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Australian Formula 2

Started by flightlessbird , Feb 23 2010 11:00

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31 replies to this topic

#1 flightlessbird

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Posted 23 February 2010 - 11:00

I am trying to establish a register of post 1978 cars, ie single cam 2 valve type cars. If any one could help with owners and contact info, I would be very grateful if you could send a PM

#2 Ray Bell

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Posted 23 February 2010 - 11:47

Are Brian Morrow and Barrie Johnson still around anywhere?

Some of the lesser lights would have been known to them. Mike Stack? Graham Engel? Sambo's still out there, and Sheady too. John Smith and others shouldn't be hard to find. These people would be in contact with present owners, I'd think.

#3 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 23 February 2010 - 12:11

And Ian Richards, Mike Drewer and most of the better SA exponents with those late 70s 80s cars.

#4 Ray Bell

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Posted 23 February 2010 - 12:58

In Brisbane, probably start with Bob Power...

Then there would be Elfins by the number. Brian Lear would have a handle on most of those.

#5 David McKinney

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Posted 23 February 2010 - 14:10

Isn't there an owner group (as with other Groups), or are these cars too new for that?

#6 Ray Bell

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Posted 23 February 2010 - 20:35

Possibly is, David, but I don't know the scene all that well any more...

In Sydney there used to be a 'Racing Car Association.'

#7 flightlessbird

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Posted 24 February 2010 - 08:46

We are trying to scare a few out there retirement homes and onto the track. Any help much appreciated.

#8 David McKinney

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Posted 24 February 2010 - 09:28

I know where there's a Cheetah Mk6

#9 Ray Bell

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Posted 24 February 2010 - 10:00

I hope it doesn't have a Golf or Celica 1600 engine...

Lovely little cars those Cheetahs. Brian Shead did a brilliant job on them.

#10 David McKinney

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Posted 24 February 2010 - 13:10

I hope it doesn't have a Golf or Celica 1600 engine...

You can buy it as a roller...

#11 flightlessbird

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Posted 24 February 2010 - 19:36

You can buy it as a roller...
as long as it is being used we do not mind

#12 Ray Bell

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Posted 24 February 2010 - 21:01

Another couple of long-term names...

Graham Blee and the McLaughlan brothers. Is that how they spelled it?

#13 xbgs351

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Posted 25 February 2010 - 04:10

I have a mk7 Cheetah, which is slowly being put back together. Kevin Lewis has two mk7s.

#14 timbo

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Posted 25 February 2010 - 12:18

Australian Formula 2 cars are slowly making their way into the ranks of Historic Racing.

I suggest you contact the various state historic racing associations who could then put you in touch with the registrar of the particular group.
The registrar would have knowledge of the current owners, and the current owners would have detailed histories of the car they currently own.

#15 Ray Bell

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Posted 25 February 2010 - 13:35

And current owners would certainly be in touch with other current owners...

People like Dave Mawer and Elwyn Bickley could be helpful too, they do work for people owning these cars.

#16 Bondy

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Posted 25 February 2010 - 22:58

Another couple of long-term names...

Graham Blee and the McLaughlan brothers. Is that how they spelled it?

According to an email Vince sent, its McLauchlan.

#17 seldo

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Posted 25 February 2010 - 23:16

Another couple of long-term names...

Graham Blee and the McLaughlan brothers. Is that how they spelled it?

I've sent the link to Mark McLaughlan

#18 Quixotic

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Posted 15 March 2010 - 09:56

I have always loved the F2 cars. Especially the later ones like the Richards 201.

#19 Ray Bell

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Posted 15 March 2010 - 12:12

Frankly, I always thought the F3 cars that spawned them were nicer things...

The little 1300cc engines seemed to match the chassis size well, they had slightly smaller wheels and brakes and simply zipped around the circuits. But everyone wants a power increase, don't they?

#20 Richards201C

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Posted 09 August 2010 - 23:47

Hi everyone,
I am new to the forum, so hello to all. I have recently purchased a Richards 201C, the ex Mike Drewer car. Also just got a load of spares for the car, mainly engine parts. I have a number of spare cylinder heads and one of the heads does not have any combustion chamber in it. I have seen the old flathead V8's but didn't know that such a thing was done for a Golf engine in the 1980's. Can anyone enlighten me on this piece of engineering? The engine in the car is a Bill Hansen built unit and the spares appear to have either come from his establishment or the old Elfin business.
Cheers.

#21 Ray Bell

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Posted 10 August 2010 - 01:38

Could it be a diesel head?

Just a thought... lots of diesels don't have chambers...

#22 BT 35-8

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Posted 10 August 2010 - 01:54

May I suggest you contact Ian Richards via the official Australian F3 website , Ian will be
able to advise I would believe.

Bryan Miller.

#23 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 10 August 2010 - 02:40

Ian Richards Transmissions are at Norwood SA which is where the cars were built and I am sure he can put you on the Bill Hansen.

#24 redgts

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Posted 10 August 2010 - 10:49

That flat head is from a Golf GTI engine ,these were also used in the UK for there F3 class.

#25 Jacer

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Posted 10 August 2010 - 10:50

Hi everyone,
I am new to the forum, so hello to all. I have recently purchased a Richards 201C, the ex Mike Drewer car. Also just got a load of spares for the car, mainly engine parts. I have a number of spare cylinder heads and one of the heads does not have any combustion chamber in it. I have seen the old flathead V8's but didn't know that such a thing was done for a Golf engine in the 1980's. Can anyone enlighten me on this piece of engineering? The engine in the car is a Bill Hansen built unit and the spares appear to have either come from his establishment or the old Elfin business.
Cheers.

The Mk 1 GTI Golf had a flat head and combustion chambers in pistons. There was also an 1100 golf which really didn't take of out here that I seem to recall had a flat head also.
I owned with a friend the ex Factory Elfin 852 for a 4 or so years and had a lot of fun in it. Boy as a guy who is 6ft 2" trying to fit into a ground effects tub based around Mark McLaughlin is something I marvel at today. When we got the car it didn't have THE Hansen engine it. A stage 1 Judd was fitted and believe it was the factory spare. The spare that was with the car when we bought it was an ex Neil Israel Steve Knott built unit but we couldn't afford the extra dollars. The Judd motor had the normal combustion chamber head fitted

#26 redgts

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Posted 10 August 2010 - 11:05

The Mk 1 GTI Golf had a flat head and combustion chambers in pistons. There was also an 1100 golf which really didn't take of out here that I seem to recall had a flat head also.
I owned with a friend the ex Factory Elfin 852 for a 4 or so years and had a lot of fun in it. Boy as a guy who is 6ft 2" trying to fit into a ground effects tub based around Mark McLaughlin is something I marvel at today. When we got the car it didn't have THE Hansen engine it. A stage 1 Judd was fitted and believe it was the factory spare. The spare that was with the car when we bought it was an ex Neil Israel Steve Knott built unit but we couldn't afford the extra dollars. The Judd motor had the normal combustion chamber head fitted

I don't know of an 1100cc golf ,but there was a 1300 cc Passat engine, but the head was similar to the 1600 cc engine with bath tub combustion chambers.The golf engines used in ANF2 were basically super vee engines .

#27 2Bob

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Posted 10 August 2010 - 22:06

Ian Richards Transmissions are at Norwood SA which is where the cars were built and I am sure he can put you on the Bill Hansen.

Since moved - sold the business and buildings and now runs F3 team - http://www.r-tek.com.au/

Bill Hanson is still in business at the Norwood address and still builds and dyno tunes good engines - he would know the history of the engine and bits I would have thought.

Bill Hanson Engine Developments
3A North St, NORWOOD, SA, 5067

#28 Jacer

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Posted 11 August 2010 - 00:33

I don't know of an 1100cc golf ,but there was a 1300 cc Passat engine, but the head was similar to the 1600 cc engine with bath tub combustion chambers.The golf engines used in ANF2 were basically super vee engines .

Could be right on that. Can't find the workshop manual at the moment. Just seem the remember thinking how stupid it was to build a 1100 golf, a 1500 passat and a 1600 golf out of the same basic engine but that's VW for you!
The head I was thinking of out of the smaller engine was cross flow unlike the 1600 std head which was why it was of interest at the time . It was o/head cam and tappet lever sort of valve gear.

#29 flightlessbird

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Posted 12 August 2010 - 11:39

Could be right on that. Can't find the workshop manual at the moment. Just seem the remember thinking how stupid it was to build a 1100 golf, a 1500 passat and a 1600 golf out of the same basic engine but that's VW for you!
The head I was thinking of out of the smaller engine was cross flow unlike the 1600 std head which was why it was of interest at the time . It was o/head cam and tappet lever sort of valve gear.

Sounds like you have a head from a 1.6 alloy blocked motor. Used in Golf 4 & 5 and also Audi A3 1.6 in this part of the world

#30 Richards201C

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Posted 12 August 2010 - 12:58

Thanks everyone for your input. I am off to see Bill shortly to get a better picture of the engine development history.

On another issue, does anyone know the history of the 201? I believe 3 cars were built, the A, B and C car. Which one did Ian dive to the F2 title? I also aquired a number of body panels that seem to fit the car but are quite different from those that are currently fitted to the car (as fitted when Mike Drewer was running the car at the Adelaide AGP events). Were all 3 cars meant to be identical?

#31 flightlessbird

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Joined: January 08

Posted 15 August 2010 - 09:07

Hi everyone,
I am new to the forum, so hello to all. I have recently purchased a Richards 201C, the ex Mike Drewer car. Also just got a load of spares for the car, mainly engine parts. I have a number of spare cylinder heads and one of the heads does not have any combustion chamber in it. I have seen the old flathead V8's but didn't know that such a thing was done for a Golf engine in the 1980's. Can anyone enlighten me on this piece of engineering? The engine in the car is a Bill Hansen built unit and the spares appear to have either come from his establishment or the old Elfin business.
Cheers.

This type of head is called a Heron Head,same concept as a Ford Kent type motor as used in Formula Ford

#32 redgts

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Posted 15 August 2010 - 13:02

Heron was an engine designer and his work involved the flat chamber and combustion chamber in the pistons,as I understand Richards201C's question was regarding his golf head with no combustion chamber,from my ,involvement in the late 70's with the ANF2 engines ,the golf heads had a combustion chamber in the head but the GTI had the flat chamber head, the Golf/Passat heads were used in ANF2 US Super Vee ,the GTI were used firstly in European F3 then later in ANF2. Therefore Richards201c has a GTI head ,which look similar to std Golf .

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