327 replies to this topic

[mdswat]

trying to track down some info of the vauxhall sentor john cleland ran in the british thundersports championship in 1985.
any pics, locations dates times races, anything at all.
can anyone help me??
thanks.

[cooper997]

trying to track down some info of the vauxhall sentor john cleland ran in the british thundersports championship in 1985.
any pics, locations dates times races, anything at all.
can anyone help me??
thanks.

Can't help with it in its 'Vauxhall' history, but the car is now restored back to its Bathurst 1000-winning Marlboro HDT Holden VK Group C format. Peter Champion in Queensland has it in his Brock HDT museum. He may have some of it's Cleland Vauxhall history.

There was an issue of Chevron Publishing's 'Australian Muscle Car' magazine that did a comprehensive feature of the restored car - issue 18 I think. Try www.chevron.com.au or ebay.

Stephen

[mdswat]

Can't help with it in its 'Vauxhall' history, but the car is now restored back to its Bathurst 1000-winning Marlboro HDT Holden VK Group C format. Peter Champion in Queensland has it in his Brock HDT museum. He may have some of it's Cleland Vauxhall history.

There was an issue of Chevron Publishing's 'Australian Muscle Car' magazine that did a comprehensive feature of the restored car - issue 18 I think. Try www.chevron.com.au or ebay.

Stephen

thnaks stephen
i have all the info up until JC got the car & when it returned to australia, its those missing years in the uk, i have pcs of pete stephens & neil facey racing it & the odd vi on youtube, looking for anymore info, what colour scheme it ran whilst in VDT colours & what motor/drivetrian it ran later in life, where it ended up etc etc.

[Gregor Marshall]

I have a few pics of it, plus all the relevant Autosports and programs from the races Dad did at the time, and there's a thread about it and it's current whereabouts on 10/10ths - think it's called something like Peter Brock's cars and where they are now.
I remember being at Brands Hatch for its debut but it had blown up during the week so they just played a copy of the engine's sound when testing through the tannoy system!!

[mdswat]

pm sent

[cooper997]

mdswat,

If Gregor and his contacts can't find you the information on the car's 'Vauxhall' life, then no one can.

Stephen

[Gregor Marshall]

Well if I didn't need any pressure...., thanks Cooper - do you know of any Minis for sale at the mo as I want one??

IIRC the Holden came over here around late '85, possibly early '86 and from my brief investigation it wasn't definitely still racing until '89 (I have it on video/DVD).

Without passing the buck this would be the best place to go through more detail http://www.ten-tenth...ead.php?t=97759

I do also have photos of this car and the O'Brien car - if you need more than just shout, as I have programmes, magazines, etc...

[Mistron]

Gregor, You have a PM

[cooper997]

Sorry Gregor,

Wasn't trying to put pressure on you. It was more a comment based on your late father's close association to the marque. Although I dare say you spent many an hour in the paddocks of the very same race meetings Mr Cleland was running said 'Vauxhall' - aka Brock HDT Bathurst-winning Commodore.

Regards Minis, Mistron has already brought his to your attention and would probably be a bit of fun and certainly closer than any likely to be available here in Australia.

Stephen

[Gregor Marshall]

No problems, was meant tongue in cheek.

Mistron's Mini si lovely - too nice for me!!

I did see the car a lot and I hope the link helps out mdswat and if he needs any other info just shout.

[Phil Rainford]

Have some pictures at home

Will try and post them tonight............


PAR

[mdswat]

i found some vids on you tube in 89 thunder saloons, it appears to be the same car painted all white.
i assume this is the same car, i have the odd pic of when pete stephen & neil facey ran the car but none of when john cleland ran the vehicle, or when it arrived in the UK?
did john cleland only run the car in 85 series & than go onto racing a vauxhall carlton for the 86-87 season.
from around 89 till 98 is a mystery, a photo of the car surfaced in 98 taken at silverstone with the car painted but in its orginal HDT malboro sigange from 1984.
have no evidence again of the car till it arrived back in australia in 2001.
also the car late in its life had a 6.0 chev in it.
anyone with any pics at all of this car would be great.

have been right thru that thread on ten-tenths.

gregor i did pm you my email address, if its not to much trouble would love to see these programs, mag articles.
thanks guys

Edited by mdswat, 02 September 2009 - 00:19.

[Phil Rainford]

Oops sorry the picture was of the Carlton....but here is the picture anyway




PAR

[Tim Wilkinson]

Stevens ran it up until the end of '90 when he replaced it with the Carlton.

The Senator reappeared in Thundersaloons in '92, with Richard Chilton ( I believe he owned it) and Mick Phillips. Both from Birmingham, entrant was "Club Autosport Ltd", Engine is listed as a Chevrolet CAS 5700. The photo in Rolling Thunder shows it still in Sertec livery, but with Chilton and Wallace on the window. Could be Stephen Wallace was involved, as he drove a Club Autosport engined (7.1l, though it doesn't say what!) Sierra in '92. I don't know where the Senator went after that, I'm afraid.

I'm slowly compiling info on the histories and current whereabouts of the Thundersaloon cars, with a long-term view to creating a proper register along the lines of the one for ST cars. Any info / pictures gratefully received! Or I can provide what I have to others.

The Rolling Thunder fanzine was recently scanned and reissued on CD by ex-TS (and Citroen BX!) racer Gary Cole, with the blessing of Andrew Charman.

Edited by Tim Wilkinson, 02 September 2009 - 17:52.

[Gregor Marshall]

Darren - I have your pm and hope to scan a couple of bits for you over the weekend.

Tim - there is a thread on Super Saloons and Thunder Saloons on 10/10ths (a few people from here have contributed - IIRC Mr Brown started it) and it's a sort of when each car came out and when it raced. I have all the results for the races Dad did in Thunder Saloons (as well as all the others!!) and I know the whereabouts of several of the cars or at least where they were, feel free to e-mail or PM me if you need any info.

[mdswat]

seems the car had a lengthy history in the thunder saloons?
if it still racing in the early 90's, was the change to chev engine to keep up with the times? or did the old motor give up the ghost.

Edited by mdswat, 03 September 2009 - 11:17.

[La Sarthe]

Checked through my old programmes last night and the Senator was still being raced by John Cleland at the Castle Combe round in August 86. The Carlton must have arrived for the 87 season I guess. Annoyingly I couldn't find my photos of the meeting but will continue digging under the bed

Peter

[mdswat]

the "rolling thunder" was this the term used for the marketing the championship?

[roblegin]

Checked through my old programmes last night and the Senator was still being raced by John Cleland at the Castle Combe round in August 86. The Carlton must have arrived for the 87 season I guess. Annoyingly I couldn't find my photos of the meeting but will continue digging under the bed

Peter

It definately raced at Combe in August 1986, that was the famous race in torrential rain which hit the west country (tail end of a hurricane iirc). A certain Mr G Marshall was racing in a Chevette Hart - and led for some time. The weather conditions made the track lethal and the larger engined cars were spectacular but ultimately huimbled by an Escort Mk2.

I do have some admittedly poor photos of the Sentator at the meeting which I will try and dig out.

[Gregor Marshall]

I do have some admittedly poor photos of the Sentator at the meeting which I will try and dig out.

Have you got any of Dad in Mike Smith's Chevette?
I had to miss that race as had to go to Silverstone with the team as Dad was supposed to be racing his Escort Turbo in Production Saloons but got John Llewelyn to drive the Escort.
The Chevette was on ebay last year, sold for £8,500 I think, with loads of spares too.

[roblegin]

Have you got any of Dad in Mike Smith's Chevette?
I had to miss that race as had to go to Silverstone with the team as Dad was supposed to be racing his Escort Turbo in Production Saloons but got John Llewelyn to drive the Escort.
The Chevette was on ebay last year, sold for £8,500 I think, with loads of spares too.

I'll have to rummage in the loft and see what I have. The weather was foul that day and that, combined with a rubbish camera and cameraman, didnt lead to good results. THe Chevette was leading at one stage and I think the race was stopped then restarted (might have been the driver change though??)

I also have access to some Silverstone Paddock 35mm slides of Baby Bertha c 1976, there from a World Championship of Makes 1000km when Super Saloons supported and I think your Dad got beaten (for once) by Johnathan Buncombe in the Chimp. Again quality will be poor as they were taken on a cheap Russian camera.

Will hit the loft tonight to see what I can find.

Edited to add...
Found various programmes featuring the Senator, including one of it on the grid at Combe, alongside the Sierra GA (Birley) and the Stevens / Facey (I think) race winning Escort. In a Silverstone programme, Mobil1 GM trpohy Raceday, July 26th 1987, the Senator was raced in Thundersaloons by Pete Stevens / Neil Facey, and according to my scribbles, finished 2nd behind the Rod Birley / Dave Brodie Sierra Cosworth GA. The GM Carlton, driven by John Cleland / Vince Woodman finished 3rd.

Gregor - No luck with any photos of your Dad in the Chevette at Combe, lots of references of his exploits in Baby Bertha, Magnums and Commodore GSE's during 70's & 80's in some of the race programmes though.

Presumably to add an image I need to use imageshack or similar?

Edited by roblegin, 04 September 2009 - 16:20.

[roblegin]

edit - VERY POOR PHOTO ADDED BELOW!!
I'll have to rummage in the loft and see what I have. The weather was foul that day and that, combined with a rubbish camera and cameraman, didnt lead to good results. THe Chevette was leading at one stage and I think the race was stopped then restarted (might have been the driver change though??)

I also have access to some Silverstone Paddock 35mm slides of Baby Bertha c 1976, there from a World Championship of Makes 1000km when Super Saloons supported and I think your Dad got beaten (for once) by Johnathan Buncombe in the Chimp. Again quality will be poor as they were taken on a cheap Russian camera.

Will hit the loft tonight to see what I can find.

Edited to add...
Found various programmes featuring the Senator, including one of it on the grid at Combe, alongside the Sierra GA (Birley) and the Stevens / Facey (I think) race winning Escort. In a Silverstone programme, Mobil1 GM trpohy Raceday, July 26th 1987, the Senator was raced in Thundersaloons by Pete Stevens / Neil Facey, and according to my scribbles, finished 2nd behind the Rod Birley / Dave Brodie Sierra Cosworth GA. The GM Carlton, driven by John Cleland / Vince Woodman finished 3rd.

Gregor - No luck with any photos of your Dad in the Chevette at Combe, lots of references of his exploits in Baby Bertha, Magnums and Commodore GSE's during 70's & 80's in some of the race programmes though.

Presumably to add an image I need to use imageshack or similar?
[/quote]

http://s998.photobuc...af106/roblegin/

Edited by roblegin, 13 September 2009 - 06:42.

[mdswat]

thanks for the pic roblegin
so this paintscheme is the factory vauxhall colours??
i take it when cleland went the to the carlton, neil facey ran it still in the vauxhall colours.
anymore info on this car?

Edited by mdswat, 16 September 2009 - 06:57.

[Kevan]

thanks for the pic roblegin
so this paintscheme is the factory vauxhall colours??
i take it when cleland went the to the carlton, neil facey ran it still in the vauxhall colours.
anymore info on this car?

Yes, those are the factory Vauxhall colours- I think the car was entered under the 'GM Dealer Sport' name, in common with Vauxhall/Opel's UK rally entries?
I might have a couple of pics of the car during the Stevens/Facey period- I'll have a look, though it could take a while...

[roblegin]

Yes, those are the factory Vauxhall colours- I think the car was entered under the 'GM Dealer Sport' name, in common with Vauxhall/Opel's UK rally entries?
I might have a couple of pics of the car during the Stevens/Facey period- I'll have a look, though it could take a while...

Yes they were the colours the Senator raced in in 1986. I do have a race programme showing the Stevens / Facey paint job i can scan but its in black and white. Happy to scan and post if its any help.

[Gregor Marshall]

Yes, they were the works colours and later it was sponsored and I think entered by a company called Sertec and I think it's still in that livery now - it was the last time I saw it.

[Phil Rainford]

Here are a couple more cars:




I think the this is the Opel Monza of Joe Ward



While I am struggling with this one but here it is again going backwards



PAR

[roblegin]

Yes, they were the works colours and later it was sponsored and I think entered by a company called Sertec and I think it's still in that livery now - it was the last time I saw it.

Gregor, can you remember if your Dads Chevette was sponsored by a company called 'Pipeline Induction Heat?

[Phil Rainford]

Gregor, can you remember if your Dads Chevette was sponsored by a company called 'Pipeline Induction Heat?

Is this the car in a later life?



PAR

[Kevan]

Here are a couple more cars:




I think the this is the Opel Monza of Joe Ward

That rings a bell with me- fairly sure he had a Monza, looks like the ex-Tony Lanfranchi GM Dealer Sport Group A car?
http://www.racingspo...3-09-11-038.jpg

While I am struggling with this one but here it is again going backwards



PAR

Nick Oatway's 'Stars & Stripes' Manta- 7 litre Pontiac V8 from memory, shared with Hugh Marshall and Les Blackburn amongst others
http://www.motorbase...y-id/477323617/

Edited by Kevan, 16 September 2009 - 10:57.

[Phil Rainford]

Found one

PAR

[Tim Wilkinson]

Gregor, can you remember if your Dads Chevette was sponsored by a company called 'Pipeline Induction Heat?

Mike Smith's Chevette was - you can just see it peeking in at the back of the photo posted before.

Gregor - I've been through that thread, and have posted in it several times. When I start the register again in earnest I'll be in touch, if that's okay?

Edited by Tim Wilkinson, 16 September 2009 - 19:59.

[mdswat]

Yes they were the colours the Senator raced in in 1986. I do have a race programme showing the Stevens / Facey paint job i can scan but its in black and white. Happy to scan and post if its any help.

black & whites pics are fine.

[Thundersports]

Gregor the team was called Sertec. I thought Joe Ward had the Carlton? Rod Birley on the other place will know.

[Gregor Marshall]

The Monza is Joe Ward and I'm 99.9% sure was Dad's car from prod saloons (Dad definitely sold it to Joe anyway), as the Monza Dad raced in prod saloons in '86 was Tony Lanfranchi's old car and this is confirmed at the beginning of Vintage G&T. Other than Dad's Monza, the only other one it could be is John Cleleand's prod saloon car as I don't know what happened to that after '85. (Dealer Team Opel in prod saloons had three identical Monzas other than Dad's had a yellow front, Tony's had a red front and John's had a blue front)

As an aside, when Dad then started racing the Escort RS Turbo later in the '86 season the Monza was then bought and raced by Tony Strawson in prod saloons but I don't know where that one went after '86, as for '87 Dad and Tony Strawson raced a black Sierra Cosworth in Thundersaloons (it had been Tony's wife Linda's road car!!).

On the Monza though, that was the whole reason Joe ended up with Baby Bertha, as him and Dad were quite close and Joe told Dad he was putting a V8 into the Monza, Dad said not to as the gearbox would go bang, Joe didn't listen and the gearbox went bang!! Anyway, Joe then asked Dad to source a particular gearbox and Dad said funnily enough he had one but it was in a car and Joe would have to buy the whole car, which he did, Baby Bertha, which he still owns 24 years later.

I'm not sure if Joe had the Carlton or if it was Arthur Carter, I know Baby Bertha and the Carlton were both stored together for a long time, that was quite a site, but I can't remember where it was, just that it was on a farm but both Joe and Arthur had farms!! Now you're said Joe though, I wonder if he bought the Carlton from Arthur?

I don't know if the Chevette was sponsored by Pipeline Induction Heat but IIRC it was a DTV-built (or at least Gerry J) car and was owned by the sportscar racer Mike Smith, so if he had any links with that company or if any of his sportscar were sponsored by Pipeline then it is possible.

On the subject of the Stars and Stripes Monza, Dad also raced that (there's a great clip on Youtube from Oulton Park with Dad driving if you want to look it up, it's worth the 8 or so minutes, especially as the Senator is in the race too) and still have a piston from the Pontiac engine in my display cabinet next to one of Old Nail's old pistons, very interesting to compare. I think Gerry J was involved in the build of the Manta too, I know he definitely helped run it but Dad's drive in the Manta ended in tears and not for me to write on here. Funnily enough, the car was for auction a while ago but got pulled at the last minute for some reason.

Sorry for waffling on!!

Edited by Gregor Marshall, 17 September 2009 - 09:59.

[Tim Wilkinson]

The Pipeline induction Chevette was Mike Smith. Shared with Davina Galica on occasion, as well as your Dad, Gregor.

Joe Ward bought the Carlton, ran it a couple of times (with Cleland?) then sold it to Pete Stevens. I don't remember Arthur Carter being mentioned in Rolling Thunder in conection with the Carlton.

I didn't know Tony Strawson had been in Thundersaloons. What happened to the Sierra? There were plenty around in the early 90s - some ex-BTCC, naturally.

[Phil Rainford]

The Pipeline induction Chevette was Mike Smith. Shared with Davina Galica on occasion, as well as your Dad, Gregor.

Not forgetting Ian Flux


PAR

[Gregor Marshall]

The Pipeline induction Chevette was Mike Smith. Shared with Davina Galica on occasion, as well as your Dad, Gregor.

Joe Ward bought the Carlton, ran it a couple of times (with Cleland?) then sold it to Pete Stevens. I don't remember Arthur Carter being mentioned in Rolling Thunder in conection with the Carlton.

I didn't know Tony Strawson had been in Thundersaloons. What happened to the Sierra? There were plenty around in the early 90s - some ex-BTCC, naturally.

I'm not sure if Dad drove the Chevette more than the once but him and Mike were very good friends so it's possible it was more than once but I don't think so - I've only traced the once so far and when Mike contacted me 18 months ago to buy the Chevette when I found it on eBay he didn't mention any others.

Thanks for that, am not sure where I've got the Carter bit from but when I go to Spa next weekend I'll chat to Terry Bower who worked for Arthur for years and see what he remembers - Dad definitely supplied Arthur a lot of cars.

Dad and Tony only did '87 together in the Cosworth (maybe as payback for Dad running Tony in the ex-Richardson Corvair in Supersaloons??). It was a bit of a shoe-string operation as it literally was Linda's roadcar that they raced (Dad could not get a Cosworth for love nor money when they came out!!) and I've really struggled to find any "proof" of them racing it so to speak (Dad wasn't very well then and kept little records of his racing) but I was at three of the races myself (trust me!!) and I have managed to track down one picture from Silverstone. It was very out-classed and I only remember one good race - out of the three I remember the turbo blew in one and the other two the tread/slick came off the carcass of the tyre, one when I think they were leading (I was 9 at the time!!). As for where it went, I'd say it probably back on the road!!

[roblegin]

A few black and white scans below, featuring the Carlton and Senator together, the Facey / Stevens Senator, plus the Teroson Monza Prod Saloon of Gerry Marshall.

http://s998.photobuc...=dtvsenator.jpg

http://s998.photobuc...aceysenator.jpg

http://s998.photobuc...t=prodmonza.jpg

Sorry for the terrible quality!! Photos scanned from Silverstone programmes from 1986 GM Dealer Trophy Meeting (prodsaloon Monza) and 1987 Mobil1 GM Trophy Day (Senator / Carlton) Photos credited where known.

Edited by roblegin, 17 September 2009 - 20:45.

[Gregor Marshall]

For me, awesome, straight away, from the attitude of the car you can tell it's Dad:- http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Almost as good is the shared a Firenza with Tony Davies (who still owns the car til this day) and an ex-BTCC SD1 with Strawberry:- http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Magazine article from the Brands race:-

Edited by Gregor Marshall, 17 September 2009 - 22:22.

[Thundersports]

I remember your Dad driving the Firenza in one of the last Thundersaloon races at Brands 1991/92ish. Anyone got a pic of Mike Chittenden's Escort Cosworth (I used to help them out at the odd meeting)

[Gregor Marshall]

That would have been 9th June 1991 at Brands on the Grand Prix circuit when it was the BRSCC/Fast Car Thundersaloons, I have the programme at home!! Was that the last Thundersaloon race then?

[Phil Rainford]

A few more random shots:




The Vince O'Mahony/ Geoff Kimber - Smith ( BMW 530 ) ..... looks like the ex -Walkinshaw Pentax car?




The Rod Birley Sierra Cosworth .....in this case John Brindley driving



Vince Woodman/Jonathan Buncombe (Ford Capri)



While the Jaguar XJS of Iain Exeter and Roger Mac " gives it plenty " on the way out of Lodge


PAR

[Kevan]

Great stuff Gregor- pity the original article didn't identify all of the cars- I recognise some of them, but not all...

Magazine article from the Brands race:-

...from the top, the King/Paxman Escort is identified in the caption...

Next pic down- the RX7 is the Manns Racing car of Les Blackburn- I can't for the life of me remember who shared it, though I'm sure Rod Birley appeared in it later on. Always one of my favourite cars- originally 3.4 litre Cosworth GA V6, then later an RS500 motor?
The red/white Escort rings a bell, but I can't think of the names, and the red Manta is a mystery to me. In the other pic, the Senator is easy to spot (in Sertec colours here) and the beached Rover I think is John Quartermaine

Next row down, the Shaw/Edwards Escort in the left-hand pic is captioned, the Camaro in the right-hand pic is also familiar (Jerry Hibbert perhaps?), and I'm sure I ought to know the yellow Escort behind it.

Bottom pair of pics, the Peugeot 205 is the Danny/Ricky Morris car (another nice one- 2.4 litre Opel Ascona/Manta 400 engine), the Magnum I don't recall and the yellow Escort looks like the King/Paxman car again

Can anyone fill in the gaps?

In the big pic, on the run down from Druids the red/white Rover on the left of the pic is Brian Chatfield's ex-TWR Bastos car- fairly regularly seen in Modsaloons and Thundersaloons around this time. The other Rover looks like it might be the ex-Graham Scarborough car from the 1987 BTCC- Did Skid ever run it in Thundersaloons, or had it been sold on?

The RX7 behind is a mysytery- I'm sure it's not the Mann's car, and the #77 suggests it's in the up to 2.5 litre class. Is the Monza Joe Ward again? The car looks much more modified than in the pic Phil posted, so maybe after the V8 transplant Gregor mentioned? Looks like the Senator tucked in behind the Monza, but the Toyota Starlet eludes me- there were quite a few around Thundersaloons over the years as I remember?

Further back up the hill, there's a Nissan 240RS- I know Barrie Williams appeared in Thundersaloons in a 240RS, but not sure of the owner who shared the car with Whizzo?

The red Chevette bringing up the rear could be the John Chambers/Gary Cole car
http://www.andrewcha...PorkBangers.htm

Most of the cars in the lower pics (Transpeed Firenza. Stars & Stripes Manta etc) are identified. Not sure about the BMW though- Brian Chatfield regularly ran BMWs in Thundersaloons, but there was also a Greek driver who sometimes appeared in a BMW- Andreas something- I don't recall his surname?

Anyone able to add more?

Edited by Kevan, 18 September 2009 - 11:54.

[Phil Rainford]

John Bell shared the Nissan 240 RS with Barrie Williams

Any ideas?




PAR

[Tim Wilkinson]

Thundersaloons ran in one form or another until 1995 at least. The format changed from 1 race with a driver change to 2 races / 2 drivers in '92, iirc.

Scan 1 -

Mike Wilson shared the Mazda drive with Les, and later Rod. Correct on the engines, I think.

Red Manta is John Goldacre, shared with Tony Davies. They later ('92) built a Mk5 Escort that I'd like more info on. Red / White Escort is Hugh Marshall.

Camaro is Hibbert / Prior. Car is still around somewhere, I think. It was ex-IROC.

Red Firenza (the Magnum / Firenza issue has been discussed on another site) was Vaughan Jones (who has posted on that other site). At Zandvoort it was shared with Trevor Griffiths, on other occasions with Gary Cole.

Yellow Escort behind the Camaro is the Vadnor car of Edwards / Shaw, repainted for '89.



From the second one -

RX7 runs number 77, which suggests Joe Ward / Tony Dickinson.

The Starlet is likely to be Julian Swayland's early version, as most of the others ran in the little class - this one has a Cosworth, and I think ran on for several more years - ending up with Sherlock & Bridger, maybe?

The yellow / red Escort on jacks I think must be Graham Joy and Colin Richardson - not a regular runner.

The BMW was a Chatfield car. The Greek chap was Andreas Halkiopoulos - shared his car with Chatfield.

The 2nd Rover could be Tony Strawson sharing with Gerry, or it could have been Barry Barnes, who seems to have driven everything in the back half of the field at one point or another!

I have no idea on the black BMW. Any clues as to year?

[Kevan]

Thundersaloons ran in one form or another until 1995 at least. The format changed from 1 race with a driver change to 2 races / 2 drivers in '92, iirc.

Scan 1 -

Mike Wilson shared the Mazda drive with Les, and later Rod. Correct on the engines, I think.

Red Manta is John Goldacre, shared with Tony Davies. They later ('92) built a Mk5 Escort that I'd like more info on. Red / White Escort is Hugh Marshall.

Camaro is Hibbert / Prior. Car is still around somewhere, I think. It was ex-IROC.

Red Firenza (the Magnum / Firenza issue has been discussed on another site) was Vaughan Jones (who has posted on that other site). At Zandvoort it was shared with Trevor Griffiths, on other occasions with Gary Cole.

Yellow Escort behind the Camaro is the Vadnor car of Edwards / Shaw, repainted for '89.



From the second one -

RX7 runs number 77, which suggests Joe Ward / Tony Dickinson.

The Starlet is likely to be Julian Swayland's early version, as most of the others ran in the little class - this one has a Cosworth, and I think ran on for several more years - ending up with Sherlock & Bridger, maybe?

The yellow / red Escort on jacks I think must be Graham Joy and Colin Richardson - not a regular runner.

The BMW was a Chatfield car. The Greek chap was Andreas Halkiopoulos - shared his car with Chatfield.

The 2nd Rover could be Tony Strawson sharing with Gerry, or it could have been Barry Barnes, who seems to have driven everything in the back half of the field at one point or another!

I have no idea on the black BMW. Any clues as to year?

Thanks Tim. I haven't got a clue about the 635- if its from the same race as the other pics Phil's posted, then I reckon it might be fairly early, around 1985/6- if my memory is anything like reliable, cars like the Exeter/Mac XJS and Vince Woodman's Capri are from the early years of Thundersaloons. I reckon I saw my first Thundersaloon race in '87, maybe '88, and I don't think I remember seeing either- and I definitely don't recall a 635?

[Phil Rainford]

Think I have found the programme 26th July 1986.....but the 635 is not listed it must have been a late entry

Some more shots from the meeting

Tony and John Davies in their Firenza



Slightly out of focus shot of the Senator



An in - focus shot of the Tony Dickinson/Richard Cresswell Opel Monza




PAR

[Kevan]

The Dickinson/Cresswell Monza looks very much like the car seen at Brands a couple of years later in the article Gregor posted

I think one of the things I enjoyed about Thundersaloons was the wonderful variety of cars. Just digging through some old race programmes, and came up with the Thundersaloon race at Donington, 14 October 1990. Entry list was:

Class A

1 Pete Stevens/Chris Millard (GM Senator 5.0)
4 Rod Birley/Steve King (Mitsubish Starion Turbo 2.0 Turbo)
6 David Lawrence/DavidHunter (BMW 2002T 2.0- Turbo presumably?)
7 Rob Cox/Geoff Farmer (Ford Sierra 7.0)
8 Simon Pearson/Mike Wilson (Rover SD1 4.5)
12 Jim Tyler/Mark Tyler (Rover SD1 3.5)
15 Colin Cordy/Trevor Panter (Toyota Supra 2.0- from memory one of the ex-BTCC Supra Turbos raced by the likes of Chris Hodgetts, Mark Hales, Vic Lee and Fluxie a couple of years before, with the troublesome Toyota straight-6 dumped in favour of an RS500 engine?)
22 Tony Wolfe/Terry Nicholls (Honda Legend 6.5- Chevy I think?)

Class B
52 Tony Paxman/Tim Swadkin (Ford Escort 2.0)
55 Simon Jackson/Wally Liles (Vauxhall Astra 2.4- rwd converted using an Opel Manta 400 engine)
58 Brian Chatfield/Andreas Halkiopoulos (BMW 320 2.0)
63 Jason Dell/Alf Boarer (Toyota Starlet 2.3)
77 Joe Ward/Tony Dickinson (Opel Manta 400 2.4)
88 Barry Andrews/Gary Cole (Ford Escort 2.2)
111 Barry Barnes/Hugh Marshall (Ford Escort RS2000 2.0)
112 John Edwards/Trevor Shaw (Ford Escort 2.0)
205 Ricky Morris/Danny Morris (Dimma Peugeot 205 2.4- another rwd conversion with an Opel engine)

Edited by Kevan, 19 September 2009 - 12:35.

[SteveG]

Does anyone have any pictures of the Honda Legend when it was owned and run by Jim Mensley partnering with Tom Laffey? Tom built the engine and his son was a good mate of mine, so I remember following the car around various circuits and taking Tom to buy bits for it on a Sunday morning on occasion.