Mini Muscle

It seems logical to have a quick look at Allan Moffat RX7 models this issue. His team only built four of these giant-killers and one was written-off, but the models survive. The best-known and most popular are Biante’s 1:18 scale versions. A quick look on Biante’s website reveals another variant on this model is on the way, this being the 1982 Bathurst 1000 car as shared by Moffat and Yoshimi Katayama.

As with all these cars that bore cigarette sponsorship, the model has big blank areas on the sides. But you can get aftermarket stickers in either waterslide or ‘peel and stick’ vinyl to make the model accurate.

Another version of the model is the Daytona 24-Hour car, as shared by Moffat, Gregg Hansford, Kevin Bartlett and Peter McLeod (a diversely talented line-up or what?). The car ran almost as it had nished Bathurst – just 20kg of CAMS ballast lighter. The foursome took it to a creditable seventh in the GTO class.

Moffat also raced one of the cars at Macau, in the Guia Touring Car race in 1981,

not long after its Bathurst debut. And it’s this model that we’ll feature here. Another creation of the highly-skilled model-maker Geoff Woods, who takes up the story:

“This is my version of how Allan’s RX7 ran in the 1981 Guia 200 at the Macau Grand Prix. Also pics from the event showing how different it looked from the Bathurst model l based it on.

“Of technical interest, the race was run to Group 5 Sports Car specs so Allan and team set about removing the CAMS mandated ballast (30kg) and passenger’s seat, allowing it to run at its FIA approved racing weight of 920kg. Allan has always stated that the 950kg Group C handicap cost him any chance of conquering the Mountain.

“You will also notice they removed the windscreen wipers and taped up the front indicator recesses to reduce drag in order to ‘try’ to stay in the slipstream of the open class Porsche 935s and BMW 318 turbos.

“All these tweaks allowed Allan to take victory in the smaller capacity class, while proudly carrying a huge ‘Advance Australia’ logo on the rear hatch... as chassis AMR-001 was built in the iconic Malvern Road workshop.

“The week prior to Macau saw Allan conduct ve days of testing with the Mazdaspeed factory team at the Fuji circuit, in an example of his typical trademark determination to get the most out of his racecars.”

Geoff dug up pictures from the Giua race to use as a base – the man’s attention to detail is legendary! Of course, it helps he’s mates with Moffat. There’s no source like the original.