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Old 18 Apr 2008, 18:43 (Ref:2180901)   #8
KA
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Originally Posted by chunterer
Good stuff as ever KA!

Yes I think Rouse did 2/3 of the '83 season when Pete Hall handed the car on to him as he didn't feel he was doing it justice!! So just why he thought he would go any better in the title winning Vitesse 2 years later is debatable!!

I also think that it's still running in club racing as you suggest.

I'll did some pics out and post them at some point as well, just wanted to thread to get well underway first.

BTW I think that Rich Harman image you've linked is Rob Kirby's example? not entirely sure though. There were subtle differences between the 2 ARDT cars. Dooley's first ran in the last season of Grp 1 and was then converted to Grp A spec. It appeared to run 'lower' and had a sort of side exahust system, whereas Rob's has a more standard system. Jon's car aso ran different wheels to Kirby's - Jon's were silver Compomotive's and Kirbys more the 'mag' style white alloys.

What was most memorable was the total difference in sounds!! Dooley's had a quite distintive drone (which he once said was reminiscent of a Ferrari Dino!) and Kirby's, the TDR and ETC cars for that matter made the superb high pitched screamer sound when on full song. A superb engine note by any omparison!

TDR did run 3 cars on ocassion, but usually 2 for Phil Dowsett, Paul Smith in '84 and then Dowsett, Smith and Mark Hales in '85 IIRC
The ARDT car could well be Kirby's- I was just going on the caption. I'd have to check race number against a programme to be sure. Dooley's car originally ran the black Napolina livery- did the change to John West sponsorship come in 1985? Am I imagining this, or did Kirby's car carry the John West colours before they were adopted on Dooley's?

At least one of the Drury cars was heavily damaged in the infamous multi-car shunt at Thruxton in 85, along with Sheene's Supra and a couple of Brooklyn Escorts.

Terry Drury also had some outings in a GTV6 himself- the Donington ETC round in 1985, sharing with Phil Dowsett comes to mind,
http://www.racingsportscars.com/cove...985-05-05e.jpg

as well as some early-season BTCC races that year before Hales took over the seat. Barry Barnes had a run in a TDR Alfa that year as well- the Brands European GP meeting round

Last edited by chunterer; 18 Apr 2008 at 20:53.
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