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Allan Moffat


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#1 Joe Fan

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 06:16

Aussie TNF folk, tell me more about Allan Moffat. I stumbled across this diecast: http://www.diecastmu...com/w1969ta.htm and was impressed with his record in the Boss 302 Mustang: 101 wins in 157 starts.

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#2 David Shaw

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 06:25

Canadian, came out here and raced Lotus Cortina in about 1966. Went to USA and was Ford factory test driver. Apparently was given the 1969 Trans Am for his help. It was built by Holman and Moody. I believe he must have returned to Australia in late 1968. (see thread below on 1968 Australian Gold Star) The Mustang was a great success, but never won the championship that he drove it for, the Australian Touring Car Championship.
He was a Ford factory driver in Series Production racing (showroom stock class) from 1969, coming 4th in his first race at Bathurst, before winning the Bathurst 500 mile race driving solo in 1970 and 1971 driving Ford Falcon GTHOs. Won Bathurst again in 1973 with Ian Geoghegan as co-driver (race had gone metric to 1000 kilometres) and again in 1977 with Jacky Ickx as co-driver.
Had his last drive in 1990? Fuji race which he won with Klaus Niedwidcz?

#3 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 06:33

Moffat returned to Australia with a Lotus Cortina c1964 and started barnstorming in it... rapidly earning a reputation for being fast and furious. One classic race at Mallala saw his and Jim McKeown's similar car covered in dents, though Jim McKeown usually brought the car home unscratched.

Having made his reputation, he acquired Coca Cola sponsorship and his Mustang, which was newer than any other Mustang racing here. It had other engines, finishing up with a 351, by the way, and competed in our Improved Touring Car category until 1972, then as a Sports Sedan (an anything goes class) for a while after that.

Along the way he gained Ford support, being based in Melbourne helping with that as Ford are there as well.

He became the nemesis of the likes of Ian Geoghegan and Bob Jane in the Mustang, but after threatening Geoghegan (or actually giving him a shove somewhere...) Big Pete "f-f-f-fixed him up" one meeting at Warwick Farm and had no further trouble from him. There are graphic photos of that moment at the Western Crossing around, too.

His Mustang, then, frequently had panel damage. But it was always restored and looked good every time it turned out.

What more would you like to know?

#4 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 07:06

Originally posted by David Shaw
Canadian, came out here and raced Lotus Cortina in about 1966....


Having lived in South Africa, where he became interested in racing, he first raced a Triumph TR2 or TR3 at Tarrawingee and similar circuits in 1963 or so. Then he went to America and was involved somehow in the Lotus Cortina works team running in the Trans-Am.

First race in the Lotus Cortina in Australia was the Sandown 6-hour of 1964.

I have never heard anything like that story about his acquisition of the Mustang, and I really am not sure whether it was Holman and Moody or Kar Kraft who built it. And his place of birth is a mystery to me too...

Mary Packard had a phone call at the AARC once when he was racing there in the ATCC. It was Pauline, his wife, who wanted twenty extra passes for her family. Tongue in cheek, Mary asked if they would need any tickets for Allan's family, to which the reply was, "Allan doesn't have any family."

#5 David Shaw

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 07:15

He also had an epic battle with Geoghegan at the 1972 round of the Australian Touring Car Championship at Bathurst in a 13 lap race. Moffat had the Trans Am, Geoghegan in the highly modified "Super Falcon" reputedly putting out up to 620hp. They had a close battle until lap 8 when Moffat dropped back, with the wipers on but there was no rain. Geoghegan's lead increased until lap 10 from where the table started to turn until half way around the last lap, Moffat was right on him.
They then had the run down Conrod Straight (over 1 mile long) where Moffat apparently had the rear wheels off the ground going over the last hump, hanging out the window to see with his seat belts off. Moffat knew he could outbrake Geoghegan into Murray's Corner at the end of Conrod, and onto the start/finish straight, as he had consistently outbraked him there early on.
The problem was though, he was up against a cagey operator. Geoghegan had deliberately let Moffat outbrake him early on, as he wanted to keep something up his sleeve. They both left their braking so late for Murrays that they stopped to a crawl to get around the corner, Moffat's motor bogged down, and Geoghegan went off to claim the flag.
Moffat's Mustang finished with an oil covered screen, with oil dripping off the side panels, and lodged a protest. By the time Geoghegan's Falcon made it to scrutineering, it had been wiped clean of any oil, Geoghegan said nothing, there had been no oil flags, and the protest was dismissed.
Now if only I could get hold of that race on video.

#6 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 07:28

Wasn't televised, but there's a colour photo of mine in the 25 years of the ATCC book...

Of course the protest couldn't succeed. Geoghegan was allowed to race on despite the oil leak, which wasn't really that apparent from outside. Any appeal could only be directed to the Clerk of the Course for not showing Geoghegan the black flag, but nothing would deprive Pete of that win once the chequered flag was shown.

I don't think their speed in the final corner was all that slow, by the way.

#7 David Shaw

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 08:24

I am sure it wasn't quite a crawl, but in an article in Unique Cars MARCH 2002, Moffat does indicate that it was rather slow. This article also indicates that he received his car as reward for developing the Mustang while working for Ford's racing division in Detroit. I initially thought you may be right about the Kar Kraft origins, as I believe that they too did a lot of work for Ford's racing division, but a photo of the motor of the Mustang shows a "holman moody" sticker ahead of the radiator support.

#8 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 08:56

Some quotes from Allan Moffat's Scrapbook.

From January 1969 advertising on cars was allowed by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. I was to talk Coca Cola into backing me. My friends in America helped me get one of the first TransAm Mustangs. It was specially built just for me and the first of its kind to race anywhere in the world. It revolutionised Australian motor racing.


The car was designed just for me in 1968 at the Kar Kraft special vehicles division of Ford America and was the first Mach 1 of its specifications to race anywhere in the world.

#9 Geza Sury

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 09:01

Alan Moffat (teamed up with Tim Harvey) scored one of his least expected victories at Monza in 1987. For details, check out the Maserati touring car thread!

#10 David Shaw

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 09:11

Yes, he teamed up with John Harvey in a Holden, which was unusual in that he won a round of the WTC in a Holden (GM), when his name had been indelibly linked with Ford except for a period in the early 1980s when he drove a Mazda RX-7.

#11 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 09:30

This was making no sense in my memory, as it seemed to me that Moffat went straight from the Lotus Cortina to the Mustang, that there was no time for him to spend in America to do this deal...

But checking race reports I find that the Lotus Cortina last raced under him about April 1966, and that he first raced the Mustang on May 4, 1969... now it makes sense. It also explains the close relationship with the likes of Al Turner and Howard Marsden...

Moffat is one driver I've never got to know personally. It was a difficult thing to get close to him in that era, at least for me, though I believe we could make some ground these days.

On the subject of Moffat in Holdens... his first outing at Sandown was the one that shook everyone... the way Peter Brock, well out in front of the race and having been unable to lap Moffat in one of his own team's cars for some twenty laps, drove round the outside of him in the esses on the very last lap!

#12 David Shaw

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 10:14

Then having experienced what the factory Holden team had to offer, entered his own XD Falcon for Bathurst some 3 weeks later, not that it helped his Federation Insurance entry any, IIRC it had piston ring problems from the outset.
I was just checking on the 1969 Trans-Am series in the USA, and the first round was on May 11, so Moffat indeed had the first 1969 Trans-Am to race, by a week!

#13 Catalina Park

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 10:35

Moffat raced in some Trans Am races in various cars, in 66 he drove a Lotus Cortina, in 67 he drove for Bud Moore in Mercury Cougars and in 68 he drove for Shelby at Sebring and Daytona.
The Mustang that Moffat bought to Australia was a 69 Model so it was hardly one of the first Trans Am Mustangs, but it may have been the first 69.

#14 Joe Fan

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Posted 20 September 2002 - 13:43

:eek: Wow! I am impressed with speed and information that has been drummed up so far. Thank you guys. :up: Let me compare notes and digest some of this for awhile. I am sure that I've got a question or two coming in the future.

#15 SennasCat

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Posted 21 September 2002 - 02:26

Moffat had a prickly reputation with the press, but one thing will always stay in my mind. It was in Sydney circa 1975. Driving over to the zoo (no jokes please) eagle-eyed 14 year old me saw Moffat's touring car Falcon at a service station (maybe Frank Matich's but not real sure) at Neutral Bay. Dad day can we pull over and have a look. OK. Got out, kept a polite distance away and looked around. Out comes Moffat, struck up a conversation with Dad (I was too shell shocked to say much) and invited us over for some photos with the Falcon in the background.

I didn't have too many bad words to say about him after that. In sharp contrast, at Amaroo Park in mid -70's, myself and friend were peering at the cars through the pit fence. Bo Seton comes out, snarls and drawls - what are you looking at, you dickheads. Seton was a personal favourite of my right up until that day - and lost me forever and on the spot.

Stuff like that you never forget. It also shows that the press perception is usually pretty accurate, but not always. There was always a lot of black hat/white hat stuff drummed up by the promoters, with Moffat being the villian(McEnroe) and Peter Brock being the white hat guy. I respected both of them a lot and don't always believe everything of what I hear.

As a closing note, the last time I went to Bathurst to spectate was 1988. Moffat's Sierra (with Klaus Neidwidz (sp?)) had the race well won at about 3/4 distance. Pace car came out, temperamental Sierra head gasket went bang and that was the end of it. Moffat was also twice extremely unlucky - in 1976, having built a new car in about four months after his truck went up in flames, was in a pretty commanding position when the crank pulley fell off the engine. Also in 1981, when the race was run short due to huge crash at the top of the mountain, Moffat was in 3rd, Bob Morris was running second but his car was involved in the accident, and Dick Johnson was leading with a pretty ill car. Moffat was mowing them down at about 2 seconds a lap, and with elementary maths, would have comfortably passed them with some laps left to go.

Peter Brocks's Bathurst records is legendary and deserved, but Moffat could, with some semblance of luck, had at least six and probably seven wins there. Also remember that Moffat did not have the best car/budget for the bulk of his career.

Especially you, Ray Bell, with your long and deep Oz racing knowledge, what are your thoughts on my recollections????

PS I was on BP Bend at Oran Park , maybe 74 or 75, when the said trans-am tripped over a backmarker, leading to a spray about $50 shitboxes....

#16 David Shaw

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Posted 21 September 2002 - 05:04

IIRC the late Greg Hansford was at the wheel of the Sierra when the head gasket went, apparently from the sudden temperature change when the pace car pulled in and they started racing again.

#17 Catalina Park

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Posted 21 September 2002 - 11:24

Originally posted by Steve Williams
PS I was on BP Bend at Oran Park , maybe 74 or 75, when the said trans-am tripped over a backmarker, leading to a spray about $50 shitboxes....

Was that when Moffat ran into Noel Delforce's V8 Marina? A few years later when Moffat was having his first Mazda drive he ended up parked against Noel's P76 after a start line pile up, when Moffat got out of his car (thru the window) he walked across the bonnet of the P76, thus causing Moff to meet the stewards!

#18 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 22 September 2002 - 10:10

Allan Moffat. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada on November 10, 1939. Father’s job took the family to South Africa in the early 50s. Secondary education from 1953 to 1958 at General Smuts High School in Vereeniging, near Johannesburg, South Africa where he ended up as head prefect.

Bought a 1935 Ford V8 at the age of sixteen and spent two years stripping and rebuilding it before he was able legally to drive it on the roads. Saw his first race at Grand Central track, now known as Kyalami.
Moved with his family to Melbourne, Australia in 1961 where he became a cadet with Volkswagen and studied at night at Taylor’s Business College with the aim of moving on to a university commerce course.

When Sandown opened in 1962 he talked himself into a job as rouseabout in Stirling Moss’s pit.
Bought a Triumph TR3 on hire purchase in which he started his competition career.
Raced a hot VW while studying at Monash University and holding down the job at Volkswagen. Failed at university so followed his family back to Canada where he tried to make a living selling Canadian Cookware door-to door.

Indianapolis 1964 was the event that decided the young Moffat that his future was in cars.
Moffat made the trip from Toronto to Watkins Glen to see Team Lotus run the Lotus Cortinas and to try and get a job with the team. He tried all weekend to see Ray Parsons about helping the team but failed so followed them to the next event, 2900 kilometres away at Des Moines where he did manage to meet Parsons who took him on without pay. By the next meeting at Washington he was accepted as part of the team, sleeping in the motel rather than the parts truck, but still didn’t receive any pay.

At the end of the season the Cortinas were put up for sale at $4500 including spares and Moffat asked his father to lend him the money to purchase one. After initially refusing, the elder Moffat finally agreed and the car was bought and shipped to Australia where it had its first race at the 1964 Sandown six-hour race. After twenty laps Moffat had lapped Bob Jane and was leading the race but then hit the fence at Peters Corner. He eventually finished fourth.

Ford America had not sold the two remaining Lotus Cortinas so competition manager, Peter Quenet asked Moffat to come back to prepare and race one of the cars in 1965.
He returned to Melbourne in November 1965 for the six-hour race and was holding second place when the rear axle gave up two laps from the finish.

In early March 1966 Peter Quenet rang and offered Moffat a drive in a Cortina with a BRM-prepared engine. He flew straight back. The main competition were the Allan Mann team Cortinas with drivers Frank Gardner, Sir John Whitmore, Jacky Ickx and Hubert Hahne as well as fifteen alloy-bodied Alfa GTVs. The Allan Mann team manager was Howard Marsden, later to take over the Ford Australia team. Moffat won the TransAm race at Bryar, New Hampshire using U.S. Goodyear tyres, specially developed for his car.

Ray Parsons joined Moffat later in the year to build and run another Cortina and Harry Firth and John Leighton were brought over from Australia as co-drivers for the longer races.
Moffat asked Quenet for a budget to take over and race the two Allan Mann cars for the opening race of the 1967 season at Daytona. In a deal that involved Moffat agreeing not to race in Australia in 1967 and with assistance from Shell, the twin-cam engine from Jim McKeown’s Shell-Neptune Lotus Cortina was shipped to America and installed in one of the Mann cars. Moffat got pole position at Daytona with the car and lead the first half hour of the race before the flywheel came off. That ended any chance of a full Ford backed deal for 1967 but an arrangement was stitched together where Moffat was given the use of the cars, spares, equipment and transporter for the year and he would receive $300 for each car that started a TransAm race. In order to make the deal financially viable he had to take on pay drivers who were somewhat rough on the cars. It got to the stage where the other cars had to be cannibalised to keep his car racing.

Moffat’s next big break came when he was asked to take over the drive of a Mustang at Watkins Glen. Despite some worries about moving into a large car after all his previous experience being in smaller vehicles, Moffat put the car on pole, led all of the 240 kilometres and recorded the fastest lap of the race. That led to an invitation to race another Mustang in a Washington D.C. nine-hour race where he finished second.

For the final four TansAm races he was given one of the Bob Moore Cougars and was finally up there racing against the top drivers of the day.

In December 1967 Moffat met Roy Lund from Kar Kraft who offered him a job as a development driver. It was during that year (1968) that Moffat established his close links with the various Ford people who would help his career when he returned to Australia.

He went back to Australia in late 1968 to work for Bob Jane, an association that did not last very long. With the CAMS decision to allow advertising on cars in 1969, Moffat was able to put a deal together with Coca Cola and Ford to import one of the first TransAm Mustangs. And that started the run that Joe Fan mentioned at the start of this thread. In its first 99 starts the Mustang posted 56 wins, 20 second and 7 third places. In 1972 the rear discs had to be replaced with drums and in 1973 it was no longer eligible to run as a touring car.

Moffat co-drove the winning BMW in the 1975 Sebring 12-hour race. The other drivers were Brian Redman, Sam Posey and Hans-Joachim Stuck.

#19 David McKinney

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Posted 22 September 2002 - 10:27

Thanks Milan
My own memory was that he sepnt a lot of time commuting between Australia and North America to race, before settling down in Oz, but I'd forgotten all the detail

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#20 eldougo

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Posted 22 September 2002 - 10:29

;) Milan Fistonic
Allan Moffat. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada on November 10, 1939.
Father’s job took the family to South Africa in the early 50s. Secondary education
from 1953 to 1958 at General Smuts High School in Vereeniging, near Johannesburg,
South Africa where he ended up as head .


AN SO ON AN SO ON ------------ Now that is what i call a reply.WELL DONE.

#21 Joe Fan

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Posted 22 September 2002 - 22:16

:up: Thanks Milan. I wonder if the Canucks know about him. Seems to be a good candidate for the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame to me.

#22 Mac Lark

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Posted 23 September 2002 - 03:53

He nad B b b b big P P P P P Pete brought their Mustangs over to Pukekohe late in 1971. I think.

All but 1 of of the top Kiwi saloon car drivers got the pip with what they were being paid so boycotted the meeting.

I believe the sole Kiwi to turn up was Rod Coppins (RIP) in the first Camaro to ever race in NZ.

Moffatt and Geoghegan were clearly in a class of their own. There were 3 races and a huge amount of drama was built up by the commentators when some 'mysterious maledy' had struck the Moffatt car.

Would the car make it to the grid? Could he take his position at the front row?

Drama, suspense - everyone on the edge of their seats, most people believing it all.

I was 13 and a half. Can't recall if I was sucked in.

Just as the paddock gate the Coke 'stang thundered into view. Moffatt would race but 'would the car last the distance?'

I can't recall if Moffatt beat Geoghegan but he raced through what must have been Imps, Mini's, Escort's, a Viva maybe and the '67 Camaro. The commentators also made a big deal of the fact that Geoghegan would 'put his headlights on when coming up to lap slower cars'.

Man that was impressive. As was Mrs Moffatt.

Milan, was this the meeting that Geoghegan was black flagged for the flapping boot lid on the grounds that stewards viewed as an 'aerodynamic aid'?

That may all been part of the charade.

Dang was that 31 years ago?

#23 Ray Bell

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Posted 23 September 2002 - 06:01

Originally posted by Steve Williams
Moffat had a prickly reputation with the press.....

In sharp contrast, at Amaroo Park in mid-70's, myself and friend were peering at the cars through the pit fence. Bo Seton comes out, snarls and drawls - what are you looking at, you dickheads. Seton was a personal favourite of my right up until that day - and lost me forever and on the spot.

Stuff like that you never forget. It also shows that the press perception is usually pretty accurate, but not always.

Especially you, Ray Bell, with your long and deep Oz racing knowledge, what are your thoughts on my recollections????


Most of the press loved him because he gave them something to write about... I never got on with him at all, he rarely spoke to me, and when he did there was an air of disenchantment about it. As I was a stickler for facts, perhaps I was too inquisitive?

In more recent time he's been more receptive, in fact I'd like to get an opportunity to talk to him at length.

That's very unusual for Bo to be like that, as you know doubt realise today, Steve. He was always friendly to everyone, even when I was a teenager hanging about the pits. Fitted in well with his good friend Herb Taylor.

On a totally different subject, my nephew races your HQ, at least the one you raced in 1990. He was leading the Qld club championship until yesterday... I think I found some cracks in the chassis that are giving him murder in right hand bends... guess which way Morgan Park and Queensland Raceway turn?

Milan... thanks for that. A few details there I never knew.

#24 mickj

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Posted 23 September 2002 - 06:36

A bit of trivia. Moffats Lotus Cortina was entered in Australia under "Team Triton". It replaced "Team Lotus" along the doors.

#25 dustee rubba

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Posted 23 September 2002 - 07:54

hi guys
i was priveleged enough to witness the mustang being raced at eastern creek a week ago,
incredible noise it made!!!!


unfortunately it wasnt being driven to the limit (or by moffat) but still WHAT A NOISE

#26 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 23 September 2002 - 08:13

Mac

I think you might be mixing two different meetings in your memories of the Aussies at Pukekohe.

Moffat and Geoghegan were invited to race at the November 14, 1971 national meeting and, as you say, they had little opposition. The Motorman report was headed “Lonely Aussies at Puke.” But it wasn’t because of a boycott.

Fahey’s Escort and Marwood’s Camaro were on the way to Australia for a Warwick Farm meeting (where the Aussie’s refused to let Fahey run in the touring car races). Coppins and Riley were present but our other cars were not ready to race. A shipping strike delayed the arrival of the two Mustangs; Moffat’s spares were not off-loaded and Fahey had to lend him the correct crown wheel and pinion.

Geoghegan set fastest practice time at 1m 9.2s, with both Coppins and Moffat recording 1m 10.0s. Riley did 1m 10.4s.

The Coppins Camaro led the first race but a head gasket blew and he dropped back behind the two Aussies. Moffat won from Geoghegan, Coppins and Riley.

Coppins was out for the day and Riley had diff trouble in the main race leaving the Aussies to scrap amongst themselves. Moffat was again the winner.

Riley fixed the diff problem in time to take part in the handicap race which he won from Geoghegan.

The threatened boycott took place at the 1973 NZIGP meeting where Geoghegan (Falcon GTHO), Frank Gardner (Camaro) and Moffat were scheduled to race in two BNSW championship events.

I think the driver’s complaint was to do with the fact that they had to do two championship races rather than the appearance of the Australian cars. The solution was to run the BNSW round in one 12-lap race and then have a shorter all-in race but the meeting got behind time and the second race was cancelled.

Gardner won the 12-lap race, passing Moffat on the third lap. Geoghegan clipped the barrier in one of the new chicanes and retired with panel damage. Moffat’s car slowed during the race and he finished more than half a minute behind the Camaro.

I don’t remember the incident with the boot lid, though it might have been caused in the accident mentioned above.

But as you say, it was a long time ago.

#27 Barry Lake

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Posted 23 September 2002 - 14:30

Sorry I don't have time to go looking for it, but I do remember a meeting at which Pete Geoghegan ran with the boot lid partly open. It wasn't flapping, I am fairly confident, but was located by stays of some kind, effectively forming a wing. He wasn't allowed to do it again.

I don't think I was at the meeting in question, so it was unlikely to be in NSW. My memory is trying to tell me it was in Queensland, perhaps Lakeside... but don't trust my memory in this case.

#28 David Shaw

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Posted 23 September 2002 - 17:22

According to my records (FORD - The racing history by Stewart Wilson and Max Stahl), the "bootlid" race was a Toby Lee series race at Oran Park in 1969. Certainly not an ATCC race, photos have Brocks A30 running behind Geoghegan.

#29 Mac Lark

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Posted 24 September 2002 - 00:19

Milan you are very charitable - seems I may have rolled half a dozen race weekends into 1.

That's what Pauline Moffatt's hot pants can do to the mind of a 13 and half year old...

A large Aussie touring car legend that I had lunch with last year didn't have the kindest things to say about Mr Moffatt's - er - ethics.

Him agreeing with all the other V8 boys not to front up to Round 1 in Tasmania when he already had his place booked on the boat is a story that comes to mind.

As a driver he is in my all time top 5 bespectacled Canadian born racing drivers.

#30 Ray Bell

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Posted 24 September 2002 - 22:02

Originally posted.....
Sorry I don't have time to go looking for it, but I do remember a meeting at which Pete Geoghegan ran with the boot lid partly open. It wasn't flapping, I am fairly confident, but was located by stays of some kind, effectively forming a wing. He wasn't allowed to do it again.

I don't think I was at the meeting in question, so it was unlikely to be in NSW. My memory is trying to tell me it was in Queensland, perhaps Lakeside... but don't trust my memory in this case.


At Oran Park most famously, but he also ran with the boot propped open at Warwick Farm.

I don't know if he was stopped from racing with it this way, but he certainly ran it like that in practice.

Anyone with old RCNs advertising Lance J Ruting photo sets can go through them and look for the pics. I clearly remember seeing it at the Farm and there's no question of it being propped up at Oran Park.

There may well have been other places, but it was a very brief phase in the life of the Mustang.

#31 Beejay17

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Posted 26 September 2002 - 00:14

Interesting to see such a broad range of interest in Allan Moffat. I've long been an admirer of his and have a site under construction: www.allanmoffat.vze.com

Milan, one of the gaps in my collection of material on Moffat is on his forays to New Zealand, except for the final fling of the Trans Am Mustang on early '75. Can you email me about what you have?


In between driving the Shelby Mustangs at the beginning of '68 and getting the '69 Trans Am, Allan worked at Kar Kraft but was met by John Sawyer who arrived in Detroit about midway through ’68. Sawyer was on a shopping expedition for Bob Jane, gathering parts and know-how to improve Jane’s Mustang for the ATCC race at Warwick Farm. John looked up Allan in Detroit, asking who were the best people to contact. Allan helped out with introductions, explaining who John and Bob Jane were and in short, he obtained for them all the bits they needed, plus a few they had never thought of. Allan also set the wheels in motion to get hold of an ex-works ’68 car for Jane to use in ‘69, as he was very keen to keep up-to-date in his bid to beat Geoghegan’s John Sheppard car. Sawyer and Moffat spent quite a lot of time together, and it wasn’t hard for John to understand how Allan was feeling at that moment. John telephoned Bob and told him all about it and the upshot was that he was offered a job with the Jane organisation, acting as a go-between for the Mustang project. Although nothing was ever written down, Allan understood that, in return, he would get to drive the older Mustang as soon as the new car arrived.

The only drives he ever had for Bob were in the Brabham Repco and in the Elfin 400 Repco sports car. He drove the Brabham in the Sandown Gold Star meeting as John Harvey was out of action after a crash at Bathurst. He didn’t get too far because a rear tyre came off in practice as he accelerated up the back straight. Towards the end of the year, he drove the Elfin 400 sports car to a win in a minor race at Phillip Island. In the Warwick Farm ATCC race Bob was some 3.5 seconds faster than the opposition and should have won the race easily, but the engine blew while leading.

The association with Jane nearly resulted in Allan’s first drive in the Hardie Ferodo 500 at Bathurst. At one stage in ’68, it appeared that Jane would be entering the race in an Alfa GTV with Moffat as the co-driver, but it didn’t eventuate. Allan stuck it out at Jane’s until one day in January ’69 when Bob went through the workshops. Bob said he didn’t think things were working out too well, suggesting they call it quits. Allan was thinking of leaving anyway, so that was it. He certainly wasn’t sorry to leave Bob, but he was also fired up with strong feelings about they way things had gone with him and was determined to change his aims from beating McKeown to leading Jane across the line as well as ‘Pete’ Geoghegan. But how? For the umpteenth time in his career, Moffat had no money or income, but lots of ambition. etc, etc and obtained the Mustang.

(mostly courtesy of David Hassall's "The Making of a Legend")

Brett

#32 Ray Bell

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Posted 26 September 2002 - 01:11

Originally posted by Beejay17
(mostly courtesy of David Hassall's "The Making of a Legend")


That's enough of a worry...

Moffat drove the Elfin into the fence at the Causeway at Warwick Farm, as mentioned in my previous post.

I think that the wrapup of your quote is a bit melodramatic, mentioning that he got the sack in 1969, had no money etc, but then we try to reconcile that with the arrival of his new car in Australia in either late March or the first days of April, 1969.

The story leaves out some serious detail, IMO.

#33 Beejay17

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Posted 26 September 2002 - 01:47

Ray

I understand what you mean, with regard to that article. In researching the Trans Am races that Allan raced, I found some errors when comparing outright results to class results. However, i didn't say he got the sack, they're your words :)

As for the 'melodrama', he apparently went into serious debt to race in the '60s. The sponsorship deal was with Coca Cola Bottlers of Victoria, not Coca Cola globally and apparently got the car for nix following his relationship with Ford U.S. and Kar Kraft. I assume that the sponsorship was enough to run the car, especially in light of the dramas he had with Coke NSW when he raced at the Bathurst Easter meet.

I wouldn't think that any amount of money could have got a yet-to-be-raced Trans Am out of the factory. Both Carroll Shelby and Bud Moore were keyed up to build three racers each, two for the track and one as a spare. In fact I would think that both would have been a bit beered-off that they were going to lose one of their new babies at the orders of the factory and it was not even going to be used in the American Trans Am! This detail is in the Hassall publication and is plausible, unless you have reason to believe that he was more cashed up that Hassall makes out.

Brett

#34 Barry Lake

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Posted 26 September 2002 - 03:15

Dim memories coming back now. I missed the Oran Park meeting when Pete Geoghegan ran with the boot propped open, but do remember now seeing it at Warwick Farm.

It was only shortly after this, late 1969, that I started working for Leo and Pete Geoghegan as a mechanic, assembling and servicing/repairing new Lotus Elan/Europa/Seven, servicing and repairing new BMWs and Datsun 2000 Sports, and repairing used sports cars. But no working on the race cars; I was by then rallying a works-loaned Mitsubishi Colt, so missed a lot of clashing race meetings.

I did get to work at Geoghegans with ex-Bruce McLaren mechanic Wally Willmott, also the NZer who built the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, and a March F1 mechanic, whose name also escapes me at the moment but whose photo is in one of the March books - Dewar Something???? All NZers stopping off to earn some money on their way home after retiring from big time motor racing.

#35 Ray Bell

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Posted 26 September 2002 - 10:06

In a completely unrelated conversation just a couple of days ago... the Bathurst/Moffat angle came up.

Originally postulated by Steve Williams
As a closing note, the last time I went to Bathurst to spectate was 1988. Moffat's Sierra (with Klaus Neidwidz (sp?)) had the race well won at about 3/4 distance. Pace car came out, temperamental Sierra head gasket went bang and that was the end of it. Moffat was also twice extremely unlucky - in 1976, having built a new car in about four months after his truck went up in flames, was in a pretty commanding position when the crank pulley fell off the engine. Also in 1981, when the race was run short due to huge crash at the top of the mountain, Moffat was in 3rd, Bob Morris was running second but his car was involved in the accident, and Dick Johnson was leading with a pretty ill car. Moffat was mowing them down at about 2 seconds a lap, and with elementary maths, would have comfortably passed them with some laps left to go.

Peter Brock's Bathurst records is legendary and deserved, but Moffat could, with some semblance of luck, had at least six and probably seven wins there. Also remember that Moffat did not have the best car/budget for the bulk of his career.


Not sure about that 'commanding position' in 1976, and I really was out of touch by the Sierra era. I really don't know if Dick Johnson's car was ill in 1981, either... but the thrust of this other conversation was to the contrary...

One year he beat his team mate, Bruce McPhee home by a narrow margin. Now Bruce was a past master of saving the car and driving the full 500 miles himself, he had a very healthy car in that last 20 laps or so and was in a position to challenge for the lead.

Moffat, on the other hand, had his points closed up in the distributor and was down many horsepower. McPhee was ordered to stay back and let him win.

Then there was the year Colin Bond was in his Moffat Ford Dealers second car and was hauling in the lead car (Moffat/Jacky Ickx) at a goodly rate because it had popped a brake piston. This, of course, was due to having worn out its brake pads, while the Bond/Hamilton car had brakes still intact.

Bond says today that he feels he should have just ignored team orders and stormed away to win, as he could easily have done.

That's two Moffat could have missed...

"With an if..." goes the saying, and also "there's no 'ifs' in motor racing..."

In 1973, Brock could have demolished the Moffat/Geoghegan Falcon had Doug Chivas taken a wider line as he coasted round the pit corner without any fuel left. This cost a great deal of time...

Another one Moffat could have missed...

But just sticking to the primary two, where healthy team cars simply followed him home according to team orders, the result would have meant that Bond would have had two wins, Moffat two, McPhee two...

Then there's the recent revelation at John Harvey's retirement night where a GM executive said that John had actually won in 1976 and that there'd been a lap scoring error... but the GM-H people hadn't protested because it would have soured a Holden victory and gone against one of their largest dealers... That would have given John two...

As for the crank pulley etc in 1976, it was normal in those years for Brock to set a cracking pace at the start, get a couple of others up there running after him, then let them dice amongst themselves as he pulled back and saved the car for when theirs were worn out.

Later years proved that this was not the right tactic, the cars became stronger, sprinters got through intact. It's been a changing race.

#36 Beejay17

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Posted 27 September 2002 - 03:59

It is interesting how many people like come up with reasons as to why Moffat wouldn't have won as much if not for this and that.... Bill Tuckey was always a good one for that, until he lost his Brock-coloured glasses in '87. he always talked about the Brock-crush. How can you be running away in the lead of the race and nursing the car, while others are slower and caning theirs, unless you have a huge speed advantage? Maybe he was not as talented as his cars made him look.

Motor Racing Australia, I think published an interview with Bruce McPhee and without having it close to hand I can't confirm it, however McPhee has been interviewed recently and is quoted as saying words to the effect that it was HIS points that were closing up and was down on horsepower and that he wouldn't have been able to catch Moffat in a straight fight. However, the people at Four On The Floor have commented that Moffat's engine was indeed not well and had been blowing smoke.

If anyone can find the McPhee article, I stand to be corrected.

As for team orders determining results, It works for everybody. I seem to recall that team orders got Brock wins in '83 and '87, but journalists tend not to bring that up much...

#37 Barry Lake

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Posted 27 September 2002 - 15:23

From an interview I did with Bruce McPhee for Motor Racing Australia in 1993:

1970 Hardie-Ferodo 500
In 1970 you were taken into the Ford works team for the year and you finished second to Allan Moffat at Bathurst, driving a Falcon GT. I believe you could have won that race?
"I don't think I ever actually took the lead in the race but I could have. Al Turner was managing the team at that time and he said to me 'If we're just giving you routine signals, one of the mechanics will hold the board out to you, but if it's something really important, then I will be holding the board'. Towards the end of the race Moffat was slowing and I was catching him at a great rate of knots. The next thing I knew, Al Turner was hanging over the fence with a sign saying 'hold'. I could have moved right up to Moffat and made it a 'form finish' like he did with Bond in 1977, but I thought that looks ridiculous, so I hung back about 20 seconds behind him. I think Allan had run out of brakes and he was getting a bit tired, too. His pace had dropped off by a few seconds per lap."
(McPhee - driving alone under the new rules - finished 39 seconds behind Moffat).
"After the 1970 race at Bathurst Al Turner offered me a three year contract to race for Ford. But I hadn't had a happy year with them, with all this manoeuvring to make sure Moffat was number one. At Surfers Paradise I came back in after practice and was all enthusiastic about how good the limited slip diff was; the next day it was in Moffat's car and the one in my car was ****."
"At Bathurst I found a mechanic moving the distributor on my engine and I said 'Hey, don't change that; it's supposed to be locked up where it was set on the dyno!' and he said 'Oh we're just trying to get a little bit more power for you'. I thought to myself 'Bullshit!' It was that night, after the race, that Al Turner offered me the contract and I said 'No'. I'm a bit like a cranky old dog, I suppose, but I can't live with that sort of nonsense.
"We had a pretty good year with Ford otherwise. We had a new car supplied for our use everywhere we went, and they flew us all around the country. It was good. It's just the politics I couldn't handle."

#38 Mark Beckman

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Posted 27 September 2002 - 16:35

Originally posted by Ray Bell


Then there was the year Colin Bond was in his Moffat Ford Dealers second car and was hauling in the lead car (Moffat/Jacky Ickx) at a goodly rate because it had popped a brake piston. This, of course, was due to having worn out its brake pads, while the Bond/Hamilton car had brakes still intact.

Bond says today that he feels he should have just ignored team orders and stormed away to win, as he could easily have done.


For the forieners, Bond drove next side by side to Moffat at quite a slow pace for the last lap.

And wasnt the court case years later, Bond Vs Moffat, about Bond wanting his share of the winners money as he rightfully could have won ?

Or was it something else ?

Well heres proof that money can bring anyone back together, even if its just the sales of signed pictures!

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#39 Milan Fistonic

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Posted 29 September 2002 - 05:19

Originally posted by Beejay17
Interesting to see such a broad range of interest in Allan Moffat. I've long been an admirer of his and have a site under construction: www.allanmoffat.vze.com

Milan, one of the gaps in my collection of material on Moffat is on his forays to New Zealand, except for the final fling of the Trans Am Mustang on early '75. Can you email me about what you have?

Brett



Here you go then.


Pukekohe – November 14, 1971

Practice

Ian Geoghegan – Ford Mustang – 1m 9.2s
Allan Moffat – Coca Cola Ford Mustang – 1m 10.0s
Rod Coppins – Chev Camaro – 1m 10.0s
John Riley – Ford Mustang – 1m 10.4s
Peter Sundberg – Ford Escort TC – 1m 14.4s


Dunlop Preliminary 1001-6000cc – 8 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Coca Cola Ford Mustang, 9m 24.8s
2 – Ian Geoghegan, Ford Mustang, 9m 28.8s
3 – Rod Coppins, Chev Camaro, 9m 36.7s
4 – John Riley, Ford Mustang, 9m 44.6s
Fastest lap – Moffat, 1m 9.0s

Dunlop Saloon Feature – 10 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Coca Cola Ford Mustang, 11m 43.6s
2 – Ian Geoghegan, Ford Mustang, 11m 44.0s
3 – Don Halliday, Ford Escort TC, 12m 43.8s
4 – Alan Boyle, Vauxhall Viva GT, 12m 46.4s
Fastest lap – Moffat, 1m 9.0s

Handicap 1001-6000cc – 5 laps

1 – John Riley, Ford Mustang, 6m 56.4s
2 – Ian Geoghegan, Ford Mustang, 6m 58.8s
3 – Jim Richards, Ford Falcon GTHO, 7m 13.2s
4 – Bruce Anderson, Ford Falcon GTHO, 7m 14.2s
Fastest Lap – Riley, 1m 10.5s



Bay Park – December 28, 1971

Practice

Allan Moffat – Coca Cola Ford Mustang – 62.3s
Ian Geoghegan – Ford Mustang – 63.0s
Red Dawson – Kensington Carpets Chev Camaro – 63.4s
Ron Grable – Pontiac Firebird – 63.9s
Paul Fahey – PDL Mustang – 64.0s
Rod Coppins – Winfield Chev Camaro – 64.8s
John Riley – Ford Mustang – 65.2s


American Airlines 6-litre Saloon Race One – 6 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Mustang, 6m 21.3s
2 – Ian Geoghegan, Mustang
3 – Red Dawson, Camaro
4 – Paul Fahey, Mustang

American Airlines 6-litre Saloon Race Two – 6 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Mustang, 6m 17.5s
2 – Ian Geoghegan, Mustang
3 – Paul Fahey, Mustang
4 – Red Dawson, Camaro

American Airlines 6-litre Saloon Race Three – 6 laps

1 – Ian Geoghegan, Mustang, 6m 21.0s
2 – Allan Moffat, Mustang
3 – Red Dawson, Camaro
4 – Paul Fahey, Mustang

Note:

Wally Wilmott, former McLaren Racing mechanic, flew from Sydney and spent considerable time tidying up Moffat’s Mustang after Pukekohe.

Australian Clive Green purchased the famed Geoghegan Mustang and watched it raced at Bay Park for the last time by Pete.



Pukekohe – January 8, 1972

Practice

Allan Moffat – Coca Cola Ford Mustang – 1m 7.3s (bettered Fahey saloon record on his second flying lap)
Dennis Marwood – Chev Camaro – 1m 8.8s
Rod Coppins – Chev Camaro – 1m 9.4s
John Riley – Ford Mustang – 1m 9.5s
Ron Grable – Pontiac Firebird – 1m 10.0s
Red Dawson – Chev Camaro – 1m 10.6s
Paul Fahey – PDL Mustang – 1m 12.3s


BNSW Championship 0-6000cc Heat 1 – 8 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Mustang, 9m 33.4s
2 - Paul Fahey, Mustang, 9m 34.4s
3 – Dennis Marwood, Camaro, 9m 39.4s
4 – John Riley, Mustang, 9m 41.6s

BNSW Championship 0-6000cc Heat 2 – 8 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Mustang, 9m 26.8s
2 – Dennis Marwood, Camaro, 9m 28.0s
3 - Paul Fahey, Mustang, 9m 28.1s
4 – Red Dawson, Camaro, 9m 41.0s



Bay Park – December 31, 1972

Practice

Allan Moffat – Coca Cola Ford Mustang – 59.6s (first official practice lap under one minute by a saloon car)
Frank Gardner – SCA Chev Camaro – 59.9s
Ian Geoghegan – Ford Falcon – 60.4s
Red Dawson – Chev Camaro – 60.6s
Joe Chamberlain – American Airlines Chev Camaro – 61.2s
Clyde Collins – 5.5-litre Ford Cortina V8 – 62.3s
Rod Coppins – Pontiac Firebird – 62.5s
Dennis Marwood – Chev Camaro – 62.8s
Paul Fahey – PDL Mustang – DNS after the new Gurney Engine failed.

Rothmans Open Saloon Car Event Race 1 – 6 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Mustang, 6m 9.7s
2 – Frank Gardner, Camaro
3 – Ian Geoghegan, Falcon
4 – Red Dawson, Camaro

Rothmans Open Saloon Car Event Race 2 – 8 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Mustang, 8m 6.2s
2 – Ian Geoghegan, Falcon
3 – Clyde Collins, Cortina
4 – Dennis Marwood, Camaro

Rothmans Open Saloon Car Event Final – 6 laps

1 – Ian Geoghegan, Falcon, 6m 5.8s
2 – Red Dawson, Camaro
3 – Joe Chamberlain, Camaro
3 – Clyde Collins, Cortina

Note:

Gardner set a new saloon car lap record of 59.8s in race two before crashing his car. He was unable to start the final race.

Moffat retired from the final race when a radiator hose blew.



Pukekohe – January 6, 1973

Practice

Allan Moffat – Coca Cola Ford Mustang – 1m 19.8s
Frank Gardner – SCA Chev Camaro – 1m 20.6s
Ian Geoghegan – Ford Falcon – 1m 20.8s
Red Dawson – Chev Camaro – 1m 23.2s
Rod Coppins – Pontiac Firebird – 1m 25.2s

BNSW Championship 0-6000cc – 12 laps

1 – Frank Gardner, Camaro, 16m 26.5s
2 – Allan Moffat, Mustang, 17m 0.7s
3 – Red Dawson, Camaro, 17m 14.4s
4 – Rod Coppins, Firebird, 17m 23.4s
5 – Peter Sundberg, Escort TC 2000, 11 laps



Bay Park – December 30, 1973

Practice

Red Dawson – Kensington Carpets Chev Camaro – 60.8s
Graham Baker – PDL Ford Mustang – 60.9s
Paul Fahey – Ford Cologne Capri – 61.0s
Rod Coppins – Pontiac Firebird – 61.2s
Jim Richards – Sidchrome Ford Mustang – 61.4s

Moffat’s Brut 33 Mustang blew its 351 motor in private practice and a spare 302 motor was installed. It required some parts which Fahey had in Auckland so it was Sunday before the car ran.

Rothmans Saloon Car Classic Heat 1 – 8 laps

1 – Graham Baker, Mustang
2 – Paul Fahey, Capri
3 – Red Dawson, Camaro
4 – Jim Richards, Mustang
5 – Rod Coppins, Firebird
6 – Allan Moffat, Brut 33 Mustang (running on seven cylinders)
7 – Kevin Haig, Mustang

Rothmans Saloon Car Classic Heat 2 – 8 laps

1 – Graham Baker, Mustang
2 – Paul Fahey, Capri
3 – Red Dawson, Camaro
4 – Jim Richards, Mustang
5 – Kevin Haig, Mustang
6 – Rod Coppins, Firebird
Fastest Lap: Baker and Fahey – 59.7s (new record)

Moffat spun backwards through the fence at the hairpin on lap three while trying to overtake Baker for the lead.

Rothmans Saloon Car Classic Heat 3 – 8 laps

1 – Graham Baker, Mustang
2 – Red Dawson, Camaro
3 – Jim Richards, Mustang
4 – Kevin Haig, Mustang

Moffat’s engine stopped on the first lap with a jammed rotor (or blew up - depending on who you talked to).


Wigram – January 20, 1974

Practice

Allan Moffat – Brut 33 Ford Mustang – 1m 17.2s (running with the 302 motor)
Graham Baker – PDL Ford Mustang – 1m 18.0s
Jim Richards – Sidchrome Ford Mustang – 1m 19.0s(?)
Paul Fahey – Ford Cologne Capri – 1m 19.0s (?)
Peter Sundberg – Ford Escort FVC – 1m 20.0s
Red Dawson – Chev Camaro – 1m 20.3s
Rod Coppins – Pontiac Firebird – 1m 22.0s
Clyde Collins – Ford Cortina V8 – 1m 22.0s
Trevor Crowe – Toyota Corolla-Chev V8 – 1m 22.8s


Ace-Osca Classes A & B – 8 laps

1 – Graham Baker, Mustang
2 – Jim Richards, Mustang
3 – Rod Coppins, Firebird
4 – Paul Fahey, Capri
5 – Allan Moffat, Mustang
Fastest Lap: Moffat, 1m 17.0s

Moffat bogged the Mustang down at the start and then had to slow to avoid an accident between Sundberg and Collins. He fitted a lower diff ratio for the next race.

Invitation Saloon Car Race – 8 laps

1 – Allan Moffat, Mustang
2 – Jim Richards, Mustang
3 – Rod Coppins, Firebird
4 – Paul Fahey, Capri
5 – John Riley, Mustang
6 – Kevin Haig, Mustang
Fastest Lap: Moffat, 1m 16.2s (new record and the first 100mph lap at any NZ circuit by a saloon car)

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#40 Ray Bell

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Posted 29 September 2002 - 11:58

Originally posted by Beejay17
It is interesting how many people like come up with reasons as to why Moffat wouldn't have won as much if not for this and that.... Bill Tuckey was always a good one for that, until he lost his Brock-coloured glasses in '87. he always talked about the Brock-crush. How can you be running away in the lead of the race and nursing the car, while others are slower and caning theirs, unless you have a huge speed advantage? Maybe he was not as talented as his cars made him look.

Motor Racing Australia, I think published an interview with Bruce McPhee and without having it close to hand I can't confirm it, however McPhee has been interviewed recently and is quoted as saying words to the effect that it was HIS points that were closing up and was down on horsepower and that he wouldn't have been able to catch Moffat in a straight fight. However, the people at Four On The Floor have commented that Moffat's engine was indeed not well and had been blowing smoke.

If anyone can find the McPhee article, I stand to be corrected.

As for team orders determining results, It works for everybody. I seem to recall that team orders got Brock wins in '83 and '87, but journalists tend not to bring that up much...


'83? The cars were cross-entered, Brock jumped in and drove the car to a win, aided by Perkins, of course. They drove all but about 35 laps of the race. '87? Was that the same thing?

Tuckey was not the one who devised the term 'Brock crush,' unless I've missed my guess. He was an outsider in all of this. Tim Pemberton ('Plastic') did that sort of word thing in the Brock inner circle, and it would have been based on Brock's own description of how he did it.

Whether Brock's car was measurably better than the others is moot. He didn't, most years, simply drive away. He got ahead and then encouraged a dice with others, who then kept on dicing as he dropped back to await developments. That is he drove much of the race slower than others and also wasn't caught up in as much dicing as others, hence saving greatly in the important areas of the car that might break or wear out.

Then he was able to take over as others failed. In this case, the 'crush' was setting that cracking pace that got the dicing started in the early laps. When he had Sheppard-prepared cars, of course, he was able to drive away into the distance.

#41 Falcadore

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Posted 29 September 2002 - 15:09

Originally posted by Ray Bell
On the subject of Moffat in Holdens... his first outing at Sandown was the one that shook everyone... the way Peter Brock, well out in front of the race and having been unable to lap Moffat in one of his own team's cars for some twenty laps, drove round the outside of him in the esses on the very last lap!


Wasn't Moffats first Holden drive in a non-champ event at Amaroo aboard a Ron Hodgson / Bob Morris Torana?

#42 Falcadore

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Posted 29 September 2002 - 19:25

Allan Moffat

Australian Touring Car Championship
1965 4th (Ford Cortina Lotus)
1970 6th (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1971 2nd (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1972 3rd (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1973 CHAMPION (Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III)
1974 3rd (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1975 23rd (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1976 CHAMPION (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1977 CHAMPION (Ford Falcon XB GT / Falcon XC)
1978 4th (Ford Falcon XC)
1979 27th (Ford Falcon XC)
1982 3rd (Mazda RX7)
1983 CHAMPION (Mazda RX7)
1984 9th (Mazda RX7)
1988 9th (Ford Sierra RS500)
1989 9th (Ford Sierra RS500)

ATCC Victories - 32, third on all time list behind Peter Brock (37) and equal with Mark Skaife
1970 Calder (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1971 Symmons Plains (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1971 Surfers Paradise (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1971 Lakeside (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1972 Symmons Plains (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1972 Sandown (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1972 Oran Park (Ford Mustang Mach 1)
1973 Symmons Plains (Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III)
1973 Calder (Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III)
1973 Sandown (Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III)
1973 Wanneroo (Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III)
1973 Oran Park (Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III)
1974 Sandown (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1974 Oran Park (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1976 Calder (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1976 Oran Park (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1976 Adelaide International (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1977 Symmons Plains (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1977 Calder (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1977 Oran Park (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1977 Amaroo Park (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1977 Sandown (Ford Falcon XB GT)
1977 Adelaide International (Ford Falcon XC)
1977 Surfers Paradise (Ford Falcon XC)
1978 Lakeside (Ford Falcon XC)
1982 Lakeside (Mazda RX7)
1982 Surfers Paradise (Mazda RX7)
1983 Calder (Mazda RX7)
1983 Wanneroo (Mazda RX7)
1983 Surfers Paradise (Mazda RX7)
1983 Oran Park (Mazda RX7)
1984 Wanneroo (Mazda RX7)

Bathurst 1000
1969 4th Ford Falcon XW GTHO with Alan Hamilton
1970 1st Ford Falcon XW GTHO Phase II
1971 1st Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III
1972 9th Ford Falcon XY GTHO Phase III
1973 1st Ford Falcon XA GT with Ian Geoghegan
1974 DNF Ford Falcon XB GT with Dieter Glemser
1975 DNF Ford Falcon XB GT with Ian Geoghegan
1976 DNF Ford Falcon XB GT with Vern Schuppan
1977 1st Ford Falcon XC with Jacky Ickx
1978 DNF Ford Falcon XC with Jacky Ickx
1979 DNF Ford Falcon XC with John Fitzpatrick
1980 DNF Ford Falcon XD with John Fitzpatrick
and DNF Ford Falcon XD with Bill O'Brien and Bob Morris
1981 3rd Mazda RX7 with Derek Bell
1982 6th Mazda RX7 with Yoshimi Katayama
1983 2nd Mazda RX7 with Yoshimi Katayama
1984 3rd Mazda RX7 with Gregg Hansford
and DNF Mazda RX7 with Gregg Hansford
1986 5th Holden Commodore VK with Peter Brock
1987 DNF Ford Sierra RS500 with Andy Rouse and Thierry Tassin
1988 DNF Ford Sierra RS500 with Klaus Niedzwiedz and Gregg Hansford

Sandown Enduro - 6 victories
1969 Ford Falcon XW GTHO with John French
1970 Ford Falcon XW GTHO Phase II
1974 Ford Falcon XB GT
1982 Mazda RX7
1983 Mazda RX7
1988 Ford Sierra RS500 with Gregg Hansford

#43 Ray Bell

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Posted 29 September 2002 - 20:27

Originally posted by Falcadore
Wasn't Moffats first Holden drive in a non-champ event at Amaroo aboard a Ron Hodgson / Bob Morris Torana?


Right again, Mark...

But as you mention, this was a non-championship event, therefore less of a standout, three sprint races versus a 500km event too. But it happened at the Easter Amaroo in 1979 as Moffat faced a year without a car. Ironically, the team manager at Hodgson's was Peter Molloy, with whom Moff had had a fallout the previous year.

#44 Beejay17

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Posted 02 October 2002 - 06:14

Moff's first Holden 'drive' may well have come before that. I have an old RCN in storage, which has a pick of Moffat wearing Bond's open face HDT helmet in about '75 or '76. Anyone recall anything about that?

#45 GreenMachine

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 11:26

Ressurecting an old thread, rather than starting a new one.

This image came up in a thread about Clark's Indy car, but look who is there, second from right. We have discussed on this thread his involvement with the Lotus Cortinas in the US, and his working for Team Lotus to gain experience, but do we know anything about his involvement with Clark's Indy effort?

Posted Image

Edited by GreenMachine, 19 August 2010 - 11:33.


#46 GD66

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 11:30

Or even second from right... ;)

#47 GreenMachine

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 11:33

Or even second from right...;)


Oh all right ... :blush: :lol:

#48 GeoffR

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 11:55

An Allan Moffat story with a bit of a difference.
Back in the about 1973(?) when I was living in Melbourne, we were cruising the CBD one Saturday night in my 'hot' HR Holden when somewhere near what was then the Southern Cross Hotel we started following a red Falcon ute. We turned into Swanston St behind it & pulled alongside at the next set of lights. Guy with glasses & short hair driving, attractive brunette with long hair next to him. "It's Moffat" said one of my passengers. "Naah, couldn't be"was my response. Anyway we stirred him up for a traffic light derby and initially had the lead, until the ute stopped its bulk wheelspin and rocketed past. Next set of lights, identity confirmed and a repeat of the previous. Undeterred we kept it up until we hit St Kilda Road, when Allan wound down his window and invited us to "follow him & have beer". Absolutely gobsmacked we did, & pulled up at a small pub in South Yarra (I've tried to find it again recently but think it is now a coffee lounge).
What followed was a very pleasant hour or so chatting to Allan & Pauline, unbelievable for us young guys at the time. Turned out the ute had most of an ex Bathurst HO's running gear installed, not much hope for the HR! It was a totally enlightening experience where we saw the relaxed side of a guy who was always such an intense competitor. Love him or not, I've always had immense respect for A. Moffat after that night.

#49 David Shaw

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 12:15

I have read somewhere?? that he was the initial development driver for the Mustang to go racing, caning it around Lime Rock until it became obvious which improvements needed to be made.

Has there been another tin-top driver whose diversity internationally in Touring Cars could rival Allan's?

4 times Australian Touring Car Champion.
4 times winner of the Bathurst 500/1000.
Won the third ever Trans Am race outright in a Lotus Cortina.
Won the first round of the first World Touring Car Championship.
Won a major international Touring Car race at age 50, the Fuji 500.
Won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1975.

Not always the most hospitable driver, especially at the track, but as the anecdotes of others here point out he could be very approachable away from the track.

#50 Jager

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 15:07

Later in his career, he raced at Le Mans twice.

Anyone know how he came to be sharing the #70 Porsche 935 with Bobby Rahal in 1980 given he didn't have any previous association with Porsche in his career :

http://www.racingspo...0-06-15-071.jpg

He also drove the 1982 Mazda RX-7 in 1982 which presumably was related to his efforts with Mazda in the ATTC :

http://www.racingspo...2-06-20-082.jpg