Frank de Jong 18 Jan 2006, 20:37 I've just finished researching the German Touring Car championship of 1971 - and found that Frank Gardner won the last race there (at Hockenheim, 12/9/1971) - racing a Mustang, according to three German sources.
No pictures, unfortunately, but what puzzles me: he was already racing a Camaro back then (even in Germany!), and I know he raced a Mustang in 1970 in the BTCC - but why did he switch back to the Mustang late in 1971?
Jeremy Jackson 19 Jan 2006, 01:23 Frank,
It wouldn't have been "the" Mustang from 1970, as I believe that went to Australia after Frank and Mike de udy had used it in the 70/71 Springbok series.
So maybe a private German car? Gardner was at Hockenheim that day anyway, winning the F5000 race.
He won with the Boss Mustang in the corresponding race there in September 1970, when the AvD invited 5 drivers from the UK
Frank de Jong 19 Jan 2006, 09:12 I don't think there was any Mustang in Germany at that time capable of lapping inside Jochen Mass' fastest lap of that day in his works Capri...
Perhaps the German reports were incorrect and he raced his usual Camaro there?
Steve Holmes 19 Jan 2006, 19:49 Here is some info on the car raced in 1970. Sad end!
http://www.ponysite.de/transam_gardner.htm
This car definately went to SA then Aus, and doesn't seem to have raced in Britain again after 1970.
Frank de Jong 19 Jan 2006, 20:39 Very strange. I've re-read Rallye Racing 10/71 and Sport-Auto 10/71; both in the text and in the results they mention a "Boss Mustang"...
Peter Mallett 19 Jan 2006, 21:10 Whatever Frank, thanks to Steve for bringing back pics of a fantastic car and driver. *sigh*. ;)
Alan Raine 19 Jan 2006, 21:18 This website on Frank Gardner came up in another thread a few months ago. The interview with him is great if you can find it. A bit odd as it wasn't edited - what a fantastic bloke!
auzziemonza 21 Jan 2006, 12:00 I've just finished researching the German Touring Car championship of 1971 - and found that Frank Gardner won the last race there (at Hockenheim, 12/9/1971) - racing a Mustang, according to three German sources.
No pictures, unfortunately, but what puzzles me: he was already racing a Camaro back then (even in Germany!), and I know he raced a Mustang in 1970 in the BTCC - but why did he switch back to the Mustang late in 1971?
I thought Gardner ran the SCA Camaro (the ex Bill Shaw car) from mid 1971?
Frank de Jong 21 Jan 2006, 15:34 Yes he did, even in Germany. That's why it is so strange to see him figure in the results with a Mustang...
Camaroz 25 Jan 2006, 11:37 Yes he did, even in Germany. That's why it is so strange to see him figure in the results with a Mustang...
Hi Frank,
HNY.
Re the above posts, to my records, all is correct, the Mustang went to SA then Aust and was dropped off a crane at the wharf (its rumoured that the bits went to a guy called Kingsley Hibbard who built a "Super Falcon" out of it). Frank ran the (SCA - 67) Camaro in Germany in 72 and 73 (73 Jagermeister colours) but might have been at a loose end on an (early season) weekend in Germany in 71 when, as JJ has suggested, picked up the gig in the Mustang. In past chats with Frank, he has referred to the importance of the German NATO market at the time to both GM and Ford (Camaro vs Mustang) and he was in the middle of it (and I'm sure made the best of the situation)!
Did you know that the (Gardner) SCA 67 Camaro is back in the UK?
Cheers
Chris - Melb 30 Jan 2006, 03:29 My memory of the Mustang was that it was imported to Australia by Jack Brabham. The surviving mechanicals were transferred into a XY Falcon body shell for Barry Sharp to race as a Sports Sedan under the 'Jack Brabham Ford' dealership banner.
http://www.autopics.com.au/cache/item-4938public.html?cache=no
I think the car had a major racing accident. Maybe the remains went to Kingsley Hibbard? Kingsley's Falcon Touring Car was built by the Harrop's in Melbourne. I wonder if he still owns it as it has not resurfaced?
Chris.
Camaroz 30 Jan 2006, 08:57 My memory of the Mustang was that it was imported to Australia by Jack Brabham. The surviving mechanicals were transferred into a XY Falcon body shell for Barry Sharp to race as a Sports Sedan under the 'Jack Brabham Ford' dealership banner.
http://www.autopics.com.au/cache/item-4938public.html?cache=no
I think the car had a major racing accident. Maybe the remains went to Kingsley Hibbard? Kingsley's Falcon Touring Car was built by the Harrop's in Melbourne. I wonder if he still owns it as it has not resurfaced?
Chris.
Hi Chris,
Hibbards 'first' Falcon was built by Harrops and was the centre of a legal dispute that went on for many years. Story has it that Harrops 'hid' the car until it was settled (in Hibbards favour buy the way) and Hibbard finally got the car back but I don't know where it is now. It was reported to be one of the fastest cars down Conrod at the time (around 1971?) at 165 MPH +. While Kingsley was waiting for the outcome of the court case, he procured the ex-Pete Geoghegan 'Super Falcon' and ran that for some years before selling it to the Bowdens.
Steve Holmes 30 Jan 2006, 09:29 Hi Chris,
Hibbards 'first' Falcon was built by Harrops and was the centre of a legal dispute that went on for many years. Story has it that Harrops 'hid' the car until it was settled (in Hibbards favour buy the way) and Hibbard finally got the car back but I don't know where it is now. It was reported to be one of the fastest cars down Conrod at the time (around 1971?) at 165 MPH +. While Kingsley was waiting for the outcome of the court case, he procured the ex-Pete Geoghegan 'Super Falcon' and ran that for some years before selling it to the Bowdens.
Apparently Kingsley still has the car, and refuses to sell it.
Chris - Melb 30 Jan 2006, 22:36 Hi Camaroz,
Yes, there was a messy legal dispute. The cars performance was allegedly an issue which Kinsley had with it, considering he allegedly spent something like $70 -100,000 on the build. Big dollars in those days.
An ex-acquaintance of mine said he saw the car in Harrop’s workshop circa 1978.
http://members.tripod.com/motorsportarchive2/Kingsley%20Hibbard%20Falcon%20GTHO%20Calder%201972.jpg
(you may have to manually ‘cut’ and ‘paste’ the address into you web browser address bar)
I think the car only raced at Calder for a couple of laps in the main ATCC race (no practice, I think), At Bathurst for a couple of laps in practice and ran relatively successfully at Sandown at the ATCC meeting, if not off the pace. It also ran another minor Calder meeting latter in 1972 (see photo link above). So it wouldn’t have many miles on the clock!
Apparently Kingsley didn’t realise that he needed to back off over the humps at Bathurst when the car got airborne and he over revved it early in practice for the ATCC.
The car seemed to run ROH brand wheels, not the Minilites the Brabham Falcon seemed to have.
If it is still complete, original and in relatively good condition, then it would now have to worth a penny or two now, don’t you think Steve?
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