20 replies to this topic

[NeilR]

It is with regret that I post the news that John Peter Holinger sadly passed away on the weekend. Peter was a very enthusiastic hill climber and self taught engineer who started modifying gearboxes to fund his own motorsport passion. He became so good at this that his gearboxes have an unsurpassed reputation in Australia, equipping every V8 supercar and many cars before that. This reputation and engineering excellence was even accepted by the Porsche factory, with his gearsets being used in all of the GT3RS and GT3RSR cars sold - replacing the usual Getrag components. The latest work from Holinger was used in Formula One, but all Australian's who met him will recall a quiet, enthusiast who really love his motorsport. My condolences go out to his family and close friends.
Neil Roshier, Race Magazine.

[Ian G]

Sad...RIP.

[275 GTB-4]

An old school engineer that all Australians can be proud/should be proud of RIP

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 06 November 2009 - 08:10.

[Ray Bell]

Having many years ago met Peter and watched he and his wife at work, I have to say they were meticulous and dedicated to their task...

Peter kept abreast of modern design trends and was at the forefront of anything he felt he could do in his field. This is why his work is esteemed.

Prior to moving into the total gearbox construction, he used to make replacement gears for everything that moved and modify road gearboxes for race work, both simple and totally complicated modifications being within his grasp.

Once he was the supplier of large numbers of complete gearboxes, he gave up on the minor work and passed that over to others.

Like his gearbox work, his hillclimb car was immaculate and used to the full.

I don't know how old Peter was, but I'd be guessing late seventies. I'm sure that will come out some time soon, however.

Too young, as we always reflect...

[Fred.R]

Repco Holinger

Peter was involved in the machining of the Repco F1 engines, then moved of to gear box work, there are alot of race cars in australia still running on holinger gears

Peter was tradesman of the first order

P.S. proud to have some of his work in my cars

Edited by Fred.R, 06 November 2009 - 22:56.

[jeremy durward]

Very sad to hear, we were only talking about him a couple of weeks ago at collingrove where he still holds the record in over 5000 formula libre.

[Paul Hamilton]

Peter was a gentleman with a quiet disposition but he became a real tiger when the chips were down at a hillclimb. He won the Australian Hillclimb Championship four times between 1976 and 1988 and the title was well deserved on each occasion. He will be sadly missed.

[plannerpower]

Peter Holinger was one of my hillclimb heroes; here he is in the Holinger Vincent at Silverdale on 24 Jul 66;

[tania34]

Repco Holinger

Peter was involved in the machining of the Repco F1 engines, then moved of to gear box work, there are alot of race cars in australia still running on holinger gears

Peter was tradesman of the first order

P.S. proud to have some of his work in my cars

Hi Fred,
Is that a photo from Collingrove?
I well remember that car from the 70's.
Peter was a lovely man.
Did you make it to Lobethal? It was a great weekend and the cars looked and sounded fantastic.
Tania

[fredeuce]

Sad news. I always enjoyed watching Peter race his Hollinger Repco at Collingrove.

Is this car still campaigned in hillclimbing?

[jeremy durward]

Sad news. I always enjoyed watching Peter race his Hollinger Repco at Collingrove.

Is this car still campaigned in hillclimbing?

we were talking to Kym Rorlach...(i don't think thats how its spelt) at the states and he had just seen Peter a few weeks before, he said the car is under a cover stored away somewhere as it last ran but starting to be attacked by mice etc. hopefully someone takes an interest and we can see it out competing again soon

[Ray Bell]

That would be Rohrlach...

How is his wife?

[Fred.R]

Yes Tania it is Collingrove, dry and dusty so later in the year, australian championship mid to early 80's maybe ? long time ago and i did not mark the photos, no did not get to Lobethal but did get to the elfin get together that i enjoyed

Jeremy are the mice eating Rohrlach or Holinger's car , neither have been out for a while

Edited by Fred.R, 09 November 2009 - 07:47.

[tania34]

That would be Rohrlach...

How is his wife?

Ray, Wendy is fine, i saw her at Collingrove last month.
hard at work in the canteen as usual, you can't keep a great worker down. She has been doing that job for over 30 years.

[Ray Bell]

Sorry, Tania... I've been a bit loose with my question...

I meant Peter Holinger's wife. I photographed her once cutting gears, pics used in the series we did on the then-new single cam F2 back in '77.

[thunder427]

RIP Peter Holinger................a short story!!!
Having been entrusted with the restoration of the Bob Jane ZL1 Camaro,I thoroughly researched the cars History and Myths,this was not a 'Breeze' as one might think,but there was a wonderful story that kept running through the disscussions about a 'Trick' 4speed gearbox that was created in the depths of Bob Jane Racing.

Alloy 427/500+HP apparently, from my research, had a tendancy to split 'Muncie' gearboxes,there is a wonderful story around the construction,development,the disguissing and the subsequint 'Gifting (inc 427 Engine) to the late/great Frank Gardner,but another time

I rang Peter Holinger,explained what I was trying to achieve,"Sir,would you still have the'Blueprints' to build me a gearbox,for the Bob's Camaro"??????''

Peter subjested I should ring back in a couple of weeks,at that time I think Peter may have been relocating factories,but he did subjest I should find a 'GOOD/ M22 Muncie' for the 'Project',A month later I called back and Peter advised me that in the very bottom of the bottom draw of his 'Original' filing cabinet,was the 'Blueprint',I had the M22 delivered to his facillity,with in 8/10weeks it was back in my care,price was excellent,the 'box' was very professionally presented,like 'New'!!!!I rang Peter to 'thank' him and was there anything I should do in its install....."just bolt it in,it will work fine".....I explained that we had aquired a 'Genuine NHRA approved 'ANSEN' Bell Housing/Scatter shield,which he thought was an excellent'Combination.....also subjested that Bob Had had a flywheel 'let go',had the Camaro been 'Right Drive',Peter explained Bob would have incurred some horriffic injuries to his legs.

This all aside,we now flash forward to the day ('a very special day') that I got Bob in to the ;'Drivers seat' at Calder Park,Bob cut a couple of tenitive laps,pulled up short of our track position and just sat in the Camaro,I went over to the window to check every thing was 'AOK'..."Myles (and Bob grabs you on the shoulder with a vice like grip) when we first built this Camaro we had so much Horse power it just 'ate'Muncies for lunch,You understand,so I got Peter Holinger,do you Know Peter?, to build me a 'SPECIAL' box,One of the first g/boxes Peter made,I guess, it was just Bullitproof , we gave it to Frank Gardner to take to England,so I'm just a little tenitve with my new toy'!!!

'Well Bob Guess what!!!! ,Under that gear shift sits a brand new 'HOLINGER'/M22 Muncie with a genuine 'Ansen' Bell housing/scattershield."
I used to own the 'ANSEN' company,did you know that????........So Peter built this Gearbox???
'Yes Bob ,so stand on it" !!!!!......Well, we couldnt get Bob out of the Camaro for the rest of the day and thinking about it, since!!!!!!!!!!!!and if you were at the 2008 Muscle Car Masters'you'll agree, Bob gives it plenty!!

Peter put a Smile of confidence on Bob's face that afternoon,that I shall remember for ever ......Peter 'Thank You' ........a 'Legend of True Australian Inginuity'..............regards427

[Ray Bell]

Thanks, Miles...

When I did the story on that Camaro for Motor Racing Australia I divulged all about that gearbox. I first heard about it at Lakeside from John Leffler, so it was no secret that the big 7-litre engine was driving through non-standard gears. John didn't even race in that class, at the time he was in either Minis or the first of his FFs.

But John told me it was a Ford box. Later, as I was gathering the information for the story (much later, 30 years later!) it was probably you or another member of the team who gave me the full story. How Ron Harrop got involved, how Peter did the gears and so on.

[2Bob]

I meant Peter Holinger's wife. I photographed her once cutting gears, pics used in the series we did on the then-new single cam F2 back in '77.

How Ron Harrop got involved, how Peter did the gears and so on.

Ray,

I think that the first quote above is the more correct one!

I was with Jim Doig when he went to see Peter to get some nice heavy duty gears for a Ford box in his (racing) Lotus 7 in the late 1960s. The workshop was in the back shed at Peter's house as I remember it and Peter's wife was busily cutting gears while Peter talked to us.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, it was an industrious little place when I was there...

They cast their own selector forks and stuff as well.

[jeremy durward]

Yes Tania it is Collingrove, dry and dusty so later in the year, australian championship mid to early 80's maybe ? long time ago and i did not mark the photos, no did not get to Lobethal but did get to the elfin get together that i enjoyed

Jeremy are the mice eating Rohrlach or Holinger's car , neither have been out for a while

Holingers car... i don't think Kym has looked at his since the last australian championships held in sa... about 5 years now, so maybe his too

[Lee Nicolle]

Repco Holinger

Peter was involved in the machining of the Repco F1 engines, then moved of to gear box work, there are alot of race cars in australia still running on holinger gears

Peter was tradesman of the first order

P.S. proud to have some of his work in my cars

Is that Bob Jolly standing behind Peters car in the blue driving suit?
Bob died reasonably young a few years back from some terrible disease and was a good engineeer too.