Call them what you will. In the UK was the long running Super Saloons category. In the US, John Bishop formed the International Motor Sport Association (IMSA) in 1971, and the success this class enjoyed prompted the Sports Car Club of America to rehash its own Trans-Am rules into something very similar. In Australia, the category known as Sports Racing Closed was reformatted and renamed Sports Sedans, then in 1973, given championship status by the motorsport governing body, CAMS. In New Zealand, when the 'anything-goes' Allcomer category was killed off in 1967, aggrieved South Island competitors formed the Open Saloon Car Association (OSCA) to provide themselves a place in which to keep racing their old Allcomer cars. In the North Island, what started out as FIA International Group 5 in 1967 metamorphosed several times throughout the 1970s until, by 1975, was effectively running to IMSA rules. When this was killed off in 1977, Sports Sedans grew from the ashes a few years later.
But regardless of their individual names, and exact wording of their rules, all these categories throughout the world were of the same ilk. Created in an era when it wasn't just the cars that wore flares. Sedan racing rules during this period encouraged creative thinking, and resulted in machinery that was as wild as they were unique, as loud to look at as they were to listen to. They sported huge wheels and tyres, housed in massive flares, glittering open exhausts dumping out either side of the cabin, and whacky aerodynamic appendages. They were beautifully tacky, and a perfect representation of their time.
Each car was unique, each one not only an extension of its designer/builder/owners personality, but their own interpretation of what was the ultimate racing sedan. And fortunately, the importance they played is now finally being recognised, and these machines are being sought out, restored, and raced once again.
So lets start a Photo Thread on 70s and 80s modified racing saloons from around the world which we can all contribute to, including everything from professionally built DeKon Monza's, to wild and whacky backyard specials. I'll kick things off with one of my favourite racing photos, from Bay Park, New Zealand, in December 1975. This photo, taken by Phil Robinson, is significant, because it incorporates the ultimate racing sedans of the period from the US, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, all in the one race.
On pole position is Leo Leonard in the NZ built PDL Mustang, while alongside him is Canadian born Australian Allan Moffat, in his newly acquired American IMSA DeKon Monza, chassis 1005. On row 2 is a second DeKon Monza, this time chassis 1001, the first DeKon Monza built, driven here by Kiwi Red Dawson, who'd just purchased it from American Mo Carter. Next to Dawson is a second New Zealand built Mustang, this one being that of Jim Richards, who by this stage was living and racing in Australia.
Row 3, and its the first of the European bred machines, this being the Kiwi built RS3100 Capri of Don Halliday, with its Cosworth GAA quad-cam V6 engine. This car was constructed around 1974 ETCC Group 2 Capri mechanicals, but fitted into a locally acquired and modified Capri bodyshell. Lining up next to the Capri is Jack Nazers Chevy V8 powered Vauxhall Victor, which was designed and built by Jim Stone, who'd recently returned to New Zealand after living in the UK, where he'd worked for McLaren Race Cars.
Out of shot, but right behind the Halliday Capri, is Grant Walker, driving the ex-Paul Fahey quad-cam Capri, which was a 1973 Ford 'works' entry in the ETCC. Originally fitted with a push-rod V6, Fahey later acquired a '74 model quad-cam motor. And, finally, is Australian racer John McCormack in the radical Ansett Chrysler Charger, fitted with a Repco V8, mounted within the cabin, next to the driver. This car revolutionised the Australian Sports Sedan scene when it debuted in 1974, and set the president for Sports Sedan design for years to come.
So, who won on this occasion? Leo Leonard in the PDL Mustang won all three races at this event, but Allan Moffat, in the Monza, was the fastest.
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