Tag Archives: Ventora

Baby Bertha – Vauxhall Holden Repco Firenza

After disposing of “Old Nail” at the end of 1974 Bill Blydenstein received funding from Dealer Team Vauxhall to create a new Super Saloon based on a 4 door Vauxhall Ventora saloon shell and fitted with a 476 hp 5 litre / 302 cui Repco tuned Holden V8, Borg Warner T10 gearbox, Salisbury Power Lock differential, AP racing disc drakes, double wishbone suspension on the front with 12″ x 15″ slicks and de Dion rear suspension with 15″ x 15″ slicks.

Vauxhall Holden Repco Firenza, Race Retro, Stoneleigh

Driver Gerry Marshall soon dubbed the car Big Bertha and won three of the six races he started in the beast before it shed some brake pads and ended up in the Silverstone crash barriers, it’s meticulously built shell beyond repair.

Vauxhall Holden Repco Firenza, Race Retro, Stoneleigh

Vauxhall had second thoughts about offering a V8 Ventora to the public in light of the fuel crises, so Bill and DTV decided to build today’s featured Droop Snoot Firenza out of all the bits salvaged from the wrecked shell of Big Bertha.

Vauxhall Holden Repco Firenza, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

It was not long before the car became known as Baby Bertha and over the next three years Gerry raced the car in 40 events and won 37 of them, retired from 2 and was beaten only once by a cheeky little 270 hp Hillman Imp driven by Jonathon Buncombe that was built on a 1971 Chevron B19 sports car chassis and known as The Chimp, soon after it’s win The Chimp was effectively banned from Super Saloon events because of protests regarding it’s wheel base which was longer than the mandated standard Imp length.

Vauxhall Holden Repco Firenza, Piers Ward, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Paul Haywood-Halfpenny bought Baby Bertha in 1978 and had a disastrous season with it that he reckoned cost him £1,000 per lap, at a time when the average wage was only £5000.

Vauxhall Holden Repco Firenza, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

In the 1980’s current owner Joe Ward bought Baby Bertha after Gerry Marshall, among others, had owned it and raced it one more time to a second place finish at Thruxton. Joe’s son Piers is seen at the wheel in the photo above at Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Thanks for joining me on this “Baby Bertha” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Pro ET – Race Ventora

The Vauxhall Victor FD Series was built between 1967 – 1972 the Ventora ws launched in 1968 with a 3294 cc / 201 cui 6 cylinder motor replacing the standard Victor FD series 4 cylinder motor.

Race Ventora, Silverstone

This Race Ventora, seen here at the Silverstone Classic, is powered by a 468 cui / 7669 cc V8 and driven by Ray Walker Pro ET drag events.

Race Ventora, Silverstone

Pro ET races see drivers paint the elapsed time (dial in) they believe they can achieve on their back window’s races are then staged between cars of different performance levels with the release times staggered by the difference dial in times. So that each driver should, in theory, cross the finish line at the same time.

Race Ventora, Silverstone

If a driver jumps his release time he is out, known as a ‘Red Light’, if a driver beats his dial in he is out, known as a ‘Break Out’, unless both drivers beat their dial ins in which case the driver who beats his dial in by the least amount wins.

While I was looking for information on Ray’s car i came across some information on another Vauxhall Victor of the same FD type that goes by the name of Red Victor.

Red Victor has gone through three evolutions and in the process lays claim to being the world fastest street legal car with a 0-60mph time of 0.9 seconds !

This link takes you to a youtube clip of Red Victor 2 and this second link takes you to a fascinating thread on the building of Red Victor 3.

I’ve just finished watching Tony Stewart round out a tremendous victory at Homestead Miami over his championship rival Carl Edwards. Kudos to all the fans of the Big 14 what an achievement to win the Cup as an owner driver. Commiserations to Carl who has earned my admiration for the way he competed and handled his defeat having drawn with Tony on points and lost on tie braking victories. Can’t wait until the new season starts at Daytona in February.

Thanks for joining me on this Pro ET edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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