Horst Kwech

[Terry S]

Ray,
That is an interesting point regarding the RHD Alfa Romeo here in the US races. I can understand the Lotus Cortinas.
Perhaps Horst felt more comfortable driving like he did in Australia.
The artist's poster has it as LHD.
All opinions are welcome on this.


( Ken Hyndman )

If you look at the photos of the Alfas in the attached you will see a mixture of left and right hand drive cars.

Perhaps they changed according to the circuit i.e. clockwise or anti clockwise.

In Australia this is what Peter Manton did with his Mini for a time.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=horst+kwech+alfa+gtv&biw=1920&bih=988&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwifmOzj3O_NAhUEm5QKHXQ3D2EQsAQIJw&dpr=1

[khyndart in CA]

Alec Midren had one each LHD and RHD.

Mildren GTA’s…
There were two, first a LHD and later a RHD car, Bartlett drove both in their competitive ‘heyday’ and both ended up racing in WA…

Superb shot (Autopics) of Kevin Bartlett at Warwick Farm in RHD Alfa Romeo GTA.1966

Kevin Bartlett, Lakeside. 1966. Alfa Romeo GTA. LHD.
(john Stanley photo )



(Ken Hyndman )

[garry simkin]

Horst Kwech Monza and Lola T332

I attended all F5000 races in USA and Canada in 1975-1976, and centre seat Can Am races from !977 to the end of 1981 and, whilst encountering Horst Kweck on odd occasions I have no recollection of him ever racing in those series.Maybe I'm suffering from CRAFT, however I would suggest that given its a yellow Can Am car based on a Lola that the car depicted is in fact owned by Horst Kroll from Canada.
Garry Simkin

[Terry S]

I attended all F5000 races in USA and Canada in 1975-1976, and centre seat Can Am races from !977 to the end of 1981 and, whilst encountering Horst Kweck on odd occasions I have no recollection of him ever racing in those series.Maybe I'm suffering from CRAFT, however I would suggest that given its a yellow Can Am car based on a Lola that the car depicted is in fact owned by Horst Kroll from Canada.
Garry Simkin

Apparently Horst competed in 12 heats of the 1972 L & M F5000 Championship in a Lola T300

[khyndart in CA]

Horst's 1966 GTA can still scoot.
[video=youtube;pfqH9XxzT9I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfqH9XxzT9I[/video]



(Ken Hyndman )

[seaqnmac27]

Apparently Horst competed in 12 rounds of the 1972 L & M F5000 Championship in a Lola T300

Terry there wee only 8 rounds each round was split into 2 heats, of which both from oldracingcars.com and my copy ofAutocourse 72/73 have him at 6 rounds, (12 heats) and of the said 12 heats, he finished in 4 6th and 7th in round 6 at Road Atlanta and 8th and 12th in round 7 at Lime Rock.

[khyndart in CA]

The 1967 Trans Am season was not a success for Horst and the Alfa Romeos as the FIA had homologated the Porsche 911 as a sedan and they blew the opposition away that year. But Horst Kwech's driving skills had been noticed by Ford Motor Company and Horst was asked to drive the Shelby Mustangs for the 1968 Trans Am season and he did not hesitate at the opportunity.
The Mustangs battled engine issues all season and they often blew in a big way. These were Tunnel-Port 302 engines that were built by FoMoCo in Detroit. The only races won by Shelby that year is when his team built the engines ! Shelby even pleaded with Ford to go back to the more reliable 289 engines but Ford would not agree to that.
Horst's only win came at the second to last race at Riverside while the Penske / Donohue team won the 1968 Trans Am Championship in their Camaro.

(Horst Kwech on his way to a win at Riverside in 1968. He often had number 2 when he drove for Ford.))

Some more information at this site regarding the 1968 Trans Am Ford Tunnel-Port engine.

http://www.hotrod.com/features/history/stories/hrdp-1305-the-story-behind-fords-iii-fated-1968-tunnel-port-302/



(Ken Hyndman )

[Terry S]

The 1967 Trans Am season was not a success for Horst and the Alfa Romeos as the FIA had homologated the Porsche 911 as a sedan and they blew the opposition away that year. But Horst Kwech's driving skills had been noticed by Ford Motor Company and Horst was asked to drive the Shelby Mustangs for the 1968 Trans Am season and he did not hesitate at the opportunity.
The Mustangs battled engine issues all season and they often blew in a big way. These were Tunnel-Port 302 engines that were built by FoMoCo in Detroit. The only races won by Shelby that year is when his team built the engines ! Shelby even pleaded with Ford to go back to the more reliable 289 engines but Ford would not agree to that.
Horst's only win came at the second to last race at Riverside while the Penske / Donohue team won the 1968 Trans Am Championship in their Camaro.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]35889[/ATTACH]
(Horst Kwech on his way to a win at Riverside in 1968. He often had number 2 when he drove for Ford.))

Some more information at this site regarding the 1968 Trans Am Ford Tunnel-Port engine.

http://www.hotrod.com/features/history/stories/hrdp-1305-the-story-behind-fords-iii-fated-1968-tunnel-port-302/



(Ken Hyndman )

That is the Mustang that Bob Jane bought and raced.

After many owners it eventually returned to US and was restored to original Trans An spec. It was on display in a museum in Florida run by a "dodgy" character. It was "stolen" from the museum and hasn't been seen since. It would be worth a fortune in the US these days as a car that actually raced in the original Trans Am series.

[Terry S]

Apparently Horst competed in 12 rounds of the 1972 L & M F5000 Championship in a Lola T300

Here is a photo of Horst's Lola T300 in 1972

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisk48/9686281471

[Ray Bell]

Changing the GTA from LHD to RHD and vice versa was not nearly so easy as it was in the Mini...

They didn't do that. Mildren took on the LHD early car, possibly getting it that way because Businello was to drive it.

[Terry S]

Great story and photos here of the Alfa GTA as used by Kwech

http://www.autodelta.info/#!The-Lost-sister-of-Ferrari-Part-2/czjb/56976a170cf21038319156bd

[Steve Holmes]

That is the Mustang that Bob Jane bought and raced.

After many owners it eventually returned to US and was restored to original Trans An spec. It was on display in a museum in Florida run by a "dodgy" character. It was "stolen" from the museum and hasn't been seen since. It would be worth a fortune in the US these days as a car that actually raced in the original Trans Am series.

I didn't know about the Mustang being stolen. Thats a shame. The thieves couldn't ever do anything with it. The car was all hand-built. One of the Penske Camaros this car raced against in the '68 Trans-Am season came up at auction recently, and sold for a few dollars under US$1 million. That gives an indication of the value of the Shelby Mustang.

[khyndart in CA]

Great story and photos here of the Alfa GTA as used by Kwech

http://www.autodelta.info/#!The-Lost-sister-of-Ferrari-Part-2/czjb/56976a170cf21038319156bd

Thanks Terry,
I have certainly learnt a lot about the Alfa Romeo GTA while doing this thread.
Cheers,
Ken H

[Terry S]

Terry there wee only 8 rounds each round was split into 2 heats, of which both from oldracingcars.com and my copy ofAutocourse 72/73 have him at 6 rounds, (12 heats) and of the said 12 heats, he finished in 4 6th and 7th in round 6 at Road Atlanta and 8th and 12th in round 7 at Lime Rock.

Apologies I should have said heats and not rounds

[khyndart in CA]

This is another Read & Weep site. (Mustang 360 ..Nov. 2004 )
For $ 500.00 less engine !

http://www.mustangandfords.com/featured-vehicles/mump-0411-trans-am-ford-mustang-coupe/

(Ken Hyndman )

[Parnelli]

This is another Read & Weep site. (Mustang 360 ..Nov. 2004 )
For $ 500.00 less engine !

http://www.mustangandfords.com/featured-vehicles/mump-0411-trans-am-ford-mustang-coupe/

(Ken Hyndman )

Relating to Horst Kwech Mustang, I have a shot somewhere of Horst and Shelby leaning on the side of the '69 blue Shelby stang with a stylized "Kiwi " on the driver's door. Can anyone explain the significance of the kiwi ?

[khyndart in CA]

1969 was a rough season in Trans Am for Horst Kwech. It began in May 1969 with the first race at Michigan in the new Shelby Mustang Boss 302. Chassis number # 9F02M148627. Car # 2.
The season held so much promise.

The weather forecast for weekend was; cold, rain, fog and a chance of snow !
Horst qualified 3rd and conditions were improving but very tricky and the car left the track on the infield area and slammed into a spectator's car which probably saved the lives of others that were poorly protected by fencing that did little to stop a sliding race car.
One spectator died and several injured in what could have been much worse. This must have been devastating for Horst. The car was taken away and stored for several years before it was destroyed.

Horst taking the Shelby Boss 302 # 2 out at the Michigan International Speedway. (M.IS.).

Horst driving in stormy weather at Michigan.

A view of the Michigan International Speedway infield showing the poor spectator protection when cars were sliding out of control.
(This is not the H.Kwech incident.)

Horst Kwech driving at speed at the Michigan International Speedway. May 1969.



(Ken Hyndman )

[Terry S]

Relating to Horst Kwech Mustang, I have a shot somewhere of Horst and Shelby leaning on the side of the '69 blue Shelby stang with a stylized "Kiwi " on the driver's door. Can anyone explain the significance of the kiwi ?

Parnelli, was this the photo you were thinking of with kiwi on the door:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=horst+kwech+mustang&biw=1920&bih=988&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjfsuDL4vTNAhVIj5QKHVqEAowQsAQIMg#imgrc=HKVA7Ze3I1jppM%3A

[Steve Holmes]

Parnelli, was this the photo you were thinking of with kiwi on the door:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=horst+kwech+mustang&biw=1920&bih=988&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjfsuDL4vTNAhVIj5QKHVqEAowQsAQIMg#imgrc=HKVA7Ze3I1jppM%3A

Interesting! Hadn't spotted that one before. Here is the photo you linked to Terry. Kiwi Ron Butler worked for Shelby and I believe was chief mechanic. Maybe he was working the spanners on Horst's car?

It was Ron Butler who arranged for Paul Fahey to go through and clean out the Shelby workshop in 1970, many of the parts from which went onto his '70 Mustang race car.

[Terry S]

It seems Horst had such deep regard for Alfas that in 1968 he bought a Chevron B10 formula 2 car and put an Alfa 2.7litre V8 in the back. This was to run in Formula A, the forerunner to Formula 5000.