22 replies to this topic

[island]

Hi!
The Lotus 70-Ford (alternating with a F1
March 701-2.5DFV) Amon ran in the 1971 Tasman
Cup was probably no match for the Mclaren
M10B or the Lola T192. But at Warwick Farm
he finished second only ten seconds behind
Gardner after 45 laps. Did you see that race,
Ray? Why did he run so well there? Did the
Farm just suit the Lotus?

[Keir]

Chris could have driven a dog sled to second place!!!!
Nothing against Gardner and co., but Chris was, for the most part, on vacation after his '69 efforts in the Tasman.

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"I Was Born Ready"

[Ray Bell]

My home circuit? You don't have to ask!
Reading the report, I conclude that there was a deal between Gardner and Brabham, the latter dropping the flag to start the race. Matich was thus left at the start (Brabham brought the flag down very quickly...) as Jack's mate shot away. Matich set off in chase and worked Gardner hard, but his engine failed.
That was lap 30, and this left Amon in second place just nine seconds behind. That, to my way of thinking, shows that the pace at the front had been well managed by Gardner. The curious thing was Allen, who had stormed through the NZ races and was here on his home turf getting nowhere - just managing to hold off Bartlett, driving the awkward Franklen/Mildren F5000, and McRae, who never did well at the Farm. Allen's inability to sort the mess out was a mystery, but it worked to Amon's advantage. There were spins (Lawrence in the Ferrari, McRae, Allen etc), other retirements (Lawrence, Geoghegan etc) and it panned out with Gardner loafing to the line with a fastest lap of 1:25.1 compared to his practice time of 1:25.4 and Matich's pole time of 1:24.4.
I think it was just a steady drive on a day when the others went poorly. And I meant it when I said it looks like Gardner had a deal with Brabham - there were cars on the grid still in neutral when the flag came down.

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Life and love are mixed with pain...

[charles r]

Could someone pouint me in the right direction to find good quality photographs of Amon's drives in F5000 both in Australia and the US?
Much appreciated.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by charles r
Could someone pouint me in the right direction to find good quality photographs of Amon's drives in F5000 both in Australia and the US?
Much appreciated.

You've got all the New Zealand photos you want then?

[charles r]

Originally posted by David McKinney

You've got all the New Zealand photos you want then?

Grievous omission - apologies - Should have read:- especially NZ photos...

[raceannouncer2003]

You've seen post 12 here?

http://forums.autosp...&highlight=Lola

Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada

[charles r]

I have - thank you.

[roger saretzki]

i think the 1971 march was prepared by mc namara . are there any infos availible??????????

regards , roger

[Keir]

Vince Granatelli prepared the MARCH.

[Ray Bell]

So now we know that island was seeking this information so he could write a book... how much of my reply got into it?

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

This one is strictly from memory of 30-odd years ago, chaps, so forgive me if I've got it wrong.

This is the kind of thing that really inspires confidence in one's crew.

I subscribed to Autoweek & CP back in the late 60's to the late 70's. In the Tasman coverage one year for F5000 cars, I seem to recall that Chris drove a Lotus 70 with V-8 Ford power. As I recall it, there was trouble trying to fit the power unit at the race track...nothing like coming prepared! To get the chassis motor mounts to match up with the V-8, the crew dumped the tub into a doorway of some structure, employed a hydraulic hand jack with the base against one door jamb and had the business end of the jack bending the tub to suit. At least one photo accompanied the piece.

[Ray Bell]

I find that strange...

Didn't that car run previously out here with the Ford engine? With David Walker driving?

[David McKinney]

And in the Northern Hemisphere before that
But you know what they say - don't let the facts spoil a good story

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
I find that strange...

Didn't that car run previously out here with the Ford engine? With David Walker driving?

Ray, which Ford engine . ??

[Manfred Cubenoggin]

Hi, Ray.

As I mentioned, I could have this little tidbit wrong but I'm 99% certain of it. It was such a wierd scenario c/w a least one pix of the crew working in the doorway that I just couldn't forget it. Hey, maybe Chrissie didn't even know of this 'custom fitting'!

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by cosworth bdg
Ray, which Ford engine . ??

A 302 V8, Peter...

[Bob Riebe]

What ever was wrong with the Amon set-up--Follmer took a similar Boss 302 powered car to several victories in the US, with carbs, not fuel injeciton.

[David McKinney]

What was wrong with the Amon set-up, Bob, was that competition in the Tasman series was tougher than Follmer had faced in North America. Follmer was usually faster than John Cannon in the 1970 North American races, as was Amon in the 1971 Tasman. But entries in the latter series also included - amongst others - McRae, Matich and Allen in McLarens, all of whom were invariably faster.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by David McKinney
What was wrong with the Amon set-up, Bob, was that competition in the Tasman series was tougher than Follmer had faced in North America. Follmer was usually faster than John Cannon in the 1970 North American races, as was Amon in the 1971 Tasman. But entries in the latter series also included - amongst others - McRae, Matich and Allen in McLarens, all of whom were invariably faster.

I would give you that but at that point in time, well actually any poiint in time, the small block Boss engine had a decided horsepower advantage over Chevy.
Unless Follmer was a genius making a lessor chassis run up front, and if Amon is as good as they say, he should have had an advantage.

Back in the day, Comp. Press & Autoweek sorta marveled at what Follmer did with an unsorted car; if only Ford had not quit racing, considering he also beat Donohue and the Penske Lola.

[David McKinney]

I never quite understood the Ford horsepower figures. At the time the Chevrolet was turning aorund 450bhp, maybe 475 for a good one, against the claimed 505 of the Ford, but in spite of Follmer's successes in 1970 he certainly didn't have a clear advantage. I think I've read somewhere recently - can't find it at the moment - that the Ford's shortcoming was in its performance characteristics - narrow power band or inferior torque - or was it weight?
Whatever the reason, if the Ford was as good as you're saying, Bob, why didn't it clean up in North America in 1971?

[Ray Bell]

We had the comment, David, that Brabham's Boss Mustang engine didn't suit Australian circuits because of its narrow power band...

But that shouldn't have bothered a F5000 with its lighter weight and endless ratio choices.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by David McKinney
I never quite understood the Ford horsepower figures. At the time the Chevrolet was turning aorund 450bhp, maybe 475 for a good one, against the claimed 505 of the Ford, but in spite of Follmer's successes in 1970 he certainly didn't have a clear advantage. I think I've read somewhere recently - can't find it at the moment - that the Ford's shortcoming was in its performance characteristics - narrow power band or inferior torque - or was it weight?
Whatever the reason, if the Ford was as good as you're saying, Bob, why didn't it clean up in North America in 1971?

Because Ford pulled out of racing.
AMC did not and the Trans-Am showed the results, especially the lacking of the Chevy in 71-72.
Ford still won a few and a well prepared Pontiac, won one.

The Ford did not come alive until 4,000 rpm. Ford Trans-Am racers complained about this and were told, "gear it so it does not drop below, 4,000 rpm".

I used to drive a Boss, and if you could cruise the highway at, at least, apprx. 80 mph, everything improved dramatically, engine sound, engine smoothness and mileage by about 3 miles per gallon.