17 replies to this topic

[SJ Lambert]

I'm away from my F5000 reference books at the moment, but it's fair to say that Vern Schuppan had the use of an MR8 both in Australia and the US. Vern certainly ran one Stateside in single seater Can-Am guise. I think both in "cycle guard fender" style and also with a full "MS7" nose to tail flat top body cover style.

The MR8 was a fairly competitive car through to the end of F5000 - Dider Pironi was the first non F1 car home in an MR8 at the Australian GP at Calder in 1980.

1979 saw John Bowe as runner up in a MR8 to John Walker in a Lola T332 at the Grand Prix at Wanneroo.

1978 saw Vern Schuppan put a MR8 3rd on the AGP grid at Sandown before coming together with Jon Davison on lap 27.

Vern placed one fifth and Garrie Cooper was sixth in the 1977 AGP at Oran Park - the pair of them having qualified at a similar pace to Kevin Bartlett in a Lola T332.

Vern came second to John Goss in the 1976 AGP at Sandown, Goss having qualified his Matich A53 3rd on the grid and Vern having put the MR8 on the front row alongside Max Stewart's Lola T400.

Here's Vern readying to do a few laps at Mallala courtesy of Bill Hemming at this year's historic meeting.

I'll have to rely on someone else to turn up the RCN MR8 "scoop"!!!

Flashback to the seventies

Edited by SJ Lambert, 27 December 2017 - 03:56.

[ellrosso]

I'll have a crack at the MR8 "scoop" James!

[E1pix]

Thanks for the thread, James, and to you and Lindsay both for the great images!

 

I've been thinking more on this, though not suggesting that any duration much helps…  …but I don't think the MR8 ran here in F5000 guise. As James said, it did run here in Can-Am II (single-seater Can-Am), with some success, in both 1978 and '79. It was sponsored by Wendy's Hamburgers at least one of those years.

 

Worth a check but I think it podiumed in a race and had several more Top 5s.

 

Great photos, a trip down F5000 Lane pretty much beats all. 

[Tim Murray]

Here are the listings for the Can-Am version of the car on the Racing Sports Cars site:

http://www.racingspo.../Elfin/MR8.html

[Sisyphus]

Here are a couple of poor shots of the Elfin in Can-Am guise I shot at Riverside in 1979, assuming I've correctly followed the instructions.

 

This shot shows Vern from the inside of turn 6:

 

https://s26.postimg....an_Elfin_T6.jpg

 

 

This shot in the pits shows the boxes riveted on the outside of the F5000 tub to widen the body and fair into the side radiators.  I don't recall whether some specified deformable structure was required by the Can-Am2 rules.

 

https://s26.postimg...._Am_in_pits.jpg

 

 

Gerry

 

[E1pix]

They are viewable if you click the links, great memories!

 

We saw the car only 2,200 miles from you!

 

 

But on a personal note, the hand-painted pinstriping just makes me sad. 

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Sisyphus
Here are a couple of poor shots of the Elfin in Can-Am guise I shot at Riverside in 1979, assuming I've correctly followed the instructions.
 
This shot shows Vern from the inside of turn 6:
 

 
 
This shot in the pits shows the boxes riveted on the outside of the F5000 tub to widen the body and fair into the side radiators.  I don't recall whether some specified deformable structure was required by the Can-Am2 rules.
 

As far as we're concerned here in Australia, Can-Am pics of these cars are very rare...

Thank you. Oh, and you choose 'Hotlink for forums' when posting.

[SJ Lambert]

https://youtu.be/f1Pg4JlAhFI

Front row start for Vern in the MR8 at this 1977 Sandown Rothmans series race

[ellrosso]

Very interesting clip James, I'd forgotten the dice between AJ and Gethin in the opening laps. Gethin really gathered him up in braking and cornering but I'm sure that motor AJ had was a lot more powerful than anyone else that year.

[cooper997]

A bit of advertising from the early 80s

 

Stephen

[ellrosso]

Garrie Cooper Sandown Feb 1977 Tasman (Rothmans or whatever) round.

[E1pix]

https://youtu.be/f1Pg4JlAhFI

Front row start for Vern in the MR8 at this 1977 Sandown Rothmans series race

 

Medical advice for anyone with too low a heart rate: F5000!!!!!!     

[JacnGille]

Medical advice for anyone with too low a heart rate: F5000!!!!!!     

Or Gilles Villeneuve on Youtube.  

[E1pix]

Nice catch. :-)

[ellrosso]

Just found a few more of the MR8.

[Lee Nicolle]

A bit of advertising from the early 80s

 

Stephen

Being pedantic, the add says most racing drivers depend on Girlock,, in reality it should refer to race teams as at that level the majority of drivers are driving for teams.

And ofcourse in those days at that level Girlock were probably the biggest name  in race pads.clutches etc.

Which generally had little comparison to road car stuff.

many adds of the late 60s and 70 gave the same inference.

[E1pix]

My favorite is along the lines of "I choose Texaco" when Texaco is a primary sponsor on the bloody car!

[GMACKIE]

Like this:-