New Zealand 1977 Atlantic

[Chris Townsend]

Allen

Smith 732-9 ex Beuttler [and probably on its second or third tub] MN report: to Ken Shirvington 1975. Can't confirm the motor I'm afraid.

Leffler: 722-37 MN ex Robertson, Number given MN 11.1.73 pp.10-11 when used by Robertson in 73 series, though mistakenly described as new. Originally the Chris Oates car in UK Atlantic [number given by MN on debut in July 72]

722-1 by this time I think in the hands of Frank Radisich

Chris

[allenbrown]

Thanks Chris, I'll make your NZ fixes in this evening's upload as well.

Allen

[allenbrown]

For those of who read this thread but aren't aware of the link with OldRacingCars.com, you may like to know that the 1977 New Zealand results are now available here:

http://www.oldracingcars.com/Projects/fp/default.asp

Allen

[Bryan Miller]

Allen , as Chris has advised 722-37 is the March that Max Stewart swapped ?? with Baron Robertson .
I don't think John Leffler actually owned it , probably some sort of renta-deal.
732-9 again as Chris states ,and he had 2.0 litre BDG in N.Z.
When it ran in Australia he had to fit the car with a Twin -cam Ford to comply with Van Heusen rules.
Whether Smith only ran the 2.0 or he also had a 1.6 , perhaps the N.Z. guys may know.
Bryan.

[Milan Fistonic]

Originally posted by allenbrown
For those of who read this thread but aren't aware of the link with OldRacingCars.com, you may like to know that the 1977 New Zealand results are now available here:

http://www.oldracingcars.com/Projects/fp/default.asp

Allen

I've just noticed you are missing some car numbers from these results.

These are the NZ Grand Prix entrants.

0 - McMillan
1 - Nicholson
2 - Miedecke
3 - Sharp
4 - Rosberg
5 - Kozarowitzky
6 - Busselmann
7 - Gloy
8 - Prejawa
9 - Saunders
10 - Melville
11 - Smith
12 - Tighe
14 - Lawrence
15 - Wood
16 - Hughes
17 - Millen
18 - Oxton
19 - Hart
22 - Stone
23 - Crocker
26 - Poon
25 - Saswanto
62 - Allison
67 - Baker

Reasons for non-starting

Busselmann - practice crash, no budget for repairs
Prejawa - broken rear hub-carrier, no time to get replacement from Australia.
Saunders - practice crash
Hart - practice crash
Saswanto - car taken over by Lawrence

[David McKinney]

Bryan
I can't think Smith would have had any need for a 1600 twincam engine for his 732

I too think Leffler drove the 722 for Max Stewart, who had taken it as a trade-in when he sold Baron Robertson his Elfin MR5

[Bryan Miller]

David.
I was thinking more of an FVA or BDA , that he may have had as an emergency backup.

I was told a story years ago re. the Max Stewart/Baron Robertson deal, MR5 to March 722-37, which involved Max Stewart convincing Gary Cooper to swap chassis plates with Coopers own car , which was no 5722, and so it is told the swap was done with Cooper and then the deal was done with Robertson, and when Max Stewart arrived back in Australia with the March which was a 722 , customs authorities were invited to believe it was the same car that went out.
According to the story it worked untill some 18 months later , and the dreaded customs people came a knocking at Max's Orange N.S.W. car dealership.

Bryan.

[David McKinney]

I like that one!
I suspect Baron had the real MR5 plate as well - or maybe, knowing which car it was, I never checked it

[allenbrown]

This would explain some of Vercoe's confusion over the MR5s. I am tempted to ask if anyone knows where Robertson's MR5 went next but I guess that's a bit far off thread.

Allen

[David McKinney]

OK, just quickly then...
Robertson took the MR5 to Australia with him when he emigrated later in the 1970s
Last I heard it was with Gavin Sala

[Armco Bender]

Prejawa - broken rear hub-carrier, no time to get replacement from Australia

Thats correct,because he stopped right in front of where we were standing watching and came over and talked with us while watching the rest of practise.We gave him a hand to push it on the recovery trailer because there was no one else around.

[Bryan Miller]

David.
Yes, last heard the MR5 is still with Sala.
Bryan.

[allenbrown]

David, Bryan

Thanks for the off-subject help. Do either of you know if that particular MR5 raced after Robertson last used it in 1976? If we can be sure it didn't, it makes it easier to make sense of the mystery MR5s in the 1977-1982 period.

Thanks

Allen

[David McKinney]

Race numbers were issued for the whole international series. The following list therefore applies to all five rounds (though may exclude late additions for specific races)
0 McMillan
1 Nicholson
2 Miedecke
3 Sharp
5 Kozarowitzky
6 Buesselmann
7 Gloy
8 Prejawa
9 Saunders
10 Melville
11 Smith
12 Tighe
15 Wood
16 Hughes
17 Millen
18 Oxton
19 Hart
22 Stone
23 Crocker
24 Poon
25 Beng
62 Allison
67 Baker

PLUS at Manfeild
14 Lawrence

PLUS at Wigram (and presumably Teretonga)
3 Emson (vice Sharp)

[allenbrown]

David

Thanks - I've added these into the database and will post them up with whatever new set of results come next.

Allen

[greg.n]

I have a whole bunch of photographs from the Baypark round of the 78 series and most of the atlantic cars mentioned are there. I have already sent some to Kevin Miller but if anyone wants help identifying anything I'll have a browse through them.

[STaylor]

Hi all
I have car B35-76-09 with Hart 420R
Jean Pierre Jaussaud
Car currently in New Zealand and will be coming onto the market if anybody is interested