Michigan Matich F5000

[Amonfan]

I was just after some information on what was called the Michigan Matich. In 1976 New Zealender Robbie Booth raced a converted Matich Sports Car in the first few rounds of the Peter Stuyvensant series. It was an odd looking car, as being a sports car chassis the driver was sitting to the right, rather than central. It used the sports car roll bar and a wide body. I am wondering what Matich chassis it was, a SR3 possibly????. It ran a Chevrolet engine.

[Armco Bender]

It was raced as the Katipo(a poisonous spider here) by Robbie Booth,it looked odd with the driver sitting over one side,it was painted yellow and trundled slowly around the '76 GP trailing blue smoke if my memory serves me correctly.

[Amonfan]

Yes that is the car, ran a group A sports car type wing as well, or something more common with a F5000 from 70/71.

[Armco Bender]

Yep by '76 it was long past its best,I think in '75 it turned up for the GP but it never got off its trailer if I recall.It does feature in a book about NZ built race cars which is in the library here,but I've just come back from there otherwise I would have looked it up for you.'76 was its last year as they went to Formula Atlantic in '77.

[Milan Fistonic]

Built in 1970 by Mark Petch and John Ohlsen and driven by Robbie Francevic.

[allenbrown]

According to Vercoe's book, it was the Kapito MJ70A [70/2] built from "the Bob Brittain[sic]-built Matich SR4 sports car chassis imported from Australia". Bodywork by Ken Platts.

It first appeared at the 1971 Timaru Trophy (a Gold Star event on 30 Jan) where Robbie Francevic was third on the grid, just 1.1s slower than pole. He finished fourth, only one lap down on the winning McLaren M10A.

It promptly vanished again until Robbie Booth found it in a ban and brought it out for the 1975/76 season. After those few slow appearances it was sold to Dennis Philips and did OK in South Island hill climbs. Vercoe's last reference to it was when it was sold to "M Morrison" in 1981.

Allen

[David McKinney]

Vercoe also states that Phillips hillclimbed the Matich A50, which you and I would call a McLaren M10B
[p217]

[allenbrown]

Oh yes, I knew that name rang a bell. Bryan sent me a photocopy from RCN Aug 71 p6 where Matich's mechanics are photographed build a new tub for the 'M10C' after his Oran Park crash. I make that 400-10-3 in that case.

Allen

PS Vercoe says Booth found it in a barn, not a ban!

[allenbrown]

This just in from Milan. Dennis Philips hillclimbing the Katipo at Anderson's Farm. Year unknown.



Or click here for a larger image.

Thanks Milan.

Allen

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by allenbrown
This just in from Milan. Dennis Philips hillclimbing the Katipo at Anderson's Farm. Year unknown.

Which reminds me to point out that most of Phillips's successes would of course have been in the North Island
Also - though I may be wrong in this case - I think that Franicevic was the only one to enter the car as the Katipo. Otherwise it was always a Matich (which in part at least explains Vercoe's confusion)

[allenbrown]

David

Where is Anderson's Farm?

[David McKinney]

Auckland-ish, I think

Milan?

[Milan Fistonic]

Originally posted by allenbrown
David

Where is Anderson's Farm?

Near Albany, a northern suburb of Auckland. The hillclimb was a road/track on the farm owned by the Anderson family. Bruce and Wayne Anderson raced various Ford cars in New Zealand and Australia.

The hillclimb was unusual in that the first half of the course was downhill. The events were run by the Auckland University Car Club.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

Near Albany, a northern suburb of Auckland. The hillclimb was a road/track on the farm owned by the Anderson family. Bruce and Wayne Anderson raced various Ford cars in New Zealand and Australia.

The hillclimb was unusual in that the first half of the course was downhill. The events were run by the Auckland University Car Club.

Yes...and about 20 kms south of Silverdale!!