Willis Family Commodore Sports Sedan

[Rod Grimwood]

Just received some more photos and info so more shortly.

[Rod Grimwood]

I have changed a couple of bits in earlier posts, I did not really check spell etc.

Ok, I am relaxed,(kind of so don't annoy me) after being bashed around on the sea for couple of days.

A bit of history on the Trans Am that Brett bought.
A lot of this was not discovered until after the trip.

Part of recollection from Ralph, this from a note he wrote for John Telfor who has Ralphs old Mazda RX7 explaining how it got to have the gear it has. this is another story for later:

I (Ralph) went over with Brett as his mechanic and we travelled around the USA and Canada in an old Ford van and open trailer (we lived out of the van and meet other racers all over the country that we stayed with and rebuilt the car for upcoming meetings, a real budget deal, and quite a story as everything we owned was on the trailer behind us) This Camaro was quite famous in itself (although we only realized it years later after we had cannibalised it)
It won the 1984 trans Am series with David Hobbs driving. It was car number 28 of a 2 car team owned by Portland Industrialist De Atley and sponsored by Budweiser beer in USA.
This Camaro Trans Am was based around a Stock Car Products road race chassis from Santa Fe Springs n California. it had coil over suspension all round with 3 link quick change rear end, non-power assist rack and pins steering, front and rear anti-roll bars and a rear watt linkage that was attached around the differential pinion snout.

Another note on car, this from Ralphs diary notes dated 1 January 1986 and also includes the Fischer Engine data.
1984 Chevrolet Camaro, originally built & run by De Atley with Chevrolet factory backing. In year Brett bought car it was reskinned by Bob Brewer with 1986 panels developed by Proto Fab Moulds available thru Fischer Engineering.

[Rod Grimwood]

The guys travelled to Memphis and made camp in an unused shed and finished off final preparations for the 1st meeting.
This was exciting time and when they arrived at the Memphis track there were all these big trucks and trailers and huge marques erected around the pit area. They spotted a pole with a water tap on it away in the corner away from were all the others were set up and thought well water that's handy for us, we will set up there.
They attracted a little attention (looks of what the f%#k we got here) and were not overwhelmed with autograph hunters or photographers (David Attenborough was busy elsewhere).
They settled in and erected the hospitality/pit/accomodation tent and then set about final prep of car.
Well that night they discovered why no one was set up near the 'water tap' as they were lucky to survive the night when the mosquitos came to visit. Next morning was shift.

There was a couple of switchs on dash that attracted attention, and were never used.

Well in a field of 40 cars and never having seen the track let alone drive around it Brett qualified in the 30s and remember he was up against the best from those days and budgets a lot different to baked beans and bread.
1st race and a finish of 21st, not too shoddy for starters. 2nd race 16th so a few were kind of taking a little interest and they started to meet a few people. The Americans could not believe that they had driven all the way in the van and trailer and the tent and van was home between some empty sheds etc.
Accomodation/sleeping quarters was to become a bit of humour in some places.

[Rod Grimwood]

Next meeting was 2 weeks later and way on up too Mosport. Canada.

It was along haul and in between this the guys pulled the car apart, checked it over and replaced little things, did a couple of adjustments and banged her back together.
Well when they arrived at Mosport there were the familiar looks from some but a few waves from others who made themselves known at 1st meeting in Memphis and they were impressed that the team had made it all the way to Mosport.
Pity the weather was not as kind, as after the effort to get there it poured with rain 1st day and then rained for the next 2 days of practice and qualifying. Well what do you do when you have no wet weather tyres, of coarse just sit in van and tent and wait, and eventually give up and resort to a quite beer.

Well race day was drizzly and the track still wet/damp but not saturated. Brett had not done a single lap around the track in a car and was allowed to start off the rear of the grid. This was on slicks and had people looking. Well after the race which was 40 laps long and he came in 10th, the Ford and Chevrolet Teams stood at the pit apron and applauded him into the pits. He also had a standing ovation from the stands and others along the pit wall. Not bad for the trailer boy's.
Well of coarse this did change attitudes to the NZ guys and they made a lot of friends as time went on. The US teams did not underestimate them and helped with workshops and other assistance over the next couple of months.

[Rod Grimwood]

Couple more photos, of how it was when it rained and the Camaro coming down the hill/straight that leads onto the main straight at Mosport.

[Rod Grimwood]

More shortly

[Rod Grimwood]

Off this weekend with boys to Hampton to give the Can Am Lola sports car a run, so hopefully will sort out a bit more to add to what I have. Been busy and it is not going to slow as off to Barbagello with F5000 mid Oct and then 2 weeks later Sandown. So story will be on back burner. There is a lot of history in the parts that came from the Camaro.

[Rod Grimwood]

I am going to get back to this and history of parts from Trans Am, where they went and where they ended up.


But more importantly, I recieved an email this week from Lindsay Willis with some photos of a special visiter who dropped into say hello. Lindsay and Graeme Smith have been friends for a very long time and he was the first sponsor Brett had, 1st stock cars and then Commodore. Graeme was at most meetings and a very nice person. Well he is now a young 80 and still has the original T-Shirt for the car and showed it to Lindsay.

This is neat, 34 odd years later.

[Steve Holmes]

Wow thats so cool Rod!