Fang - Budget Racer

[aggie57]

So here you are Jim, recovered from the archives and scanned for your perusal    

It was a 1975 GT which we bought from a rather suspect dealer with a dodgy RWC for a bit over a grand.  We "built" it (rather grand term for what was essentially a clean up, paint job and suspension job) in Dave Crump's carport in Balwyn.  It's first event was a 24-hr relay at Winton, as previously mentioned, followed by many AROCA events in the early 90's, several 6-hr relays both here and in Sydney and finally a couple of state rounds which Dave used it in.  Initially we both owned it but he bought me out when I converted my GTV6 into a track car in 1996.

As far as mods went, to start with it was simply stripped with one of Vin's suspension sets (30mm torsion bars, rear springs, front sway bar and some decent revalved Koni's).  Funny thing was that it's ride on the road was actually very good.  We quickly added a full roll cage - best thing you can ever do with an old car for performance as it stiffens the shell and allows you to tune the suspension properly   - an adjustable rear bar, LSD, some better brakes and a few minor things.  

It was always registered and apart from the odd away event it was always driven to the track.  Trailers and tow cars were a luxury we couldn't justify.  Likewise mainly we ran it on second hand R's bought from Stuckey's or other more affluent club members.  .At one stage I think we put some slicks on it but that's rather vague memory wise. The engine went from a standard 1.6 to a very very mild 2.0.  I think we did put it on Beninca's dyno but I can't recall the number.

Sadly it ended its days on the back of a flatbed stripped of all the good things.  The only panels on it of any value in the end really were the doors.  But it was a hell of a lot of fun.  David and I both ran it and being slightly competitive we both thrashed it madly just to get that 10th or two ahead of the other at every event.  Without doubt the best fun I have ever had on the track

[MD]

Without doubt the best fun I have ever had on the track

Haahha- Naturally. It's a transaxle. 

[Dna Dave]

I do like the gt's,

Nice looking car, pity it's not still going,

What's funny is, as I read your post I couldn't help thinking of which one of my past race alfa's I had the most fun with ( and there's been at least 8 of them off the top of my head ) and I came up with the sports sedan which Birks used to campaign, and there it is in the back ground of the second photo in the garage shoot.

Cheers
Dave

[aggie57]

I do like the gt's,

Nice looking car, pity it's not still going,

What's funny is, as I read your post I couldn't help thinking of which one of my past race alfa's I had the most fun with ( and there's been at least 8 of them off the top of my head ) and I came up with the sports sedan which Birks used to campaign, and there it is in the back ground of the second photo in the garage shoot.

Cheers
Dave

That was a great car.  Tended to chew transaxles if I remember right - but so did several of the early serious Alfetta race cars.

We stayed with Mike one year at the NSW 6-Hr - could well have been the year that photo was taken.  I don't have any photo's of his car from those days but I did find this one of Harry Lewis taken at one of the Winton 6-Hr events in the eighties.  Old track of course and (really) old paddock!

[jimnielsen]

Its a shame its not still 'going around', Alister - but I know where you can get a nice GTV body to commence a new 'fang' !

[aggie57]

Its a shame its not still 'going around', Alister - but I know where you can get a nice GTV body to commence a new 'fang' !

Yes, now you can see why it's there!

[alfa duk]

 Pretty sure that lewis 105 is sitting at  manning motors Brookvale, rob brought it to a concorse a few years back still looking like that picture.