RORSTAN TASMAN SERIES RACERS
“Rorstan Motor Racing” was a partnership of Ian Rorison, a quarry owner and operator of a truck fleet, and Feo Stanton, a Tauranga car dealer. The two had a big part in the operation of Bay Park Raceway. They combined to enter cars in the late 60’s Tasman Series.
The records show they did not achieve very much, mainly because of running old and ill prepared cars with abysmal reliability. Several of their cars had interesting but confusing stories which is what I have attempted to cover here. The post is long because I have attempted to solve the myths and inaccuracies that have been this team’s history. I have concentrated on Tasman race results because they are readily available, and ignored Gold star, and Tasman race heats and preliminaries.
It is presented in 3 parts because it was too long for the forum rules.
Brabham BT7A Climax:
The team’s first car was a Brabham BT7A Climax which had already done 3 Tasman Series when Rorstan bought it.
This car, BT 7A chassis # IC-2-63, was new for Jack Brabham for the 1964 Tasman Series, in which he competed in 6 rounds. It was a sister car to Frank Matich’s, his chassis # being IC-1-63. Brabham sold it to Jim Palmer, who competed in 7 rounds of 1965 Tasman Series, plus some NZ Gold Star races. Palmer then sold it to Andy Buchanan who did 5 rounds of 1966 Tasman Series, plus some NZ Gold Star races. It was then bought by Rorstan for the 1967 Tasman Series.
Feo Stanton was a good friend of Denny Hulme. When Hulme had troubles in his car in practice for the 1967 NZ GP then Stanton lent him the BT7A for the race. He lasted 50 laps of the 57, and then retired with a broken stub axle. A foreboding of things to come.
Rorstan then recruited Australian Paul Bolton to drive the BT7A in the remaining 1967 Tasman Series races.
Bolton had done some touring car racing in the early 1960’s in NSW, including 2 Bathurst enduros. His first single seater was a Rennmax Hillman. He then bought Brabham BT6 F2 1100cc chassis FJ-15-63. It was ex Youl/Cusack. By end of 1966 he held 1100cc class lap records at Warwick Farm and Oran Park. The Australian Road Racing Mechanics Club in their awards for 1966 voted Bolton as one of the nine “Best Drivers in Australia for 1966”.
http://www.oldracephotos.com/shop/in...lton&x=18&y=11
It is interesting that Graham Howard’s normally reliable book “50 year history of the AGP” notes in the index that Bolton competed in the 66 and 67 AGP, yet I cannot find mention of this in the rest of the book.
This forum’s GD66 has since described Bolton as “showed flashes of speed but seemed to fly off the road a lot and had few results” which is common in assessments of him. Whilst it is true he retired regularly, in hindsight he was running old equipment which may not have been correctly maintained, and some of crashes could possibly be due to equipment failures.
Bolton failed to qualify for his first race for the team, the 1967 Wigram round, and then had DNF’s at Teretonga and Warwick Farm rounds.
At 1967 Sandown Tasman Race Bolton had done a very fast practice lap before he spun in the esses and wrecked the Brabham against the armco.
Bolton also drove BT7A at Catalina Park, Oran Park and Warwick Farm during 1967. See photos.
The team also had the BT11B available after the 67 Tasman, but continued to use the BT7A because as Graham Howard noted at the time it was some 60 pounds lighter. The BT 11B had been equipped for GPs with bigger tanks, brakes etc.
In November 1967 at a NZ Gold Star Race at Levin, Bolton inverted the BT7A on himself and incurred a fractured collarbone and shoulder. It appears a brake pad welded to a disc. This appears to have been the last race of the BT7A.
What happened to the car then is a mystery. Both Palmer and Buchanan as previous drivers have expressed interest in finding it but have been unsuccessful. It seems it may have been cannibalised to repair the team’s next Brabham.
RORSTAN TASMAN SERIES RACERS Part 2
Branham BT11:
The second car bought by Rorstan was the Brabham used by Hulme in the 1967 Tasman Series. It was chassis # F1-1-64.
The model number of this Brabham appears to create differences of opinion. I have seen it described as a BT11, BT19, BT22 and BT11/22.
Both Bruce Sergent and Graham Vercoe described it as a BT19, and Allen Brown (ORC) as a BT11/22. It must be remembered that their work was done many years after the actual races. The confusion appears to come from Brabhams not allocating model numbers until early 1970’s and then done retrospectively. So in 60’s although cars had chassis plates there were no model numbers attached. Indeed in the race programs they were just described as Repco-Brabham V8 or Repco Brabham Climax, presumably because that was all the teams told the organizers. I have seen this in the program for the 1967 Warwick Farm Tasman Race that I attended. At the same race the Lotus cars were shown as correct model numbers 27, 32B, 33 and 39.
It is disappointing that a usually reliable source in Allen Brown has conflicting facts on different parts of his site. In his summaries of results of 1967 NZ Tasman races he shows 2 BT22s competing. Yet on his Brabham Research page from the Home page it says only 1 BT22 produced.
What seems to cause the confusion was that this car was built in 1964 as a BT11. It sat idle until 1966. The Brabham team needed an interim second car for the first year of the 3 litre formula, as they only had very limited supply of the new Repco V8. They updated it with the latest BT19 suspension and bigger fuel tanks and brakes, but the factory did NOT give it a new model number, unlike the Palmer car. It was raced with a Climax engine in 8 of the 1966 World Championship rounds, 6 by Hulme and one each by Bonnier and Irwin. It was rested when Hulme got Brabham BT20 chassis F1-2-66 with a Repco V8. Meanwhile F1-1-64 was sent to NZ for the 1967 Tasman with a Repco V8.
The addition of BT19 suspension to a BT11 does not make it a BT19. Conversely this car had more upgrades than just the suspension so therefore not a BT 22. On another forum “Vitesse” says that because there is already a BT11A, that this car should be called a BT11B (with Climax) and BT11C (with Repco). I agree and I will call it a BT11B, as it must be in the BT11 production numbers.
This car was definitely not a BT19 nor a BT22, as per the following quick summaries of those cars.
BT19 Brabham
This was the car Brabham used in 1966 to win his third World Championship., chassis F1-1-65. It was built in 1965 to take the proposed Climax FWMW 1.5 L flat 16, so it was wider at the rear to fit it. This was the last year of 1.5 L formula. As this engine never raced the car was stored and then adapted for the Repco V8 for 1966. Brabham was very fond of this car and retained it until 1976 when he sold to Repco. It has been used for demonstrations and displays since, and from 2008 was in the National Sports Museum in Melbourne for several years. It was never ever owned by Rorstan.
BT22 Palmer:
Built as a BT11 originally for Silvio Moser for 1966 International series but never delivered. It was sold to a Scotsman who raced it 4 times but suffered a major engine blow up. Bought by Palmer, who returned it to Brabhams to have suspension modified to latest BT19 F1 spec. Brabhams registered it as a BT22, the only one. Palmer used it for the NZ rounds of 1967 Tasman Series, and it then went to Jim Kennedy. NZ’s Roger Munns has now owned it for over 25 years. It was never ever owned by Rorstan.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/34094515@N00/3114894979
Two authoritative sources note there was only ONE of each of these models, and this was not one of them, as follows:
http://rontauranac.com.au/brabhammrd-cars/
http://www.oldracingcars.com/brabham/
Hulme was not very successful in the 1967 Tasman. He started the 8 races, but retired 6 times, only managing a 3rd and a 4th. Not a good omen.
So after the 1967 Tasman Series the car was sold to Rorstan, but without the Repco V8. Rorstan fitted a Climax 2.5L. It has been said that Rorstan had 5 of these engines, but unfortunately none were new or fresh.
Bolton’s first race with the BT11B was not until the NZ GP in January 1968 He finished fifth. He then DNF at Levin round.
At the 1968 third round (Lady Wigram Trophy Race) on the very first lap Bolton burrowed the car right through a hanger wall. Although looking bad he only suffered minor abrasions. That was the end of Bolton’s career with the Rorstan team.
The car was rebuilt with a new chassis (not clear if Britton or NZ locally built) and most likely some of the crashed BT7A, and was entered for Dennis Marwood in 1969 NZ GP. It retired after 3 laps with electrical issues. It was then put aside and replaced by the Rorstan Climax.
The car was sold to a wealthy American property developer. It was at the Goodwood Revival in 2006 and 2007.
There is apparently a new book due out soon on the Tasman Series, and it is supposed to be definitive. It will be interesting to see how incorrectly it describes the model number of this Brabham chassis # F1-1-64.
RORSTAN TASMAN SERIES RACERS Part 3
Brabham BT23:
The FIA introduced new rules for Formula 2 for 1967. Cosworth developed the 1.6 litre 4 cylinder FVA engine (four valve assembly) for this formula and Brabham released a new model the BT 23. Brabham and Hulme drove chassis 1 and 2 for the Brabham works team, and Roy Winkelmann Racing (a semi works team) entered chassis 4 and 5 for Alan Rees and Jochen Rindt respectively.
Rindt had a phenomenal record in his car in 1967. Out of 15 races he won 9 and finished second four times. In the FIA European F2 Championship he won 6 out of 10 races, but was not awarded the championship as he was a seeded driver. That honour went to Jackie Ickx. This Rindt association is very relevant to the recent auction of the car (see below).
For 1968 Hulme had signed with the McLaren Team. This meant Hulme was forced to find his own car for the 1968 Tasman Series, unlike previous years when Brabham had provided. A Repco V8 was not available so he turned to FVA engine cars. He thought that Rindt’s BT23-5 was much better than his BT23-2, so he made arrangements to bring that. Never mind greater ability.
Hulme crashed BT23-5 in the first race of 1968 series, the NZ GP, on lap 56 of the 58 lap race. He collided with local Laurence Brownlie, with both cars turning over and “disintegrating”.
Hulme was forced to arrange to bring out BT23-2 from Europe for five of the remaining races. He didn’t manage any wins, his best being third at Wigram.
After the Tasman series BT23-2 went back to Walter Habeeggar of Switzerland for 1968 season, then in 1969 to Scuderia Picchio Rosso for Enzo Corti. In 1970 to Vittorio Brambilla, and last seen 1970. A chassis being restored in 2009 may be this one.
After Hulme’s crash in the 1968 NZ GP, Rorstan acquired BT23-5 (less engine) and sent the chassis to Bob Brittan (Rennmax) in Sydney to fix. Rorstan retained the suspension. However Bob hated fixing things, so made a jig after straightening the Brabham, then sent back to NZ a brand new BT23 style car containing all the usable BT23-5 bits, and with space for fitting a Climax 2.5L. This jig was to be used for the creation of 11 cars including the Mildren and Rennmax BN3 cars. The old chassis (BT23-5) went to the roof of Britton’s shed.
Rorstan called this new car the Rorstan 1 Climax, chassis # RMR1. It had distinctive very upswept and long exhaust pipes for a Climax engine car. Stanton never pretended the car was a Brabham.
For 1969 Rorstan initially signed Jim Palmer to drive the Rorstan on the promise it would have a Repco V8. The car was entered for the 1969 NZ GP but when the Repco V8 did not eventuate then Palmer walked, as he knew the Climax would be completely uncompetitive.
Rorstan then recruited Dennis Marwood to replace Bolton for the 1969 series. This was probably at the instigation of Ian Rorison, who was a close friend of Marwood. Marwood’s single searer experience seems to be only from running an almost historic Cooper T66 Climax 2.5L in the 65, 66 and 67 Tasman Series. He had little success with Rorstan. At NZ GP he retired after only 3 laps in the Brabham BT??. Switching to the Rorstan Climax, he then retired from the Levin and Wigram rounds.
Marwood had had enough. He realised the Climax was no match for the new FVA engined cars. For 1970 he switched to an Eisert Chev F5000 owned by Ian Rorison.
For 1970 Rorstan recruited local Bryan Faloon to drive the Rorstan Climax. Faloon had gained experience driving an ex Stillwell Brabham BT4 Climax 2.5L chassis IC-3-62 in the 1968 and 1969 NZ Tasman races.
1970 was another unsuccessful Tasman Series for Rorstan. In the 4 NZ rounds Faloon got 7th at Wigram and 10th at Teretonga, and retired in the other two races.
For 1971 Rorstan finally realised the Climax 2.5 was outdated so a rare Porsche 2 litre flat 8 four cam engine was installed. Chassis number was changed to M1A from Mk 1. It is not known if this meant a new chassis or simply alterations to existing one to fit the much wider Porsche. The engine has been described as variously a 907, 908 and a 771. I will leave that to Porsche experts.
The change to the Porsche engine had even worse results in 1971 Tasman. Faloon was entered for Leven but did not arrive. For Pukekohe and Wigram he did not start.
For 1972, following the breakup of the Rorstan partnership, the car was called the Stanton 1 Porsche.
The Rorstan Porsche was unfortunately destroyed on lap 52 of the 58 lap 1972 NZ GP.
To quote from Bruce Sergent’s report:
“Four laps later Faloon, well out of the running, and Lawrence, still pursuing McCormack, touched at the kink in the back straight to spark off a debris-strewn, dust-enveloped tragedy. Coming up the back straight on lap 52 Lawrence was slipstreaming McCormack while Faloon, seeing the red Elfin bearing down on him, pulled to the left at the kink to let him through. At the same split second Lawrence pulled out of the slipstream to pass McCormack and ran into the back of the Stanton-Porsche at 155 mph. The Stanton was launched headlong into an earth safety barrier, taking to the air before crashing down onto its wheels again. The Lola was cart wheeled down the track, totally disintegrating on the way.
"The Stanton looked relatively intact while the Lola was totally wrecked. The head injuries Faloon sustained in the impact proved fatal. He was only 29. Lawrence suffered broken legs, wrists and concussion.”
The whole Stanton car with its rare engine still attached found its way to Melbourne for then Australian Porsche Distributor Alan Hamilton, who had acquired the car for the engine and gearbox for a restoration. He sold the rest to Melbourne’s Denis Lupton to salvage the genuine Brabham parts (which he on sold to Goodare see below). Where the Rorstan chassis went next is unknown, bur presumed to tip. It may have been made into a sports car, as there was a Rorstan Climax sports.
Meanwhile back at Bob Britton’s shed:
Bob was commissioned by a client to rebuild the original frame as a Formula Ford, using Rennmax uprights etc, but the client never took delivery. The car was then sold to Graham Hepburn of Talbingo N.S.W. and then ended up with Denis Lupton of Melbourne circa 1981.
So now Lupton had the original Brabham chassis, and the original Brabham bits from the Rorstan car. The complete collection of BT23-5 remains, including the rolling chassis, was then sold to George Goodare of Sydney in December 1983. After a major rebuild the car was campaigned by Goodare for many years complete with correct FVA/FT200 etc, and having recast new uprights etc. The car was last raced by Goodare in about 1990.
It was sold in 2008 to Jean-Marie Muller of France, and damaged in an accident and fire at Reims, France, in 2010. Fully restored and next seen September 2013 on display at Heeresgeschichtlicen Museum in Zeltweg Austria, see following, looks to be in very good condition.
http://www.salzburg.com/nachrichten/...elpiste-74531/
BT 23 -5 was put up for auction on 26 June 2015. See following for details.
http://www.classicandperformancecar....f2-car-offered
They seem to be capitalising very much on it being used by Jochen Rindt originally.
There were very step sale estimates of 360K - 500K Euros.
I like the description that “it’s not in great condition”. It looks pretty good to me.
These are the auction results, although for some reason this Brabham is not shown, yet it was until very recently. https://auctionata.com/s/325/classic-cars#objects
It ONLY made 235K Euro, about 350K AUD. I reckon that is still pretty good.
I must acknowledge information gained from forums and websites from Allen Brown, Andrew Fellowes, Bryan Miller and Bruce Sergent, and from Racing Car News.
And so ends this lesson.....
