IMMORTALITY

PRESERVING THE CARS OF THE RACING GREATS

Goss, Johnson Grice, Richards, Moffat & Brock

Six of the biggest names of the 1970s and ’80s. Six of this elite group’s surviving racecars. Six very different stories. The feats of Peter Brock, Jim Richards, Allan Moffat, Dick Johnson, Allan Grice and John Goss will live on forever. With 159 starts and 27 victories in the Bathurst classic between them, these stars’ immortality is assured. Helping the cause is the survival today of the cars they raced.

This issue AMC shines the spotlight on a hexad of Group C touring cars campaigned by them during that ultra-popular era, 1973 to 1984.

What differs wildly is how each of these cars has reached this point in history. For some it’s been a case of preservation, others resuscitation.

Two of them are time capsules. Of this pair, one has a led a high-profile life as a museum piece in Queensland, while the other has had a low-key existence for all but the last few years. Neither has been raced in over 30 years.

In contrast, another of our feature cars has been raced almost continuously since the early 1980s. In this time it’s had more hits than Elvis and more rebuilds than Steve Austin. But it keeps trucking on.

Another two cars covered over the following pages have returned to the racetrack in 2016 after comprehensive restoration programmes. Despite vastly different countries of origin, mechanical specs and colours, they are set to become Historic racing drawcards for their stunning looks, famous original pilots and glorious accompanying soundtracks.

Meanwhile, the oldest vehicle featured – driven by the most famous name of all – completely slipped off the radar for many years. Its survival today is a matter of good fortune, an eagle-eyed previous owner and input by one of its creators to return it to its most famous form.

AMC presents six machines – from four marques – with contrasting life stories. The common denominator is that they each provide a rolling history lesson, ensuring knowledge of our racing heritage lives long into the future.