Article: Recreating The Halliday Capri

[Steve Holmes]

21063

In New Zealand, in late 1973, multiple national Saloon Car Champion Paul Fahey appeared at the Bay Park Christmas event with a Ford Capri RS2600, a Group 2 factory race car that had been campaigned throughout that year in the European Touring Car Championship, and driven by the likes of Jody Scheckter, Jackie Stewart, Jochen Mass, John Fitzpatrick, Gerard Larrousse, Dieter Glemser, and others, as part of a multi-car effort. The Capri caused a sensation up and down pit lane, as although its imminent arrival on the local NZ racing scene was the worst kept secret of the year, by the time it appeared, in the flesh it was unlike anything seen before in New Zealand.

From the late 1960s, New Zealand sedan racing had been dominated by American V8 powered machinery. These popular thundering dinosaurs had ruled the roost almost without exception since international FIA Group 5 regulations had been introduced in 1967. Although the rules were being tweaked constantly, so the American iron kept on winning, barring a single year blip in 1971 when Fahey slayed the big cars with his highly effective 1,800cc FVC Alan Mann Escort.

But here at Bay Park sat a new challenger. The gleaming white Capri was adorned with signage from Air New Zealand, but it looked very European, and drew a huge crowd all weekend. Garnering the most attention were the strange looking box-flares, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in New Zealand before. Indeed, within twelve months, most of the big banger V8 artillery would have similar flares grafted into their bodywork, but on its arrival in 1973, this was all new and exciting. Also gaining lots of attention were the 16” diameter wheels. Again, 16” diameter wheels on a sedan racer were unheard of in New Zealand. But beneath the skin, Fahey’s new racer also featured some very sophisticated technology.

The Capri was powered by a Weslake R&D developed version of the 2,637cc Cologne V6, stretched to nearly 3,000cc, with alloy heads and Kugelfischer fuel-injection, and backed by a 5-speed ZF gearbox, with Atlas diff. Power was around 330hp. The 16” diameter wheels measured 12” front, and 14” rear widths. Total dry weight was just over 970kg. Technically, the Fahey Capri was eligible to compete in the 4.2 litre category of the NZ Saloon Car Championship, but the reality was, at many tracks, it was an outright contender, and on occasion would show the V8s the way home.

At seasons end, the Fahey Capri came up short against its V8 rivals. The basic nature of many New Zealand race tracks, featuring long straights and low speed corners, better suited the V8 torque monsters than the less powerful Capri, which had been designed for the high speed European race tracks, with their fast flowing corners, where momentum was king.

But while Fahey battled the V8s in New Zealand throughout that 1973/74 season, back in Europe, the RS2600’s successor, the Capri RS3100, was being created. Group 2 rules required just 250 road going examples of a make and model be produced to homologate it for racing. At that, Ford dutifully built its 250 Capri RS3100 models, fitted with a 3,098cc Essex V6 engine, and tall rear spoiler. Additionally, Group 2 cylinder heads and fuel systems were free, in that they didn’t have to be sold on road going vehicles to be homologated, but 100 examples were required to be produced.

[Steve Holmes]

21064

The factory competition version of this car had its motor developed by Cosworth, into what would be designated the GAA. Only 100 kits were built, to homologate them for touring car competition. Based on the Essex block, they were stretched out to 3,412cc, with DOHC, and four valves per cylinder (24 valves) with Lucas fuel-injection. The GAA was backed by a 5-speed ZF gearbox, to help keep the singing V6 up in the rev range, where it was most effective. Horsepower ranged from just over 400, to nearly 450, as it was developed throughout 1974. The 16” diameter wheels measured 12” wide in front, and a whopping 15” in the rear, and were wrapped in enormous box-flares, the rears of which housed the radiators. In a package weighing just over 1,000kg, the competition RS3100 was a formidable machine.

The ETCC RS3100 Capri was developed to compete in Group 2 against the BMW 3.0 CSL, itself a hugely sophisticated car, with a 4-valves per cylinder 3,498cc straight-6. BMW had won the 1973 ETCC, having released its ‘Batmobile’ version of the 3.0 CSL, with its mighty rear wing, in August, two-thirds of the way through the season. BMW won the Constructors Championship, and BMW driver Toine Hezemans won the Drivers Championship. With Ford’s new RS3100 variant, 1974 was shaping up to be a classic year, until the arrival of the global fuel crisis, under which the ETCC suffered, being reduced to just six rounds.

Ford weren’t ready with their new racer for the opening 1974 race in Monza, but arrived for Round 2 at the Salzburgring in Austria with two cars, both of which failed to finish. Both BMW and Ford skipped the Round 3 ETCC race at Vallelunga, in favour of the more important Nurburgring 1000km event, in which the Glemser/Hezemans RS3100 won its class, and finished 11th overall, amongst the prototype endurance sports cars.

Nurburgring also hosted Round 4 of the ETCC, where the RS3100’s finished first and second, while the BMW’s struck trouble. Again Ford won at Zandvoort, Round 5, and also took victory in the final at Jarama, but ultimately came up just short in the final points tally, following their slow start. But the RS3100 had proven its worth, as had the Cosworth GAA motor, which was being used by teams in other touring car championships, and even found its way into Formula 5000.

Back in New Zealand, following Fahey’s impact on the 1973/74 NZ Saloon Car Championship with his RS2600 Capri, the rumour mill went into full swing. A Euro rocket was suddenly a very desirable weapon to own. Rod Coppins hinted that he was looking to purchase one of the BMW 3.0 CSL ‘Batmobiles’ to replace his outgoing Pontiac Firebird, but ultimately settled instead for an Australian Group C Holden Torana L34, so he and good friend Jim Richards could tackle the big 1,000km Bathurst race. However, another rumour that brothers Don and Rob Halliday were building a Kiwi RS Capri proved to bare fruit.

The Halliday’s (Don did the driving) had been running a Ford Escort since 1969, initially with twin-cam power, but it underwent constant evolution, to eventually be BDA powered by the time the car was sold. To replace it, they began building what was essentially a Kiwi version of a Capri RS3100 factory race car.

They started with a standard near new Ford Capri road car, completely stripped it, and worked their way through the body, getting weight out wherever they could. They purchased a new GAA quad-cam V6 motor from Cosworth. This was engine number 0007, the 7th off the assembly line, and the first to be sold outside of Europe. At the time, a complete GAA motor cost NZ$9,000 complete, or $6,000 in kit form. They also ordered a 5-speed ZF gearbox, while from Broadspeed in England, an Atlas rear end with double-row roller bearings was purchased.

[Steve Holmes]

21065

While the factory Capri RS2600 and RS3100 race cars wore 16” wheels, the Halliday Capri would be fitted with 15” wheels, with Bridgestone cantilever tyres. Wheel widths were 10” front, and 13” rear. The suspension was also supplied by Cosworth. Brakes were AP, sourced from Australia. The Halliday Capri also differed to the factory cars in its wheel flares, which were made from steel, and beautifully crafted by Custom Panelbeaters, in New Zealand. In its first season of racing, the flares were quite subtle, more the traditional Kiwi ‘bubble’ style than the bulky box-style of the factory European racers. Also, in its first season, the Halliday car carried only a deep front spoiler, while no rear spoiler was used, similar to the RS2600. In 1973, the RS2600 Capri was homologated without a rear spoiler, and this was to prove its undoing when BMW released their updated 3.0 CSL, with its huge rear wing to produce enormous stability at speed. Ford corrected this with the release of the RS3100 for 1974.

All up, the stunning new Capri, resplendent in its two-tone red and white colour scheme, with backing from Feltex Carpets, weighed in at exactly 1,000kg, with a front/rear ratio of 550/450kg.

Some years ago I interviewed Don Halliday about the Capri. I wanted to know why the team had chosen the option of a complex quad-cam V6, rather than a big, lazy V8. “It was just something different, rather than a V8. At the time it seemed like we were on to a winner. Most of the V8s were pretty unreliable back then. We had a great relationship with Cosworth. We had an account set up with them, and just ordered parts as we needed them, and they charged them to our account. They also provided a lot of help and support to get the most out of that engine, and the package we had”.

Meanwhile, following his impressive first season with the RS2600 Capri, Fahey also ordered a Cosworth GAA motor, to give him a much needed power boost. The quad-cam GAA would provide Fahey with one last competitive tilt at the NZ championship before retiring from the sport.

The beautiful Halliday Capri made its race debut at a small Pukekohe club day in late 1974, as a shake-down. From there the team entered the big annual Bay Park Christmas event, on December 29, 1974, but the Capri was stricken with fuel pump failure. A new fuel pump was ordered, and the car returned for the NZ International Grand Prix event at Pukekohe, in early January 1975. Motoraction magazine said this of the new car: “Don Halliday had the Essex Capri running again after getting a new fuel pump flown out from England for it. The car sounded magnificent when Don really wound it up down the straights although it looked a little skitterish and almost sounded as if it was wheel spinning over the bumps”.

At Wigram the following weekend, the Capri looked much happier, and again it was the piercing shriek the quad-cam V6 produced that was the subject of much favourable discussion. Motoraction again, on reviewing the 4.2 race where Halliday led home Fahey: “At one stage, when the two Capris were circulating together, several people were heard to remark how the noise reminded them of the old BRM V16”.

The next couple of months were about fine-tuning the package, working through the typical new-car gremlins. The brakes proved to be a reoccurring problem. Although using the same componentry as the RS factory race cars, the Halliday’s had started with a fresh sheet of paper, and the car took some time to really respond well. But essentially, it was improving in leaps and bounds, and the decision was even made to take it to Australia that year to compete in the rich Sports Sedan events which really packed in the crowds, and rewarded handsomely.

[Steve Holmes]

21066

However, at the annual Bay Park Easter event in April, Don suffered a huge shunt in the car, which put him out of action for several months, and with the car requiring an extensive rebuild. During practice, Don fired in a few quick laps, and recorded a time fast enough to put him fourth on the grid, behind Fahey, Jack Nazer (Vauxhall Victor Chevy), and Red Dawson (Camaro). However, Don pulled into the pits, stopped briefly, then went out on track again, and at the end of the back straight, travelling at an estimated 150 – 160mph, found the brake pedal went straight to the floor when he went to pull up. The Capri fired at speed off the end of the straight, over the wooden perimeter fence, clearing a ditch, clipping the outside sand bank which then launched it up over the top of the bank, which at about 10 foot high, was lined with tree stumps, it then flew over a tall wire fence, and ended up slamming hard into an open field before coming to rest near the fence that surrounded the track camping ground.

Don was wearing a race harness, but no crotch strap, and he was forced off his seat where he became wedged beneath the steering wheel when the car hit the first fence. He ended up with three fractured vertebrae, and was out of racing for the next several months. Paul Fahey, who had been following some distance behind, pulled over and stopped where Don had gone off. He ran out to where the car had gone, and found a person lying on the ground next to the track with blood pouring from his head. This turned out to be a track photographer named Greg Neaves who was standing on the sand bank when the Capri shot off the straight. As the car hurtled towards him, he ducked, and the underside of the Capri clipped him on the side of the head as it flew over the top of him! Amazingly, he was OK, and was back at the track again the next day, taking photos!

By the end of that 1975 season, Fahey had emerged as New Zealand Saloon Car Champion. He sold his Capri to Cran Judge, for new NZ Formula Ford Champion Grant Walker to drive. Meanwhile, the Halliday Capri underwent a massive off-season repair and rebuild, in which more horsepower was found, and the bodywork upgraded. When it emerged later in the year, it was fitted with much larger box-flares, deeper front spoiler, and RS3100 rear spoiler. The GAA motor was now producing around 420hp.

In late 1975, following Don’s recuperation, and the rebuild of the Capri, the team shipped the car to Australia, where Don raced against the top Sports Sedans. The highlight of this trip was at Baskerville, where Don was hugely competitive, finishing an impressive third behind Jim Richards and Allan Moffat, and ahead of John McCormack in the mid-engined Repco V8 Charger, and Frank Gardner in Bob Jane’s Repco V8 Torana. Moffat was driving an ex-factory RS3100 Capri, which he purchased earlier that year to replace his much loved Kar-Kraft Mustang. Despite having a little more power than the Halliday car and able to pull away slightly on the straights, the New Zealand Capri was quicker everywhere else, and after starting from fourth on the grid, quickly moved forward, and was challenging Moffat for second when slowed slightly with fuel pick-up problems, to finish right behind the Aussie car. But regardless, it was an encouraging outing.

Taking in the rich Australian Sports Sedan events meant the Halliday’s missed the opening two rounds of the 1976 New Zealand Saloon Car Championship. The Capri was finally shipped back home to compete at the huge Bay Park Christmas event, where Moffat debuted his newly acquired space-frame DeKon Chevy Monza, as did Kiwi Red Dawson. Also present at this event was Leo Leonard in the PDL Mustang, Richards in the Sidchrome Mustang, Jack Nazer in his massively rebuilt Vauxhall Victor Chevy, John McCormack in the Charger, and Grant Walker in the ex-Fahey RS2600 Capri.

[Steve Holmes]

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Amongst this classy field, Halliday, now with Motorcraft backing in place of Feltex Carpets, qualified fifth, but while the Capri handled at least as well as anything there, the more powerful V8s proved frustrating, as they were slower on the corners, only to blast away on the straights. Halliday finished the three heats in 7th, 5th, and 5th. From there, the Capri entered Round 3 of the NZ Saloon Car Championship, at the New Zealand International Grand Prix event at Pukekohe, qualifying third, but dropping out almost immediately with engine issues, which also kept it from attending the next round at Manfeild. The team chose to sit out the South Island rounds also, instead re-joining the championship for the final at Bay Park, where Halliday finished runner-up to Nazer in each race. Nazer was crowned NZ Champion.

But the Hallidays’ wanted to return to Australia for the booming Sports Sedan events, and put together a package to compete in selected rounds of the newly introduced Australian Sports Sedan Championship, and the Marlboro $100,000 Series. The competition in Australia was progressing at rapid pace, as Sports Sedan racing had become the most popular racing category in Australia. Allan Moffat raced both his new Chevy Monza and his RS3100 Capri, while Tony Edmonson had taken over the John McCormack Repco Charger. Bob Jane and Pete Geoghegan were running a pair of very fast HQ Monaro’s, while Colin Bond ran selected events in a newly built Holden Dealer Team Torana V8. Jim Richards returned to Australia with his Mustang to run a full Sports Sedan Championship campaign, and the full 5 round Marlboro $100,000 Series, held at Calder Park. Meanwhile, Frank Gardner debuted his new mid-engined Chev Corvair late in the season, which would go on to dominate the category for the next three years.

The Halliday team entered the Capri in the final round of the Sports Sedan Championship, finishing 6th, behind Gardner, Jane, Ian Diffen (V8 Torana), Richards, and John Pollard (Camaro), while they also ran the final round of the Marlboro Series (incidentally, the series was won by Richards), finishing 6th behind Gardner, Jane, Diffen, Richards, and Ken Hastings (VW V8).

The Capri was then shipped back to New Zealand where Halliday raced it at the Bay Park Christmas meeting, the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Pukekohe, and the Manfeild round of the Saloon Car Championship. It was then sent to the South Island to continue its run in the Championship, competing at Teretonga and Wigram, but opting to miss Timaru and Ruapuna.

The Halliday Capri had been developed into a superb race car, but was now lacking the pure brute power of the V8s. Schedule E regulations, which had been introduced in 1973 to replace Group 5, allowed basically any car to be fitted with any engine, up to 6,000cc. Furthermore, that engine could be moved back within the chassis for better weight distribution. By any other term, this was Sports Sedan racing. So teams were building compact cars like Vauxhall Victors and Ford Capri’s, and fitting them with mid-mounted V8s. Furthermore, the US IMSA cars, such as the Red Dawson and Art McKee Chevy Monza’s, and the new PDL Mustang II utilised a space-frame chassis, and bore almost no resemblance to any road car origins.

The sophisticated European quad-cam Capri’s were not only being out-powered, but the mid-engined V8s also had handling to match. And they were often lighter. Fahey had struck at the opportune moment when he fitted the GAA quad-cam V6 to his RS2600 Capri for the 1975 season, as the V8s really didn’t have their act together yet. Many V8 teams were still pounding around in big, bulky American cars, not having taken advantage of the freedoms offered by Schedule E. But by 1977, there was a raft of new, purposeful V8 powered race cars that had become extremely effective in all areas.

[Steve Holmes]

21068

Regardless, by the end of the 1977 season, it mattered not. The cost to build and race a big-bore sedan in New Zealand had reached epic levels, with a small army of mechanics required to keep them running. As a result, car numbers dropped off, and at some South Island events, the turn-out bordered on being embarrassing. At Timaru, of the main championship contenders, only the PDL Mustang was entered. Bill Leckie, driving a V8 Capri in the 4.2 litre championship, was Leonard’s closest rival, several seconds slower. Many of the North Island teams didn’t mate the trek to the South Island, due to costs. And at that, Motorsport New Zealand waved their wand and announced a new 2.0 litre maximum engine capacity for saloon car racing, immediately deeming all the big bangers ineligible.

At that, the Halliday quad-cam Capri was mothballed, and the team went off to race an Escort in the new 2.0 litre ShellSport sponsored saloon car series. The Capri sat gathering dust until it was eventually sold to Danie Lupp, without engine. Lupp, son of the famous female Jaguar racing driver Sybil, fitted it with a Chaparral F5000 motor, mated to a Muncie gearbox. He also repainted the car blue. The Chevy set-up lasted only briefly, before it was destroyed when the dry-sump belt flicked itself off. With no oil pressure warning light fitted to alert the driver, the Chevy ran itself dry.

Its replacement was an interesting option, a Jaguar V12, topped with four triple Webers, from a Porsche. But Lupp was working to a tight budget, having been in the middle of a house build, so the internals were all standard. It ran a very selected campaign for the next season and a half, proving mostly troublesome, before being sold to South Island OSCA (Open Saloon Car Association) racer John Osborne, to replace his Chevy Camaro, in 1981. Osborne, who was close friends with Lupp, and who stayed with him when visiting the North Island to race, once told me, “I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I was staying over at Danie’s, and I must have had too much to drink, because I woke up the next morning and I owned this bloody Capri!”

Osborne bought the Capri without the motor, and fitted the Chevy V8 and Muncie 4-speed from his Camaro, while replacing the Atlas rear end with a hefty and heavily modified Mercury unit, to better cope with the V8 power. He also had it repainted a deep metallic blue, with yellow and orange panelling. He campaigned the Capri in the 1981/82 OSCA championship, and also took the car to the North Island for various North/South Sports Sedan/OSCA clashes that proved hugely popular with the punters.

Osborne ran a limited campaign the following season, before coming back for the 1983/84 championship with a big effort to win the title. However, in late December 1983, while testing at Ruapuna for an upcoming trip to Bay Park in January, the boot (trunk) mounted Bendix fuel-pump ruptured, creating a massive flame-back, followed quickly by a huge explosion which blew the left rear side out of the car. Osborne slowed as much as he could, but had to leap from the car while it was still moving to escape the rapidly expanding blaze. He was sent to Christchurch hospital for treatment for burns and abrasions, while the car burnt to the ground. He told me, “My engine man, the brilliant Murray Baker, sat me on the bank, shoved three cigarettes in my mouth, and lit them all at once”.

Osborne was already planning the Capri’s replacement, a Mazda RX7 fitted with the Chevy V8 and Muncie, when the fire took place. Inky Tulloch, who now owned the ex-Paul Fahey/Grant Walker Capri, and was racing it to great effect with a small block Chevy V8, offered Osborne the use of this car to attend the Bay Park event. Osborne declined, but later took up an offer from Tulloch to buy the car outright as a stop-gap measure.

So, sadly, the Halliday Capri was no more.

[Steve Holmes]

21069

Don Halliday kept racing throughout the 1980s in various formulae, before concentrating on the career of his son, Mathew. Rob, meanwhile, also went off in pursuit of various interests, including historic car racing in a Lotus Cortina. Then, just recently, out of the blue, I was sent an email by Rob Halliday, which read, “Steve, at present we a building a replica of our old Capri (Don Halliday). This should be running this season, but later rather than sooner”. I’d heard rumours of a replica of the Halliday machine being created, but didn’t know how true they were. Afterall, building a replica of anything powered by a Cosworth GAA motor is never going to be a cheap exercise. As Rob explains, “I was going to build a Zakspeed Capri replica, but my wife said ‘why don’t you recreate your old Capri’. I have been collecting parts since 2007. My son will drive it”.

The recreation will feature a couple of minor changes to the original car, in the flare kit and the wheels. While the original car had 15” diameter wheels, the recreation will wear 16s. Also, while the original had New Zealand made steel custom flares, the recreation will feature RS3100 flares, as Rob explains; “The car will have ‘works’ guards, as Mike John was good enough to let me take molds from his car. Don raced against this car in the first Tasmanian $10,000 series back in ‘76”. Mike John, of course, owned the Allan Moffat RS3100 1974 factory racer, which has since been sold to Gordon Burr.

Other than the wheels and flares, the recreation will represent the original car. A donor road car was found and stripped back to a bare shell. Rob has also purchased and imported two GAA Cosworth motors, and a 5-speed ZF gearbox, along with the 16” BBS wheels, which measure 11” and 13” front/rear widths. By the time he’d contacted me, the rollcage and other fabrication work had already been done, and the ride-height and fitment work was in progress. The car looks stunning!

The original Halliday Capri is long gone. However, being a race car, having been crashed, and evolved to be more competitive, some original parts do still exist. The Cosworth GAA motor was briefly fitted into a MkII Escort, before being sold to Ken Smith. From there it spent some time in a road car (!), then a jet boat. But its now owned by Roger Townshend, who also owns and is restoring the Paul Fahey ‘works’ RS2600 Capri. Also, Rob still has a couple of memento’s from Don’s big shunt at Bay Park in early 1975; “I have the original front unit, complete with re-welded calliper lugs, that got ripped off in Don’s big crash at Bay Park. I have machined a full new set from billet alloy”.

Although I’ve related much of the history of the original Halliday Capri, this is essentially a build thread, and as such, I’ll be updating it regularly as Rob sends through new progress reports. But this is a very exciting project. And furthermore, New Zealand historic racing enthusiasts should consider themselves extremely fortunate. As already mentioned, the Allan Moffat RS3100 Capri is now in New Zealand, being raced by Gordon Burr. Roger Townshend is closing in on completion of the Paul Fahey RS2600 Capri, in its 1975 NZ Saloon Car Championship guise, with Cosworth GAA motor. Now a recreation of the Halliday Capri is in full swing. The chances of these three incredible cars all sharing the track together sometime in the near future is a very real possibility. A trio of Cosworth GAA powered Capri’s all at full scream together would be something very special to witness.

[Steve Holmes]

Front corner photo of the recreation here, showing the front flares taken from the factory RS3100 Capri raced by Allan Moffat in 1975/76, and now in New Zealand owned by Gordon Burr.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is one of the beautiful 16" BBS wheels. These just scream 1970s. Sexy!

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[Steve Holmes]

This is the car with the ride height having been set, and clearance for the fat wheels and tyres to fit inside the big flares. Also, from here Rob is gathering his measurements for the width of the rear end. How cool does this thing look!

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[Steve Holmes]

And here it is from another angle. Just stunning! You can see from this angle the rollcage is somewhat beefier than that of the original car.

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[Rod Grimwood]

This will be good. Damn just drove past Robs shop today, will stop next time.

[Ellis]

6-7th Sep 75 Tas 10000 for Sports Sedans at Baskerville ....

Photos..... Kingston Camera Centre Tasmania

The finnish of the 10000 race Steve mentions at Baskerville
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-32-58_zpsaff99278.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-32-58_zpsaff99278.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-23-41_zpsa70fcb91.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-23-41_zpsa70fcb91.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-46_zpsfcbf06b0.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-46_zpsfcbf06b0.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-10_zpsbac10509.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-10_zpsbac10509.jpg.html)

[Oldfart]

Yet another outstanding write up Steve. Thanks so much.

[George Sheweiry]

Those boys are on to it, 16" wheels and the bigger brakes that go with them, bit of a shame really it would have been a good candidate for Historic Sports Sedans, nevermind it will be a cool car to watch.

[Rod Grimwood]

Those boys are on to it, 16" wheels and the bigger brakes that go with them, bit of a shame really it would have been a good candidate for Historic Sports Sedans, nevermind it will be a cool car to watch.


The Capri was running on these size wheels from day dot and had the brakes, don't forget these were state of the art European Touring cars back then. And many a touring car has ended up as a SS or OSCA in later life.
Love to see them all running together in Historics

[Jac Mac]

The Capri was running on these size wheels from day dot and had the brakes, don't forget these were state of the art European Touring cars back then. And many a touring car has ended up as a SS or OSCA in later life.
Love to see them all running together in Historics
I just re-read the text of Steves thread starter, Faheys car had 15" rims ( or at least while Inky owned it ) & I see the Halliday car was also on 15"s, so these 16"s must be later models. Incidently the original metric wheel studs spat the dummy shortly after I built the 9" in Inky's car, had to set to and make up some good un's. Wonder if this car had one rubber rod end in the 4 link?

[BMCBOY]

Great article Steve - really enjoyed the read.
Here's a few shots from the days you may enjoy.

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[Steve Holmes]

The Capri was running on these size wheels from day dot and had the brakes, don't forget these were state of the art European Touring cars back then. And many a touring car has ended up as a SS or OSCA in later life.
Love to see them all running together in Historics

Thats exactly right Rod. The Fahey and Moffat Capri's were built with 16" diameter wheels. Thats why the Fahey car caused such a sensation when it first appeared in NZ. Nobody had seen 16" wheels on a sedan car before. The Halliday Capri wore 15" wheels in period, and although the recreation is a tribute to the original car, in many ways its actually a replica RS3100, like Moffat's car.

[Steve Holmes]

I just re-read the text of Steves thread starter, Faheys car had 15" rims ( or at least while Inky owned it ) & I see the Halliday car was also on 15"s, so these 16"s must be later models. Incidently the original metric wheel studs spat the dummy shortly after I built the 9" in Inky's car, had to set to and make up some good un's. Wonder if this car had one rubber rod end in the 4 link?

Jac, the Fahey car definitely had 16" wheels when it was first built and raced in 1973, to run the ETCC. It still had 16" wheels when Fahey imported it into NZ, and remained this way during his ownership. My guess would be it was later fitted with 15" wheels, possibly due to the availability/cost of 16" tyres.

[Steve Holmes]

Great article Steve - really enjoyed the read.
Here's a few shots from the days you may enjoy.

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Beaut photos there Ross! Thanks for posting them.

[Steve Holmes]

6-7th Sep 75 Tas 10000 for Sports Sedans at Baskerville ....

Photos..... Kingston Camera Centre Tasmania

The finnish of the 10000 race Steve mentions at Baskerville
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-32-58_zpsaff99278.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-32-58_zpsaff99278.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-23-41_zpsa70fcb91.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-23-41_zpsa70fcb91.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-46_zpsfcbf06b0.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-46_zpsfcbf06b0.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-10_zpsbac10509.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-09-0315-24-10_zpsbac10509.jpg.html)

These are superb photos Ellis, thanks for posting. Interesting to see both the Moffat and Halliday cars had their front spoilers knocked off at some point. Probably off-track excursions?

[Ellis]

Perry Drury Launceston Pic ....

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/19_zps524d49fa.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/19_zps524d49fa.jpg.html)

[Steve Holmes]

Very cool! Is this the same meeting as those you've posted above Ellis?

[Ellis]

Steve
No I think its Calder maybe....Perry did a lot of Calder and some Sandown

[zombie289]

Steve, well done on adding these wonderful build threads to your Forum, I can't wait to see all these Killer builds unfold, and ca't wait to see what you bring us next!

[briteyes]

P.M. sent Steve

[wildman]

Pardon my naïveté, but is this the same Don Halliday who's now Takuma Sato's race engineer in IndyCar?

[Grant Ellwood]

Pardon my naïveté, but is this the same Don Halliday who's now Takuma Sato's race engineer in IndyCar?

No but they are both great engineers, each deserve their own threads.

[roadrace]

Had a bit to do with Rob and Don, This Don Halliday was mechanic at John Andrew Ford in 70s, won the BNSW championship with the NZ built Escort BDA against the Willment car. The other Don Halliday raced ( maybe built) Formula Vee here, now very respected designer?/ engineer in single seaters. Don and Rob Halliday cars built in first small shop in Sandringham before shift to Morningside. Steve Horne part of that small group.
And there is another Capri also being built, I believe for an ex saloon car , now single seater driver.

[kiwi285]

Yes there is another Capri being built in NZ - I had a chance to talk to the builder about it at HD earlier this year. Will have a great field of Capri's if we could get them together.

[SPman]

Had a bit to do with Rob and Don, This Don Halliday was mechanic at John Andrew Ford in 70s, won the BNSW championship with the NZ built Escort BDA against the Willment car. The other Don Halliday raced ( maybe built) Formula Vee here, now very respected designer?/ engineer in single seaters. Don and Rob Halliday cars built in first small shop in Sandringham before shift to Morningside. Steve Horne part of that small group.
They also designed and built the 'Hallitrax" - a tracked Bobcat style of vehicle, back in the '70's-80's

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, well done on adding these wonderful build threads to your Forum, I can't wait to see all these Killer builds unfold, and ca't wait to see what you bring us next!

Build threads rule, don't you think Pauly!

[John McKechnie]

Another Halliday special in the early 70s was the 1500 maxi motor that they fitted to the subframe of a mini, and joined the axles for the late Alex Isbey.
This car was known as the Mixi

[Oldfart]

Another Halliday special in the early 70s was the 1500 maxi motor that they fitted to the subframe of a mini, and joined the axles for the late Alex Isbey.
This car was known as the Mixi

Mate of mine and Alex's often talks about this (and the crash in Maramarua)

[John McKechnie]

An excellent advertisement for rollcages, I remember when looking at the carcass

[Oldfart]

An excellent advertisement for rollcages, I remember when looking at the carcass

Well tested you could say. We could ask about materials, but I don't think we want to re-open that sore.

[John McKechnie]

Rhys- yes, it would be exhaust.....ing

[BMCBOY]

This is a shot taken at a club circuit in 1975 featuring Rob and Don along with Bryce Platt and Murray Soames

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[Steve Holmes]

Thats a really neat photo Ross, thanks for posting.

[conrod]

Pretty sure the 1972 and 1973 works Capris (RS2600) used 15" wheels, bolt on, and for 1974 (RS3100) they switched to 16" centrelocks.

[Steve Holmes]

I just re-read the text of Steves thread starter, Faheys car had 15" rims ( or at least while Inky owned it ) & I see the Halliday car was also on 15"s, so these 16"s must be later models. Incidently the original metric wheel studs spat the dummy shortly after I built the 9" in Inky's car, had to set to and make up some good un's. Wonder if this car had one rubber rod end in the 4 link?

Jac, you are 100% correct about the wheels on the Fahey RS2600. One of the period magazines I used as research for that article and a couple of websites that have info about those cars say they were fitted with 16" wheels, but I checked with Roger Townshend and he said the car has always worn 15" wheels. He said the factory cars tried 16" wheels briefly in 1973 (when the Fahey car first raced in Europe) but that they had tyre issues so reverted back to the 15s. Sorry Jac, I should have listened to you.

[Jac Mac]

Steve, your not the first to suggest I might have been wrong!, but one of the few to apologise when Im found correct!:)
As an aside to the Tulloch capri, Inky had a few lurid spins when first racing the car that had the crew baffled, At the time I was building the 9" he asked me to check the rack as well, found 'someone' had adjusted the stops so the car only had about a 1/3 of the RH lock available, once the rack was replaced & that sorted Inky was back to his power sliding best.

[Rod Grimwood]

Humblest Jac, I was going on it being run as a 3100 after reading write up on them. But of coarse it was 2600.

Jac that lock problem would have been a night mare to drive with.

[Steve Holmes]

Rod I'm sure you are correct though re the RS3100's, I'm sure they did have 16" wheels.

[Steve Holmes]

This RS3100 was racing at this years Silverstone Classic. The fact its right hand drive makes me wonder if its a replica, though there were teams in the UK who built and raced these cars in period using the Cosworth GAA and works bodykit etc, so maybe its a UK built car with period race history.

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[conrod]

Steve, that car belongs to Ric Wood, he is a bit of a GAA guru. I saw it late last year when the bodyshell was in the paint shop. It was completed earlier this year. It has an engine that was built from one of two brand new Cosworth engine kits that he found in Spain. A lucky customer of his bought the other one;)

Conrad

[Jac Mac]

Humblest Jac, I was going on it being run as a 3100 after reading write up on them. But of coarse it was 2600.

Jac that lock problem would have been a night mare to drive with.
No problem Rod, I was starting to think I was having a memory glitch though! I remember seeing a pic of the Moffat car somewhere & rears 'looked' to be bigger dia, but IIRC it has the later rear flares and in some of those OZ shots of the Halliday car you can 'see' the wheel archs appear to have been trimmed to suit the bigger rubber.
Yes, it was getting to Inky a bit at the time, actually a few things on that car that left a bit to be desired, it was less engine/trans when it first arrived, still with the swimming pool paintwork that Grant Walker had run with in OZ

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, that car belongs to Ric Wood, he is a bit of a GAA guru. I saw it late last year when the bodyshell was in the paint shop. It was completed earlier this year. It has an engine that was built from one of two brand new Cosworth engine kits that he found in Spain. A lucky customer of his bought the other one;)

Conrad

Thanks Conrad. VERY nice car!

[Steve Holmes]

By the way, I have posted pictures from the Super Touring race (where the above Capri RS was racing) at the 2013 Silverstone Classic up today, which included everything from Group 2 cars to Group A, Super Touring etc. You can see them on page 4 and 5, from Here (http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?1140-Event-2013-Silverstone-Classic/page4)

[Steve Holmes]

OK folks, time for an update from Rob on the Capri build. Robs comments, and photos, as below. I think you'll agree, this is a work of art!

"Steve, more pics. First: diff first stage,with alloy hubs fitted. Front suspension, set up to work out TCA lengths, and extension on rack ends, as well as compression strut placement.
Last two pics: diff set up in lathe for bearing surfaces to be machined, and screw-cut to suit bearing retaining collars. These adjust pre-load on rear taper bearings.
Cheers, Rob"

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[Steve Holmes]

Huge thanks to Tim Hutchinson (briteyes) for sending me these photos he took of the Halliday Cari at Manfeild in the early 1980s. This first shot is when it was Jaguar V12 powered, and owned by Danie Lupp. Just look at all those carbs! Too bad this combination was never fully developed.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is the Capri again, a little time later, now owned by John Osborne and powered by a small block Chevy.

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[Steve Holmes]

And two more of Osborne at Manfeild, lined up on the grid in a North/South challenge event. Also, pictured here in the first shot are Trevor Crowe in his first Olds V8 Starlet sharing the front row with Osborne, while on row 2 are Rod McElrea in the ex-Jac Mac V8 Cortina, plus Avon Hyde in the Clyde Collins owned (ex-Frank Ryan) Chevy V8 Capri. Graeme Addis in the V8 Charger shares row three with Ian Munt in the Chevy V8 Capri, while Steve Vigurs is lined up behind Addis in the ex-Clyde Collins V8 Cortina.

In the second photo, Wayne Huxford is also pictured in his V8 Capri.

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[Steve Holmes]

As you can see, a few parts from the original Halliday Capri do still survive. Rob sent me the below email:

"Steve, original front suspension from our Capri, you can see on the Mag/alloy hub carrier where it was welded after Dons crash at Bay Park (calliper brackets)...it still has my lock wore on the disc bells!"

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[Steve Holmes]

And now for another update on the recreation:

"Capri rear suspension, basic set up and tacked in position,for final check, prior to fully welding. Could be rolling in 2 weeks".

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[Rod Grimwood]

Steve, I dropped in a couple weeks back and had a look and chat with young fella. It is going to be good. Rob senior was away at time.
Be good to see his road car when that is finished.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Rod, yeah its going to be a great car for sure.

[Steve Holmes]

Sorry folks, Rob actually sent me this update back in December! My workload has been such I'm only just getting to upload this now. Email below from Rob:

"Steve, sorry,been busy on our day to day race cars, but back to Capri. Pics of...door intrusion pipework, rear discs fitted prior to setting up calliper mounts,top inner trailing arm mounts,and front of finished cage".

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Terry S]

If they want Cosworth GAA quad cam motors have a look at this add.

One in the car, two spares, plus look at the spares listing of castings etc

Almost makes the USD 250k price attractive just for the GAA motors
http://www.automotiverestorations.com/sales/home/1975-chevron-b30-formula-5000

[Andrew Metford]

WOW!! Castings for the block and heads too - rocking horse s*#T!!

Any updates on progress with the recreation of the Capri?

[Rod Grimwood]

Mr Thornton has one in the March he ran at Festival in January, he was telling me about a batch of blocks and heads he was looking at and other bits. Must he same outfit.

[TonyG]

Any progress?

[Steve Holmes]

Tony, I emailed Rob this morning to see how he is progressing, here is his reply:

"Steve, had a huge work load on.....but now ready to go right thru to completion.
I have all engine parts as well so I thought a step by step GAA engine build would go down quite well,(been 40 odd years since I have done this) Aim is to have it running for my birthday (May) what are your thoughts?
Next is a build on our Shellsport replica Mk 2 escort (RS1800) complete with injected BDG,hopping for Manfield (Nov) cheers, Rob".

[kiwi285]

Hell that will be a great sight and sound when that car hits the track. Maybe we will have two running together plus the FVA Escort. Wouldn't that be a crowd puller.

[TonyG]

Cool. Thanks for that Steve and Rob for the update. Agree with kiwi285 about the sight and sound.

[crunch]

Tony, I emailed Rob this morning to see how he is progressing, here is his reply:

"Steve, had a huge work load on.....but now ready to go right thru to completion.
I have all engine parts as well so I thought a step by step GAA engine build would go down quite well,(been 40 odd years since I have done this) Aim is to have it running for my birthday (May) what are your thoughts?
Next is a build on our Shellsport replica Mk 2 escort (RS1800) complete with injected BDG,hopping for Manfield (Nov) cheers, Rob".

Ok, ok...I'll be the nit-picky old man.
If it's a replica Shellsport car, it cant have a 4 valve/cylinder engine.
I only say that because I think it's imperative we save any of the original Shellsport cars left in this country...in original state.
Sorry to be a grump:confused:

[John McKechnie]

I agree you on this Crunch.
Original running equipment , original state ,period equipment- thats what separates club cars from our historic cars- look at Raydons and John Dennehys cars

[Steve Holmes]

Just got this message from Rob Halliday last night along with these pics:

"Hi, just getting back on to the Capri,had a busy time at work,but will be going thru to completion now,hope to be testing July this year,will send engine build pics as we go thru them,cheers, Rob".

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[camaroman slp]

It will be great to see some more footage of the build.
Have you had your, car painted or had a fire yet up, we look forward to seeing it back on track.
Previous pics are fantastic keep up the great work.