1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

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IndianaJones
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1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by IndianaJones » Sun 26 Apr 2015, 15:37

Formula Atlantic - 11 February 1978 - Goldfields Raceway

Tony Viana Fiat 131, Dave Charlton Mazda

George Santana Datsun 1200 GX
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Last edited by IndianaJones on Sun 26 Apr 2015, 15:43, edited 1 time in total.

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IndianaJones
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Re: 1978 Group 1 Production car racing

Post by IndianaJones » Sun 26 Apr 2015, 15:42

High Veld 100 - 4 February 1978 - Kyalami

Eddie Keizan BMW 530, Jan Hettema Datsun 140Y

Sarel van der Merwe Ford Cortina 3.0S
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IndianaJones
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by IndianaJones » Fri 01 May 2015, 14:26

1978 South African Grand Prix - February 1978 - Kyalami

Sarel van der Merwe Ford Cortina 3.0S, Dave Charlton Mazda Capella
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IndianaJones
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by IndianaJones » Fri 01 May 2015, 14:42

1978 BMW 530 race team
Eddie Keizan (driver), Ivan Groenewald & Theo Mbatha (preparation)
Paddy Driver (driver), Roy Baskin & Moses Nthroane (preparation)
New Zealander Dave Walton (development engineer)
Murray Difford (BMW liaison manager)
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Can-Am ZN
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by Can-Am ZN » Fri 01 May 2015, 15:37

IndianaJones wrote:1978 South African Grand Prix - February 1978 - Kyalami

Sarel van der Merwe Ford Cortina 3.0S, Dave Charlton Mazda Capella
Those 3.0S' must've been a handful on the track for Super Van...mine certainly was! 8O
Gavin

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"The sad reality about the uneducated is that they don't know that they don't know." - Me

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Can-Am ZN
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by Can-Am ZN » Fri 01 May 2015, 15:38

IndianaJones wrote:1978 BMW 530 race team
Eddie Keizan (driver), Ivan Groenewald & Theo Mbatha (preparation)
Paddy Driver (driver), Roy Baskin & Moses Nthroane (preparation)
New Zealander Dave Walton (development engineer)
Murray Difford (BMW liaison manager)
Yes, the almost forgotten MLE...until recently :mrgreen:

I almost bought one from Uli Sane a few years ago..
Gavin

1974 Chev Can-Am 302
1991 BMW 325iS Evolution (SOLD)


"The sad reality about the uneducated is that they don't know that they don't know." - Me

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FPT
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by FPT » Fri 01 May 2015, 16:17

See the body roll, spotlights not even removed as weight reduction! Great pics!

They sure would have been a handfull around the track. Sidewalls on tires wearing more than the actual thread 8O :D
Greetings
André

There is no Replacement for Displacement!!!

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IndianaJones
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by IndianaJones » Sat 02 May 2015, 12:09

At the start of 1978 there was a lot of interest in the Group 1 Production class racing from manufacturers with entries from Ford, Mazda, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, etc. Supervan was quite eager to develop the 3.0S into a better race car at the time. Even Ian Scheckter were to race a Cortina from mid year.

Apparently it was the first Ford back on the track after a 6 year absence, also at the races after the SA Grand Prix, the first official Ford win, on track since 1970. Being a heavy car, the tyres did suffer a lot on the 3.0S, apparently the wheels tore around the wheelstuds, they did switch to a lower profile tyre later on, with a stiffer compound. The Cortina's rotating assembly was balanced, and engine rebuilt to maximum compression. Silencers could be removed.

But the series was plagued by problems, objection was made against the Fiat 131 for not yet having sold 500 units, and having perspex windows, etc. Then 5 front runners was disqualified at the Cape Town event , as the cars did not comform to specs. 10 front runners crashed at the start of the PE event.

Ford then pulled out after a disagreement about how the AA enforced the rules, and turned focus to the super production class(Silhouette), endurance events and Zakspeed Escorts.

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IndianaJones
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by IndianaJones » Sun 31 May 2015, 19:42

Winter races Port Elizabeth 1978
Willie Hepburn (Mazda Capella)
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IndianaJones
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Re: 1978 Group 1 & Modified Production car racing

Post by IndianaJones » Fri 05 Jun 2015, 17:50

sidedraught posted a color photo of the last pic in this series in Can-Am ZN's homologation special thread.
But this is the lead up to it...
Was at a October 1978 Kyalami race, involving Dave Charlton's Mazda Capella and Sarel vd Merwe's Cortina 3.0S.
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Wiel1178_KyalamiOkt.jpg
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