Bathurst 1000 - TAFE repair team

One of the features of the Bathurst 1000 race in the 1980's was the TAFE repair team from the local Bathurst college, who set up a workshop in the pit area and provided free assistance in repairing cars that had been heavily damaged in practice for the race. Would anyone have any stories about some of the major rebuilds that the team did during those years? A couple that come to mind are the rebuild of the Dick Johnson Falcon after his 1983 Hardie's Heroes crash, and the HDT Commodore after Allan Moffatt's crash in 1986. 

I'm sure Brian Hawke would have many tales to tell....he ran the TAFE repair team for quite a while. Brian [now in his mid 70s] is still panel-beating....he does all the stuff that no-one seems to know how to do anymore.

I've got an idea that the HDT rejected the idea of letting the TAFE team do their car...

 

Tony Warrener was behind the project initially. His wife, Bev (daughter of scrutineer Keith Neville), gassed herself in the pit (or camping) area as Tony was working in the garage.

I've got an idea that the HDT rejected the idea of letting the TAFE team do their car...

Yes Ray, it was repaired at the local Holden dealership. I helped the crew load the race motor onto the back of a one tonner to take it to the dealers workshop.

The big time teams invoke Secret Women Business and wont let anyone near their cars. The cars are really not cars these days either ofcourse.

Is there any sort of repair facilities these days? At many major events in the past there was. Us mere mortals were thankful for them at times. Even just welding facilities or a porta power to pull panels off tyres.

I think CIG backed some of these, staffed at least in part with TAFE people. Some tracks do have a shed for them to use.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 12 October 2013 - 22:53.

Yes, Tony Warrener was tied up with CIG...

 

I'm not sure, but I think he worked for them.

I've got an idea that the HDT rejected the idea of letting the TAFE team do their car...e rea

 

Tony Warrener was behind the project initially. His wife, Bev (daughter of scrutineer Keith Neville), gassed herself in the pit (or camping) area as Tony was working in the garage.

 

Ray, do we really need to know such sordid details???

 

I've read (in a past edition of Australian Muscle Car magazine, issue #53) that Tony Warrener's dedicated wife Di was instrumental in the organisation of the TAFE operation.

I don't think you have many sordid details...

 

And I don't think you should ignore the fact that Bev was there first.