Lost Race Cars

[rogered]

yep thats the one. None of the parts look Gp.A to me. Would have expected centrelock wheels at the very least, these look bolted on. The look continues!

Part of me wonders if it ever came back from Aust.
But in saying that, my aussie contact (who is has a reasonable idea about who has what), has not heard of it popping up over there either.

[conrod]

How about this one then. Glyn Whittaker at Taupo, Easter 2000.

Another couple of Sierra Cosworths were raced in the 1990's/early 2000's by Tony Stewart & Brett Stratton (with gold DJR rims). I'm not sure of the history of these cars. I can post photos if required.

Malcolm

That would be good if you can post those pics. I think I have seen the Strratton car, sort of DJR lookalike. Has centrelocks wheels, so certainly a possibility.

Part of me wonders if it ever came back from Aust.
But in saying that, my aussie contact (who is has a reasonable idea about who has what), has not heard of it popping up over there either.

I will ask Mark Petch next time I see him, maybe he will remember where it went? After all, it was only 20 years ago that he sold it

[rogered]

So thinking again
Back in the day, the only Sierras running in NZ were the peanut slab car and the egg. xr4i. (both petchs).
So based on that
A. car sold off to, say, Asia.
B Sold in Australia and updated to a Cosworth.

Its out there somewhere

[Powder]

So thinking again
Back in the day, the only Sierras running in NZ were the peanut slab car and the egg. xr4i. (both petchs).

Neville Crighton also ran an Eggenberger XR4i and Andrew Bagnell had a pair of Cosworths, I think at least one was an ex-Rouse car. Then there was the Greg(?) Goudie Cosworth, but I think that was Group N spec.

[rogered]

Correct, but i consider the Bagnell car as an aussie based car (Ross stone looked after it???). Goudies was a "road car" group n) and the Crightion car became the petch croft "cossie" then BP francivic.
In saying that," if " the oxton car did become a cosworth, then this would be more likely done by a smaller team, and you could argue that the bagnell car could fit that catagory.

Cheers

[Steve Holmes]

As I vaguely understand it, the Rouse rhd XR4i arrived in NZ late in 1985. It later went to Mark Petch, who had Francevic and Leo Leonard drive it at Bathurst after Petch and Francevic had departed the Volvo team at different times. The Neville Crichton lhd Eggenberger car was purchased in late 1986 or early 1987, to compete at early rounds of the 1987 Australian Touring Car Championship, and I seem to recall reading Auto Action reports that Crichton would soon replace it with a Sierra Cosworth/RS500, although this never actually happened to the best of my knowledge.

So unless I'm mistaken, there were only two Sierra XR4i's that raced in Australasia. The new Sierra Cosworth/RS500 arrived for 1987, but in Australia there were only four of these cars that raced in 1987 (excluding the European cars that appeared for the WTCC races): the two DJR cars, driven by Dick Johnson and Greg Hansford, and the two Don Smith cars, driven by Andrew Miedecke, Don Smith, and John Giddings. The Smith car rolled at one event, and the bodyshell was used as the basis for the Mike Ceveri Sierra Sports Sedan, while the Group A components were put into a new bodyshell.

Of the two XR4i Sierras, the Eggenberger car became the second Mark Petch Motorsport Sierra Cosworth, being changed to a Cosworth 3-window etc, and driven by Gary Croft, while Petch also acquired a Wolf Racing (I think?) Cosworth from Germany for Francevic to drive. But these cars didn't appear until at least 1988. The Croft car eventually became the green Sports Sedan. I don't think the second Petch RS500 ever raced outside NZ during Petch's ownership. Only the Francevic Peanut Slab car did.

1988 saw a large influx of Sierra Cosworths/RS500s, for Tony Longhurst, Allan Moffat, Colin Bond, Andrew Bagnall, Murry Carter, etc.

So the original Rouse XR4i still doesn't appear to have resurfaced. As Roger said above, perhaps it stayed in Aus? I know the two DJR Cosworths were built from new, but I don't know much about the Don Smith cars. Could one of these have been the Rouse car rebuilt into a Cosworth/RS500?

[Powder]

In saying that," if " the oxton car did become a cosworth, then this would be more likely done by a smaller team, and you could argue that the bagnell car could fit that catagory.
Cheers

Actually that rings a bell. I think I've had this discussion before with someone. There's a hole in the RF guard (at door handle height, you can see it in the upper photo in post #289) on the Rouse XR4i, that was also on one of Bagnell's Cosworths.

Malcolm

Edit: Googling a few pictures it seems that the Rouse Cosworths also had these holes, not just the XR4is.

[Steve Holmes]

Yeah, well spotted Malcolm. I hadn't picked up on that before, its where the air hose plugs on for pit stops etc. The Rouse RS500s had these, I think the Brock cars were Rouse built???, his had these, as did Murray Carters, and Andrew Miedeckes. Usually the best fingerprint of a race car is its rollcage, but even these get changed.

[Steve Holmes]

How about this one then. Glyn Whittaker at Taupo, Easter 2000.

Attachment 8675

Another couple of Sierra Cosworths were raced in the 1990's/early 2000's by Tony Stewart & Brett Stratton (with gold DJR rims). I'm not sure of the history of these cars. I can post photos if required.

Malcolm

This is cool! Thanks for posting. My first guess would be that this was built from a road car, I only say that because it appears to have standard wing mirrors, whereas most of the race cars tended to have smaller more streamlined mirrors that could bolt on/off easily. But hey, who knows? Would be interesting to find out more.

[conrod]

Actually that rings a bell. I think I've had this discussion before with someone. There's a hole in the RF guard (at door handle height, you can see it in the upper photo in post #289) on the Rouse XR4i, that was also on one of Bagnell's Cosworths.

Malcolm

Edit: Googling a few pictures it seems that the Rouse Cosworths also had these holes, not just the XR4is.

That hole you describe was one of Rouse's touches, and as you say it was on the Cosworths too. It had the red "T" shaped handles for the fire extinguisher and master switch. See here:

As I vaguely understand it, the Rouse rhd XR4i arrived in NZ late in 1985. It later went to Mark Petch, who had Francevic and Leo Leonard drive it at Bathurst after Petch and Francevic had departed the Volvo team at different times. The Neville Crichton lhd Eggenberger car was purchased in late 1986 or early 1987, to compete at early rounds of the 1987 Australian Touring Car Championship, and I seem to recall reading Auto Action reports that Crichton would soon replace it with a Sierra Cosworth/RS500, although this never actually happened to the best of my knowledge.

So unless I'm mistaken, there were only two Sierra XR4i's that raced in Australasia. The new Sierra Cosworth/RS500 arrived for 1987, but in Australia there were only four of these cars that raced in 1987 (excluding the European cars that appeared for the WTCC races): the two DJR cars, driven by Dick Johnson and Greg Hansford, and the two Don Smith cars, driven by Andrew Miedecke, Don Smith, and John Giddings. The Smith car rolled at one event, and the bodyshell was used as the basis for the Mike Ceveri Sierra Sports Sedan, while the Group A components were put into a new bodyshell.

Of the two XR4i Sierras, the Eggenberger car became the second Mark Petch Motorsport Sierra Cosworth, being changed to a Cosworth 3-window etc, and driven by Gary Croft, while Petch also acquired a Wolf Racing (I think?) Cosworth from Germany for Francevic to drive. But these cars didn't appear until at least 1988. The Croft car eventually became the green Sports Sedan. I don't think the second Petch RS500 ever raced outside NZ during Petch's ownership. Only the Francevic Peanut Slab car did.

That is what I believe happened regarding the 2x XR4Ti's, the Garry Croft car was the converted Eggenberger car and only appeared as an RS500 for the 1988/89 season, and was subsequently converted into the "thundersaloon".

Good point about the Bagnall car Roger, I will try to dig out some pics or video of that car, and see if it had the "rouse hole" in it. One other small point, the Eggenberger and Rouse XR4Ti's were built with ali cages, and all Cosworths/RS500's had steel cages, I think it was about the same point that ali cages were banned that they switched over.

[Steve Holmes]

Thats interesting re the rollcages, I didn't know that. I always thought Brocks early RS500 that appeared in 1989 had an alloy rollcage, but it must have just been painted silver to give that impression.

[rogered]

I could well be wrong, but i have a feeling a don smith car might have been ex ken douglas seirra which was possibly a pre-production car and possibly the first in aust. But i could be well off the mark, just recall reading it somewhere.

As I vaguely understand it, the Rouse rhd XR4i arrived in NZ late in 1985. It later went to Mark Petch, who had Francevic and Leo Leonard drive it at Bathurst after Petch and Francevic had departed the Volvo team at different times. The Neville Crichton lhd Eggenberger car was purchased in late 1986 or early 1987, to compete at early rounds of the 1987 Australian Touring Car Championship, and I seem to recall reading Auto Action reports that Crichton would soon replace it with a Sierra Cosworth/RS500, although this never actually happened to the best of my knowledge.

So unless I'm mistaken, there were only two Sierra XR4i's that raced in Australasia. The new Sierra Cosworth/RS500 arrived for 1987, but in Australia there were only four of these cars that raced in 1987 (excluding the European cars that appeared for the WTCC races): the two DJR cars, driven by Dick Johnson and Greg Hansford, and the two Don Smith cars, driven by Andrew Miedecke, Don Smith, and John Giddings. The Smith car rolled at one event, and the bodyshell was used as the basis for the Mike Ceveri Sierra Sports Sedan, while the Group A components were put into a new bodyshell.

Of the two XR4i Sierras, the Eggenberger car became the second Mark Petch Motorsport Sierra Cosworth, being changed to a Cosworth 3-window etc, and driven by Gary Croft, while Petch also acquired a Wolf Racing (I think?) Cosworth from Germany for Francevic to drive. But these cars didn't appear until at least 1988. The Croft car eventually became the green Sports Sedan. I don't think the second Petch RS500 ever raced outside NZ during Petch's ownership. Only the Francevic Peanut Slab car did.

1988 saw a large influx of Sierra Cosworths/RS500s, for Tony Longhurst, Allan Moffat, Colin Bond, Andrew Bagnall, Murry Carter, etc.

So the original Rouse XR4i still doesn't appear to have resurfaced. As Roger said above, perhaps it stayed in Aus? I know the two DJR Cosworths were built from new, but I don't know much about the Don Smith cars. Could one of these have been the Rouse car rebuilt into a Cosworth/RS500?

[rogered]

That hole you describe was one of Rouse's touches, and as you say it was on the Cosworths too. It had the red "T" shaped handles for the fire extinguisher and master switch. See here:





That is what I believe happened regarding the 2x XR4Ti's, the Garry Croft car was the converted Eggenberger car and only appeared as an RS500 for the 1988/89 season, and was subsequently converted into the "thundersaloon".

Good point about the Bagnall car Roger, I will try to dig out some pics or video of that car, and see if it had the "rouse hole" in it. One other small point, the Eggenberger and Rouse XR4Ti's were built with ali cages, and all Cosworths/RS500's had steel cages, I think it was about the same point that ali cages were banned that they switched over.

I guess the next question is
Where did Andrew Bagnell buy his car from???????

[jim short]

OK Dannie Lupp sold the car less motor to Bob Moore in 1973 only the midle of the chassis was gone,{ I believe it grew back to a full chassis at P Bruins Bill Clarke may know moore}Bob raced the car on a small scale untill it was sent to Charley Conway {Hes still going but does not remember it} in 1977 it did not sell so it returned to Whakatane untill Ted arrived up in his Granada car to tow it south ,there appears to be very little of the Cooper retained .Ted payed something like $3200???

[markec]

You've been busy, all the way to Whakatane and back.

[AMCO72]

Yes, he's crazy. On a terrible day like today, you would think he would be sitting by the fire, feet up, nice rum at his elbow, and studying his scapbooks so he could answer my questions. Whats the telephone for JUM????

[Haga]

That would be good if you can post those pics. I think I have seen the Strratton car, sort of DJR lookalike. Has centrelocks wheels, so certainly a possibility.




I will ask Mark Petch next time I see him, maybe he will remember where it went? After all, it was only 20 years ago that he sold it

Brett still owns the Sierra, at present it is in my shed. I am doing a semi-rebuild of it and turning it into a DJR "tribute" car. Was originally a RS roadcar that got morphed with the remains of a RS500 by Tony. Then Brett installed a lot of GroupA running gear ex DJR 9" Harrop diff, rear suspension, wheels, front end etc. Car was raced for a few years and then parked up 3 years agoish.

I removing fibreglass doors, perspex windows, rewiring, putting wetsump engine back in. etc and putting it back to a more period spec.

Plan is to have it up and running later on in year for classic events only.

Wayne

[Powder]

That would be good if you can post those pics. I think I have seen the Strratton car, sort of DJR lookalike. Has centrelocks wheels, so certainly a possibility.

[Powder]

Brett still owns the Sierra, at present it is in my shed. I am doing a semi-rebuild of it and turning it into a DJR "tribute" car. Was originally a RS roadcar that got morphed with the remains of a RS500 by Tony.

Thanks fot the info Wayne. When you mention 'Tony', is that Tony Stewart?
If so, are the two photos in my previous post of the same car?

Malcolm

[GeebeeNZ]

Re Sierras, I seem to recall the Chocolate Peanut Slab car, was still Dick Johnson green on the inside.