1968 Bathurst

www.facebook.com/share/v/1BoNUiEcQa/

I've watched a few of these highlights lately. Never that early on that they could nominate just one driver to do the whole race

They had to have two drivers but the second driver only had to do one lap. I think the 1968 winner drove all but one.

15 minute brake changes and 5 minute standard pit stop.

Bathurst full brake change a few years ago. Average  time 2025 was 15 seconds.



Hard to believe but F1 four full wheel changes 1.8 seconds!






 

The 1968 film is awesome, fancy thinking a Hillman Imp or a Citroen DS could be competitive in the Bathurst race

Back in the 60's my Dad had sold his Gold Coast Holden dealership and took up a job as Manager of Neales Motors in Melbourne (the Rootes/Chrysler distributor). They decided to dabble in motor sport and had some success with a Hillman Hunter in rallys. They the came up with Imp GT. On paper it was quicker than the Mini Cooper S.

The old man knew everyone in motor racing and I remember going out to Sandown with him when he gave a GT Imp to Norm Beechey to try out.. He was quite a large man but appeared pretty impressed with the Imp. Beechey hopped out of his famous Holdens for a few races giving the Minis a bit of competition. I think his personal weight and very aggressive driving style was a test for the Imp and very soon Chrysler/Rootes reality struck and they figured out motor racing at high level was a bottomless pit for money so went back to doing what they did well, selling mainstream cars to the general public.

They did go back to racing with the mighty Valiant Charger in which Doug Chivas came third at Bathurst in 1972.

Did the Hillman Imp win any races?
Bill McGovern's Championship winning Hillman Imp 🚙 🏁 McGovern is best known for becoming the first person to win three British Touring Car Championship (then known as the British Saloon Car Championship) driver titles. His beloved Hillman Imp won in 1970, 1971 and won all 12 stages in 1972.

Here is an Imp destroying the Minis at Brands Hatch

www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2242977379087450

I hate to disagree with you, but one Mr Brock would be unhappy to hear that after 50 odd years they took his win off him. Yes Brocky won in 1972.

The Charger never won Bathurst. They won a few other lesser races, but they just didn't have the backing or horsepower.

You are absolutely right. Doug Chivas got third - best they ever did at Bathurst behind the GTHO FAlcon and the Torana. Don't know where Alan Moffat thing popped up from. Thanks Zuffen I have corrected that.

Did Jim Richards carry the Charger torch with pretty good success, particularly in NZ?

I think this is where I got it ballsed up. There was a lot of other discussion in this article on Chargers but this is the Moffat reference.

In fact, Ford Australia sent Moffat to New Zealand in 1973 specifically to race his Falcon GTHO against the dominant local Chargers. After being beaten by Leo Leonard’s Charger at Wigram and Teretonga, Moffat praised the New Zealand cars, stating, "You New Zealanders have the fastest Chargers in the world, I just could not have gone any faster". 

I recall something about the UK govt. stuffing up when they forced Rootes to build a assembly plant in Scotland for the Imps. The Imps still have a following in the UK collector car scene.

Yes FR, The Iron Lady forced Rootes to open a new factory in Scotland to build the Imp. This was supposed to replace redundant ship building jobs. The  workers were unhappy and inexperienced in their new roles, displayed in the build quality.
The logistics of parts being made in England and shipped to Scotland also created financial and other problems.

A very good video on the Hillman Imp story.