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Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport

The Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport is the largest historic automotive meeting of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and provided a thrilling weekend of sights and sounds for entrants and enthusiasts alike.  The annual event took place March 5-8 at its home, the iconic  Phillip Island circuit, about 90 minutes south of Melbourne and was the 26th instalment of the now famous festival. Every year the event attracts many of the most awe-inspiring, collectable and historic cars from around the world and in 2015, over 500 entries were received for the three day festival, including 17 cars and drivers from overseas. Crowds were slightly down on last year, due to the wet conditions on Friday and cold temperatures on Saturday, however that didn’t affect the quality of the weekend. Over the three days, 49 races were scheduled to cater to the various categories and classes of vehicles present, including open wheelers, sports and touring cars. “Overall everyone enjoyed the weekend, despite some trying conditions on the Friday with some harsh weather and rain. Driver behaviour was fantastic and very few incidents on track,” said event organiser Ian Tate.  “One of the special cars attending was a 1936 ERA, built in England. The car won the 1938 Australian GP with Peter Whitehead.” The fiftieth anniversary of the Ford Mustang also coincided with event, providing the opportunity for celebrations around the milestone, which included Allan Moffat’s game changing Coca-Cola Mustang Trans-Am, a huge turnout of Mustangs and celebrity drivers.  There was also a Mustang Parade on Saturday and Sunday. Brian Thomson was the patron of the meeting this year. “We also want to thank Rare Spares for their support they provided to the event, it was appreciated.”  Rare Spares is a proud supporter of the event, and had a marquee with staff on hand to field enquiries from enthusiasts about parts throughout the weekend. Rare Spares also ran a $200 voucher promotion and hundreds of attendees entered for the chance to win.  For more information on upcoming Rare Spares supported events head to www.rarespres.net.au       

Rare Experience Winners Bright Weekend

The ‘Rare Experience’ was the ultimate money can’t buy motorsport competition for two lucky people to attend the Clipsal 500 as a free offer to any spectator that visited the Rare Spares stand and entered the competition during Summernats 28. The prize included two return flight tickets from your nearest capital city to Adelaide, 2 nights accommodation, Pit Lane/Grid Walk access + 3 day admission tickets + a Hot Lap with Jason Bright in the Team BOC V8 Supercar around the famous Adelaide street circuit. Hundreds of entries were received but there could be only one major prize winner and the ultimate motorsport weekend went to…drum roll……. Troy Townsend. Troy doesn’t normally enter competitions as he never wins anything, so was in shock when he received the call from the Rare Spares team that he had won. Troy’s partner Sue is nearly a bigger V8 Supercar fan than Troy, so Sue was always going to be the extra person Troy brought along with him. “He would have been in trouble if he didn’t take me!” laughed Sue. Troy and Sue loved every minute of their experience. “It was a great weekend, tiring due to the heat, but so much fun!” said Troy. One of the highlights of the weekend was of course getting suited up to go for a highly sought after hot lap ride with Jason Bright in his race V8 Supercar around the street course. “Awesome! Even now, after the event, I can’t believe how much grip and how it stayed on the road, it was so fast!” said Troy. Jason Bright even hung around post ride to chat and answer questions for the lucky winners. “All in all it was a great weekend and we want to thank Rare Spares for the opportunity” said Sue Bennett. Rare Spares also offered a $500 Rare Spares product voucher for the runners up prize and a Rare Spares gift pack for third place as well, so it was a fantastic and very successful competition. Stay tuned to the Rare Spares Facebook page for regular competitions or become a Rare Owners Club member, by visiting http://www.rarespares.net.au/rarespares/    

Project GTS Ready To Win

This stunning Holden HQ GTS or ‘Project GTS’ was the combined project of Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars, Unique Cars Magazine and Rare Spares and has recently been completed. It is now proudly being showcased before being offered as a giveaway car to an extremely lucky Unique Cars subscriber. The 1972 Holden HQ GTS chosen was in a past life a race car and spent a period racing in the popular Touring Car Masters series before being acquired as the project vehicle.   In a total of only eight months, the car underwent a total rebuild thanks to Bendigo Retro Muscle Cars, with a transformation from race car into a road car so it can now be enjoyed every day. The full build was documented step by step on video and in print by Unique Cars magazine and proved to be a fascinating build. The stunning black paint is thanks to PPG and sports a ceramic clear coat for a truly impressive finish. The interior has been customised and re upholstered and the heart of Project GTS is a 355 Holden stroker motor that outputs around 420hp. Rare Spares has been proud to partner in the ‘Project GTS’ build with Rare Spares supplying a special care package of their entire HQ catalogue for the project. Everything from a speedo face to front wings, lenses, stickers and even special bolts that Rare Spares produces that closely resemble factory bolts were included to make life easier for the restoration.  “I’ve been in the restoration business for more than 35 years and I have been using Rare Spares almost as long. Having Rare Spares’ comprehensive parts catalogue for the HQ Holden made our project easier and kept the quality high.”said vehicle builder Gary O’Brien. “The top build achieved in collaboration with Rare Spares on the HQ GTS project speaks for itself.” “This car could be won by someone that is not necessarily a passionate car person. As such we had to keep it serviceable and something that can be easily taken down to the shops.” “I hope it goes to someone who will enjoy it!” Gary wants to thank everyone involved in the project, Precision International, Top Torque Engines, Ice Ignition, Di Filippo Performance Exhaust, Mal Wood Automotive, Harrop Engineering Australia P/L, McDonald Brothers, Toperformance Products/KONI, Hoppers Stoppers, Aussie Desert Coolers  Davis, Craig Pty Ltd, Temp Tyres/Simmons, A&H Trim, PPG, Shannons Insurance and of course Rare Spares. To find out more about Project GTS and enjoy a more detailed look at the build, check out the video episodes and print articles at http://www.tradeuniquecars.com.au/project-cars/1405/project-hq-gts-homepage/ For more info on Rare Spares huge range of parts for HQ's and many other vehicles, head to www.rarespares.net.au    

John Bowe‘s Flying B at Bathurst 12 Hour

Aussie motor racing legend and Rare Spares ambassador John Bowe certainly raced in style at this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour, taking to Australia’s most iconic circuit as part of the Flying B Racing team in a Bentley Continental GT. With over thirty year’s experience at Mount Panorama and five wins spanning the Bathurst 1000 and Bathurst 12hr alike, Bowe was looking forward to utilising his experience and race the classic Marque at Bathurst in 2015. The lead up to the 2015 event was challenging for Flying B Racing, and in testing the drivers found a severe vibration coming through the steering from the front end. After swapping out nearly every part in the steering system, it took the arrival of some Bentley factory team members arriving from England with a complete new front end that the problem was solved and the drivers could concentrate on car setup. Bowe was partnered with Aussie racing legend David Brabham and vehicle owner Peter Edwards for the race and after some tweaks during practice, managed a respectable 15th in qualifying. The Ferrari 458 of sister team Maranello Motorsport had not fared so well, ending with a huge crash in practice with Tony D’alberto behind the wheel, rendering the car unrepairable for the race. The race began before dawn and under the headlights the full field provided an incredible spectacle as they raced up and down the mountain, as campers cooked breakfast from camping locations and headed for the stands. The Flying B Racing Bentley in race trim proved to be a solid machine and the team were on track for a solid result until an Aston Martin punted David Brabham into the wall, resulting in a DNF for the team. “It was a fantastic event, as it has been for a few years. But the disappointment is really acute when stuff goes wrong at Bathurst. Other than my stupid rookie mistake on my first out lap the whole Flying B Racing team performed faultlessly. Great strategy and pit stops and a real joy to work with. They deserved better” said John Bowe. "Anyway, congratulations to the Nissan team, to Liqui-Moly Australia for helping to create an amazing event, and the promoter James O'Brien who has masterminded the race onto a global scale”  

All Ford Sunday

Rare Spares were proud to sponsor the 24th annual Kiwanis All Ford Day. Held on Sunday 15th Feb at Deakin University, Waun Ponds Geelong in Victoria, the All Ford Day  turned on some beautiful summer weather which resulted in the largest event on record.   Over 7,000 spectators joined in the automotive celebrations of all things Ford, to view over 1,300 vehicles on display. There was a great range of all type of Fords, young and old and included both racing machinery and street cars.  Event Organiser Graeme Munro was in awe at the success of the event this year. “It was a magnificent event and the best we have ever held over our 24 year history. The quality of the cars was up on previous years, the huge crowds enjoyed it and the weather was perfect.”    “The All Ford Sunday is the biggest Ford show in Australia and we are looking forward to going again in 2015” Rare Spares set up a trade stand at the event and were inundated by restoration enthusiasts, making part enquiries and entering the Rare Spares promotion, where a lucky spectator had a chance to win a Rare Spares product voucher. “We are very happy to have Rare Spares involved and they are one of our club’s gold sponsors. They also assisted in getting John Bowe to attend the event, so we are very thankful to their support” said Munro. Rare Spares Ambassador and Ford man John Bowe was on hand at the Rare Spares stand signing autographs and taking part in the trophy presentation amongst other motor racing legends including Allan Moffat and Jim Richards. For more information on the event, head to www.allfordday.org.au You can find out more about local events by joining the Rare Spares Loyalty Club at https://www.rarespares.net.au/Loyalty/default.aspx 

Cars and Australia in 1955

Sixty years ago, Australia was a much smaller, simpler nation. World War Two was well and truly in the past and the baby boomer generation were well and truly blossoming. In 1955, the Australian Prime Minister was Robert Menzies,  HMAS Melbourne was commissioned into the Australian Navy and the controversial  Snowy River Hydroelectric Scheme started producing power for the first time. The number one song on the Aussie music charts in 1955 was ‘Hold My Hand’, by Don Cornell and Nat King Cole. The Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix was held at the former Port Wakefield Circuit and was won by Jack Brabham in a Cooper Bristol. The Australian car scenery certainly looked very different to that of today. In 1955 there were 1.4 million passenger vehicles registered in Australia.  As a comparison that figure is now over 13 million. For every 1,000 people in Australia in 1955, there was only 153 cars on our roads.  That has obviously changed with a much higher  568 cars per 1,000 people now grid locking roads across the country. We wonder what it might be like in another 50 years? There was less people on our roads, but safety of roadways and vehicles was in contrast to now, quite primitive.  Seatbelts were not required to be worn until 1970 and the total road toll in 1955 was 2042 people. That is per capita nearly triple the current road toll statistics. The FJ Holden was becoming the car of choice for many Australians, having only been released the year previously.  With a 2.2 litre straight six engine, the FJ produced around 65hp and would go on to be the iconic car it is today.   Ford was offering the Ford Customline and also the Fordomatic vehicles, which were both powered by a Ford V8 and were a much larger car than the FJ Holden. It was around 1955 that Drive-in theatres were starting to be introduced and no doubt many Aussies would have been taking their cars down to the local drive in theatre for a night out. Times change, but it’s always good to look where we have come from and enjoy years gone by. Luckily, with Rare Spares help, many of the cars from this era are still proudly kicking on. 

The Annual Picnic at Hanging Rock

It may still conjure thoughts of missing school children in the book and movie by the same title, but Picnic at Hanging Rock is synonymous with a picnic of a different kind. An automotive picnic. Run by the Macedon Ranges and District Motor Club, The Annual Picnic at Hanging Rock is primarily a fun day out for vintage, veteran and classic cars, plus motorcycles and trucks that are 25 years and older and has been running now for 28 years. For the 28th edition, over 1500 classic cars and trucks plus 225 bikes entered the event, and another 1520 cars and 20 bikes were in the general public display. It is estimated 7,000 spectators were on hand to enjoy the festivities and celebration of all things classic and automotive. “It was an excellent day with perfect weather. We had a wonderful collection of classic vehicles on display, with strong patronage by enthusiasts and the general public. We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did” said Event Organiser and Rally Director of the Macedon Ranges & District Motor Club Graham Williams. “It’s a huge undertaking to put the event on, but we appreciate the support of our volunteers, entrants and spectators, as well as our sponsors including Rare Spares and Shannons.” Rare Spares is proud to support what is a classic community event and had a marquee set-up with a constant stream of people talking to the Rare Spares staff regarding restoration projects and part enquiries for their vehicles. Rare Spares was also involved in giveaways and awards at the event, with promotional models on site during the day handing out flyers to win the Team Biante model car signed by Jason Bright + a $50 gift voucher. Congratulations to Mr M. Pace who was the lucky winner of the promotion. Rare Spares also provided awards to the best ‘Real Street’ and ‘Real Restoration’ machines at the event. The date for next year is already locked in so put it in your diary.  Sunday 14th February, 2016. 

Off Season with Jason Bright

Jason Bright finished a respectable 11th in the 2014 V8 Supercar championship after a mixed year which included three pole positions, a race win at the Auckland ITM 500 and an unfortunately spectacular roll over at the Clipsal 500 that made highlight reels across the country. After a huge schedule of racing and corporate activities during the 2014 season Jason took some time off over the Christmas break to relax and recharge. Rare Spares recently sat down with Jason to talk about his time off and what is in store for the 2015 season. How would you sum up your 2014 season overall? I thought at times we showed our potential but we had a bit of a slump from Townsville through to Phillip Island that you cannot afford to have with the closeness of the competition these days. How tiring is a full season of travelling around the country, testing and 17 rounds across Australia and NZ plus your other sponsor and team commitments? It is a long year for sure but I have learnt over the years to make the most of the gaps in between each round or when there is a quiet period.  Our meetings and associated appearances seem to come in bursts at different periods of the year and when it gets bust it gets very busy! How much time do you officially get off from your job? I think we are pretty lucky, when we get a break it is usually a good couple of weeks and you get to do things with the family and get away.  Having said that, you never stop thinking about how to get more out of the car or the team and they are always only a phone call away. How have you spent your break this Christmas? We managed to get away for one week after Christmas for a family holiday but the rest has been spent working on my new trade and service franchise Taskforce. Is it a clean break? Do you still think about driving and the season to come? Yes for sure you do, you are always thinking about what you could have done better or improved upon. What does the first day back at work look like for you for season 2015? We have a pre-brief before the first test of the year to go through all of the changes that have been made in the off season and build a plan for the first test. And are you confident about your 2015 prospects? Yes. I believe that we finished the year very strong and can put the slump mid season last year behind us and that we have a good direction for this year.  We have had some engineering changes which I think as a team will help us work together much better which is probably an area we haven’t maximised previously.  

Ford V8 Supercar No More?

After Ford Australia announced in May 2013 that it would be closing its manufacturing operations in Australia by 2016, naturally questions started to be asked about Ford’s continuing involvement in V8 Supercars and its financial support of the factory team Ford Performance Racing. The signs weren't promising and on 1st December 2013, Ford President Bob Graziano officially confirmed that Ford would be withdrawing financial support from V8 Supercars at the end of 2015, with a total withdrawal from the category at the end of 2016.   Ford fans were on the whole extremely saddened, as the brand they have cheered for, shed tears with and owned themselves would no long have support of the manufacturer. Fords continued participation in the series moving forward was also now under a cloud. Tim Edwards who is Team Principal of Prodrive Racing Australia (PRA), commonly known as Ford Performance Racing (FPR), also confirmed the decision and made the following statement. “Ford Australia’s decision to not extend its commercial relationship with our team beyond the end of next season is extremely disappointing for our large and loyal fan base, but as a business this decision now allows us to concentrate on our long-term future,” Edwards said. “We have enjoyed a highly-successful relationship with Ford Australia with just shy of 50 race wins, 150 podiums and the last two Bathurst 1000 crowns together.” It is expected both PRA and Dick Johnson Racing Team Penske (DJRTP) will continue to campaign the new Ford Falcon FG X being debuted this year through 2015 and 2016, however the future of both the Falcon and Ford in V8 Supercars is now the new question on everyone’s lips. In 2017 V8 Supercars will reinvigorate the category with the new ‘Gen2’ rules package. This new technical framework opens up engine and body shape regulations which will allow turbo charged four and six cylinder engines to run alongside the existing V8 engines. The other large change will be to free up the body shape eligibility, and combined with the new engine allowances, has been designed to entice more manufacturers to the sport. Whether this means a Ford Mustang could potentially be competing in V8 Supercars from 2017 onwards is purely speculation, but it would be a welcome inclusion to the die-hard Ford fans, who have been cheering on the Blue Oval since the company first started its involvement in Australian motor racing in the 1960’s. The ‘Ford Works Team (Australia)’ was the first Australian motor racing team to be supported by Ford Australia after its formation in 1962 and at that years Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island, Harry Firth and Bob Jane drove their Ford Falcon XL to victory. This began an incredible journey of Ford in motor racing in Australia with many unforgettable moments, including of course the unforgettable moment that Alan Moffat and Colin Bond completed a 1 -2 finish in perfect formation at Bathurst in 1977. Ford currently holds twenty three Australian Touring Car Championship titles, versus Holden’s nineteen titles and Ford has proudly won Bathurst a total of twenty times over the events history. For most Ford fans, the passion for the Blue Oval will remain irrespective of Ford’s involvement in V8 Supercars moving forward, however Australian motorsport would be all the better if the iconic and truly aussie Ford vs Holden rivalry could remain for years to come.    

Crunching Numbers With Classic Car Owners

If you had to take a guess at the percentage of Australia’s driving population that own and drive a car manufacturer between 1950 and 1979, what do you think that figure would be? It may surprise you (or not) that only 0.5% of Australian’s fit into this rare breed of car ownership. Roy Morgan recently produced findings based on research around classic car ownership in Australia with some interesting results. For those owning cars produced in the 50s and 60s, you are 130% more likely to agree with the statement “I regard myself as a bit of a car enthusiast” and 60% less likely to regard your car as simply ‘transport from A to B.’ If you are an owner of a car from this period you are also 220% more likely than the average motorist to have worked on your car in the last 3 months. For those that fit into the 1970’s ownership bracket, the strongest theme in the research was the focus on ‘fun’. Compared to the average Aussie motorist, this group of owners are more likely to agree they ‘will only buy a car that is fun to own’, prefer a car ‘that has lots of sex appeal’ and would rather ‘a car that handles like a racing car’. For classic car owners, further research was conducted around thoughts on the modern world. Findings showed owners of 50s and 60s vehicles are 58% more likely that the average Aussie motorist to agree ‘they don’t like to know much about what’s going on in the world today’ and 32% more likely to feel that ‘technology is changing so fast it’s hard to keep up with”. Those owning 70s cars are 21% more likely to believe ‘there’s too much change going on these days’ and 16% more likely to ‘like things staying the same’. These findings serve to highlight the passion that is held by owners of these vehicles, a passion that is shared and embraced by Rare Spares.