Historic Sport Sedans

[Rod Grimwood]

The main reason for the trip to the USA in 1987 was to get some better parts for the Commodore as they were sick of breaking bits. Well when they did get 'the parts' they came in the form of a deal which i mentioned in other write up (which i will get to other part of trip shortly)
The car in 1984 won the trans Am series with David Hobbs driving it and later by Billy T Ribbs. It was car 28 of a 2 car team owned by Portland Industrialist De Atley and sponsored by Budweiser.
This Camaro Trans Am was based around a Stock Car Products road race chassis from Santa Fe Springs in Calif.
Had coil over suspension all round, 3 link quick change rear end, non-power assist rack and pins steering, front rear anti-roll bars and a Watt linkage that attached around the differential pinion snout.
When they had finsihed racing they stripped it to a bare frame and bought all back for Commodore.
All the suspension, running gear, brakes, wheels, seats, Gauges, left hand drive column, pedal box etc etc.

When we went to Laguna Seca couple year back the guys who Brett raced back then were there and when Brett and Ralph looked at the cars in the classic Trans Am it was all the cars and guys they raced against.
Ralph said that it was not until they had chopped the car up and bought all the parts back that they really found out its history and would have thought twice if they had known. "It was 3 year old championship winning car and those crazy kiwis chopped it up for parts" was what the Yanks said.