Garry Rogers Torana NZ Visit

[Mark Fiddyment]

Hi Everyone
I am the current owner of the Garry Rogers 1979 Bathurst a9x. Over the christmas break of 1979/80 Garry took the car to NZ and ran it at Bay Park, Pukekohe and Manfeild early 1980.
Not being a cams event it is not in the log book so i don't know the dates. I would like to find someone who may have some old magazines that have race reports they could scan so i could add these details to the certificate of description i am applying for.
Any photos anyone may have would be greatly appreciated, Steve Holmes sent me links to a couple elsewere on the forum and are ones i had not seen before so thanks Steve.
I have had a browse at a few threads and there have been some great info and photos.
Regard Mark

[Powder]

Pukekohe, 12 Jan 1980.


I don't have much else to offer. In the 1980 yearbook there's a photo of Jim Richards in the HDT A9X at Pukekohe, and it looks like it was wet for some of the weekend. A HDT A9X also seems to have visited the South Island as I have a programme from Levels (Timaru), 3 Feb 1980, with Leo Leonard running a car in the OSCA class.
Malcolm

[TonyG]

Can confirm rain. Unfortunately only shot I got because of it.

[Steve Holmes]

Sorry Mark, I felt sure I had some old MotorAction mags that covered these races but I can't seem to find them anywhere. But will keep looking.

Interesting to see above Jim Richards entered in Brocks Torana, I didn't realise he raced this car in NZ. Brock must have flown in at some stage (see Warwick Clayton pic from, I think, Bay Park) to do at least one race in the car, and I know JR raced the Whincup Monza, but I'd always figured the Monza had raced in NZ on two separate occasions, but now I'm wondering if he jumped into the Monza when Brock headed across to race the HDT Torana.

[Milan Fistonic]

Here's a brief run-down on the Aussie cars at the three NZ meetings.

Bay Park – December 30 1979

There were three races – two handicaps and a reverse grid scratch race.

Rogers was fifth fastest in practice with a lap of 62.1secs.

Whincup drove the Chev Monza in the first race and finished ninth. Brock was placed fourth and Rogers eighth.

Richards took over the driving duties in the Monza for the second race – another handicap. Richards won with Brock second and Rogers fourth.

The third race was the reverse grid scratch race and again Richards came home first ahead of Brock with Rogers fourth.


Pukekohe – January 12 1980

Jim Richards drove the Malboro-HDT Torana while Graham Whincup was behind the wheel of his Monza.

Rogers was fourth fastest in practice behind Wayne Huxford, Whincup and Richards.

Both races were handicaps and Richards was the winner ahead of Rogers in each event.


Manfeild – January 20 1980

Practice saw Whincup fastest ahead of Huxford, Richards and Rogers.

Whincup won the first handicap race with Richards second and Rogers fourth.

The second race was won by Huxford, a second and a half ahead of Richards while Rogers was fifth. Whincup spun and was unable to restart.

[Mark Fiddyment]

Thanks guys that's fantastic to finally have some event details and the photos and links sent my way are great. There are a lot of people with the knowledge or racing publications and its good to be able to tap into it. Many thanks Mark

[stubuchanan]

Thanks guys that's fantastic to finally have some event details and the photos and links sent my way are great. There are a lot of people with the knowledge or racing publications and its good to be able to tap into it. Many thanks Mark

Here, in Fire-Engine Red, are the appropriate pages of the Baypark programme for 30 December 1979.




I was there, because I made notes on some races on the programme, but not these.

Perhaps I lost my pencil or got too interested in the eye candy, always a feature at the Mount at New Year!

Stu

[Steve Holmes]

Hey you guys, this is great stuff, thanks for sharing.

[Mark Fiddyment]

Hi, just thought i'd add some details here for any one interested. The torana concerned in this thread was the 3rd of Garry's group c a9x's. The first car i don't know if it had any race history before Garry or not but he had been very competitive in an escort sports sedan and with the backing of long time sponsor Greater Pacific Finance decided to also compete in group c. His first torana started the 78 touring car season with a Blue, Green, Red & White paint scheme and during the year to save time when repairs were required the stripes were left of the sides. By the next year all the blue and green was gone. . He had some good results in the championship and south pacific touring car series with the odd DNF. Garry started to make plans for Bathurst but could not get an entry. He did a deal with Bob Jane to buy his beautifully presented 77 Jane/ Pete Geoghegan car which came with a Bathurst entry & Big Pete as co driver, their race didn't go to well though ending on lap 29 with Pete coasting into the pits with no oil pressure (i think the oil filter came loose). Garry ran the car for the rest of 78 and the first half of 79 with a change to the paint scheme he had some good results but also had some engine problems. He was contemplating his future in group c when contacted by Ian Tate with an offer to do his engines, then in July 79 in an Amscar round at Amaroo Park the car was destroyed when it hit a wall side on due to a brake failure.
Garry went back to racing his first car for the short term but with Bathurst looming he bought an unused spare shell from John Sheppard at HDT that was in HDT colours, this was confirmed by Paul Bowman (in Timaru)who worked for Garry and Bob Stevens who was to co drive with him at Bathurst. Paul and the team transferred anything that could be saved into the new shell and to save time some of the new colours were masked straight off the HDT colours hence the vee in the green on the bonnet.The car was finnished just in time with Bob fitting the diff ratio needed at the Bathurst Holden dealership, the log book was issued on the 21-9-79 and the race was on the 30-9-79.
Starting from 6th on the grid they were having a trouble free run till 30 to 40 laps to go the car ran out of front brakes. Garry was able to maintain the gaps between the 4th and 6th positioned cars to bring it home for a well earned 5th. Laps of Bathurst at speed with poor brakes would not be easy. Paul tells me he still has a front brake pad backing plate with caliper pistons embeded in it.

[aussiemonza]

The first Rogers A9X is being restored at Panels & Performance in Bendigo.

[Steve Holmes]

This is great stuff Mark, thanks for sharing. Re the ex-Jane car, I thought I read somewhere this car was built using special lightweight body panels punched out of thinner guage steel. Is this right, or am I completely off the mark?

Your car looks stunning! You've done an amazing job with it. Did Rogers race it again following its NZ races? I know the Toranas could continue on into the early part of 1980 in Group C, though with several performance sapping changes required. What was the cars history between Rogers and yourself?

Following his very fast Escort Sports Sedan you mentioned, Rogers also raced the ex-Pete Geoghegan Monaro Sports Sedan at the same time he ran the Torana in Group C. Interestingly, Rogers raced an HQ Monaro just briefly in Group Nc/Touring Car Masters. I wonder if this was because he had fond memories of his old Geoghegan car?

[thunder427]

[QUOTE=Steve Holmes;12417]This is great stuff Mark, thanks for sharing. Re the ex-Jane car, I thought I read somewhere this car was built using special lightweight body panels punched out of thinner guage steel. Is this right, or am I completely off the mark?

The Bob Jane A9X...whats all this talk about 'LWT' panels,Utter Nonsense!!!,Never happened And If you pursue this line of discussion I know people that will 'SUE' the lot of YA!!!!!!..........You To Steve, mark my word ,Especially you ,your a Journo!!!!...love sueing them!!!!!

Nah!!..Just joking,but where did you hear this load of crap!!!????...it wasn't LWT panels ,it was the whole bloody car,...great story!!! Bob was holding court with a group of Torana motorsport fans at Bathurst 12hr some years back,telling stories like only he can,when I threw in an openning remark..."Hey Bob!,what was the truth in the story that one night you pulled up at the gate of GMH/Adelaide with a trailer load of 'light weight' steel to build some Toranas"???!..."Trailer!!, be Stuffed,it was a 'bloody' truck Load,anyway where did you hear this Bullshit"???!!!!!!...picture a very large grin on his face!........we have to maintain the Myth ,it Never happened!!!

Torana A9X/Sandown/1978...rumour goes around that CAMS are going to weight all the finishers of the race,Rumours start somewhere, so,Pat Purcell/Bob Jane Racing Team manager goes into 'defence' mode..Orders from GMH two doors,L and R front fenders,nose panel,Hatch......while reading this ,remember the BJR team colour scheme on the Torana,not for the 'faint hearted'...actually a 'Shit Load' of masking and 4 colour paint scheme......No sticker /Wraps in those days ...so my job is to dial the 'new' panels into the existing scheme,by this time I have less than a week,a week means you work 7days (Cancel everything!!!) that means 'paint and prep inside and out,hang and gap,dial in the 'Graphics ,clearcoat ,cut and polish, ready for our favourite 'Signwriter to do his 'magic (Good on you!!! Laurie the Knutt,..Don't laugh thats his real name,come to think of it, he was a bit loose!)by this time my 7days is spent,Pat gives me a wind-up..."Now listen to me .'NO CLEAR COAT'!!!,just polish it,no one will know the difference,now Im going home to the family,My jobs done,make sure yours is done when I return in the morning"!!!!!!!!!..."I'm serious, you understand Me"!!

Yes Pat!!!!......well, I de-mask my favourite lil car (Terry Torana!!),,Ohh,Ohhh,OHHHH!!!!!!...Shit! shit!..all the new panels with out the clear look exactly like that ,'New Panels',a dead give away that we had changed things,so its into battle,I mask the whole Torana,de-nib the newly painted panels (rubbing two bits of 1200 Wet and Dry together to make it finer so it wont grain the finish up to much) Clearcoat the panels ,consider this at around 11.00clock at night by this time,No runs Myles!!.....got the drying lights moving around the car to try and keep some heat in the job..dont de-mask as that will help with the cut/polish,not contaminating the whole car....Phew!!... looks perfect,no one will ever tell...its now 2.00 in the morning,still rotating the bank of two drying lights......its now 4.00 in the morning..cup of coffee #15.....I'd love to eat !!!!......now it time to wet-rub the nearly dry lacquer,out with Buff (Lambs wool in those days..real easy to burn the soft finish!!!)...de-mask..run the dry buff over the rest of the car,Laurie will be here real soon..there goes the door,he'll be cool,will have a coffee while I just finish this off!!

Struth!!its Pat!!!!!!!!!!

"I bloody knew you wouldnt' finish the job,you thought you could go home and sneak back and I wouldnt know,so I came early and caught you out,you are totally unreliable!!...at this point in walked the Signwriting department..I was in 'Shitters Ditch

Sandown,I'm Given instructions but Im an 'outcast'......"I Don't want to know,you cant be relied on"!!!.....well we came 1st, after Moffat was disqualfied..."so!! ,boys, bring your cars around to scrutineering, we are going to weight the panels...somebody is quite possibly running none genuine parts..so we will soon seeeee" !!!!!...everybody is looking at everbody else!!!

Up shot was that our panels weighted 1pound per panel more than the Grice/Craven Mild/Torana.........WE WON!!!!.... Hoorah!!!!...'Hi-Fives all round.........Pat took me aside and explained that he didn't want me to 'clear' the cars from now on,that weight-in just proves it adds weight....well!!,you Win some and you just get on with the job at other times...regards thunder427/Myles

[Steve Holmes]

Hmm, yeah thats a good question Myles. Where the bloody hell did I hear about that? I must have read it somewhere. I'll try and figure that one out.

[Mark Fiddyment]

Thanks Thunder427, it's great hearing these stories from people who were actually there and involved to get the facts and not myth. I had hear someone tell of the late night run with the light gauge steel but off the top of my head can't remember who told it, i'm trying to think if it Bob was doing a talk some where. Also in the dvd The Harry Firth Story in the bonus material at his 80th birthday dinner he says they built a complete alloy a9x ,body,engine the works and in an early copy of Austrlian Muscle Car in muscle mail someone in WA had some alloy doors hanging in their shed.


Yes Steve and after the monaro sports sedan Garry also ran an a9x sports sedan also with Greater Pacific backing.
After Bathurst Garry did other events which were
Championship of Makes: Adelaide 20-10-79 140 laps qualified 4th but yet to locate result
A Calder event 24-11-79 2 sprints qualified not known but 2 wins HDT not there.
Baskerville 1&2-12-79 3 heats a mix of handicap & scratch, heat 1: 8 laps finished 5th, heat 2: 8 laps finished 2nd, heat 3: 9 laps finished 3rd HDT were there
Then over to NZ for the 3 races. There are other races that i am researching at the moment which were an Amaroo, Sandown & Calder 1980 and a Calder 1981. The last two would have been Dave Langman who bought the car off Garry and painted it red.
It became a road car in VIC for a while then ended up in TAS where i bought it from and it looks like i'm the 5th owner and fortunatly little has gone missing,the original twin webers,race seat & harness and it has had the block replaced. Panel wise the front apron and front bumper are the only non original ones,all the others still had the old race colours underneath.

[Mark Fiddyment]

The first Rogers A9X is being restored at Panels & Performance in Bendigo.

Hi, yes i did know the first car is still around and have been in touch with Mick many times since 2004 and put him onto the paint scheme with the green and blue added which he wasn't aware of and that's the one he is using because he thinks the red and white only is to bland.
I have also given him a copy of a spread sheet i have going on the three group c cars that i update when ever i find any new information. Thanks Mark

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Thunder427, it's great hearing these stories from people who were actually there and involved to get the facts and not myth. I had hear someone tell of the late night run with the light gauge steel but off the top of my head can't remember who told it, i'm trying to think if it Bob was doing a talk some where. Also in the dvd The Harry Firth Story in the bonus material at his 80th birthday dinner he says they built a complete alloy a9x ,body,engine the works and in an early copy of Austrlian Muscle Car in muscle mail someone in WA had some alloy doors hanging in their shed.


Yes Steve and after the monaro sports sedan Garry also ran an a9x sports sedan also with Greater Pacific backing.
After Bathurst Garry did other events which were
Championship of Makes: Adelaide 20-10-79 140 laps qualified 4th but yet to locate result
A Calder event 24-11-79 2 sprints qualified not known but 2 wins HDT not there.
Baskerville 1&2-12-79 3 heats a mix of handicap & scratch, heat 1: 8 laps finished 5th, heat 2: 8 laps finished 2nd, heat 3: 9 laps finished 3rd HDT were there
Then over to NZ for the 3 races. There are other races that i am researching at the moment which were an Amaroo, Sandown & Calder 1980 and a Calder 1981. The last two would have been Dave Langman who bought the car off Garry and painted it red.
It became a road car in VIC for a while then ended up in TAS where i bought it from and it looks like i'm the 5th owner and fortunatly little has gone missing,the original twin webers,race seat & harness and it has had the block replaced. Panel wise the front apron and front bumper are the only non original ones,all the others still had the old race colours underneath.

It sounds like yours is a really well preserved example Mark. Its interesting, those Group C cars, and especially the 1973 - 79 cars that still ran the standard bodywork, really were hot rodded road cars. Quite a lot of them became road cars when their racing careers ended.

[Steve Holmes]

Garry appears in this video in his Escort Sports Sedan.

[Steve Holmes]

Part 2:

[Nigel Barclay]

Hello Malcolm,

Yes Leo Leonard did drive the same car at Levels, somewhere in Dads collection he has photo's of the car outside the King Street yard where he worked with Leo for many years, will have to try and get them to post here.

cheers
Nigel

[stirlingmac]

While on the subject of Toranas what happened to John Rae's example? I recall him claiming it was a lost /recovered HDT car has that ever been confirmed..awesome looking cars the hatchbacks..