Matters of Great Importance

 
 
This has been a passion of mine for many years, the BRABHAM REPCO BT23a-1 was the prototype for the BT24 which Denny Hulme won the world championship in 1967 it is a one off and very similar to the BT24. I have had a lot of success and fun with this car over the years, I have owned it for thirty years last weekend, we bought it on Australia day long weekend in 1979. This car competed in the first ever race for group O sports and racing cars at Amaroo in 1984, it is the first Brabham Repco to race in Historics in Australia and we believe the world. This car still has its original chassis, engine,gearbox,some bodywork, fuel tanks among other items.
Peter Simms.
 
  
 
 
BRABHAM REPCO BT - 23 - A1
TASMAN CUP 1967
 
21st January - WIGRAM NZ - LADY WIGRAM TROPHY - JACK BRABHAM - ECURIE VITESSE - Rtd Overheating - Fastest Lap 1.24.0
 
12th February - LAKESIDE AUS - INTERNATIONAL 99 - JACK BRABHAM - ECURIE VITESSE - 2nd - 54.8
  
 
19th February - WARWICK FARM AUS - 32 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - JACK BRABHAM - ECURIE VITESSE - 4th - 1.30.4
  
 
2Oth February - SANDOWN AUS - SANDOWN CUP - JACK BRABHAM - ECURIE VITESSE - RTD IGNITION - Pole Position - Lap Record - 1.05.7
  
 
6th March - LONGFORD AUS - SOUTH PACIFIC TROPHY - JACK BRABHAM - ECURIE VITESSE - 1st - Lap Record - 2.13.3
  
 
Jack Brabham 18 Points
4th in Tasman Championship
  
 
 
TASMAN CUP 1968
  
 
11th February - SURFERS PARADISE AUS - ROTHMANS 100 - GREG CUSACK - SCUDERIA VELOCE - Rtd Lap 12 - 1.12.2
  
 
15th February - WARWICK FARM AUS - INTERNATIONAL 100 - GREG CUSACK - SCUDERIA VELOCE - Rtd Lap 4 - 1.29.1
  
 
25th February - SANDOWN AUS - 33 AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX - GREG CUSACK - SCUDERIA VELOCE - Rtd Lap 21 - 1.08.2
  
 

4th March - LONGFORD AUS - SOUTH PACIFIC TROPHY - GREG CUSACK - SCUDERIA VELOCE - DNS. Rolled Car at 160mph in special practice prior to race.

  
 
 
 
November 1967 - AUSTRALIAN HILL CLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP - GREG CUSACK - SCUDERIA VELOCE - 1st - 34.6
  
 
15th April 1968 - GOLD STAR TROPHY - PHIL WEST - SCUDERIA VELOCE - 1st - 2.24.7
  
(Reproduced courtesy of RallySport Magazine).
A full and comprehensive report of the London Sydney Marathon 2008 rerun can be seen at RallySportmag.com.au
 
All photo's courtesy of Peter Whtten. There are 147 photo's in this category. Available from RallySportmag.com.au
  
 

Results for the Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial

 
 
 
There are over 1000 photo's and a DVD of the event available for purchase from http://www.flickr.com/
  

 

  
 
Barry Ferguson
  

Barry, who won the NSW Rally Championship nine times, the Southern Cross Rally twice, finished second four times, and also came second in the 1964 and 1979 Round Australia events, was considering the idea of competing in this year's Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial. That was before he discovered the famous Commodore in which he, Wayne Bell and Dave Boddy finished second in the 18,885km, 14-day event. The car was located just 30 minutes from Barry's New South Wales home where it had been hibernating for 29 years. Being one of the three original factory-backed Holden Commodores which dominated the1979 Repco Reliability Trial, it was found just as it finished the rally in 1979. It was an unbelievable find and the car was just begging to be restored to it's former glory.The Rally starts at Alice Springs on Monday 8th September 2008.

Pick up a copy of the October issue of Unique Cars magazine (out September 12) to read Bob Watson's feature story on the Ferguson Commodore, which he battled against in the 1979 Repco Reliability Trial.

  
Alice Springs Monday 8th September 2008 (Courtesy ABC)
 
 

Todd Mall in Alice Springs looked more like an early 80s car park this morning as 70 pre 1986 rally cars lined up for Stage One of theRed Centre to Gold Coast Trial.
The trial covers over seven thousand kilometres of road with 36 timed stages. It's a big trip with the course weaving from Alice Springs to Cairns, back to Longreach and Birdsville, down to Bourke then across to the Gold Coast, where cars will arrive on September 20th.
The trial covers over seven thousand kilometres of road with 36 timed stages. It's a big trip with the course weaving from Alice Springs to Cairns, back to Longreach and Birdsville, down to Bourke then across to the Gold Coast, where cars will arrive on September 20th.
The trial is the 14th of its kind held in Australia and is based on the historic Redex Trial in 1953 that was made famous as the first large scale motor race that traversed the continent. Back in 1953, the cars travelled through Alice Springs and they were back in town again this morning for Stage One, which covers much of the Finke Desert Race Track.
Barry Ferguson, who came second in the 1979 Trial was also back for a second shot at the race. This time he brought back with him his faithful 1979 Commodore. A fateful set of events brought Barry back together with his car after losing contact with it for almost 30 years. After selling it following the 1979 race, Barry thought he'd seen the last of the beast but his son auspiciously found the car 18 months ago.
"We've put it back to its original condition, it's not modified it hasn't got any late technology. It's as we fronted up to the start line in 1979," says Barry.
Only 11 out of 180 cars finished all of the stages in the 1979 trial, which is considered one of the toughest races ever run. With no airconditioning or sound system Barry and co driver David Johnson will have their work cut out for them. However Barry thinks the car will be in better condition than the drivers.
"I think the car's got a better chance of holding up than we have. It's been restored but we haven't. And after 70 years of rushing around in these things you do get a bit battle scared. But I think it should hold up. That's why it won, they were built so tough. If we can repeat that, we'll be up there."
Much of the timed stages will cover roads on private properties on remote farms and stations. Event organiser, Bob Watson says the 36 competitive stages will be tough going.
"The competitive stages are closed off to the public and they go off one at a time racing against the clock on generally fairly narrow and rough roads and they're timed to the second," says Bob.
'Dinta' to lead Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial Written By Event Release Tuesday 9th September 2008
Former Australian Rally Champions, David ‘Dinta’ Officer and his wife Kate Officer, have been given the honour of leading away the field of historic rally cars in the 2008 Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial that starts in Alice Springs tomorrow (Wednesday, September 10).
Behind them the field of more than 70 pre-1986 vehicles, ranging from a 1951 Peugeot 203 to a Russian Lada Samara, will set off on a 7,600km adventure through the Northern Territory, Far North Queensland and Outback New South Wales, before finishing at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast on Saturday September 20.
Behind them the field of more than 70 pre-1986 vehicles, ranging from a 1951 Peugeot 203 to a Russian Lada Samara, will set off on a 7,600km adventure through the Northern Territory, Far North Queensland and Outback New South Wales, before finishing at Broadbeach on the Gold Coast on Saturday September 20.
1979 Repco Reliability Trial runner-up, Barry Ferguson, and co-driver David Johnson, have drawn starting place 14 in their ex-Holden Dealer Team Commodore, but Ferguson is unfazed at not being amongst the early leaders on the road.
“ What matters is where you are on the final day,” he said. “We’ll be pacing ourselves and hoping that others won’t!”
Following the official start in the Todd Street Mall tomorrow from 9.00am, all competitors will head off on a 331km loop south of Alice Springs, during which they will take part in four competitive stages – some on tracks used by the recent Finke Desert Race.
After the final sage and a two-hour service break at the Finke Track 2 Off-road complex, competitors will then return to Traeger Park, Alice Springs, where they will remain in parc ferme overnight before departing from 6.00am the following morning for Mt.Isa.
Alexander fights back in Red Centre Trial Friday 12th September 2008
An enthralling battle for the lead in the 2008 Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial continued today as the depleted field of 51 pre-1986 Historic Rally Cars made their way through open but challenging terrain between Mt.Isa and Cairns, via a brief mid-way rest break at Normanton.
Meanwhile 1979 Repco Reliability Trial runners up, Barry Ferguson and Dave Johnson in their ex-Holden Dealer Team Commodore, were moving back up through the field after their first Leg disaster, during which they plummeted to 40th place after getting bogged in thick sand on the very first competitive stage of the event. They left Mt.Isa this morning in 28th place, with many predicting they will be in the top 15 by the time the field arrives at the Cairns Showgrounds from around 12.30pm tomorrow, Saturday.
Officers retain Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial lead. Monday 15th September 2008
Victoria’s Graham Alexander and his navigator David Stewart have their sights set on winning what may well be the last of the 14 traditional ‘Round Australia’ Trials staged since 1953.
At the end of the fourth of the event’s nine Legs, the veteran rally crew in their potent 1975 Datsun 260Z sit just 44 seconds behind fellow Victorians David ‘Dinta’ and Kate Officer in their diminutive 1970 Mitsubishi Galant, who have controlled the 11-day 2008 Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial almost from the outset.F
Notable performances further down in the order include the rise from 40th to 19th place at Townsville by nine-times NSW Rally Champion Barry Ferguson and David Johnson in Ferguson’s ex-Holden Dealer Team six cylinder Commodore, while the oldest car in her event – the 19651 Peugeot 203 of Graham Wallis and Richard Davies – is a very creditable 25th outright.
From Townsville the Trial heads to Longreach via two special stages at Burdekin Dam and Doongmabulla, with the first cars due to arrive at the Longreach Showgrounds from 5.15pm. Then on Tuesday (Sept. 16) the field departs Longreach from 6.00am, with the first cars arriving at the Birdsville Camping Ground from 4.30pm. The event finishes in Victoria Mall, Broadbeach on Queensland’s Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon, September 20.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
Former Australian Rally Champions David and Kate Officer driving the 1970 Mitsubishi Colt Galant they purchased five years ago for $50 have won the 2008 Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial.They provisionally finished the 11-day event 6min.8sec. ahead of the 1975 Datsun 260Z of fellow Victorians Graham Alexander and David Stewart, with the NSW crew of Mike Batten and Steuart Snooks a further 4min.7sec. away third in their 1971 Datsun P510.
Conducted from September 8-20, the 14th ‘Round Australia’-style event was run in the spirit of the original 1953 REDeX Trial and attracted a diverse field of 70 pre-1986 rear-wheel drive historic rally cars and recreational four wheel drive vehicles.Just 27 vehicles completed the full 7,600km course with its 39 special stages, some up to 100km in length, but competitors were unanimous in voting the event “the experience of a lifetime”.
Nostalgic entrant Barry Ferguson in the same No 17 Holden Dealer Team Commodore that he drove to second place outright in the 1979 Repco Reliability Trial, eventually finished 17th in the Red Centre to Gold Coast Trial after losing considerable time when bogged in deep sand on thevery first stage of the event south of Alice Springs. “We’re happy,” he said. “Of course we’d like to have been further up the order, but we’ve had a great time and the car is going like new.”
 
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