Any pics of the ARDT cars?
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Originally Posted by KA
Network Alfa in Australia persevered with the GTV6 I think?
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They did, Colin Bond ran a single GTV6 in most rounds of the 1986 ATCC. They had anticipated running a 75 from mid-year, then later had wanted to run one Bathurst, but the debut kept on getting pushed back. The GTV6 ran #75 all year in anticipation.
Network Alfa (run by Enrico Zanarini, formerly Eddie Irvine's manager, now Giancarlo Fisichella's) had threatened to pull out at the end of 1985, due to the class structure in Australia changing. In the end CAMS altered the structure to keep them interested.
For 1987 the Network Alfa 75 was debuted at the Oran Park non-champ "Clash for Cash" (25th Anniversary Oran Park meeting). Bond led early but slipped back due to rain (and unsuitable tyres).
During the course of the ATCC Bond rebuilt the car to RHD, but rarely got the car at the front of the grid.
The only time it led a race was the early laps of the Hardie Irrigation 100 at Amaroo Park (though the only regular front runner at that race was the JPS M3s, which got bad starts).
He did go alright in the early stages of the AGP support race at Adelaide at the end of 1987 against the regular top guys, but by then it was too late.
I've never seen an official reason for their pullout, but one assumes with the end of the European involvement in the 75 program, Australia wasn't going to go it alone. For 1988 Bond took the Caltex money to a Sierra. Bond was supposed to run a 75 in Production Car racing in 1988, but that never materialised.
Was the Bond car built in Australia, or imported?
For 1988 it was sold to John Cotter and run occasionally. I remember it appearing as a Sports Sedan (with a bigger rear wing) at some point in the mid-90s.