ThunderSports & ThunderSaloons

[rcarr]

I want that Manta! It is a very reasonable price for such a machine!

What can I sell...hmmm? Sister? Brother? Dog? Cat?

[bigears]

Does anyone have anything on the Thundersports round at the 1986 Birmingham Superprix?

I would like to have more information and possibly some photos to add into my website here: http://8w.forix.com/bsp-86race.html

Thank you.

[Thundersports]

Bigears it was very very very wet and after lots of damage the race was abandoned....................

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by rcarr

I want that Manta! It is a very reasonable price for such a machine!

What can I sell...hmmm? Sister? Brother? Dog? Cat?

You are right even at that price it would be worth a punt.

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by Tim Wilkinson

I'm intrigued by the claim of 19 race wins. The thundersaloon programme I have from '92 claims a brace of previous wins, and the car was hardly on the pace that year to take any more.

Who is the current owner? In '92 it was driven by Don Manley (and someone else, but the prog is currently packed away so I can't find out who) - were they the owners after Nick Oatway?

Does seem high but the there were a few races abroad, double-headers and some other "strange" races that might be counted.

I remember when it first came on the scene there were a few better cars but then they all fell by the wayside, so might have had some un-contested races so to speak.

[davyboy]

At GBP15K its pretty cheap... but to be honest having had 4 Opel Mantas over the years, I'd prefer highly developed 400 instead of this [ya I know its about 4 times the price]. The motor's too heavy and too torquey for this thing. Gregor didn't have too much positive to say about Gerry's experience in it elsewhere claiming that the thing was as rigid as a jellyfish.

[rcarr]

Ron Cumming offered his Honda Legend for £14k to Dad in about 94, the slump in the market, thats when we bought the majority of our vintage and classic cars, when they were "dirt cheap".

[terence]

Originally Posted by davyboy

At GBP15K its pretty cheap... but to be honest having had 4 Opel Mantas over the years, I'd prefer highly developed 400 instead of this [ya I know its about 4 times the price]. The motor's too heavy and too torquey for this thing. Gregor didn't have too much positive to say about Gerry's experience in it elsewhere claiming that the thing was as rigid as a jellyfish.

The Bendy Bus [Russel Brooks] 400 was bad enough,let alone having all that muscle built in,it must be awfull .Gregor,how was the tent?

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by terence bower

The Bendy Bus [Russel Brooks] 400 was bad enough,let alone having all that muscle built in,it must be awfull .Gregor,how was the tent?

It could've been a good car but it needed money spent on it; maybe someone can do that now.

It was brilliant, thanks for your help Terry. Without being off-topic too much Vince and I had a great weekend, including Vince falling over, fracturing his nose and cutting his head open, I promise I didn't hit him for breaking the gearbox!! Turned out it was a split roll-pin that jammed it, all fixed now and doing the PowerNight at Silverstone on Thursday.

Terry - Am I right in thinking that AC had the Carlton Thundersaloon? does he still have it? I sseem to remember at one time he stored Baby Bertha too but I could well be wrong on that.

[terence]

No,we never had it there,we did look after BB for a short while,not sure if JW owned the Carlton or not,he had been talking about it ,but he and Tony Dickenson were trying to get thier Belmont to work at the time. Glad the box is sorted now and that Vince has finally had the nose job.!

[Tim Wilkinson]

Joe owned the Carlton for a year between Vauxhall ('89) and Pete Stevens ('91) (according to Andrew Charman, who would know).

Terry - is that Belmont the one that Rob Compton has know?

Also, did anything come of the Escort that Tony Davies built for '92, to replace the Firenza?

[terence]

I,m not really sure,I do know that they were having problems in getting it finished,again ,not totally certain as to why

[Al Weyman]

Robs car is ex Empress I think and am sure it would be the same car in fact i bet Rob is a bit pig sick to see the manta at an affordable price because basically thats what he has ended up with after spending what I would have thought a lot of money, time and grief trying to achieve a similar thing where as this is almost there. Make a nice Class A car in the Dunlop MSN thingy would'nt it? I think I would definitely have a pop at it if i did not have three cars here already!

I drove John Hills very nicely prepared Manta around Goodwood years ago and although not exactly massively powerful it was a really pleasant experience and felt very sure footed and stable in fact it felt a bit like an underpowered camaro (is that good or bad!).

[Tony_Simpson]

I think Pete Stevens still owns the Carlton Thundersaloon. i think it was at Goodwood festival last year, after having sopme restoration on it, mainly aepaint i guess at.

[vjay48]

Was around safety devices in 85/86 when manta was build,from a road car shell, did zanvoort round of thundersaloons and travelled on the ferry with nick oatway etc, 1989,nick told about his trip to biloxi Missipii to buy engine,i think there budget issues with gerry johnston who had left safety devices by then. i think nick oatway bought a bigger engine later and i think one of the engines finished up the black thunder car. The roll cage was very basic by todays standards which is why the car flexed ? At Zanvoort Nick Oatway did a super BBQ my teams contribution was to buy loads of beer,Grolsh,it has been so long since i saw it, is that how you spell it? My brother borrowed gerry marshalls car, a mercedes estate with brdc badges on it to go the shops to buy the beer, when we got back with about 12 cases of lager gm told me he thought my team had a drink problem? Super weekend, i dont think car raced again that seasons due to problems nick had with money and gerry johnstone. Came out next season with hugh marshall sharing it. I think it is wonderful piece of iconic motor racing history and when chevette rolling shell is on offer for 7500 its cheap,if the engine is a real good ol boys nascar mill from bixoli its a good car

[Al Weyman]

In the description I am a little confused about the engine, what is actually in it at the moment the 7.1 Pontiac or a 6.2 Chevy, its a bit unclear to me. Built from a roadcar in my opinion is the appeal of these type of cars flex or not in the same spirit as the original Thundersaloons like the Jagular. I still think there is a place somewhere for this type of machinery (Road based shell, any engine/gearbox/axle combo) and is someone was prepared to take up the reins could still be a well supported championship.

[big andy]

I still think there is a place somewhere for this type of machinery (Road based shell, any engine/gearbox/axle combo) and is someone was prepared to take up the reins could still be a well supported championship.[/QUOTE]

i totally agree Al if some club would just take it on im shaw it would be a success

[Graz]

Does anyone remember the Sierra with the Porsche 962 Engine? Whatever happened there?

[GBRM]

Originally Posted by Graz

Does anyone remember the Sierra with the Porsche 962 Engine? Whatever happened there?

It was mentioned in another thread on 10/10ths. I have loads of photos of that car when it was being built, on the back it says Sierra RS Porsche in the same style the Cosworth did, brilliant!!

[kurtiejjj]

I got through a couple of old 'rallye racing' german racing magazines and I was surprised to bump into an article on the super saloon beetle of mick Hill and a VW 1300LT with cosworth engine, written by a certain B whittacker, rings any bells?

I'll be glad to scan it if of interest!

[Paul V]

I passed the Stars & Stripes Manta on a trailer westbound M4 J14 this afternoon.
Was nice to see it, it looked in good condition.

[BChild]

Manta





Carlton

[Al Weyman]

Did it sell and if so how much?

[Nordic]

I don't think it sold.

http://www.bonhams.com/cgi-bin/publi...&iSaleNo=15344

[GBRM]

I don't think it sold either, I can't find any details.

I was pleased that someone posted about it though as it reminded me I have a piston head in my display cabinet from Stars and Stripes. I'm not sure which engine it was out of, think it was the Pontiac one. It's next to one of Baby Bertha's piston heads (Dad used it as an ash tray!!) and is quite a bit larger!!