[Superkart_Rob]

Hi All, I helped Reinhold Gropper in the DTM back in the 80's.

The car was built in 1982 for Vince Woodman and raced under the Esso colours in the UK. It was built by CC Motorsport later to become DCRS (Dave Cook Racing Services). As far as I know the car did SPA in the Belga colours with Vince Woodman and Martin brothers.

After Spa it was sold to Bodo Jähn of Auto Verie in Berlin and from memory they had a shunt in it causing damage to the front.

The car was then bought by Reinhold Gropper from Paderborn in Germany. I was a weekend warrior for Reinhold helping him on his other race cars along with Ray Prince (RIP) who was serving in the Army (REME) was an ex F1 race mechanic and he knew the history of the Mustang and has worked for Vince Woodman and Jonny Buncombe before joining the British Army.

Strangely Ray was based only 3 km from Rienhold’s VAG dealership. We helped straighten the car and it was then painted the Blue and White as the attached photo.


The car raced in the DTM 1985 and the ETC round at Nurburgring along side the Asch mustang, the Allen Grice (AUS) Chickadee Commodore, TWR Bastos Rovers, Texaco Ford Sierra RS500. Plus some other races. The photo was taken at Kassel Calden Flugplatz. This was one of many airfields used in Germany in the 80’s. Depoltz, Mainz Finten, Erding and Wunsdorf to name a few.

The Trint-car (FORD Germany Backed) was then raced by Roland Asch also during 1985. What we did notice there were some political moves with the engines supplied by (from memory Neil Brown). Asch ended up with some higher powered motors. Gropper who was a privateer ended up with some basic engines. (Foul play I hear you say. Can’t prove it I reply).
The Cook built car was better in the build quality, set up and brakes. The gearbox and diff coolers were mounted in a way the they worked well with hardly no effect to the air flow under the car.
Ford Cologne were using the mustangs as a stopgap from memory between the Capri the Sierra for a year or two? The Merkur XR4i was rebadged Ford Sierra RS500 and was being used in the DTM along with a Ford Escort XRTi in 85 / 86. This was driven by the lady driver Nodes.
I left Germany and don’t know what happened to the car after 86. In 1989 I worked for DCRS in the Vauxhall BTCC Team. We won the title that year with John Celland.
Reinhold Gropper is still racing Mustangs. 1965 one’s that is in the historic / classic touring car championship in Germany.