Lot # : 45 - Marlboro Holden Dealer Team VB Commodore & CAMS

Year: 1979 Make: Holden Model: VB Commodore Body Type: Sedan Exterior Colour: Marlboro Team Racing Red, White & Black Interior Colour: Tan Transmission: Manual Engine Type: 308 V8 Build Date: 1979 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team (MHDT) VB Commodore. One of Australia’s most celebrated and record breaking Touring Cars. The Origins of this car go back to late 1979. The vehicle was constructed in November – December 1979 by the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team (MHDT) under the guidance of John Sheppard. The original specification of the car was a VB model and first seen testing at Calder Raceway in Mid December 1979. The vehicle first ran without guard flares, a makeshift front air dam and was also fitted with an A9X bonnet scoop. Being the first Commodore Group C built, it was used to develop and produce the “race and homologation specification for the CAMS. The HDT passed to Peter Brock’s ownership in early January 1980. Brock took over the entire team assets including the ‘prototype’ Commodore and its homologation duties to all other Commodore teams. The prototype was then to become the first MHDT racing Commodore. (For reference purposes only, we shall refer to the car as MHDT COMM 1, though this identification of MHDT chassis did not start until the build of the third chassis, the 1981 Bathurst car.) Peter Brock’s ‘new’ HDT, sponsored by Marlboro, was announced on Tuesday 28 February 1980 with the unveiling of the car alongside lead driver Peter Brock, newly appointed MHDT Team Manager Noel Richards and Chief Mechanic Bruce Nowacki. In its first (1980) season, Brock and the car won the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) and posted eight straight ‘pole positions’ (every round of the ATCC) to create a record that will possibly never be broken. It is also the only ‘Commodore’ to take an ATCC title in the “Group C era and it was another 14 years until a Commodore won the Australian Touring Car title (Skaife – 1994).The car was also on pole position (ninth straight Championship pole) then driven to victory in the 1980 “CRC 300? at Amaroo Park when, for the first time, Peter Brock and John Harvey co-drove together. In its history, the car was campaigned by an impressive list of drivers including some of the greats of Touring Car racing. Peter Brock (1980 ATCC) John Harvey, Allan Moffat, Ron Harrop, Clive Benson-Brown (1981 Bathurst “Rookie of the Year), Larry Perkins, Captain Peter Janson, Garry Rogers, Charlie O’Brien, Jim Keogh (1985 STP “Rookie of the Year), Bernie Stack, Wayne Clift, Terry Shiel, Ray Ellis, Bernie McClure, Geoff Munday and Kerry Baily. Overall, MHDT COMM 1 competed at seven Sandown Enduro’s and Bathurst 1000 races (1980 – 1986), another record in its own right, and a documented 63 race meetings over seven years. During its competition history, MHDT COMM 1 carried the livery of the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team #05 (ATCC 1980) and “1980 CRC 300, then as #76 for Harvey’s first MHDT Commodore drive at the AIR Endurance Championship round. MHDTCOMM 1 was the first car to carry the # 25 Marlboro “Special Mild livery for the Sandown and Bathurst races in 1980. In “private hands the livery of the “Launceston Hotel – Soundwave Disco’s, the “Northern Territory Tourist Commission, Fox FM and a world first on a car in competition, original art works by renown artists “Pro Hart and “Ruth Ellis adorning the bonnet and boot panels. From its first race as a “Group C VB Commodore, it was further presented in VC, VH, VH-SS and VK “Group A configurations. The MHDT sold the car to Clive Benson-Brown in early 1981 and it contested 1981 ATCC and Enduro events with Larry Perkins, Benson-Brown, Captain Peter Janson and Garry Rogers as drivers. In the 1981 Bathurst 1000, Garry Rogers was in the car, placed forth outright when they were involved in the “race stopping crash at McPhillamy Park. The Commodore was badly damaged suffering hits to both the front and rear ends. As the race was declared at the previous lap, Rogers and Benson-Brown were still credited with forth place. The car was then repaired in November ‘81 – January 1982. The car presented in a new white livery and as a “VH model, though later again as a “VC. BensonBrown contested most 1982 ATCC rounds and enlisted Charlie O’Brien to co-drive in the Enduro’s, now back to a VH, and its third Bathurst start finishing in 15th. For 1983, the car was rebuilt using a new VH shell and updates including rollcage, fuel tank and back to the “Soundwave black livery. Benson-Brown and Rogers ran the car in rounds of the 1983 ATCC and again co-drove at Sandown and Bathurst with a DNF at Sandown but another top 20 result at the Mountain in12th place. In 1984 Benson-Brown closed his team down and the “Soundwave Commodore was for sale. The car was purchased by Jim Keogh in late August to be the second entry for his 1984 Enduro team. Keogh had put together a two car team under the “Northern Territory – Fox FM banner running both his original Commodore (also ex MHDT car - MHDT COMM 2) and the ex-Benson-Brown car. The team drivers were Terry Sheil sharing with Keogh in his original car and Bernie Stack and Wayne Clift in the second (ex-Benson-Brown) car. At Sandown the lead car of Keogh/Sheil retired early and Keogh then joined Stack/Clift to bring MHDTCOMM 1 home in fifth place. At Bathurst, Keogh’s lead car retired on lap 17 and Stack/Clift endured gearbox problems to bring the car home in 19th. For 1985, the “Group A category was introduced for the Australian Touring Car Championships. Keogh converted the MHDT COMM 1 “Group C Commodore to the new Group A - VK specification. Keogh contested all but the first round of the 1985 ATCC scoring good results throughout and winning the ATCC “STP Rookie of the Year Award. The Commodore was then put on the market and subsequently purchased by Victorian Sports Sedan racer, Ray Ellis. Ray Ellis teamed with experienced Bathurst campaigner Bernie McClure to prepare the car for the 1985 Sandown and Bathurst Enduro’s. The car was presented in a most distinctive paint scheme. Predominantly white, the bonnet was painted by legendary artist Pro Hart, the boot lid by another name artist, Ruth Ellis. A steady run at Sandown netted an eighth place finish. Then to Bathurst and Ellis and McClure had the car in 20th position when four laps from the flag, the engine broke a valve to be classed as a DNF. Ellis and Co-Driver Geoff Munday contested the last Enduro for 1985 at Surfers Paradise coming home sixth. Ellis ran the car in Victorian ATCC rounds in 1986 before having the car updated at “Roadways for the Enduro races. Co-driver for 1986 was Kerry Baily. 12th place at Sandown was followed up with a 16th at Bathurst. Ellis and Baily also fronted for the Calder Park Endurance round finishing 16th and Ellis then ran the car at the AGP supports in Adelaide for a DNF. 1987, Ellis competed in the Calder (March) and Sandown (June) rounds of theATCC in the VK while his new VL Commodore was being built by Gary O’Brien, the new car was completed in time for the 1997 Sandown and Bathurst Enduro’s. The VK was then partially converted to VL body panels to be used as a back-up car and “show car but never completed. As the 1988 season came to a close, Ellis wound up the team and the VL was sold. MHDTCOMM 1 was then moved to storage and virtually forgotten. MHDTCOMM 1 spent the next 15 years in dry storage with O’Brien. The car was sold in 2003 “as an old Group A car, and when its full history came to light, the new owner had Gary O’Brien and his staff at Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars to restore the car back to its former glory as the 1980 Australian Touring Car Championship winning MHDT “VB Group C Commodore! Competition History. Competition History. Marlboro Holden Dealer Team VB/VC Commodore. (Build No. HDTCOMM 1). No. HDTCOMM 1). The vehicle was constructed in November – December 1979 by the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team (MHDT). The original configuration of the car was a VB model and first photographed testing at Calder Raceway in Mid December (Auto-Action Issue # 230 – December 20, 1979). The vehicle first ran without guard flares, a makeshift front air dam and was also fitted with an A9X bonnet scoop. It is presumed that further testing was conducted prior to the cars first race appearance. The MHDT passed to Peter Brock’s ownership in early January 1980. Reported in Auto Action (Issue # 232 – January 17, 1980) Brock took over the entire team assets including the ‘prototype’ Commodore. The Marlboro Holden Dealer Team for 1980 was announced on Tuesday 28 February 1980 with the unveiling of the first MHDT Commodore (the teams only complete Commodore at this time). It was announced at the press release that the MHDT would run three cars – two race cars and a back-up for 1980. This was not to come to fruition as the second car was not completed until July. The second car was to become Brock’s car for the Manufacturers Championships and Bathurst (which it won) and the original car was ‘handed down’ to John Harvey for round one of the Championship of Makes at Adelaide in August. 1st Race Meeting. Symmons Plains Raceway, 2 March 1980. ATCC 1 Driver: Peter Brock. Qualifying: Pole Position. (61.50) Race result: 1st Fastest Lap: 64.67 (Damp Track) 2nd Race Meeting. Calder Park, 15 March 1980. ATCC 2 Two Heats – 2 x 25 laps. Driver: Peter Brock. Qualifying: Pole Position. (47.0) Race One result: 1st Race Two result: 1st 3rd Race Meeting. Lakeside, 30 March 1980. ATCC 3 Driver: Peter Brock Qualifying: Pole Position. (59.0) Race result: 1st 4th Race Meeting. Sandown Park. 13 April 1980. ATCC 4 Two Heats. 2 x 16 laps. Driver: Peter Brock. Qualifying: Pole Position. (1.13.1) Race One result: 1st Race Two result: 2nd. Notes. Race one Brock was 1st and Bartlett (Camaro) 2nd. In Race two, it was Bartlett 1st and Brock 2nd. Therefore, Bartlett was awarded the round. Brock was reported to have had a lack of brake pedal pressure in the second race. 5th Race Meeting. Wanneroo Park. 27 April 1980. ATCC 5 Two Heats. 2 X 20 laps. Driver: Peter Brock Qualifying: Pole Position. (65.06) Race One result: 2nd. Race Two result: 2nd Notes. Alan Grice in the Craven Mild Torana Hatchback took both wins. Brock set fastest lap with a 65.14. 6th Race Meeting. Surfers Paradise, 18 May 1980. ATCC 6 Driver: Peter Brock Qualifying: Pole Position. (1.17.8) Race result: 1st 7th Race Meeting. Adelaide International Raceway, 1 June 1980. ATCC Driver: Peter Brock Qualifying: Pole Position. (1.00.0) Race result: 2nd. 8th Race Meeting. Oran Park, 16 June 1980. ATCC 8 Driver: Peter Brock Qualifying: Pole Position. (1.18.3) Race result: DNF. Notes: Lap 22 of the 31 lap race, Bartlett ran into the back of Brock lapping slower traffic. On lap 23, Brock’s gearbox failed posting the first DNF for the car. Despite this, Brock wrapped up the 1980 Australian Touring Car Championships and set a new record of eight straight Pole Positions in the Championships. 9th Race Meeting Amaroo Park, 13 July 1980. O 3 Litre Touring Car Challenge Driver: Peter Brock Qualifying: Pole Position Race 1 Result: 1st Race 2 Result: 1st 10th Race Meeting Amaroo Park, 10 August 1980. CRC 300 Drivers: Peter Brock / John Harvey Qualifying: Pole Position. (54.56) Race result: 1st .Notes: This was the first time Brock and Harvey had co-driven. It was Brock’s ninth pole position in a row for the 1980 season. Dick Johnson debuted his “Tru Blue? XD Falcon and qualified second. Johnson led the first 25 laps before Brock took the lead that both he and Harvey held to the finish. 11th Race Meeting Adelaide International Raceway., 17 August 1980. Rd 1. Australian Championship of Makes. Driver: John Harvey. Qualifying: 2nd (1.00.9) Race result: 2nd. Notes: The first MHDT Commodore is ‘handed-down’ to Harvey as Brock debuts the new car (HDT COMM2) and wins. Harvey carried his traditional No. 76. Harvey experienced two deflated tyres during the race. On the second occurrence (on the last lap) he headed for the pit lane! The crew instructed Harvey to rejoin the track and cross the line which he did giving MHDT an impromptu 1 – 2. 12th Race Meeting Sandown Park, 14 September 1980. Rd 2: Australian Championship of Makes. HANG TEN 400. Driver Allan Moffat. Qualifying: 2nd. (1.14.4) Race result: 3rd. Notes. This is the first time the MHDT Commodores run as VC’s but still withoutthe rear spoiler. Both MHDT Commodores featured new paint schemes, the 05 with less black around the bottom of the car and Harvey’s car presented for the first time in the “Marlboro Special Mild? design and carrying No. 25. In a deal organised by the promoters, Allan Moffat was “drafted? into the second MHDT entry (No. 25) in place of Harvey. Moffat ran a consistent 2nd to Brock up to lap 41 when he ‘grazed’ the fence at Holden corner and was forced to pit. The pit stop was ‘botched’ requiring Moffat to pit again to rectify some wheel nuts and he lost a lap to Brock and Rogers. Finishing order was Brock, Rogers (Geissler Holden) and Moffat. 13th Race Meeting Bathurst, 5 October 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000. Drivers John Harvey / Ron Harrop. Qualifying: 4th. (2.23.00) Race Result: DNF (77 Laps). Notes. Harvey took his Commodore to the lead several times from lap 17 after Brock in the 05 Commodore collided with a CDT Gemini and Dick Johnson ‘hit the rock’ on lap 17. Harvey was in the lead up to lap 73 until Brock took lead. Four laps later the engine expired. The reason was thought to be a batch of faulty rod bolts! Unlucky “13 MHDT did not contest the final round of the ManChamp at Surfers Paradise, 2 November 1980. John Harvey did not contest the “Trophy of Melbourne? Touring Car races at the Australian Grand Prix at Calder Park as he was running the “Race of Champions?. 1981. HDTCOMM1 was kept in the MHDT workshops for the first months of the 1981 ATCC season. Clive Benson-Brown, a successful hotelier, negotiated the purchase of HDTCOMM1 through Peter Janson and also arranged for Larry Perkins to prepare the car alongside Janson’s Commodore. The car was presented in all black livery and the colours of the Launceston Hotel and Soundwave Disco’s. The car was entered for round six of the 1981 ATCC at Adelaide International Raceway in early May. Benson-Brown electing to enter the Sports Sedan races to familiarise himself with the car and gain licence signatures, handing over to Larry Perkins for the Championship races. 14th Race Meeting. Adelaide International Raceway, 8 May 1981. Sports Sedan Races. Driver: Clive Benson-Brown. (No results available) ATCC 6. Driver: Larry Perkins Qualifying: 4th Race result, Heat 1: 4th. Race result Heat 2: 4th. 15th Race Meeting. Surfers Paradise , 17 May 1981 Sports Sedan Races. Driver: Clive Benson-Brown. (No results available) ATCC 7 Driver Larry Perkins. Qualifying: 5th. Race result: DNS Notes. The car did not start the Championship race after mechanical problems in the support races with Benson-Brown at the wheel. From the original Log Book, it is known that Benson-Brown ran the car in additional Sports Sedan events between Surfers Paradise and AIR in order to gain sufficient signatures to gain a Full Licence prior to the Endurance Championships. 16th Race Meeting. Oran Park, 20 June 1981. Unknown meeting. Most likely for Licence Signature. Driver: Clive Benson-Brown 17th Race Meeting. Sandown Park, 4 July 1981. 2 + 4 Meeting. Sports Sedans. Most likely for Licence Signature. Driver: Clive Benson-Brown 18th Race Meeting. Adelaide International Raceway, 26 July 1981 Australian Endurance Championships. Rd: 1 Drivers: Larry Perkins / Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 8th. Race result: 3rd. Notes. The third place meant that the first three places in this race were taken by MHDT chassis, MHDTCOMM3 -1st (Brock), MHDTCOMM2 - 2nd (Harvey), MHDTCOMM1 – 3rd (Perkins/Benson-Brown). 19th Race Meeting. Oran Park, 23 August 1981. Australian Endurance Championships. Rd: 2 Driver: Peter Janson Qualifying: 3rd. Race result: DNF. Engine. Notes. There is no information as to why Janson ran the car at this meeting. 20th Race Meeting. Sandown Park, 13 September 1981. Australian Endurance Championships Rd 3. Hang Ten 400. Drivers: Garry Rogers / Clive Benson-Brown. Qualifying: 8th. Race result: DNF. (Overheating) 21st Race Meeting Bathurst, 4 October 1981 Hardie-Ferodo 1000. Drivers Garry Rogers / Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 5th. (2.41.315 – Wet) Race Result: Classified 4th. Notes. Rogers surprised many with his, and the cars, speed in both qualifying and the race. Never out of the top 10, the car performed faultlessly until lap 121 when the “big crash? at McPhillamy Park stopped the race! Unfortunately, Rogers was the third car on the scene, impacting heavily with the Joe Moore Falcon. The car was severely damaged but Rogers was OK. Some consolation, Benson-Brown was awarded “Rookie of the Year?. The car was then repaired in November ‘81 – January 1982. The car was presented in a new white livery and as a “VH? model. Records have Benson-Brown applying for a new CAMS Log Book as a VH. 22nd Race Meeting. Sandown Park, 14 February 1982 ATCC 1. 2 x 16 Laps Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 12th Race 1 Result: ?. Race 2 Result: DNF 23rd Race Meeting. Calder Park, 28 February 1982. ATCC 2. Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 10th Race Result: 6th. 24th Race Meeting. Symmons Plains, 7 March 1982. ATCC 3. Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 8th. Race Result: 6th. Symmons Plains Notes. Benson-Brown crashed the car in the first lap of practice when a steering arm broke. The car was repaired with the help of the Re-Car Team and set its qualifying time in the third session. 25th Race Meeting. Amaroo Park, 14 March 1982 Better Brakes Round 1 Driver: Garry Rogers Qualifying: 7th Race 1 Result: 6th Race 2 Result: DNF. Flat tyre. 26th Race Meeting. Oran Park, 21 March 1982. ATCC 4 Driver: Garry Rogers. Qualifying: 11th Race Results: 10th At this stage, the car was converted back to VC spec with the “big valve? heads. The car did not go to the Lakeside ATCC 5 round. 27th Race Meeting. Wanneroo Park, 25 April 1982 ATCC 6 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 11th Race Result: 7th 28th Race Meeting. Adelaide International Raceway, 2 May 1982 ATCC 7 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 14th Race Result: 8th 29th Race Meeting. Surfers Paradise International Raceway, 16 May 1982 ATCC 7 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 10th Race Result: 7th 30th Race Meeting Amaroo Park, 23 May 1982 Better Brakes Round 2 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualified 15th Race 1 DNF. Crash. 31st Race Meeting Amaroo Park, August 9 1982 CRC 300 Drivers: Charlie O’Brien / Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 16th Race Result. 10th 32nd Race Meeting. Sandown Park, 12 September 1982 Australian Endurance Championships. Rd 2 Drivers: Charlie O’Brien / Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 9th Race Result. 6th 33rd Race Meeting. Mt Panorama, Bathurst, 3 October 1982 James Hardie 1000 Drivers: Clive Benson-Brown / Charlie O’Brien Qualifying: 28th Race Result.15th Notes. In Friday practice, Benson-Brown left the road at the last hump, headed infield and took out 50 metres of barbed wire fence, a “Better Brakes? sign and the Channel 7 Repeater dish before coming to rest against the corner post at Murray’s Corner. He set what all observers refer to as the ‘long jump’ record for the track until Jim Keogh was to do it “bigger and better? in 1983! 34th Race Meeting. Adelaide International Raceway, 5 December 1982 Australian Endurance Championships. Rd 5 Drivers: Clive Benson-Brown / Garry Rogers Qualifying: 5th Race Result: 5th 1983. For 1983, the car was updated using a new shell, revised roll cage, fuel tank (due to regulations?) and returned back to the “Soundwaves? black livery. 35th Race Meeting Calder Park, ATCC 1, 6 February 1983 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 11th Race Result: 9th 36th Race Meeting Sandown Park, ATCC 2, 20 February 1983 Driver: Garry Rogers Qualifying: 7th Race Result: 8th 37th Race Meeting Symmons Plains, ATCC 3, 13 March 1983 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 10th Race Result: 8th. 38th Race Meeting Waneroo Park, ATCC 4, 24 April 1983 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 8th Race Result: 7th 39th Race Meeting Adelaide International Raceway, ATCC 5, 1 May 1983 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 11th Race Result: DNF. 40th Race Meeting Sandown Park. Castrol 400. 11 September 1983 Driver: Clive Benson-Brown / Garry Rogers Qualifying: 10th Race Result: DNF. 41st Race Meeting. Mt Panorama, Bathurst. 2 October 1983 James Hardie 1000 Drivers: Garry Rogers / Clive Benson-Brown Qualifying: 7th, Race Result: 12th. 1984. The car “sat out the ATCC and was offered for sale via Garry Rogers as the “Soundwaves Disco Racing Commodore. Jim Keogh purchased the car in the weeks prior to the Castrol 400 to present the two car “Northern Territory – Fox FM team for the two major enduro’s. 42nd Race Meeting Sandown Park. Castrol 400. 9 September 1984 Driver(s): Bernie Stack / Wayne Clift / Jim Keogh Qualifying: 15th Race Result: 5th. Notes. This was the first race for the now 2 car team under “Northern Territory – FOX FM Sponsorship. The other car was the ex Keogh VH (MHDTCOMM 2) run by Keogh and Terry Sheil. The Keogh/Sheil car had problems, Keogh then co-drove the Clift/Stack car to the finish in fifth place. 43rd Race Meeting. Mt Panorama, Bathurst. 30 September 1984 James Hardie 1000 Driver(s): Bernie Stack / Wayne Clift Qualifying: 23rd Race Result: 19th In late 1984 through early 1985, the car was converted to VK Group A specification at the workshops of Garry and Warren Smith in Oakleigh. 1985. (New Log Book. VK Group A – 1985. (New Log Book. VK Group A –V6044) 44th Race Meeting. Sandown Park. ATCC2. 24 February 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: DSQ. Start on back of Grid. Race Result: 7th Notes. This was the first appearance of Group A Commodores in the ATCC. There were only two Commodores entered, one for the ‘new’ Mobil HDT and Keogh’s car. After Qualifying, the cars were weighed and Keogh was found to be underweight and was sent to the back of the Grid. 45th Race Meeting Symmons Plains. ATCC3. 20 March 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: 7th Race Result: 6th 46th Race Meeting Wanneroo Park. ATCC 4. 31 March 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: 10th Race Result: 10th 47th Race Meeting Adelaide International Raceway. ATCC 5. 21 April 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: 14th Race Result: 17th 48th Race Meeting Calder Raceway. ATCC 6. 28 April 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: 12th Race Result: TBA (possible DNF) 49th Race Meeting Surfers Paradise International Raceway. ATCC 7. 19 May 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: 13th Race Result: 7th 50th Race Meeting Lakeside Raceway. ATCC 8. 23 June 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: 11th Race Result: 9th 51st Race Meeting Amaroo Park. ATCC 9. 7 July 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: TBA Race Result: (not in top 10) 52nd Race Meeting Oran Park. ATCC 10. 14 July 1985 Driver: Jim Keogh Qualifying: TBA Race Result: DNF Keogh won the “STP Rookie of the Year Award. The car was sold to Ray Ellis. 53rd Race Meeting Sandown Park. Castrol 400. 15 September 1985 Driver(s): Ray Ellis / Bernie McClure Qualifying: 19th Race Result: 8th 54th Race Meeting. Mt Panorama, Bathurst. 6 October 1985, James Hardie 1000 Driver(s): Ray Ellis / Bernie McClure Qualifying: 35th Race Result: DNF (Burnt piston 4 laps from Finish running 20th). 55th Race Meeting Surfers Paradise International Raceway. 27 October 1985 Driver(s): Ray Ellis / Geoff Munday Qualifying: TBA Race Result: 6th 56th Race Meeting Winton Motor Raceway. December 1985 (Sports Sedans) Driver: Ray Ellis Qualifying: TBA Race Results: TBA 1986 57th Race Meeting. Sandown Park. ATCC 3. 13 April 1986 Driver: Ray Ellis Qualifying: 19th Race Result: DNF. 58th Race Meeting. Calder Park. ATCC 7. 1 June 1986 Driver: Ray Ellis Qualifying: TBA Race Result: TBA. 59th Race Meeting. Winton Motor Raceway. ATCC 9. 29 June 1986 Driver: Ray Ellis Qualifying: 16th Race Result: 13th 60th Race Meeting Sandown Park. Castrol 400. 14 September 1986 Driver(s): Ray Ellis / Kerry Baily Qualifying: 17th Race Result: 13th 61st Race Meeting. Mt Panorama, Bathurst. 5 October 1986 James Hardie 1000 Driver(s): Ray Ellis / Kerry Baily Qualifying: 33rd Race Result: 16th 62nd Race Meeting. Calder Park. 19 October 1986 Driver(s): Ray Ellis / Kerry Baily Qualifying: TBA Race Result: 16th 63rd Race Meeting. Adelaide Grand Prix Circuit. 26 October 1986. AGP Supports Driver: Ray Ellis Qualifying: 11th Race Result: DNF 1987 64th Race Meeting. Calder Park. ATCC 1. 1 March 1987 Driver: Ray Ellis Qualifying: 25th Race Result: DNF. 65th Race Meeting. Sandown Park. ATCC 7. 7 June 1987 Driver: Ray Ellis Qualifying: 21st Race Result: DNF. Gary O’Brien started to convert the car to VL. The decision was then taken to build a new VL Group A for Ellis using a Holden Motorsport shell. Gary O’Brien then assumed ownership of the ‘old’ car. The car then sat in storage until purchased by Rowan Harman in 2003. Gary O’Brien and the staff at “Panels & Performance in Bendigo started the first stage of restoration (the body/chassis) in March 2004 and the car was completed in its ATCC Rd 1 – Symmons Plains 1980 configuration in August 2008. To protect your investment vehicle bidders should consider at a minimum replacement of fuel, oil, fluids, filters and thorough brake inspection as vehicles may have been stationary for some time. Vehicles are sold as is off the floor - unregistered. No warranty expressed or implied, sold with all or any faults, and where applicable sold with Australian Government Import Approval. Viewing / Inspection is available prior to October 25th. Please contact Anton 0427 383 531 to arrange.