A Question about HDT, in the Seventies

TBMATT05 · 23 Jun 2003, 03:25 (Ref:639707)

HDT had two cars competing in Bathurst in 1979, one of them was the winners of that event, Peter Brock and Jim Richrds. I was wondering who drove in the 2nd car at Bathurst in 1979?

Conrod Kieron · 23 Jun 2003, 04:02 (Ref:639711)

John 'Slug' Harvey would have been one of them, possibly Tim Slako the other?

**GTRMagic** · 23 Jun 2003, 04:17 (Ref:639718)

I was thinking Harvey/Harrop myself but cant seem to find an entry list using Google to confirm

RRR · 23 Jun 2003, 04:46 (Ref:639728)

John Harvey and Ron Harrop were the drivers.

FalconEL · 23 Jun 2003, 04:47 (Ref:639729)

From memory, it was Harvey/Harrop. It was reported that Harrop turned it into a banana on his first lap out of the pits after a total brake failure at the end of Mountain Straight.

CD.

Crash Test · 23 Jun 2003, 06:36 (Ref:639759)

Yep, jumped clear over the wall and landed in a paddock a ways away from the black stuff...

racer69 · 23 Jun 2003, 13:44 (Ref:640177)

I'll have to get the trusty 1975-85 review video out, but was there a wall at the end of Mountain straight in 1979?

The HDT never had much luck with the second car. In 1978 prior to Hardies Heroes Charlie O'Brien bent the #15 Torana at the Dipper, forcing it out of Hardies Heroes.

In 1979 the #05 and #26 HDT cars were running 1-2 for a period as well

Dazz · 23 Jun 2003, 20:57 (Ref:640721)

Quote:

Originally posted by racer69
The HDT never had much luck with the second car

Except in 1983 and 1987 when they got Brock two of his Bathurst wins

But yes I agree their second cars were not always that lucky, or was it the drivers of the second cars that were not always that lucky :confused:

Antrodemus · 23 Jun 2003, 22:37 (Ref:640836)

Quote:

Originally posted by racer69
I'll have to get the trusty 1975-85 review video out, but was there a wall at the end of Mountain straight in 1979?

'79 was a bit before my time, but isn't there a cliff/large earth bank at the end of mountain straight? Jumping that would have been impressive!

Crash Test · 23 Jun 2003, 22:59 (Ref:640857)

About the only pics I have seen on it were on that 25 years of Holden motorsport tape. You don't see the stack, but the car in a paddock with Harrop standing next to it...

MHDT · 24 Jun 2003, 00:55 (Ref:640928)

Apparently John Harvey had to shoo away spectators at the time, mainly because they were ashing their cigarettes within close proximity to the A9X's ruptured drop tank.

hoonboyz · 24 Jun 2003, 14:46 (Ref:641501)

no earth bank (its a little bit further up about 100m) and no wall at end of mountain straight in 1979,a wall on each side now of course , but a nice dirt bike track to drivers right nowadays behind the wall though !!!

rdmdog · 25 Jun 2003, 08:26 (Ref:642364)

I dont seem to be able to post a photo, so youll all have to go for a look,

Torana A9xs at Bathurst

I havent seen this photo before, and I do have a book or two on the subject.

Crash Test · 26 Jun 2003, 02:59 (Ref:643317)

Just watching the video again today, Harrop definately vaulted over a concrete wall that was covered in Castrol signage.

Mattracer · 26 Jun 2003, 03:11 (Ref:643325)

Quote:

Originally posted by rdmdog
I dont seem to be able to post a photo, so youll all have to go for a look,

Torana A9xs at Bathurst

I havent seen this photo before, and I do have a book or two on the subject.

Gorgeous looking things aren't they?

racer69 · 26 Jun 2003, 11:26 (Ref:643609)

Quote:

Originally posted by Crash Test
Just watching the video again today, Harrop definately vaulted over a concrete wall that was covered in Castrol signage.

Whereabouts did you get footage of that from? It's not on the 75-85 video.

Crash Test · 26 Jun 2003, 11:41 (Ref:643622)

Nah, it was from the 25 years of Holden Motorsport video, that came out in 1994. There's a lot of footage in there that has never made it to TV before.

racer69 · 26 Jun 2003, 11:54 (Ref:643642)

They would be footage of those Holden films that Holden used to make each year up until a point. They caught on tape things like Brock hitting the Gemini in 1980 etc.... I'd be interested to find out what Holden have done with all that footage......

DAVID PATERSON · 11 Jul 2003, 02:28 (Ref:658439)

The Harvey / Harrop car which was the MHDT second car at Bathurst in '79 was Harvey's car from the '79 championship. and it was also Brock's '78 championship winning car.

After total brake failure on lap 76 it vaulted over the wall with Harrop at the wheel. I wonder if this is where he got his enthusisam for making those awesome brakes and supsension bits. The team sold the car "as is" to a restoration specialist who restored it to '78 ATCC spec and it has never raced since.

A full history of the car can be found at David Bowden's website www.fouronthefloor.com.au

AussieV8 · 11 Jul 2003, 02:47 (Ref:658443)

The following is a quote from one of my books :
"Then suddenlythe second MHDT Torana went missing. Harvey had handed the car over to Harrop with the advicethat it was suffering pad knock-off-a common problem in which the callipers 'grow' away from the disc. Harvey had been tapping the brake well before the braking markers to pump the pads into contact, but in his chase into a better placing Harrop apparently fogot this, and he went into the right-handed uphill XL Corner with no brakes at 200km/h. The car hit the outside concrete wall somersaultered over it, ripping off bodywork and wheels as it went. Harrop was unhurt, but pride was, and his race was finished."

Taken from the book Australia's Greatest Motor Race 1960-1989.

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