Grp C/Grp A/V8SC 'Where are they now?' continued... - Page 39

A9X05 · 28 Feb 2006, 01:00 (Ref:1532876)

Quote:

Originally Posted by auzziemonza

Which ex-Bond XU1 was that? Don't the Bowden's already have an HDT XU1?

It seems everyone thinks that the Torana XU-1 24C Colin Bond rolled at Bathurst in 1972 survived to race another day! Well I always was lead to believed it was written off as the roof was bent like a banana after it was picked up by a crane type of truck as the photo showed
I was at the Torana Nationals at the Gold Coast in 2004, Harry Firth was there, and that car was spoken about, and common knowledge that the car was gone forever!
The car however has been re created as an 1972 24C REPLICA and it looks just like the real car from that 1972 race! Apparently Harry Firth even supplied some of the original stickers! The owner (whose name escapes me) must be congratulated on this fine example of that car!

DAVID PATERSON · 28 Feb 2006, 02:46 (Ref:1532914)

Quote:

Originally Posted by A9X05

I was at the Torana Nationals at the Gold Coast in 2004, Harry Firth was there, and that car was spoken about, and common knowledge that the car was gone forever!
The car however has been re created as an 1972 24C REPLICA and it looks just like the real car from that 1972 race! Apparently Harry Firth even supplied some of the original stickers! The owner (whose name escapes me) must be congratulated on this fine example of that car!

I know the 24C replica. It was built by Andrew from Milton Performance. Milton Performance is a mechanical workshop and parts dealer on Brisbane's northside that specialises in Toranas.

Andrew happily admits the car is a replica, he originally intended to build a replica of 28C until he found that there are already 8 copies in existence! So he decided to do a copy of 24C as there were none.

pete55 · 28 Feb 2006, 07:02 (Ref:1532979)

The ex Bond, ex Johnson, ex Cox Torana the Bowdens are looking for is apparently the only Colin Bond LJ XU.1 (genuine) that would be in existance from what i am told. That is if it is still in existance. The car was built Late 72 or early 73 i think and was sold to Johnson and run in Zupps colours in 74 until sold to Kerry Cox. Something else of interest upon doing my rounds today was a BA Supercar in a business warehouse painted in the 2004 Ellery Supercheap colours. I didn t get to have a close look at it but am wondering if it genuine.

Henry · 28 Feb 2006, 07:30 (Ref:1532988)

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete55

The ex Bond, ex Johnson, ex Cox Torana the Bowdens are looking for is apparently the only Colin Bond LJ XU.1 (genuine) that would be in existance from what i am told. That is if it is still in existance. The car was built Late 72 or early 73 i think and was sold to Johnson and run in Zupps colours in 74 until sold to Kerry Cox.

The story I heard was that the Zupps cars were owned by the dealership... DJ's original Torana (LC GTR, updated several times to LJ XU-1 ultimately) was converted to take a V8 and run as a sports sedan, and sold to Barry Wraith... the Zupps XU-1 was sold to Charlie O'Brien when the L-34 became the gunn beastie... the last Johnson Torana was alleged by Bill Tuckey to have been the Bond 72 Bathurst car... Johnson was quoted as saying it was the 1973 Brock/Chivas car, and was purchased as a repaired rolling shell from Barry Nixon-Smith in late 1974 (following its Bathurst prang at the hands of Denis Geary), and campaigned until late 1976.

...might drop a line to DJR and see if the old fella can pick up the thread from there...

pete55 · 28 Feb 2006, 08:08 (Ref:1532998)

Kerry Cox insists he bought the XU.1 direct from Dick Johnson. I would hardly think the Bowdens would be seeking the car if it didn't have a good history.

Henry · 28 Feb 2006, 12:08 (Ref:1533179)

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete55

Kerry Cox insists he bought the XU.1 direct from Dick Johnson. I would hardly think the Bowdens would be seeking the car if it didn't have a good history.

Then that would be the one... Pete, do you know when Dick sold it? BT made mention of one old Trana under old Mrs Johnson's house in 1984... DJ was always apparently one of the great horders of the 20th century...

pete55 · 28 Feb 2006, 19:25 (Ref:1533429)

I didn't ask but it would have been early 75 i would think.

Shiney · 1 Mar 2006, 02:00 (Ref:1533633)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rustyinsthoz

Brock in the MHDT four door Torana at the Feb, 1978 F5000 Meeting .http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/rustyi...cd.jpg&.src=ph

Was this Torana an L34 that had been converted to A9X spec, or a factory A9X shell?

rustyinsthoz · 1 Mar 2006, 02:08 (Ref:1533636)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiney

Was this Torana an L34 that had been converted to A9X spec, or a factory A9X shell?

Most likely it was an L34 converted to A9X specs. But don't know for sure.

William Dale Jr · 1 Mar 2006, 05:21 (Ref:1533668)

Almost certainly would have been an L34 updated to A9X spec, probably the HDT 4dr A9X that ran at Bathurst the previous year.

I don't think there were many purpose-built A9X 4-doors. Was the Jack Brabham Torana a true 4-door A9X, or an updated L34?

DAVID PATERSON · 1 Mar 2006, 06:46 (Ref:1533694)

It's a big job to convert an L34 to an A9X, you have to change the floor pan to accomodate the different rear end.

Shiney · 1 Mar 2006, 09:01 (Ref:1533751)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DAVID PATERSON

It's a big job to convert an L34 to an A9X, you have to change the floor pan to accomodate the different rear end.

I know of at least one. (Slako) I assumed most of them were conversions. I believe there were VC Commodores that were still racing in VL spec.

rdmdog · 1 Mar 2006, 09:37 (Ref:1533778)

WOW! That would mean a bit of work, there were more than a few VKs thqat became Walkys, thats for sure.

pete55 · 1 Mar 2006, 10:01 (Ref:1533795)

Had a quick look in AMC today and there is a letter in there about the whereabouts of a Colin Bond LJ XU.1. Haven't read it yet so i can t say which car they are talking about.

Sultan · 3 Mar 2006, 02:45 (Ref:1535095)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiney

I know of at least one. (Slako) I assumed most of them were conversions. I believe there were VC Commodores that were still racing in VL spec.

And VN's that eventually became V8 Supercars...

Many of the Gp A Commodores became donor cars for the V8's..

Steve Holmes · 9 Mar 2006, 18:51 (Ref:1541876)

It would seem one of the Ralliart Starions is in New Zealand, in the South Island. The South Island has a large contingent of old Group A cars. The Starion is said to be the 1985 Bartlett car. Its used mainly for endurance racing, and the original engine has been mothballed and replaced by an Evo 6 engine. I haven't seen it competing in historic events, I assume it only races in endurance events, which are kind of 'run-what-you-brung' type races.

Has the Don Smith/Bo Seton GpA Mustang, which Bruce Anderson raced in NZ been sold back to Australia?

chooky · 10 Mar 2006, 00:06 (Ref:1542047)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

It would seem one of the Ralliart Starions is in New Zealand, in the South Island. The South Island has a large contingent of old Group A cars. The Starion is said to be the 1985 Bartlett car. Its used mainly for endurance racing, and the original engine has been mothballed and replaced by an Evo 6 engine. I haven't seen it competing in historic events, I assume it only races in endurance events, which are kind of 'run-what-you-brung' type races.

Has the Don Smith/Bo Seton GpA Mustang, which Bruce Anderson raced in NZ been sold back to Australia?

There was talk about that Bartlett Starion on Austarion website, They said Bartlett built it as a demo run or something like that, in the pics it was a right hand drive car ! the two Factory built Ralliart car were left hand drive, one is still in Sydney somewhere and the other was send to Asia and trashed along time ago, I will try and find out more...

rdmdog · 10 Mar 2006, 08:35 (Ref:1542115)

Wasnt the first one (Bardley's) a converted production car?

There is definately one Gp A Starion in Sydney that is not an ex-ralliart car

David Towe · 10 Mar 2006, 08:54 (Ref:1542134)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdmdog

Wasnt the first one (Bardley's) a converted production car?

There is definately one Gp A Starion in Sydney that is not an ex-ralliart car

Ron Massing's car???

rdmdog · 10 Mar 2006, 09:03 (Ref:1542142)

Yeah thats the one

racer69 · 10 Mar 2006, 09:11 (Ref:1542148)

Bartlett's original car from Bathurst 1984, and the early part of the 1985 ATCC, was a converted Group E car. He competed in Group E races with it in 1984 (as did Colin Bond with the Alfa), then converted it to Group A specs for the James Hardie.

The two cars used for Sandown, Bathurst etc.. were Ralliart Japan cars weren't they, and these were the one's Brad Jones bought in 1986?

gkmarshall · 10 Mar 2006, 22:08 (Ref:1543225)

Last time i seen one of those Starions, it was sitting in the back corner of the workshop @ Sutherland Mitsubishi that was a few years ago now, don't know if it's still there.

mtpanorama · 11 Mar 2006, 10:53 (Ref:1543563)

Tell him he's dreamin son

http://www.my105.com/classified.asp?id=5803&feature=1

William Dale Jr · 11 Mar 2006, 13:14 (Ref:1543679)

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtpanorama

Tell him he's dreamin son

http://www.my105.com/classified.asp?id=5803&feature=1

Especially when you compare it to this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA%3AIT&rd=1

And yes, I know it's neither a Group A or C car, but compared to the Commodore, it's a bargain! And what a pedigree!

mtpanorama · 11 Mar 2006, 21:15 (Ref:1543946)

I would have the Renault before I shelled out for the commodore.

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