Ford Sierra RS Cosworth/RS500

[jimdigris]

I had been to Heidelberg Motor Wreckers (Melbourne) before and I think Heidelberg Motor Wreckers was tidier.

I once made a trip to the very same wreckers in the early 90s to pick up some pistons for a 351 a friend was rebuilding on the cheap so he could sell it. There was not one square inch anywhere where there was concrete that wasnt swimming in old sump oil and mud. And old bloke led me out to a back corner of the main shed and said take my pick, as he pointed at about 50 44 gallon drums full of old pistons, luckily they had the engine type painted on the side of the drum. the place was like you see in the movies with rednecks cutting up stuff with oxy right next to fuel cans and gas cylinders! I had also been in Mick Webbs engine centre six years early when he was selling rebuilt 351s to the street community and Ive seen grubbier hospitals so I know what Mick means

[Steve Holmes]

Out of interest, what became of the RS500 raced by Ray Lintott in Valvoline colours? I believe this was a former DJR team car? Has it since been restored back to DJR livery?

[Haga]

Hi Steve

This is the last listing I read of DJR car owners:


DJR1 Andy Lloyd - UK
DJR2 Ian Goff - UK (Under restoration)
DJR3 Holmes Family
DJR4 Bowden collection
DJR5 Bowden collection
DJR6 Chris Stillwell
Promo car? in Tasmania Motoring Museum

I read (a couple of years ago) that DJR3, the ex Lintott car was being restored. Never seen any recent photos of it. I think it was still in QLD?

[Haga]

Re: the Promo? car in Tassie Museum, here is a pic of it.

It seems to have "knockoff" wheels and a cage but the rest of car looks standard (standard Sierra bonnet, mirrors, wipers, no fuel dump fittings etc). My guess it is a promo car?

Maybe Ellis has some info as it is in his neck of the woods...

[Ellis]

Its still in museum
When next in I'll get a bit more info

[Terry S]

I see that on V8 supercars.com.au their Saturday sleuthing bit is looking for ex Moffat Sierras.
They say may be Bruce Miles in NZ. So should be someone here who can respond

[Steve Holmes]

I'm sure one of those cars is in the UK now Terry?

[Steve Holmes]

Re: the Promo? car in Tassie Museum, here is a pic of it.

It seems to have "knockoff" wheels and a cage but the rest of car looks standard (standard Sierra bonnet, mirrors, wipers, no fuel dump fittings etc). My guess it is a promo car?

Maybe Ellis has some info as it is in his neck of the woods...

Interesting car. Its been fitted with a rollcage. I wonder why they went to this much trouble for a promo car?

[Steve Holmes]

Hi Steve

This is the last listing I read of DJR car owners:


DJR1 Andy Lloyd - UK
DJR2 Ian Goff - UK (Under restoration)
DJR3 Holmes Family
DJR4 Bowden collection
DJR5 Bowden collection
DJR6 Chris Stillwell
Promo car? in Tasmania Motoring Museum

I read (a couple of years ago) that DJR3, the ex Lintott car was being restored. Never seen any recent photos of it. I think it was still in QLD?

Thanks, this is great info. The two cars in the UK, are they presented as DJR Shell cars, or were they raced by someone in the UK in the era? Didn't Rob Gravett have a couple of DJR cars?

[Haga]

DJR1 and 2 went to Rob Gravett

DJR1 (now-ish)



DJR 2 (early this year)

[Steve Holmes]

Brilliant photos. Where is the first photo taken? Also, why is DJR 2 white?

[Haga]

Brilliant photos. Where is the first photo taken? Also, why is DJR 2 white?

The note on my DJR1 photo says Donington 2005.

DJR2's history is a bit of a mystery. It last racecar use was as a tarmac rally car. The owner must have been extremely happy to find out it was a DJR car. It appears to have lost all/a lot of its GroupA parts along the way.

Also as a DJR car it was originally LHD.....it is now RHD.

Pic of it as tarmac rally car:

[jimdigris]

am I the only one here who thinks a crime has been committed?

[Steve Holmes]

The note on my DJR1 photo says Donington 2005.

DJR2's history is a bit of a mystery. It last racecar use was as a tarmac rally car. The owner must have been extremely happy to find out it was a DJR car. It appears to have lost all/a lot of its GroupA parts along the way.

Also as a DJR car it was originally LHD.....it is now RHD.

Pic of it as tarmac rally car:

Thanks again for this. I'm really scratching my head over why the car was changed around so much. Its the paint that I find the most surprising. Race cars were/are just tools, built to perform a job. While many get repainted on the outside as new owners and sponsors come along, the interiors and engines bays usually remain in their original colour. The Bryan Sala Sierra is a good example of this, being an ex-B&H car. Sala painted the outside white and red, but the interior and engine bay remained in B&H yellow, as stripped every last nut and bolt to repaint the interior/engine bay etc is not something most teams worry about. As long as it looks good on the outside. So its interesting DJR 2 was fully stripped back and repainted white, including interior and engine bay. Its amazing, without guys like you who keep a check on all the different chassis', I'd never have guessed that this was once a DJR Group A car racing in Aus!

[928]

you can lose a lot of weight by stripping all the paint off (depending on how many repaints the car has had) and you also get to repair all the cracks and remove all the bog. updates to the chassis are easy and covered by new paint.
something for all you overweight race ca owners to think about next winter.

[Steve Holmes]

Yep, that is a very good point! ^ ^

[Steve Holmes]

Here is the RS500 Chris Bowden was racing at the 2013 Australian Muscle Car Masters.

[Steve Holmes]

Some of the RS500s running (and expiring) at the 2013 Silverstone Classic. The Labatt's colour scheme is still my favourite on a Sierra.

[CobraV8]

When these guys were racing at the Wellington street race I was lucky enough to get a press pass (dad worked for tvnz and put race cams in). As well as meeting Dick Johnson, and some others I walked around bits of the track that only the press were allowed in, and got some good shots with my cheapo camera. I will dig them out and scan them over the weekend.

[neale]

I just saw this on the Bowdens facebook page:


From a photoshoot yesterday with Dick Johnson and John Bowe at Lakeside. Look out for the upcoming article in unique cars magazine.




Heres another pic of their growing collection of DJR sierras