The Roaring Season

Bryan wrote:He did, then took all the wheels off in a start line shunt at Wigram. Have a photo somewhere of him climbing out of the wheel-less tub - must find and scan it.

richard lester wrote:Hi Grant,hope alls good with you...pretty sure at that time other watson driver was parker johnstone from US...i was in my ex Bowe 81 RT4 and i ended up buying the David brabham 86 RT4 at season end......

Peter Lucas wrote:Richard (and others),

I was sent a link to this thread by a friend in Australia (where I live) as I recently bought an RT4 and have been recing it for about a year. I don't have details for all of its life as I have an original logbook, the current logbook but the one that covered the period in between has either been lost or covered the period the car was in New Zealand and possibly operated under your log book system.

I have quoted your entry above as I think that there is a small chance that you were the owner of the car I acquired as it is an 86 RT4 that I believe was raced in New Zealand by David Brabham. According to the records I do have it was originally owned by Ralt Australia (Graham Watson) but stayed in New Zealand after racing there in early 1986 before returning to Australia in 1998 when acquired by Ray Stubber. It is Chassis number 592 and competed in PYE livery.

I would be grateful for any information you have about the car.

Having read this thread and some other material it sounds like you folks in New Zealand had (and still have) a very high interest in open wheeler racing and I have wondered whether there is an active racing scene/series for Atlantics over there at present. In that regard I would also be grateful for any information anyone has about what sounds like an "historic racing festival" in New Zealand scheduled for January 2015 that is to be run over a few weekends. I have found some information about it using google but haven't been able to find any details about eligibility and classes etc.

I have a recent photo of the car which I will try and attach and anyone that was at the 2014 Phillip Island classic may have seen it in the flesh there.

Howard Wood wrote:Peter,

I can't help you with any history of your car but no doubt there will be many here who can. However if you or any other F/ Pacific owners have any interest at all in running at the NZFMR next January the Festival organisers will be VERY happy to talk to you. For 2015 the organisers are keen to expand the single seater classes to include a Atlantic/ Pacific grid and this will only happen if they can attract entries from Aus and that other off shore island, the South Island where a number of cars reside.

Easiest first point of contact for you is via http://www.hamptondowns.com where you can contact Tony or Chris or Jim Barclay the event organiser. We would love to see you here.

crunch wrote:Would be bloody awesome to see a grid of my favourite single-seaters. If only I could find one I can fit in!
Mind you; what size is a F/Pacific grid? I remember when a weeny grid marshall at Manfield in the early 80's, that at one International meeting we had more grid marshalls than cars on the grid!

crunch wrote:Would be bloody awesome to see a grid of my favourite single-seaters. If only I could find one I can fit in!
Mind you; what size is a F/Pacific grid? I remember when a weeny grid marshall at Manfield in the early 80's, that at one International meeting we had more grid marshalls than cars on the grid!

Michael Clark wrote:I can get in and out of my FF Crossle without too much drama so couldn't resist the temptation to hop into a friend's Ralt RT4.

Getting in was ok...35 minutes awkward minutes later I was finally out. I'm told an RT1 would be a piece of cake for an ex-lock.

Peter Lucas wrote:Richard (and others),

I have quoted your entry above as I think that there is a small chance that you were the owner of the car I acquired as it is an 86 RT4 that I believe was raced in New Zealand by David Brabham. According to the records I do have it was originally owned by Ralt Australia (Graham Watson) but stayed in New Zealand after racing there in early 1986 before returning to Australia in 1998 when acquired by Ray Stubber. It is Chassis number 592 and competed in PYE livery.

I would be grateful for any information you have about the car.

I have a recent photo of the car which I will try and attach and anyone that was at the 2014 Phillip Island classic may have seen it in the flesh there.

Bryan wrote:There are photos earlier in this thread of David Oxton running that PYE livery (as #18). Did anyone else use it (in NZ or Aus)?

Peter Lucas wrote:Yes, there were a number of RT4s in PYE livery from the early 80s. I think even in 1986 there were two cars running identical livery by Ralt Australia.

Peter Lucas wrote:Yes, there were a number of RT4s in PYE livery from the early 80s. I think even in 1986 there were two cars running identical livery by Ralt Australia.