When I read about early Trans Am stories and then DeKon Engineering I kept seeing the name of Horst Kwech.
As one quote said"If you mention Horst Kwech to most Australian race fans you'll get a blank stare. But to American Trans Am and IMSA fans, he's an Aussie legend."
Horst was actually born in Austria in 1937 and some of his family had to emigrate to Australia during WW 11. He grew up in Cooma, NSW and studied mechanical engineering and raced a A/H 100/4 and then built a custom sports car the RM Spyder powered by a Holden straight 6 motor with a Buchanan body.
Horst Kwech RM Spyder Bathurst Easter 1960.
( Ken Hyndman )
He also raced against Frank Matich, I'm not sure if it was in the Healey or the TC...
John Medley's Bathurst book has more detail.
Horst Kwech Monza and Lola T332
I attended all F5000 races in USA and Canada in 1975-1976, and centre seat Can Am races from !977 to the end of 1981 and, whilst encountering Horst Kweck on odd occasions I have no recollection of him ever racing in those series.Maybe I'm suffering from CRAFT, however I would suggest that given its a yellow Can Am car based on a Lola that the car depicted is in fact owned by Horst Kroll from Canada.Originally Posted by bry3500
Garry Simkin
Apparently Horst competed in 12 heats of the 1972 L & M F5000 Championship in a Lola T300
Last edited by Terry S; 07-14-2016 at 06:34 AM. Reason: heats not rounds
Terry there wee only 8 rounds each round was split into 2 heats, of which both from oldracingcars.com and my copy ofAutocourse 72/73 have him at 6 rounds, (12 heats) and of the said 12 heats, he finished in 4 6th and 7th in round 6 at Road Atlanta and 8th and 12th in round 7 at Lime Rock.
Apologies I should have said heats and not rounds
Here is a photo of Horst's Lola T300 in 1972
https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisk48/9686281471
Ken, there was a good article on Kwech in Australian Muscle Car a year or two back, and yes well known in IMSA, and Trans-Am, racing mainly for Ford teams. Must dig it out and re-read !!
Awesome thread!
Horst sold the RM Spyder to pay for his move to the US in 1961. He became a lead mechanic at the Knauz Continental Motors, a Alfa Romeo dealership in Lake Forest, Illinois. He began racing in a sports car he designed using Alfa Romeo engines called the AUSCA Mark 2. 1963.
Horst's logo showed how proud he was of his Aussie heritage.
In 1966 his Alfa Romeo GTA also showed his pride in Australia.
(Check the door and the helmet )
(Ken Hyndman )
A later connection with Australia was that he won the 1968 Riverside Trans Am event in a Shelby Mustang.
This car was subsequently bought and raced by Bob Jane.
There was a great article on Kwech in issue 61 of Australian Muscle Car (April 2012). Also covered Moffat's and Firth's involvement in those early Trans Am races.
This site has details of most of the cars Kwech raced in US:
http://www.racingsportscars.com/driv...Kwech-AUS.html
See also this forum thread:
http://forums.autosport.com/topic/11...h#entry4049766
Suggest you Google:
"Horst Kwech"
"Horst Kwech Mustang"
"Horst Kwech Alfa GTV"
In each case click on images for great photos.
If you have gone through all of that you should know all about the guy.
PS. I'm not sure why the poster of post#3 raises a question he appears to have answered over 10 years ago......
So I now ask the question, do we continue this thread or leave it to the previous mentioned sites which were described as ;
" If you have gone through all of that you should know all about the guy." ?
(Ken Hyndman )
Sorry Ken, badly worded.
iInstead of "know all about" should have been "will tell you a lot about the guy"
Keep up the photos please Ken.
Continue with the thread Ken. Well worth talking about.
As the photo above shows the Ausca Mk 2, was he involved with the Ausca styled from Maserati?
Last edited by Oldfart; 07-12-2016 at 07:25 PM.
In 1966 the SCCA started a national manufacturer's sedan championship called the Trans American Challenge (Trans Am ) both for over 2 liter and under 2 liter (U2) cars. With Alfa Romeo providing works GTAs from Italy and supporting privateers such as Horst's team they proved a winning combination that year. (Horst at speed in his winning Alfa Romeo GTA.)
The final race at Riverside between a young Alan Moffat in a Lotus Cortina and Horst in his Alfa where they changed positions 25 times was considered an instant classic at the time. Horst Kwech clinched the first Under 2 Liter Trans-Am Manufacturers' Championship with this drive.
Here is the field that day and you will note that the under 2 liter field is where the excitement is.
No factory teams yet in the over 2 liter field.
Frank Gardner drove in place of Ray Parsons that day so Australia was well represented.
Host Kwech preparing to race.
The best racing of the day.
A 1966 poster by the late George Bartell depicting the 1966 U2 SCCA season.
( Ken Hyndman )
p.s. Thanks Steve.
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 07-12-2016 at 08:26 PM.
Well said Terry.
Great stuff Ken. Keep it going.
Cheers
Bruce
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