enough he added a (rather different) V8.


The breeding was good – Alfa Romeo’s GTAm, or GT America, where the Trans-Am series was big news. But there’s a lot more to it than that, and it starts back in the early sixties when Alfa Romeo brought out the original 1600cc GTA.

This was an alloy-bodied car built as a specific model for Group 2 FIA touring car regulations. These specified 1000 units, but there’s little doubt that only 500 were ever built. They were caned in racing against Lotus Cortinas and suchlike all around the world.

A rule change led to the GTAm coming into being. The dimensions for cabin space and seating were increased, and Alfa were able to cater for the increase by reducing the thickness of the seat padding. Porsche, on the other hand, having really stretched the previous rules to get their 911s homologated as Touring Cars, were left out.

This, ironically, was the immediate reason Foley wanted to change cars. Or one of them.

Bearing in mind the production figure requirement, and the fact that a closer scrutiny of the numbers would be expected, Alfa couldn’t justify doing another car like the GTA with a number of alloy body panels.

So the GTAm was heavier, though its homologated weight was nicely optimistic at 920kgs. The American version of the 105 coupe was the car that was homologated, using mechanical fuel injection. A further improvement over the GTA was the bulging of the mudguards to cover the much wider tyres that had been introduced during the second half of the sixties.

The rules allowed replacement cylinder heads and enlargement to the class displacement limit, so cars coming from the production line that were earmarked for conversion to GTAm were sent to Autodelta and taken out to 1985cc.

They had some lightweighting done and did have alloy doors, boot lid and bonnet. Some cars had fiberglass doors instead of alloy, but even with these changes it was unlikely that the true weight came down from the original 1020kg to 920kg. Not without further help, anyway.

Brian Foley had been in the car sales business for a long time, operating in the southern suburbs of Sydney and selling BMC products. When it was obvious that he should move on from racing Minis, he had many and varied thoughts about what he should do.

That he went with the Porsche was almost out of character. Colin Devany, who helped prepare Foley’s cars for years, recalls that prior to going for the Porsche Foley was “muttering about a Rambler,” but the Porsche won. It might not have been a bad choice, Roger Penske ran them for a year or two and Mark Donohue won the Trans-Am in one.

But he bought the Porsche (maybe not enough money in the tobacco tin?) and before too long he hated it, so he transferred his interests.

The move to Alfa Romeo was a change that he liked and the prospect of racing a car with the Alfa’s heritage appealed to him greatly. That it was an inherently more stable car than the Porsche was no doubt a part of that appeal.

A part of the Alfa heritage he didn’t like was the fact that the car arrived in a very worn out state and needed a lot of time spent on it before it could be race-ready. This caused him to miss the start of the Australian Touring Car Championship series.

The car first appeared at Oran Park on March 28, 1971. It tailed Ian Geoghegan’s Mustang in a Sports Sedan event on that day after working its way up from fifth place and passing the Jaguar-Ford V8 of Barry Sharp. Not bad for a 2-litre 4-cylinder car!

The next four meetings at which it ran it trailed Jim McKeown’s Porsche home – Warwick Farm, Surfers Paradise, Mallala and Lakeside, the latter three being ATCC rounds. It was only scoring minor points.

The results weren’t spectacular, and then Foley agreed to lend the engine out of this car to David McKay for the Dulux Rally and missed a couple of meetings.

When he got the engine back the car went better. He beat McKeown at the AJC Trophy meeting at Warwick Farm and came in second to Geoghegan. Then at Lakeside’s September meeting Foley wrapped up the Gold Medal events for the day with a pair of wins.

The final 4-cylinder outing for the car was again at the Farm, where Foley was the first non-V8 again, but this time taking a fourth and a fifth place.

It was the disappointment that the car had little outright potential that caused Foley to cast his mind towards an engine change. There were wholesale changes taking place in the racing categories and Sports Sedans had reached a point where they were a serious and competitive racing category.

It was necessary in those times to retain the same brand of engine as the chassis, so Foley approached Alec Mildren about the V8 engines that had powered Kevin Bartlett to much success in Gold Star racing in 1968 and 1969. An engine was acquired and the job of installation was put under the guidance of Glenn Turner.

Oh, yes, along with the engine change, Foley had casually asked Turner and Colin Devany to ‘move the steering wheel to the right side of the car.’ “That part of the job caused us more trouble than fitting the engine,” Turner remembers. And so does Devany.

But they followed through on it because it would make Foley more comfortable than he had been in nine months running the car so far.

In moving the steering box to the right, they found that they either needed a RHD steering box or to mount the LHD steering box outside the engine bay, under the wheel arch. With room for the V8 and its extractor exhaust system at a premium, this was a logical way to go.

The workshop where the job was done was Ray Morris’ place at Taren Point. Convenient in a way – Morris made his living those days converting American cars from LHD to RHD! In these circumstances, making the two required idler arms and an additional link in the steering was easy. But when it came to moving the pedals there was strife because the footwell differed from right to left in this car.

An adaptor was made to fit the 300bhp 2.5-litre engine to the original gearbox, the engine was centralized in the engine bay (unlike the 4-cyl engine, which was biased to the right) and all the details worked out. They had a range of diff ratios to suit different circuits.

It was also necessary to build the engine up from the pile of bits that arrived from Mildren’s. New pistons were required with reduced compression ratio and some welding was required to repair the block.

In discussions with Mildren’s chief mechanic, Glenn Abbey, there had been talk of low oil pressure that the engine had suffered for a long time. “We found a split in the oil gallery in the block,” Devany recalls, “we welded that up and got the right oil pressure. It had been leaking into the crankcase ever since the block was damaged.”

So there was fabrication and fitting going on in the chassis to one side of the workshop and engine building and repair on the other. When then new pistons arrived they had to have the tops machined to drop the compression ratio. Then they needed balancing, so Colin took them and a file and a little grinder to the local pharmacy. “I borrowed their scales and weighed them, then I worked on them till I got the balance right, thanked the chemist and took them back to the workshop. They weren’t far out.”

When the engine was finally assembled, it was set up on a stand with a 44 gallon drum of water providing the necessary coolant. The trial running was satisfactory so the job of installation went on to completion.

A radiator was specially made for the job, a hole was cut into the bonnet for the intakes and the whole lot was completed in time for the May 7 Amaroo Park meeting.

There Foley met Bill Brown’s Porsche, a car with enviable speed around the hilly circuit. After taking pole, the Alfa wasn’t as fast off the grid as the Porsche so the first lap of each of the two races saw Brown in front. But up the hill the Alfa swept by both times, and with a lap record of 55.6 seconds Foley notched up two wins.

Two weeks later at Surfers Paradise he was unable to match the speed of the imported V8 tourers – Moffat (Mustang), Jane (Camaro) – or John Harvey in Jane’s Repco V8 powered lightweight Torana.

Hume Weir in June, however, showed what the car was capable of, running between Hamilton’s and Brown’s Porsches for a strong second place in the Riverina Trophy over 20 laps and a win in a handicap. His lap time in the handicap was 49.1 seconds, the best class time of the day.

There was a two month gap before the car got another airing. It had been running well and showing good speed allied with good handling and braking. The original GTAm brakes were well and truly up to the task, no small number of top line drivers having found themselves outbraked by the aggressive Foley.

Power was good for what it was too. The little V8 had given Bartlett and Gardner 300hp to tackle all comers in Tasman and Gold Star racing, and after this rebuild Merv Waggott’s dyno showed 305bhp. More than that, it sounded crisp and sharp, the flat plane crank giving it a very non-V8 note and twin megaphone exhausts creating sounds that enthusiasts of the day loved to hear.

And others heard it too, Devany told us. “You can’t do it today, but we used to cover up the numbers and sling trade plates on it to take it for a test run up the street. Brian’s first drive of the car was along Parraweena Road.”


Cont.

[Ray Bell]

cont...

One characteristic of the car from the driver’s point of view was the engine’s willingness to rev. Glenn Turner remembers this well, having warmed it up at circuits like Oran Park when Foley took it out for testing. And also when Foley came back into the pits after practice or races.

“The tell-tale would show 11,500 revs,” he says, “Foley would just say ‘I don’t know when that happened!’ and we’d just zero it again and wait for next time.” The engine never gave any trouble because of it, but frequent trips over the 10,500rpm red line were a part of the car’s life.

Foley had a medical problem that kept him away from the circuits for a few weeks in the winter of 1972, but when he returned for the August 6 Oran Park meeting he had to show all his old skills. Spinning in the 8-lapper, he fought his way back to seventh, and in the main race he was third behind the Porsches of Brown and McKeown – Porsches which were by now getting bigger and bigger engines.

Four weeks later at Warwick Farm the car had one of its major triumphs. There were two 10-lap events, the revvy little Alfa V8 took the car across the line first in the opening race by two tenths of a second from Allan Moffat, but the Mustang won out in the later race. By one tenth!

It wasn’t so good at the November meeting at the Farm, fourth place behind Moffat, Geoghegan and Jane in the first race, Moffat, Harvey and Geoghegan in the second. There was some consolation, of course, that all these cars had engines almost or over twice the size of the Alfa’s.

“We had bought the most powerful Alfa engine we could find,” Foley says, “but in the end it wasn’t enough to be with the 5-litre cars.”

A week later they were at Symmons Plains running in supporting events for the Sports Car Championship race. John Harvey was winning that series in Bob Jane’s McLaren, so Jane had his Monaro there too, Foley was the only possible challenger. The weather was bad.

“The engine never gave us a moment’s bother,” Glenn recalls, “despite its complexity – twin spark plugs, for instance – it was good to us. But if it started to misfire you’d slash your wrists!”

And this was what happened at Symmons – the race combining Sports Sedans with Touring Cars saw Jane win, but Foley was right on his rear bumper at the finish line.

“Then we changed the plugs,” says Glenn. They missed the later races altogether as they just couldn’t sort out the miss. Maybe this was the catalyst that led to the sale of the car. Foley says he got word while at that meeting that someone in Western Australia wanted to buy it, so that was the last time it ran in his hands.

The car went to Frank Cecchele, who gave the driving chores to Gordon Stephenson initially, then Max Fletcher. But the long arm of the law caught up with that complex engine, it was ruled ineligible for Sports Sedan racing and Frank entered it in Sports Car races for a while.

In the mid-eighties, after the car had for some time been lying inactive, Frank formed an alliance with Gordon Mitchell. Gordon had bought a Morris Marina that had been prepared for the 1974 London to Munich World Cup Rally. It had been set up for a Rover V8 engine, but Gordon went a step further and turbocharged the Rover engine.

But some of the car was beyond further development by the time Frank and Gordon started talking, and the result was that Frank took over the development of the Rover engine and stuck it into the Alfa. The Cecchele-Mitchell-Alfa V8 combination swept all before them in WA racing before it was all put out to pasture.

So what ultimately became of it all?

“We sold the engine many years ago,” says Frank Cecchele, “it went to the man who has the Brabham that Alec Mildren fitted it to. I think it won’t be long before he has it ready for Historic racing now. The body we sold to someone in Melbourne who has got the original type of Alfa engine and who will make it original again.”

Ray Bell

[Ray Bell]

[Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Pete Geoghegan's mighty HJ Monaro Sports Sedan. Financed by Laurie O'Neil, designed and built by John Sheppard, itfeatured a mix of exotic Ford GT40 parts, fuel-injected small block Chevy, andHewland trans-axle. It was a winner straight out of the box, and alwaysspectacular with big Pete at the helm.[/FONT][/COLOR]

This is the way the car looked during is first season, in 1975,before the bulky box-flares were added. Note the lack of racing numbers.Perhaps the cars first event?

The team fought with CAMS throughout 1975 over the HJ nose, as CAMS wanted it gone, replaced by an HQ nose, because the HJ was never made available with a Chevy motor. CAMS eventually won.

30137

I never knew about the argument with the CAMS over the model...

It actually had two LG500s, didn't it? One as a gearbox behind the engine and another with just the differential in use?

[Steve Holmes]

Brilliant story on the Alfa Ray, thanks for sharing. Interesting point about the 'Rambler'. It jogged my memory to look up a small comment in my old Australian Touring Car Championship book, in which a planned Javelin is mentioned, but for whatever reason, not allowed under the rules. I could never understand quite why this would be.

[Terry S]

Actually... a story...

At the time Bruce McPhee was tied in with Ford. Talking about the upcoming Bathurst race with the XU-1s having been released, he said to us one night, "They should have it pretty right, they had their test mule at Bathurst at Easter."

He was referring to Bo's car.

I refer to your statement that the Seton Torana was the test mule for HDT at Bathurst. This is completely INCORRECT.
I quote Harry Firth’s exact words on this:
“For racing purposes, we first trialled a 186 engine in a road registered GTR (Vic reg: KLD-158) and it immediately proved my theories correct, by matching the lap times of the Falcons and Monaros at selected circuits. This GTR became the XU-1 prototype. In February 1970, Brock drove it in the first rallycross event held at Calder and won on debut. I then gave it to Tony Roberts to drive in a sports sedan race at the 1970 Easter Bathurst meeting in March, because he was very hard on cars and I figured if he couldn’t break it driving around The Mountain then no one else would!”

It is interesting that in January 2013 this same poster in an Autosport TNF post incorrectly referred to Seton’s car as Firth’s prototype of the XU-1 for testing at Bathurst.
He was told shortly after that that was NOT the case.

Why then do you repeat the same incorrect statement almost three years after you were told the facts?

[Steve Holmes]

I never knew about the argument with the CAMS over the model...

It actually had two LG500s, didn't it? One as a gearbox behind the engine and another with just the differential in use?

Yes thats right, two trans-axles, although the first was just an empty case. The rules stipulated the original engine and transmission sequence be retained.

CAMS eventually won the squabble over the HJ nose. The HJ Monaro was only ever made available with a Holden V8, unlike the HQ which also offered a Chevy. The argument went on throughout 1975, with CAMS eventually winning, and the car reappearing in 1976 fitted with an HQ front, as it would retain throughout the rest of its career.

[Steve Holmes]

I refer to your statement that the Seton Torana was the test mule for HDT at Bathurst. This is completely INCORRECT.
I quote Harry Firth’s exact words on this:
“For racing purposes, we first trialled a 186 engine in a road registered GTR (Vic reg: KLD-158) and it immediately proved my theories correct, by matching the lap times of the Falcons and Monaros at selected circuits. This GTR became the XU-1 prototype. In February 1970, Brock drove it in the first rallycross event held at Calder and won on debut. I then gave it to Tony Roberts to drive in a sports sedan race at the 1970 Easter Bathurst meeting in March, because he was very hard on cars and I figured if he couldn’t break it driving around The Mountain then no one else would!”

It is interesting that in January 2013 this same poster in an Autosport TNF post incorrectly referred to Seton’s car as Firth’s prototype of the XU-1 for testing at Bathurst.
He was told shortly after that that was NOT the case.

Why then do you repeat the same incorrect statement almost three years after you were told the facts?

Thats OK Terry, facts and details can sometimes be forgotten.

[Ray Bell]

He's very nasty towards me, Steve...

Okay, my memory might have failed me, but I'm fairly sure this was what Bruce McPhee led us to believe.

As for being told the facts two and a half years ago, I don't remember that either. Sometimes things need to be jogged a bit, but there's never any need to be so bitter and nasty about things, is there?

I agree that this makes more sense than Seton's car. I'll try to remember it in future. But as for Terry, I'm still awaiting his apology for his outburst in the other thread. Do we really need to go on having all this bitterness thrown around?

What have I ever done to harm him? Why is it important to him to try to make me look small? Is there something he wants of me? Can his posts please be deleted?

[Terry S]

Thats OK Terry, facts and details can sometimes be forgotten.

For the benefit of Aussie posters, is your policy then to be that we are not to point out errors in this guys posts because his memory is fading? If this is your policy then we can accept it. As long as we know where we stand.

On the top of this page it states its a forum for "Historic motor racing and motorsport history". How creditable will the site become if errors can not be noted.

[Ray Bell]

By all means point out errors. I accept that I can make mistakes.

But why so nasty? Why make out that I'm the devil incarnate?

Why post things such as this?


Originally posted by Terry S
I see that this forum is no longer a Ray Bell free zone. What a pity!

On each thread he seems to have put 3 or 4 posts today. Must have run out of sparring partners on Autosport forum.

I hope he doesn't descend this forum to his levels on Autosport.....

I don't have 'sparring partners' on any forum, or at least not that I know about. I try always to raise the level, as I have tried to do on this thread.

And I use my real name... no hiding behind an alias, no secrecy, no sly shots at others.

[Spgeti]

Brilliant story on the Alfa Ray, thanks for sharing. Interesting point about the 'Rambler'. It jogged my memory to look up a small comment in my old Australian Touring Car Championship book, in which a planned Javelin is mentioned, but for whatever reason, not allowed under the rules. I could never understand quite why this would be.

As an Alfisti I enjoyed this article Ray. Information on a famous car that I was unaware of. It is my understanding that approximately 32 GTAm's were build and I will accept corrections. All built by Autodelta and some to customers orders. Truly a famous and rare car.

[Ray Bell]

Thank you...

I have a host of those stories that I've written over a long period. I'm happy to post any up here as they might be appropriate.

[GD66]

Thanks, Ray, your contributions over a wide variety of topics over a number of eras are much appreciated, and your work in research and publishing speaks for itself.
Drop in anytime, son :cool:

[Steve Holmes]

For the benefit of Aussie posters, is your policy then to be that we are not to point out errors in this guys posts because his memory is fading? If this is your policy then we can accept it. As long as we know where we stand.

On the top of this page it states its a forum for "Historic motor racing and motorsport history". How creditable will the site become if errors can not be noted.

Terry, if you spot an error on someones post, then, by all means, feel free to correct it. But be very careful about how you word it, because to me your response in post #50 is quite aggressive. If you have any further questions regarding this subject, feel free to message me personally.

[Ray Bell]

http://www.theroaringseason.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=29861&d=1439975118

Fast that’s Past – Malcolm Ramsay’s HQ 4-door


When Holden racers everywhere chose the Monaro, Malcolm Ramsay’s sponsors said “We sell Kingswoods – that’s what we’ll race!”

The introduction of the HQ model Holden came at a time when General Motors-Holdens had swung the competitive side of their image away from the bigger cars. They were racing and rallying Torana GTR XU-1s and the bigger cars were filling another role in their marketing strategies.

Of course, there was a need for them to be considered. While the Toranas could go head to head with the Falcon GT HOs at most circuits in races for unmodified cars, in the Improved Touring category there were Mustangs and Camaros to contend with.

But the HQ was quite a change from previous models in an important way. The location and springing of the rear axle was no longer the simple old leaf spring arrangement, but now it had coils and four trailing arms. And lateral location came from the angling of the shorter top arms inwards to their anchoring point beneath the rear seat.

So development would be along different lines, something to daunt the ones who wanted to upgrade to the General’s latest product.

That didn’t stop them altogether, though. Bob Jane had his Southern Motors dealership selling Holdens and was racing a Camaro. The HQ Monaro offered the 350 Chev engine and more or less everything else that a Camaro had. That being so, he set out to develop a Monaro so that it would better reflect the cars his salesmen were putting before the customers on the showroom floor.

In Adelaide there was a team that was fielding a wide range of cars. The amalgamation of City Motors and State Motors had created City-State Motors, the biggest Holden dealers in South Australia.

Malcolm Ramsay and John Walker were running Elfins and then fielded a Torana under their banner, racing all over the country and achieving more than just a modicum of success. Radio station 5AD gave additional impetus to the sponsorship package.

In 1971 Malcolm put a proposal to City-State to expand their budget to include a V8 Touring Car, offering to build a Monaro 350.

“They told me that the Monaro was only a small part of their sales, that they sold lots of Kingswoods and that’s what they wanted to race,” Ramsay recalls.

This put a whole different slant on the proposal. Instead of going the well-established route with the very well-developed 350 Chev, they were limited to the 308 Holden V8. Little else was affected, however, and they were to smile a little when they found that the 4-door body weighed in about 32kg lighter than the Monaro’s 2-door.

The people behind the car were many. Malcolm’s father, Aub, had been a speedway racer many years before and was a part of the team, but the principal ingredient was the suspension design work done by Tony Alcock.

Malcolm had got to know Tony well when he was having a car built at Elfin a year or two earlier. Tony was building the Niel Allen Elfin ME5 at the same time and they often discussed their ideas together.

Later, Malcolm had wanted Elfin to build him a monocoque racer and found Garrie Cooper reluctant. Tony had gone to Sydney with Allen’s team, and then built the first Birrana Formula Ford their, but was enticed back to Adelaide by Malcolm’s offer to have him build a monocoque F2 car and set up a production facility to market them.

City-State were funding this effort too, so Alcock and his wife returned to Adelaide and set to work, Birrana becoming a partnership between Ramsay and Alcock.

So while Birrana was becoming more firmly established, Tony drew up a tubular double wishbone front suspension and then attacked the rear suspension. Like the Bob Jane team did later, he fabricated new links to replace the original rear axle trailing arms, using spherical bearings throughout the suspension. Armstrong adjustable dampers were fitted.

At the same time, the issue of the power unit was being resolved. Repco were asked to supply one of their F5000 engines, but with the underbonnet space limitations it had to have different inlet trumpets for the fuel injection. It was the only Repco F5000 engine built with these curved trumpets.

While the engine was smaller, Repco had managed to create a very torquey power unit, so although it might have lacked some top end power compared to the 350s it was not lacking in the mid range at all.

Malcolm considers it had plenty of power. “We had 530bhp when we got it, then we gave it to Peter Molloy and it came back with 550bhp.”

The body was further lightened, as well as being seam-welded to improve rigidity. At the time, Peter Brock told me that going this route was smart because of the weight and also because the body was more rigid than the coupe with its wider doors.

With the power taken care of, the next thing was the brakes. 4-spot Girling calipers were fitted to the front end and the backing plates of the rear drums liberally drilled for ventilation.

“The Archilles heel of the car was its brakes,” Malcolm remembers, “the rear brakes never lasted.”

The rules of the time insisted on these cars retaining the original mechanical parts, though modifications could be allowed. Hence the gearbox was as supplied from GM-H.

There were many changes made, however. The boot was loaded down with a 16 gallon (72 litre) fuel tank packed in above the rear axle, a collector tank for the pump to send the fuel to the fuel injection, the dry sump tank and lines and the battery.

Inside the cabin there was an alloy roll cage made by Bond Roll Bars and attached to the floor and rear deck behind the back seat – no thought of using the cage to strengthen the car at all. The driver’s seat was from a then-new LJ Torana XU-1 and there were additional instruments to inform the driver of vital functions.

Under the rear floor ahead of the axle they fitted an oil cooler for the differential, the flow of oil being pushed along by an electric pump.

Wheels were 10” x 15” ROH mags, which required a neat bit of flaring of the mudguards both front and rear. The front guards were also modified to allow quick removal so that the crew could more readily get in to service the engine and suspension.

Though John Walker was a regular driver of the team’s XU-1, this car was to be for Malcolm to drive. He tested it at Adelaide International Raceway in January, 1972, where problems with the fuel injection pressure led to tests being abandoned.

They had proved, however, that the car was inherently ‘right’ and that only minor sorting and finishing would have it race ready. Ahead of the team lay a programme of events that included all rounds of the Australian Touring Car Championship.

But first there was the supporting races at the Sandown Park Tasman Cup meeting, two eight lappers that saw the car spin on the first lap and scatter the field. A charge back through the field ensued, enlivening proceedings after Moffat had crashed. In the second of these Malcolm ran just off the pace to fill fourth spot.

The following week at Adelaide there was a win from the back of the grid, brake problems having slowed the car in practice and threatened to force its withdrawal from an event that was obviously important in the shaking down of the car for the longer title races. The second race saw the car third with the engine off song, the shaking down was producing results.

For the third weekend in a row the car turned out at Symmons Plains for the title opener. But not in time for practice, the transporter blowing a head gasket en route! Starting from a lowly grid position, then, the car did well to finish third, a lap down on Allan Moffat and Bob Jane.

A break of a fortnight in this heavy schedule must have been most welcome. Calder’s second round saw the car sitting pretty for fourth on the grid until Rushford’s Escort pipped its time. In the race, however, it was to chase Norm Beechey’s Monaro and Pete Geoghegan’s ‘Super Falcon’ before various travails among the opposition left the HQ in second spot, again a lap down, but this time on Jane.

Acknowledging the sponsor’s need for local exposure, Malcolm won two races at the ASCC Adelaide meeting in April, setting a new Touring Car record as he went.

Cont...

[Ray Bell]

cont...

A week later he was at Sandown to debut the Birrana 272, so didn’t run the Kingswood in the ATCC event, then on June 11 the Kingswood ran at AIR’s ATCC round and filled another third place. The car was actually on the front row of the grid for this event, Beechey and Geoghegan not being on the pace in practice, and the pointscore after the event saw Malcolm fourth of the larger cars. This was one of those years in which the 2-litre cars could score equal points to the big cars with class positions.

Fourth on the grid and third in the race at Warwick Farm put him third in the pointscore, but still the car was lapped at the end of the 82km event.

It’s incongruous that the Surfers Paradise round of the series didn’t see Malcolm running. This was, however, the debut of the Bob Jane HQ Monaro in John Harvey’s hands, Jane entering his second car in an effort to keep Moffat out of the points. Moffat retired, but it shows that the series was hotly contested – and the Kingswood still held third in its class in the points.

Although Malcolm was concentrating his efforts on beating all comers in the Birrana by this time, he still entered the October meeting at AIR with the Kingswood to meet the challenge put forward by some New Zealand cars that had come across for a Calder meeting and this one. But problems in practice saw the car at the back of the grid, and as the grid curves around the banking at AIR it meant weaving in among cars in that curve as he attempted to make up the deficit as quickly as possible off the start.

He miscued, however, and crashed headlong into the wall, severely damaging the front of the car. “It pushed the engine and gearbox back, there was a lot of damage, including to my neck!” Ramsay says.

The car was repaired, but there was no rush. No further races were to be contested in 1972, the Birrana got all the attention for the time being, though the car went to Bay Park in New Zealand for an outing that failed to add anything to its CV.

The two races supporting the International event for F5000 at AIR late in February saw the car’s last appearance in this form. Remembering that the rules for Touring Cars had changed and that the car was now a Sports Sedan, there was no longer much relevance running it.

To be a front runner would require a lot of development, but development was also needed in the team’s ANF2 racing. Leo Geoghegan was now driving the 272 and the 273 was not far away.

In the two races that final day, Bob Jane was the winner with Malcolm and John Kay (Camaro) sharing the honours for the placings. The car was dismantled and the engine sold to John Mann for his Cortina.

All in all it had been an interesting exercise for the Birrana team. But they had bigger fish to pursue as their main goal of supplying the Australian racing scene with F2 and F3 cars of a quality not seen before became evident.

That he was a front-line runner in F2 at the time gives weight to Malcolm’s opinion of how the Kingswood behaved. “It handled nicely, I could always get it to do what I wanted it to do,” he told us. “That I attribute to Tony, his work meant we always had a nicely balanced car.”

Birrana has been through other phases since, racing being put aside in the mid-seventies as Malcolm expanded into more commercial areas. Tony Alcock pursued a design career in England, only to die in that fateful air crash that put an end to the Graham Hill Embassy F1 team.

In more recent times the bug to race again has bitten and Birrana became the team to beat in Formula Holden, also entering the Konica Lights field. But again the race team is dormant as one of the most advanced engineering organizations in Australia concentrates on servicing and supplying mining equipment.

But the value of racing to that organization is clear in the Managing Director’s mind. “We put our engineers on the race team,” he told us, “it taught them to think on their feet.”

Just like he ran a car that dared to be different in the Australian Touring Car Championship of 1972, Malcolm Ramsay runs a company that challenges new engineering frontiers.

The HQ Kingswood was one of its first projects.

Ray Bell

[seaqnmac27]

What a fantastic insight Thank you Ray

Sean McBride

[Steve Holmes]

Another excellent article Ray, thanks for posting. You mention the flares on the Kingswood. To my mind, these were an absolute triumph.

Here is another Perry Drury shot of the car, from the rear.

30158

[Michael Clark]

It was at Bay Park when? Labour Weekend 71 or 72? 1972 I think

[seaqnmac27]

1973, Just behind Rod Coppins here.

30159

[Michael Clark]

Right thanks - I thought that was the star car for my first visit to Bay Park. Perhaps it was Jim McKeown's Porsche in 1972.

[Steve Holmes]

Actually, I'm pretty certain Ramsay and the Kingswood appeared at the 1972 Labour Weekend event.

[Milan Fistonic]

Actually, I'm pretty certain Ramsay and the Kingswood appeared at the 1972 Labour Weekend event.


You're correct Steve, it was the October 22, 1972 meeting.

[John McKechnie]

Bruce- what happened to the smooth line between the guard and the bonnet on the Firebird in #65

[khyndart in CA]

John, It may have created by the same guys that leaned on your Monaro to have a well earned drink !
Your car just has better steel. (Made in Australia )



Theory as per Ken Hyndman.

[Steve Holmes]

Can anyone here shed any light on this car?Its a 1966 Mustang Sports Sedan, owned and raced by Graham Whincup, plus DarylSiedel. It was later raced by Chris Burke of Queensland.

What isn't visible here is that the Mustang is actually afastback, not a notchback. So its not one of the Improved Production cars ofthe 1960s updated to '70s Sports Sedan spec. Did it have international racinghistory prior to ending up in Australia? Where is it now? It was a greatlooking car.

30221

[Rod Grimwood]

What a great looking car this is! This is the former Greg Cusack, Fred Gibson, Niel Allen etc Mustang that first appeared in Australia in 1967. It was team mate for a time to Pete Geoghegan's Mustang. Its one of the batch of 26 turn-key A/Sedan race cars built by Shelby.

This photo was taken circa 1971, by which time it was owned by Tony Calvert. Pictured at Symmons Plains.

This is the car that was for sale for a long time at Canepa's in the US: http://www.canepacollection.com/detail-1967-shelby-mustang-trans_am-used-5117120.html

30016

It was at Laguna Seca this year, and was also on display at Canepa when we visited. Now that is another story, what an amazing place and we were lucky to be treated to a look around. Nice people, nice cars, amazing workshop, close to ' heaven' .

[Steve Holmes]

We posted a photo of Pete Geoghegan's mighty HJ Monaro SportsSedan earlier in the week, in its original 1975 guise.

At the conclusion of that season, the car was rebuilt and fittedwith large box-style flares, which were all the rage in the mid-1970s. Theymade the big Monaro look HUGE!

Another notable change for 1976, was that the Monaro wasretrofitted with an HQ nose. When the Craven Mild machine first appeared in1975, the new HJ model had superseded the HQ in showrooms, so the team fitted HJ front sheet metal. CAMSargued the car had be represent an HQ, as this model was available with a Chevymotor, which the race car had, whereas the Chevy motor was dropped for the HJ.CAMS won.

30252

[Steve Holmes]

The Sidchrome Mustang, pictured at Calder Park. Not 100% sure of the year, but given the Melfords Ford sponsorship and lack of Shell sponsorship, would place it around 1976. What a brilliant clear shot of this great car.

Thats Jim Richards in his blue racing suit next to the drivers door.

30298

[Steve Holmes]

Superb side-profile shot here of Jim Smith's ex-Bob Jane ZL1 Camaro which won the 1971 and 1972 Australian Touring Car Championships. That sure was a colourful paint scheme!

30299

[seaqnmac27]

We posted a photo of Pete Geoghegan's mighty HJ Monaro SportsSedan earlier in the week, in its original 1975 guise.

At the conclusion of that season, the car was rebuilt and fittedwith large box-style flares, which were all the rage in the mid-1970s. Theymade the big Monaro look HUGE!

Another notable change for 1976, was that the Monaro wasretrofitted with an HQ nose. When the Craven Mild machine first appeared in1975, the new HJ model had superseded the HQ in showrooms, so the team fitted HJ front sheet metal. CAMSargued the car had be represent an HQ, as this model was available with a Chevymotor, which the race car had, whereas the Chevy motor was dropped for the HJ.CAMS won.

30252

Pat Crea lurking in the background again

[Steve Holmes]

A couple of mad monsters: Bryan Thomson's V8 VW, with Harry LeFoe's V8 Hillman Imp sat in behind.

30336

[Steve Holmes]

This is Bob Stevens' Mustang Sports Sedan, circa mid-1970s. I posted this photo on our Facebook page, and said it was the 1968 Shelby factory Trans-Am racer that Bob Jane brought to Australia to race in 1969 and 1970. However, someone posted that this wasn't the case.

Maybe someone here knows the full story?

30418

[Ray Bell]

They were wrong...

Later raced by Joe McInnes, I think Garry Willmington had a drive or two as well.

[Steve Holmes]

Thank you Ray, thats good to know.

[Ray Bell]

Hmmm...

Yes, I had an idea someone else had it between Janey and Bob Stevens. It was owned by Ron Marsden (Marsden Real Estate) and driven by Barry Sharp IIRC.

[Ray Bell]

It was niggling at me so I checked...

Marsden bought it and had Bob Stevens drive it, their first meeting being November 11, 1972. Which is a long time after Bob Jane last ran the car.

I'm sure that Barry Sharp also raced it for Marsden at some time, then Bob bought it for himself before selling it to Joe McInnes.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks so much for this Ray, fantastic info! The the Jane racing team use the car at all after the Camaro was built? Perhaps for John Harvey?

[Ray Bell]

I don't think so but I could check...

I'm not able to do that at this time.

[Steve Holmes]

Thats OK Ray, I was just curious. Bob Jane seemed to run two sedans for a number of years there.

[Ray Bell]

The Camaro's first outing was at Calder on January 17, 1971...

Harvey did drive the Mustang at that meeting, Jane retired by the end of the day with a broken gearbox. Harvey had also driven the Mustang at the Warwick Farm meeting a month earlier, but Jane wasn't present. Perhaps he was entered in the Camaro and it wasn't ready, so his entry was withdrawn and Harvey remained in the event?

Jane then appeared the next week at Phillip Island in the Mustang for a couple of unchallenged wins. Of interest, the previous year Jane had run the Mustang at this meeting, but as a Sports Car to help build the field in the ASCC Rd 1.

There was no Bob Jane Racing Touring Car entry was Warwick Farm on February, but at Sandown on February 21 the Camaro came out for two wins. No Mustang.

The main game for the Camaro was the Touring Car Championship, of course, and this began at Symmons Plains where, in a wet race, Jane did have Harvey there to back him up but the Mustang siezed its engine.

Round 2 at Calder saw no Mustang present, nor was it at Sandown though it was apparently entered and didn't turn out.

By this time the team had the V8 Repco Torana on stream, it appeared at Hume Weir at Easter but wasn't right, comments along the lines of 'a lot of work was needed to get it right' indicates that the Mustang, which probably still hadn't had its engine fixed, was pushed to the back of the workshop.

Right through to the end of the year it never appeared again, I'd say it didn't ever run again in Jane's colours.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Ray, terrific info. Also, I guess, at some point probably late in 1971 planning must have begun for the Improved Production HQ Monaro that would eventually succeed the Camaro.

[Ray Bell]

Probably...

I don't know exactly when Bob became a Holden dealer (Southern Motors), but that would have had something to do with it. The car never emerged until mid-way through '72, did it?

[Steve Holmes]

I think it made its race debut in July 1972, but in a magazine interview on the car, Bob Jane said the decision was made to build the car when CAMS introduced a 6 litre engine cap for the 1972 ATCC. I'd assume they made this decision in late 1971. The fact he and his brother ran a Holden dealership was what sealed the deal to go this route, as they didn't sell Camaros.

[Steve Holmes]

Pete Geoghegan's Super Falcon, at what looks to be Symmons Plains, in 1972. This is likely the opening round of the '72 ATCC.

In behind is Robin Bessant's Mustang, the car formerly driven by Robin Pare and owned by Don Elliott. Interesting car this, in right hand drive. Where is it now?

30692

[Steve Holmes]

A continuation in a way, of the photo postedearlier featuring Pete Geoghegan's Super Falcon, and Robin Bessant's Mustang.

Here is Bessant's Mustang once more, while tucked in behind isClive Green's Mustang. This is, of course, the GTA used to great effect byGeoghegan to win the ATCC in 1967, '68, and '69. Now with the Wall family.

30693

[Steve Holmes]

Bob Jane and his second Mustang, purchasedin 1967 to replace the Mustang destroyed at Catalina Park.

I believe this is one of the 26 A/Sedan Mustangs built by Shelbyin 1967, with the plan to sell the majority to privateer teams to help Ford winthe SCCA Trans-Am series. There was only a manufacturers championship at thetime, with only the highest place car from each manufacturer awarded points.Should the Shelby factory cars fail, the idea was that there would be a gang of privateer Mustangs waiting in the wings to score pointsfor Ford. The plan worked, Ford won the championship.

Amazingly, of the 26 Mustangs built byShelby, 4 ended up down-under.

30815

[Ray Bell]

Was it a '67, Steve?

Wasn't his crash at Catalina in '65? I'd have thought he was back into a Mustang within six or eight months of that.

And that Lotus Cortina on the left, I wonder whose that might be?

[John McKechnie]

1967 Mustangs are identified by 2 vents, one above the other on the rear quarter in front of the wheel arch, and also do not have the oblong, horizontal side indicators on lower rear quarters at the back-only 1968 has them

[Steve Holmes]

Was it a '67, Steve?

Wasn't his crash at Catalina in '65? I'd have thought he was back into a Mustang within six or eight months of that.

And that Lotus Cortina on the left, I wonder whose that might be?

Hi Ray, I believe the Catalina crash was late 1965, circa November, that destroyed his first Mustang. He then had another shunt in early 1966 in his Elfin, in which he sustained some injuries and which put him out of racing for a time. I know he didn't contest the 1966 ATCC, which was held at Bathurst. There were really only two contenders at that event; Geoghegan and Beechey.

The Mustang pictured above is a '67, but this photo would be from 1968, after it'd undergone several modifications, including the front and rear spoilers, flared wheel arches, and quite severe lowering of the ride height. It sat significantly lower than most other sedans in 1968.

[Terry S]

Bob Jane and his second Mustang, purchasedin 1967 to replace the Mustang destroyed at Catalina Park.

I believe this is one of the 26 A/Sedan Mustangs built by Shelbyin 1967, with the plan to sell the majority to privateer teams to help Ford winthe SCCA Trans-Am series. There was only a manufacturers championship at thetime, with only the highest place car from each manufacturer awarded points.Should the Shelby factory cars fail, the idea was that there would be a gang of privateer Mustangs waiting in the wings to score pointsfor Ford. The plan worked, Ford won the championship.

Amazingly, of the 26 Mustangs built byShelby, 4 ended up down-under.

30815

This is the 2nd Jane Mustang, but is not the Shelby car. That was his 3rd Mustang.
This 2nd one was locally built and eventually written off by Chris Brauer.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for the info Terry. You are right in that Bob's third Mustang was the Shelby built 1968 Trans-Am car. I thought someone had told me this second car as pictured above was also a Shelby built car, albeit, not a factory car, but one of the 26 turn-key cars they built for the 1967 season. Perhaps it was one of the Bowden's who told me, as they own what remains of it.

Terry, if it was built locally, do you know by who?

[Terry S]

I'd say they built it themselves as they were very well equipped at that time. Also they had experience from building the first Mustang.

Did the wreck go to Bowdens? i thought it went to someone in Geelong. i recall Miles mentioning that on some thread.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Terry, the remains ended up on the speedway, and were later acquired by the Bowden's. They still have it.

[Rikko]

The 4-door Monaro didn't appear until either the HX or HZ model, the latter I feel sure, so there was no 4-door Chevy option there. Though a 307 Chev was used in the HK sedans.


The 4 door Monaro existed in HQ form, but only with the 253 and 308. Only the GTS Coupe had the 350.

30852

[Bruce302]

I'm pretty sure I test drove an HQ 350 4 door. Only 275 hp from memory.
Bruce.


The 4 door Monaro existed in HQ form, but only with the 253 and 308. Only the GTS Coupe had the 350.

30852

[Spgeti]

I agree Bruce. I nearly bought a HQ 350GTS 4 Door in 1982....

[Roger Dowding]

The 4 door Monaro existed in HQ form, but only with the 253 and 308. Only the GTS Coupe had the 350.

30852

According to ' Australian Muscle Car - issue 83 - who did the bad " Bay Park " [ Sacred Sights] article the Four Door Monaro was the HQ model introduced in 1973, not sure what engines, will look it up. although the 350's had that on the side of the car.

[librules]

According to ' Australian Muscle Car - issue 83 - who did the bad " Bay Park " [ Sacred Sights] article the Four Door Monaro was the HQ model introduced in 1973, not sure what engines, will look it up. although the 350's had that on the side of the car.

4 door HQ GTS's were certainly available with the 350 but had no stickers as the Monaro badge was on the front guard and the V8 badge on the boot. Modern Motor tested one against an XA GT in the June '73 issue. 275bhp quoted for the 350 against 300 for the 351. Holden 16.4 for the 1/4mile and 8.1 secs 0-60mph. The GT did 15.1 and 7.7....

[Steve Holmes]

Yes, correct, the four door Monaro was released in March 1973, almost two years after the two door coupe version, and like the coupe, its top performing motor was the Chevy 350.

[Steve Holmes]

30853

[Ray Bell]

Harrop's EH and Jane's Torana V8...

And again, in the background a car I should be able to identify. The black Torana with red and yellow striping, anyone?

[librules]

Harrop's EH and Jane's Torana V8...

And again, in the background a car I should be able to identify. The black Torana with red and yellow striping, anyone?

Possibly Barry Lane. Not a name I remember despite attending a lot of meetings in that era. He's listed in the Calder 20 October 74 meeting running #65, a black "Repco" Torana., entered by "Lane-Leigh"

[Steve Holmes]

A neat old car this one, the Indy Speed Shop Camaro of John Kay and Peter Finch. Someone here with greater grasp of the facts than me may say otherwise, but I don't believe this to be one of the Improved Production cars of the pre-1972 era. The little knowledge I have of this car is that it first appeared on the scene around 1973/74, by which time its quite conventional layout was already outdated in terms of Sports Sedan technology. But even still, a neat looking car.

In the background is the ex-Bryan Thomson Torana of Gene Cook, along with Moffat etc.

30894

[Ray Bell]

There's an article in RCN about the Indy Speed Shop car, I'm sure...

I'll get to that when I get home, there'll be some answers there. But are you sure it's not the Terry Allan car? I remember that Wayne Mahnken was his mechanic at the time and i knew that it would have been quicker if Wayne drove it.

The McCormack Charger is in the background there too, and maybe that's the John Lewis Torana off to the right?

Was Gene Cook's Torana the Thommo car? I was sort of fixed in my mind that this was sold to Mike Gore, then on to Geoff Russell, though I'm less sure of the second part of that.

[Steve Holmes]

Hi Ray, I used to wonder the same thing, but there was a guy on here a couple of years ago who started a thread searching for the Terry Allan Camaro. He said Terry was his uncle. Anyway, as part of his search he eventually tracked down John Kay's business partner in the Indy Speed Shop, and he confirmed the ISS car had been imported into Australia by John as a road car, then rebuilt for racing.

More info on his findings here: http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?256-Does-anyone-know-what-happened-to-the-Barry-Wearing-67-Z28-SS-Camaro-sold-in-74-75

[Steve Holmes]

The impressive Halliday brothers Capri RS3100 replica. This car was built in New Zealand by Don and Rob Halliday, and fitted with the latest Cosworth GAA quad-cam V6 motor. It first appeared in 1974, and enjoyed a colourful career, that included later being fitted with a Jaguar V12 motor when owned by Danie Lupp (son of the famous Jaguar racer Sybil Lupp), and a small block Chevy V8 when owned by John Osborne. It would eventually burn to the ground when being raced by Osborne in the early 1980s. However, Rob Halliday is currently building a tribute car.

This is the car pictured at Calder Park, circa 1976, during a limited Australian Sports Sedan campaign.

30973

[Steve Holmes]

Another photo of the great looking Tony Calvert 1967 Shelby Mustang. This is the former Greg Cusack, Fred Gibson, Neil Allen machine, now living Stateside.

31238

[Steve Holmes]

Another shot of Dennis Marwood's '69 ex-Joe Chamberlain SCCA A/Sedan and Trans-Am Camaro at Calder Park, 1972.

Note in the background another of the Kiwi cars, Paul Fahey's PDL Mustang, among several great looking local cars.

31278

[Steve Holmes]

The business-like rear end of Bob Jane's mighty ZL1 Camaro. This is from 1972, so the alloy 427 had been replaced by a small block Chevy 350. Jane's Repco-Brabham V8 powered Torana sits alongside.

Note the cool period Kleber and Yokohama stickers on the rear panel.

31441

[Roger Dowding]

Another shot of Dennis Marwood's '69 ex-Joe Chamberlain SCCA A/Sedan and Trans-Am Camaro at Calder Park, 1972.

Note in the background another of the Kiwi cars, Paul Fahey's PDL Mustang, among several great looking local cars.

31278

This car

31568
at Pukekohe 1971.

[Oldfart]

[FONT="]Note the cool period Kleber and Yokohama stickers on the rear panel.



Interesting to see 3 competing tyre company stickers on the same car! Possibly something to do with his business :)
What tyres were actually on the car?

[Ray Bell]

Yes, those were the tyres Bob was importing...

Fulda was one of the first he started with, Peter Brock used to use them.

None of them were on the race cars, I think Bob mostly used Goodyears, but it was probably a case of horses for courses.

[Racer Rog]

Would depend in what year, as 4 Monaro were HZ's, and came in two engine sizes, both V8, never as a 6 cylinder, (4 Door) you could get a poor man's version with a 6, as a coupe though.

[Steve Holmes]

Another shot of the PDL Mustang during its 1972 Australian foray.

31620

[Steve Holmes]

Here is Allan Moffat's DeKon Chevy Monza at Calder Park in 1976. This car was purchased from DeKon Engineering by Moffat in late 1975, and raced in New Zealand at Bay Park and Wigram before then continuing on to Australia. It caused a lot of controversy in Aus, and was protested by other teams. Moffat also had to fit 10" wide wheels as required under Aussie Sports Sedan rules, but this didn't seem to detract from its performance.

Moffat used the Monza to win the 1976 Australian Sports Sedan Championship, which was actually the first year the class was given a national title. He had to switch between the Monza and his Cosworth GAA Capri throughout the year, but took three wins from the first four Rounds, before Frank Gardner's wild new Chev Corvair appeared for Round 5 and proceeded to win the final three races.

Moffat then mothballed the Monza following the 1976 season, with pressure from Ford who were upping their support in touring car racing once more, and preferred Moffat wasn't driving the oppositions brand. He then brought it back out to race again in 1979/80 after Ford had pulled the plug on racing once more, but by this stage the competition had evolved massively, and the Monza was no longer a contender.

31930

[Steve Holmes]

Another shot of the former Bob Jane ZL1 Camaro in its later Sports Sedan guise, when being raced by Jim Smith.

32134

[Steve Holmes]

There is a photo of this Mustang earlier in the thread, taken from the front of the car. Here it is from another angle. Its a great looking car. Anyone know what happened to it?

33730

[Steve Holmes]

Norm Beechey's Chevy Nova, in probably its best remembered colour scheme, and that to which its been restored today. This is 1967.

34210

[Steve Holmes]

Tony Calvert's Mustang. I believe this is the ex-Greg Cusack/Fred Gibson/Neil Allen etc car.

35371

[Terry S]

Tony Calvert's Mustang. I believe this is the ex-Greg Cusack/Fred Gibson/Neil Allen etc car.

35371

Yes Steve, refer post #113.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, although Fred Gibson never owned it... did it also go to WA? I think so, Gordon Stephenson had it before Tony Calvert...

I think finished up back in America.

[Terry S]

Yes, although Fred Gibson never owned it... did it also go to WA? I think so, Gordon Stephenson had it before Tony Calvert...

I think finished up back in America.

See these two posts for further info:

http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?825-Bob-Jane-Racing-Heritage-Photo-Collection/page14&highlight=jane

post #265 & on

http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?825-Bob-Jane-Racing-Heritage-Photo-Collection/page9&highlight=jane

post #180

[Rod Grimwood]

Yes, although Fred Gibson never owned it... did it also go to WA? I think so, Gordon Stephenson had it before Tony Calvert...

I think finished up back in America.

you are right Ray, It is at Canepa in California restored back to white and as it was in Trans Am. Saw it last year, got photo somewhere.

photo in post above from Terry S

[Terry S]

Yes, although Fred Gibson never owned it... did it also go to WA? I think so, Gordon Stephenson had it before Tony Calvert...

I think finished up back in America.

This Mustang had a surprisingly long list of owners in OZ.

Cusack, Allen, Stephenson, Culvert, Gore, Cuthbert, Gibbs, Burchall and Miller.

It was sold to the US in 2002 for USD 112K.

I believe the reason it took so long to sell at Canepa is that it was not eligible to compete in their Historic Trans Am Series. To do so it had to actually compete in Trans Am races at the time. This it did not as it was sold new to Cusack. So in American's eyes it was just another old Mustang.

This is unlike Bob Jane's Mustang which actually won the 1968 Riverside round driven by Horst Kwech.

[Steve Holmes]

This Mustang had a surprisingly long list of owners in OZ.

Cusack, Allen, Stephenson, Culvert, Gore, Cuthbert, Gibbs, Burchall and Miller.

It was sold to the US in 2002 for USD 112K.

I believe the reason it took so long to sell at Canepa is that it was not eligible to compete in their Historic Trans Am Series. To do so it had to actually compete in Trans Am races at the time. This it did not as it was sold new to Cusack. So in American's eyes it was just another old Mustang.

This is unlike Bob Jane's Mustang which actually won the 1968 Riverside round driven by Horst Kwech.

Yes thats my understanding too Terry. Even though its one of the Shelby built A/Sedan cars, many of which contested the Trans-Am, this car did not, and therefore is not eligible for Historic Trans-Am. HTA cars command a premium.

[Steve Holmes]

Bryan Thompson's wild VW Chevy. McLaren wheels on the front?

35909

[Steve Holmes]

And the same car, when owned by Vince Gregory.

35910

[Dale Harvey]

Bryan Thompson's wild VW Chevy. McLaren wheels on the front?

35909

From memory the car was built from the remains of a MacLaren F5000
Dale.

[Terry S]

You've seen the before in the last couple of photos, now here is the after (but be warned it may upset some people....)

http://www.motorsportarchive.com/Bryan%20Thomson%20VW%20remains%20at%20tip.jpg

This was deliberate by Thomson after a fire in the tip on his country property. There's a long story of why, which I'll have to dig out

[Steve Holmes]

From memory the car was built from the remains of a MacLaren F5000
Dale.

Thanks for the info Dale.

[Steve Holmes]

You've seen the before in the last couple of photos, now here is the after (but be warned it may upset some people....)

http://www.motorsportarchive.com/Bryan%20Thomson%20VW%20remains%20at%20tip.jpg

This was deliberate by Thomson after a fire in the tip on his country property. There's a long story of why, which I'll have to dig out

Thanks Terry. I vaguely recall reading something about it in one of the magazines. AMC maybe? I think from memory Thomson ended up getting the body shell back from a later owner, and decided it could never be restored because the F5000 parts it was built around had become too scarce/expensive. So he destroyed and scrapped the body.

[Steve Holmes]

Pete Geoghegan's Mustang GTA, later in its career.

35933

[Steve Holmes]

Allan Moffat's short-lived Super Falcon.

35934

[Steve Holmes]

Another of Vince Gregory in the ex-Thomson VW Chevy. More than likely Bob Jane's daily driver Merc in the background.
36147

[Steve Holmes]

Norm Beechey's Monaro, pictured at Symmons Plains in 1972. By this stage, both the Monaro's and Beechey's careers were winding down, and no race wins were recorded in thats years ATCC.

Note Michael Stillwell's Escort twin-cam in the background on the trailer. This car nearly won the '72 ATCC thanks to the points system which heavily rewarded class points.

36168

[Steve Holmes]

The Indy Speed Shop Camaro in its early guise.

36936

[Steve Holmes]

Tony Edmonson's ex-John McCormack Repco Charger. A formidable machine, though it seems the Roller is at least as interesting for these punters.

36937

[Steve Holmes]

The Indy Speed Shop Camaro again, this time sporting a later paint scheme.

37253

[Steve Holmes]

Bob Jane's famous HQ Monaro, that started life in 1972 as an Improving Production car, before being forced to become a Sports Sedan from 1973. For a brief period, circa 1976, Bob ditched the Monaros traditional orange paint in favor of this very vivid yellow. The car was only in this guise for a short time, before it was painted orange again.

37254

[Ellis]

Tony Edmonson's ex-John McCormack Repco Charger. A formidable machine, though it seems the Roller is at least as interesting for these punters.

36937

The RR is that of Don Elliots ...owner of the Charger...pic is at Symmons Plains

[Steve Holmes]

The RR is that of Don Elliots ...owner of the Charger...pic is at Symmons Plains

Thanks for that info Ellis.

[Steve Holmes]

The rather bulbous rear-end of Pete Geoghegan's Monaro, in its 1976 iteration.

37404

[John McKechnie]

Good to see the Sidchrome Mustang still wearing Kiwi rego plates in the Land of Oz

[Steve Holmes]

Well spotted John!

[Steve Holmes]

Time to revive this excellent thread. This is one of my all-time favorite Australian touring cars; Bryan Thomson's 427 cu.in big block 1968 Camaro. This car was built from a drag race car, which I assume at some stage had been a road car in Australia, because it was right hand drive.

Thomson's local race track was Calder Park, and he figured that as Calder was essentially a series of drag strips joined by a couple of corners, if he built a car that went like a bullet in a straight line, it'd be pretty competitive during the highly competitive Improved Production era.

Its a cool car that still exists today, although it did get pretty cut up as it evolved into a Sports Sedan in the 1970s.

51471

[John McKechnie]

Steve...it ran once at Baypark, definitely was not a front runner but looked great in a straight line and sounded better.
Glad to have been there to see these Aussies run

[Steve Holmes]

Steve...it ran once at Baypark, definitely was not a front runner but looked great in a straight line and sounded better.
Glad to have been there to see these Aussies run

Yes you are absolutely right John. It was late 1970, and Terry Allan was also entered from Australia in his big block 1967 Camaro, as was Joe Chamberlain over from the US in yet another Camaro.

I think Thomson qualified quite well but struggled on the tight Bay Park layout with too much power and not enough grip. Still, that thundering big block must have left quite an impression!

[Steve Holmes]

John McCormack Ansett Charger.

51502

[Steve Holmes]

Bob Jane's Camaro in 1971 when it still had the alloy 427 big block.

51542

[Steve Holmes]

51613

[Steve Holmes]

51695

[Steve Holmes]

Don Elliott's Mustang from Tasmania, which I think was driven by Robin Pare. If you look really closely at the red and green stripes, they appear to be made from strips of tape. Pretty cool!

51736

[Steve Holmes]

I'm not sure what happened here. Looks to be two photos overlaid on each other. Not to worry. This is a rare shot of Bob Jane's Mustang when it was still blue. It had been one of the Shelby factory team cars that contested the 1968 Trans-Am series, before Jane bought it. Note the bumpers and headlights which it didn't wear in the Trans-Am. The blue didn't stay for long before it was repainted.

52260

[Steve Holmes]

52524

[Steve Holmes]

Well this is it folks, the very last photo from this collection. I hope you enjoyed it. My thanks once again to Perry Drury and Ellis French for supplying us with these beautiful images.

52697

[bill hollingsworth]

Peter Finch built this car from one of the road cars that the Indy speed shop imported. Graham Jarrett was the next owner followed by Bob Middleton.

[Ray Bell]

That would be the Camaro, Bill, on the previous pages?

[bill hollingsworth]

Yes, sorry it was meant to be under the blue Camaro.

[Ray Bell]

These later posts sneak up on you like that...

[Steve Holmes]

Peter Finch built this car from one of the road cars that the Indy speed shop imported. Graham Jarrett was the next owner followed by Bob Middleton.

I believe this car still exists?

[bill hollingsworth]

Peter Finch thinks Bob still owns the car. Next time I see him I will try to follow it up some more.