Bathurst 1977 Query

[Kingair]

Just started watching the Bathurst 1977 DVD, and have a question about the race start.

It appears from the DVD, the cars were pushed out from the pits and gridded up in start order.

It then seems that they we’re given a three minute board, then a countdown to the green flag being dropped for the race start.

In those days they didn’t get a warm lap or sighting lap before the start of the race?

It could be some camera footage missing, but it would interesting starting on cold tyres and a heavy fuel load.

[Alan52]

No warm up lap.I would have to check my Great Race Annuals to confirm but not sure there were warm up laps at 1000 before WTCC in 1987 at least.No race morning warm ups either.

[chavez]

Originally Posted by Alan52

No warm up lap.I would have to check my Great Race Annuals to confirm but not sure there were warm up laps at 1000 before WTCC in 1987 at least.No race morning warm ups either.

There were "warm-up"laps behind a course car starting in either '83 or '84.

But still a significant length of time from the completion of those laps to the start of the race.

[racer69]

1979 or 1980 was the last time they pushed the cars onto the grid. By 1981 they did a parade lap instead around to the grid, did the pageantry then straight into the race.

As Alan says 1987 was the first time they did a proper warmup lap just prior to the race start, from memory it was two warmup laps in 1987 too? Did they have a warm up session in 1987, or did that come in for 1988?

[chavez]

Originally Posted by racer69

1979 or 1980 was the last time they pushed the cars onto the grid. By 1981 they did a parade lap instead around to the grid, did the pageantry then straight into the race.

As Alan says 1987 was the first time they did a proper warmup lap just prior to the race start, from memory it was two warmup laps in 1987 too? Did they have a warm up session in 1987, or did that come in for 1988?

1988.

[Kingair]

Just finished watching the Bathurst 77 DVD, complete with PM of the day Malcolm Fraser presenting the trophies to the winning drivers.

Mr Moffat was very professional thanking all his sponsors etc, and even throwing promotional packets of Camel filters cigarettes out to the punters.

What was actually went wrong with his Falcon over the last ten or so laps, something broken in the right hand front suspension?

He certainly drove it very sedately down the mountain and through any right hand corners.

Interesting dice between Kevin Bartlett and Alan Grice in the A9X’s , before KB retired.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Kingair

What was actually went wrong with his Falcon over the last ten or so laps, something broken in the right hand front suspension?

He certainly drove it very sedately down the mountain and through any right hand corners.

Not sure of a suspension issue but I do know he had a brake problem towards the end. Something to do with Ickx worked the brakes too hard and overheated them in his final session, melting a calliper seal resulting in major loss of fluid when applying the brakes hard.

Edit: found this account after posting which backs my thoughts.
https://www.pressreader.com/australi...83265981564472

[bathurst77]

Always wondered about this.

The commonly accepted story is brakes, but i watched it on tv on the day (thus my username)and i have the dvd set, and between the smoke from the F-R corner and the car seems to be sagging. Also, if Ickx was too hard on car and almost cost AM the win, would he have got him back in 78?

I have always suspected it may have been a bit more

[Kingair]

Thanks for that info.

The left hand rear tyre went or was going flat and was changed about twenty laps from the finish.

The other guy that was impressive, was Derrick Bell in the Alfa coming home in 8th position.

[kramer]

Moffat's car's front brakes were worn completely away - the backing plates included and the pistons had come out of the calipers. The car was also on 7 cylinders with a broken rocker.

And I think you're right; it had a nasty sag at the end there. Moffat's incredible mechanical sympathy carried that one home.

Jacky Ickx wasn't used to cars that were so close to standard. He complained about the lack of brakes in practice 'when I push the brakes in the Porsche I go through the windscreen'. Moffat told him 'you won't have that problem here.'


Kramer

[Average Punter]

I remember reading Moff saying his brake pedal went to the floor at Forrests Elbow with maybe 12 laps to go.

But he was never going to pit. Everything he had in the world was riding on Bathurst '77.

He also had an ironclad arrangement with Colin Bond that unless Moff's car stopped, Bondy would be 2nd.
Whether Bondy liked that or not is a matter for conjecture, but like the gentleman he is, he stuck to the script.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by Average Punter

I remember reading Moff saying his brake pedal went to the floor at Forrests Elbow with maybe 12 laps to go.

But he was never going to pit. Everything he had in the world was riding on Bathurst '77.

He also had an ironclad arrangement with Colin Bond that unless Moff's car stopped, Bondy would be 2nd.
Whether Bondy liked that or not is a matter for conjecture, but like the gentleman he is, he stuck to the script.

Bondy secured his second place in the race by turning down a stint in car 1 that was offered didn’t he?

[Average Punter]

Don't remember that.

One thing they did swap was the driving seat. Jacky Ickx found the original seat in the #1 too uncomfortable so they swapped it for the one out of the #2.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by one five five

Bondy secured his second place in the race by turning down a stint in car 1 that was offered didn’t he?

Yes that is correct.... again mentioned in the race article I linked in post #7.
( https://www.pressreader.com/australi...83265981564472 )

1977 was the first year cross-entering within teams was allowed at Bathurst.... Moff offered the stint to Bondy but he chose to turn it down. Bondy was originally going to be Moff's co-driver, but Ford over ruled that thought and mandated each drive their own car with a co-driver.

[bathurst77]

Originally Posted by kramer

Moffat's car's front brakes were worn completely away - the backing plates included and the pistons had come out of the calipers. The car was also on 7 cylinders with a broken rocker.

I have never read it was on 7, but yes maybe, i will have o watch the end of the race again.
And yes Colin was offered a stint in #1 on Sunday but declined, so he could have won either way if he wanted.
He could have come first AND second - that would be one for the record books

[Kingair]

The bit about Bond driving Car1, was mentioned by Evan Green during the last half of the telecast.