Quote Originally Posted by Steve Holmes View Post
Gavin, I had read somewhere that Rod had suggested to Pete Geoghegan after buying the car and being disappointed by its performance that maybe some of the good bits had been removed prior to him being handed the keys. I believe this was when Coppins and Fahey (and Dawson) all raced at the single race ATCC at Warwick Farm in 1968. Geoghegan jumped in the car and immediately posted some very fast lap times. I think it might have been the Bowdens who told me this. I guess it could be true.

I have heard this yarn a couple of times as well, and my understanding is that it occurred at Lakeside, which would make it 1967. After the grumbling, Geoghegan posted a sub-record time in the car, and upon returning to the pits said "I think we know what the problem is"...

I've left the stuttering out of the riposte...

Coppins may not have had stellar results in the car, but it was quite a beast in its' own right, and at Bay Park at Easter 1968 appeared with Gurney Weslake heads and an audibly-delightful eight-into-one exhaust with an oblong collector pointing the wicked howl left just in front of the rear wheel....HORN !!