327 replies to this topic

[voxadd]

This was a Vauxhall promotions stand at Oulton when the Thunder Saloons was racing :-




Anybody know if this was a regular stand at Thunder Saloon races. What ever happened to the Carlton Pictured ?

GM Dealer Sport would regularly run 'Trophy Days' where we sponsored the meeting, effectively buying the gate and issuing free tickets through Vauxhall Opel dealerships which were then charged upon redemption at the circuit. The pics at OP also show a Nova that we gave away on a raffle (I still have the ramps!) on this particular Trophy Day which targeted people in the North West region of the country.


The replica car was a rolling shell (boy - was it heavy to move!) which was steered via a pull link which connected to a steering rack. There was nothing inside (hence the black windows). It was constructed from spare panels produced by Barry Shepherd at Rawlson in Dover (long time supplier of one-off/prototype parts for Vauxhall Styling) and put together at Dave Cook's where the 'proper' car was built. We had to have a specific large, economy size trailer to move it. IIRK, it went to Pete Stevens when he took over the real car.

Andrew Duerden
Vauxhall Heritage Archive

[Kevan]

Thanks Andrew- I remember going to at least one Thundersaloon race (Silverstone in 1987 I think) which was at a Vauxhall 'Trophy Day'. IIRC, apart from the Carlton replica, I remember Astra GT/E, Nova and Manta 400 rally cars (or show car versions of them?) being on display

Edited by Kevan, 11 May 2010 - 21:27.

[vekspeed]

Hi Guys, Im new here! just thought I'd add my recently scanned Thundersaloon photos.

[MotorsportARTIST]

Hi guys, what a fantastic thread!! Thundersaloons were just about the most incredible series I've seen!
This could be the place to find out what ever happened to BTCC and Thundersaloons racer Lawrence Bristrow and if he's still about peddling something in some series?

[Rich309]

Hi I am new to the forum but have been following this thread for a while.

I thought I'd join as I had a couple of interesting points I thought I would share.

I found some info on the black 309 of the Morris Brothers, the car was far more advanced than I had assumed, it was based on suspension and running gear from a Group C Tiga 87/88 which totally suprised me, I assumed it was built around Manta running gear like the 205.

It's a shame it got wrecked but I'm told it does exist still in a part rebuilt state.

I'm hoping for futher info on it and if I get that and they are ok with me to share the details I shall add them on here.

I also noticed this for sale too

http://www.touringca...etails.php?id=4

[Falcadore]

Brockie himself told me that the car he drove at Goodwood just before he died was the same car that Dealer Sport had run, and it had been sent back to Oz and lots of money lavished on it to get it back to original spec.

Andrew Duerden
Archivist
Vauxhall Motorsport & Heritage

It was. It now sits in the Champion collection in Yeppon, incorrectly stickered up as the 05 Bathurst winner. It was in fact the second placed 25 car.

[simonlewisbooks]

Hi guys, what a fantastic thread!! Thundersaloons were just about the most incredible series I've seen!
This could be the place to find out what ever happened to BTCC and Thundersaloons racer Lawrence Bristrow and if he's still about peddling something in some series?

BPR GT team GTC (Gulf /EMKA/Davidof McLaren) used to run from a workshop on the Bristow family estate in Surrey. For a while the RS500 was sat in the shop on stands in it's later Thundersaloons livery along with a couple of other cars (including a rather nice Ferrari 275GTB I seem to recall ) that all seemed to be owned by Lawrence and the ex Cane/Cordy British F3000 series Lolas which several years before had been run for Julian Westwood. They were literally shrink-wrapped in component form.
It appeared Lawrence was more involved in the family helecopter business than in motor sport by then(late 90s).

[bigears]

Does anyone have any information about Rod Birley's demo run at the Birmingham Superprix track rehearsal in 1986 when he drove a Ford Sierra XR4Ti?

Anything? Thank you.

[mdswat]

Hi Guys, Im new here! just thought I'd add my recently scanned Thundersaloon photos.

any engine bay shots of the senator?

[Tim Wilkinson]

I found some info on the black 309 of the Morris Brothers, the car was far more advanced than I had assumed, it was based on suspension and running gear from a Group C Tiga 87/88 which totally suprised me, I assumed it was built around Manta running gear like the 205.

It's a shame it got wrecked but I'm told it does exist still in a part rebuilt state.

I'm hoping for futher info on it and if I get that and they are ok with me to share the details I shall add them on here.

I also noticed this for sale too

http://www.touringca...etails.php?id=4

The 309 was a very advanced car. I had been led to believe it was wrecked at the end of '92, and never rebuilt, but I've found a news story from mid '93 saying that Danny was debuting his long-awaited 309 - with a Cosworth engine, and with Gary Broomfield driving instead of Ricky. Very bizarre! It's almost as if they had it mixed up with the McMillan car. It's something I need to check out further.

That ex-McMillan 309 is up for sale at the moment.

I'm still hoping to come across full results sheets (outside of the Rolling Thunder years of '88 to '91) and any programmes or other info.

[RobCompton]

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item1c15836719

I seem to remember this car, did it run in Thundersaloons, or was it just Formula Saloons.

I have the Belmont all back together at last! I'll be out testing on Tuesday 28th Sept at Snetterton now I've got some Michelins for it.

[Tim Wilkinson]

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item1c15836719

I seem to remember this car, did it run in Thundersaloons, or was it just Formula Saloons.

I have the Belmont all back together at last! I'll be out testing on Tuesday 28th Sept at Snetterton now I've got some Michelins for it.

Glad to hear that, Rob. Good luck!

ebay seller is Andrewmac. Andrew Mackenzie? He of BTCC 405 and Mod Prod XR4i..... I reckon that Mr Weyman on the other place will know more about this one.....

There was a Monza out in the early days, late 80s (Nick Crocker, I think). Not sure if this is what happened to it.

[Gregor Marshall]

Joe Ward raced one and the rear looks very similar - it was Dad's Prod Saloon Monza originally.
I can't remember if Dave Cook built Dad's - I think he built Tony Lanfranchi's original Monza that was raced in Group 1/A and also in Group N.

[Phil Rainford]

Mallory Park yesterday

















PAR

[simonlewisbooks]

Mallory Park yesterday








PAR

Don't they look the bloody business?

I was hoping the Castle Combe Open Saloon series would tempt a few of them out to play.
Vince Woodman's RS3100 appeared last time but ended up on the Open GT grid due to a total lack of other entries in the Saloons.

[alansart]

Don't they look the bloody business?

They sounded it as well

[Phil Rainford]

Don't they look the bloody business?

I was hoping the Castle Combe Open Saloon series would tempt a few of them out to play.
Vince Woodman's RS3100 appeared last time but ended up on the Open GT grid due to a total lack of other entries in the Saloons.

PAR

[simonlewisbooks]

PAR

Lovely stuff......

On the subject of sound...anyone take any video?

[alansart]

Lovely stuff......

On the subject of sound...anyone take any video?

Edited by alansart, 01 July 2011 - 10:38.

[Alan Cox]

Mallory Park Thundersaloons 10th May 1987

John Cleland/Vince Woodman Carlton

[Phil Rainford]

Mallory Park Thundersaloons 10th May 1987

John Cleland/Vince Woodman Carlton


[

Struggling to see what beat it to pole position......is it the RX7?


PAR

Edited by Phil Rainford, 01 July 2011 - 18:18.

[Alan Cox]

Struggling to see what beat it to pole position......is it the RX7?

Loks like a four-door to me. Rover?

[Kevan]

Loks like a four-door to me. Rover?

Looks like it might be a Rover to me as well. White car, with a #2 in the race number- Could it be Jim Mensley's Rover?

http://i4.photobucke...26071987011.jpg

Edited by Kevan, 01 July 2011 - 21:49.

[Kevan]

Great to see and hear them again- proper cars, that brings back a few memories!

[Tim Wilkinson]

Looks like it might be a Rover to me as well. White car, with a #2 in the race number- Could it be Jim Mensley's Rover?

http://i4.photobucke...26071987011.jpg

It was indeed the Mensley / Eaton Rover.

I'm sure the reunion will be fantastic, I think there's only one thing that could keep me away. A honeymoon is optional, right......?

[Jonmrbean]

I was on flickr the other day doing some uploads & found this.

http://www.flickr.co...q=thundersaloon

Some nice pics of Thundersaloons. Oh and its so nice to see these old cars on the track again.

Jon

Edited by Jonmrbean, 14 August 2011 - 11:14.

[mscheeres]

I have recently received two television broadcasts of the 1988 season, both are from Brands Hatch. Would perhaps anybody else have any televized rounds of this series?

[racing59]

Many of these cars are out racing in the CSCC Special Saloons series (next year to be called the CSCC Special Saloons and Modsports series). I (almost) have the Belmont ironed out!! and have managed a class win (in a seriously wet race at Snetterton last weekend! - who says beastly powerful cars can't shine in the wet!!)

 

Hopefully even more cars will be out next year.