I guess claiming is the key word....one story I was told was the the car was a former racecar, damaged and sent to the scrappy. It was intercepted and stored in a shed until it was saved and rebuilt. Another similar story I was told was it was a "spare" shell , that was only built after the Toranas were replaced by the Commodores. Considering the value of these things now I wonder if it's history has been verified and where is it now..?? They are one of my all time favorite race machines..
Piks from my files. The middle one has different signage. Not sure where that is. Other two definitely taken at Bay Park.
Thanks Trackshots and Steve. And Steve thank Warwick for me. All these photos are absolutly fantastic many thanks.
Regards Mark
This is what I have found out so far, after the three NZ races Garry raced his group c car in two sports sedan meetings, they were:
1/ Amaroo Park on the 6/4/1980
The race report in Racing Car News even makes reference to Garry running his touring car.
Race 1: a 5 lapper he finished 3rd
Race 2 a 10 lapper going up the hill on lap 4 the engine let go
2/ Sandown 12/4/1980
There were two 13 lap races and whilst Garry was mentioned in the race report there are no details as to his qualifying or finishing positions.
These race meeting were before Gary got his dedicated Torana sports sedan which was the ex- Rex Monaghan hatchback. The group c car was sold in the second half of 1980 to David Langman of Meldourne. My log book shows David as doing two race meetings at Calder Park on the 9/11/1980 and the 14/3/1981. I have found two small race reports but there is no mention of anyone other than the front runners.
I have also found a video on youtube http://youtu.be/vQNz_vNl-kE where David is racing what I am sure is my car an all red hatchback No4 (David painted it red after he bought it off Garry). There is another red hatchback with blue and white stripes on the roof, this is David’s old car a hemi 6 powered sports sedan. David sold the group c car in March/April 1981 after which it saw limited use as a road car.
I bought the car in early 1990 and ran mostly hillclimbs and super sprints but in 1995 I got my provisional race licence and ran it in a group c demo event at Amaroo Park on the 4/6/95. In the last 6 or 7 years the only outings it has been to is display/demo at Muscle Car Masters and Torana Fest at Newcastle.(I need to get it out more and have some fun with it)
Hi fullnoise68
Interesting thought that about Greater Pacific, and while i have not asked Garry about that (will have to ask next time i speek to him) as far as i was aware it was a seperate entity and was managed by a guy named Brian Tilley and was eventually taken over by a larger company.
No Steve, Garry didn't race the Torana in the 1980 ATCC. I'm not sure without checking but i think Garry may have only done the enduros. In either 1980 or 81 he co drove with Peter Janson in the Cadbury Schweppes Commodore.
Yes Grice raced a Torana in 1980 but they had to change to drum brakes on the rear, the bonnet scoop had to go so no down draft webers and i think they also had to lose the rear spoiler. In 1981 and maybe 82 a guy who i think his name was Gary Whittaker raced a Torana in the ATCC but only in the Queensland round.
Hey, you're right Mark, I went through the ATCC results from 1981, and sure enough, Gary Whittaker took a 6th place finish (in outright class) at the Lakeside round. Amazing! I didn't realise anyone raced a Torana this late in the piece.
And yes you're right re the rear spoiler on the Torana's from 1980, they had to be removed too. I assume the Torana's couldn't be based on the A9X from 1980? Grice ran the Torana while Bob Morris ran a second Craven Mild entry, which was a Commodore.
Yes, i wonder what became of the 1980 Grice Torana. Does it still exist?