Group A Volvo 240 - Info and pics thread

[f-team0]

1988 Checker Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb USA Colorado

[VolvoGroupA]

Originally Posted by f-team0

Hi VolvoGroupA,

this car was build in Würzburg/Germany 1984/1985 at an 2-doors US-Volvo 240 Turbo chassis.
After a contract, that we only drive european and international hillclimb championates an no race events with other cars, powerd by volvo schweden, engine, some special parts and instructions to build this group A volvo 240 turbo was delivery by volvo sweden.
This car stay 1988 in Colorado USA at the legendare Checker Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb.
Result: Fast Qualifiyer and 2. Place group A prod. division July 8. 1988!
Some pictures you will find at www.herbert-hürter.de.

Best wishes
Franz G.

This is great story behind your late fathers Volvo 240! What's the current status on the car today? Reasons I ask so much is that I'm considering, since your fathers car was what I believe a "semi-works" car, of putting the car in my website. But then I would need a present image, a full spec. and history and perhaps some images from the engine room and interior.

Would you like that Franz, for me to put your fathers car on my site?

I think that it would bring the car to life once more and let the general public know about it, and mostly to honor your father.

Let me know soon!

Kind regards
Björn

[Dermot Healy]

Originally Posted by KA

Neither name rings any bells with me, though I'm not too familiar with the Irish rallycross scene, apart from those drivers who appeared regularly on UK mainland events.

Group A 240 Turbos were a bit of a rarity in the UK/Ireland- the only couple I can think of from memory were both rally cars.

Kenny McKinstry did the Circuit of Ireland and a few other tarmac events in 1987 with this Volvo...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rustyrally/4785552841/

IIRC, it was a fairly low-budget effort. The Irish championship and British Open championship continued to allow 2wd Group B cars, in 1987, and many of the top Irish drivers stuck to their existing cars- Manta 400s etc. However, the Circuit of Ireland also counted for the European Championship, which didn't allow Group B cars, and some of the top Irish drivers were left without cars eligible for their home international event.
A few improvised by preparing whatever Group A cars they could for the occasion- probably the best-known of these being Austin MacHale's Dealer Opel Team Ireland Opel Monza.
I think the McKinstry Volvo was another of these, but I don't know of any subsequent history.
Could this have become the Murphy rallycross car?

There was at least one other Group A Volvo around UK rallying- Scottish Volvo & Austin Rover dealer David Gillanders ran one around 1984/5, before moving onto a Metro 6R4.

My understanding of the 'McKinstry Volvo' was that is was built by Dave Cunliffe in Lancs from a 1980 ish 2dr road car (that was probably not a turbo originally) & was then run by him very successfully with 8v Turbo motor in NW England stage events in the early/mid 80s. I understand KMcK acquired it shortly before the 87 Circuit & that it was Rallycrossed by one or more Murphys in Ireland before returning to/being sold back to Dave Cunliffe. He then continued to use it on single venue stage events in the NW late 80s early 90s fitting it with a 16v Volvo engine using Gp A Sierra Cosworth turbo management & injection. I bought it c. 1995 & ran it occasionally on stage events in UK & Ireland finally selling it to a David Smith in Manchester around 2001. He then appeared in a few club events locally. It was a lovely thing & i'd happily buy it back! I have a memory of sitting on a stage start on an Irish event & being able to lip read a spectator saying to his mate "...there's a mon who forgot his caravan"

[SAMD]

Ur a geg man.

[GBRISTOL]

Regarding the two photos courtesy of Peggen Andersson:

These photos bring back many fond memories of my time in Thailand and attending all the races at Bira Circuit with Sep and Del. I also have to agree, 'Peggen" was one hell of a driver, as was his team-mate, Khan Chi Hong (sic?) of Malaysia. Those were days I'll cherish for how many years I have left. I have many photos of the Volvos used by Zepspeed but, unfortunately, no way to convert them to digital and upload them.

[VolvoGroupA]

Originally Posted by GBRISTOL

Regarding the two photos courtesy of Peggen Andersson:

These photos bring back many fond memories of my time in Thailand and attending all the races at Bira Circuit with Sep and Del. I also have to agree, 'Peggen" was one hell of a driver, as was his team-mate, Khan Chi Hong (sic?) of Malaysia. Those were days I'll cherish for how many years I have left. I have many photos of the Volvos used by Zepspeed but, unfortunately, no way to convert them to digital and upload them.

GBRISTOL, greeting!

Were you a part of the Zepspeed team? Can you tell us anything more about the Volvo racing in Thailand perhaps?

Sorry to hear that you can't convert the photos to digital. Do you still have the negatives by the way?

[MPC]

Hi guys, I am new.

I have a question regarding a Volvo 240T I saw race at the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Pukekohe in January 1988. Who was driving the car, where did it come from and where did it go. I have been wondering for 23 years now.

[chunterer]

Warm welcome MPC, thanks for the 3 posts so far.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by MPC

Hi guys, I am new.

I have a question regarding a Volvo 240T I saw race at the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Pukekohe in January 1988. Who was driving the car, where did it come from and where did it go. I have been wondering for 23 years now.

A complete suggestion rather than an answer, but Inky Tulloch used to race a Volvo 240T about then, I know he used to drive with Ulf Grunberg in enduro events in one. He also drove with Garry Croft in a U-bix Copiers backed 240T at the Pukekohe 500 a couple of months prior to the NZGP meeting of Jan '88.

[E.B]

One thing I forgot to say was Mark Petch (who posts here) might be the best source of factual info, as he started the Volvo Ball rolling down under, albeit a couple of years before.

AFAIK he sold his cars to Volvo Aus and they (3?) went back to Sweden when Volvo gave it away after the 86 season.... where they were all redistributed to other Volvo Teams around Scandanavia (one to Finland where I think it won the TC Championship and another to Sweden (Steffansson Automotive).

What other perhaps locally built cars there were I have no idea, or what car / the story is behind the U-bix backed one Tulloch and Croft drove at the October 87 Pukekohe Benson & Hedges 500. Perhaps something to do with Soderqvist Racesport who Tulloch drove as I mentioned in Enduros for (ie Wellington 500 with Per-Gunnar Andersson also in October 87.

[bludvl_x19]

Not all the Mark Petch Volvos are overseas...




I took these photos at Drive Bathurst last year, and took my sweet time getting around to uploading them...

[DAVID PATERSON]

Originally Posted by bludvl_x19

Not all the Mark Petch Volvos are overseas...

I took these photos at Drive Bathurst last year, and took my sweet time getting around to uploading them...

What are the chances of that being a replica, not the real thing?

[bludvl_x19]

Wouldn't have a clue tbh. The name on the back window is Veal, who I imagine is the owner, and on the front guard is three drivers names: Petch, Francovic and Bowe. I thought I had more photos of the car in the pits, but I can't seem to find them.

[MPC]

Originally Posted by E.B

One thing I forgot to say was Mark Petch (who posts here) might be the best source of factual info, as he started the Volvo Ball rolling down under, albeit a couple of years before.

AFAIK he sold his cars to Volvo Aus and they (3?) went back to Sweden when Volvo gave it away after the 86 season.... where they were all redistributed to other Volvo Teams around Scandanavia (one to Finland where I think it won the TC Championship and another to Sweden (Steffansson Automotive).

What other perhaps locally built cars there were I have no idea, or what car / the story is behind the U-bix backed one Tulloch and Croft drove at the October 87 Pukekohe Benson & Hedges 500. Perhaps something to do with Soderqvist Racesport who Tulloch drove as I mentioned in Enduros for (ie Wellington 500 with Per-Gunnar Andersson also in October 87.

Thanks for that. I thought Tulloch and Granberg might be the most likely candidate. Would love to know for sure and know were the car came from and went to.

[KA]

Originally Posted by MPC

Thanks for that. I thought Tulloch and Granberg might be the most likely candidate. Would love to know for sure and know were the car came from and went to.

I won't swear to it without checking, but I think the Tulloch/Granberg Volvo in NZ was run by the SRS (Soderqvist Racing Services) outfit from Sweden, so would have probably gone back home after the NZ races?

[brendonwood1]

Originally Posted by MPC

Hi guys, I am new.

I have a question regarding a Volvo 240T I saw race at the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Pukekohe in January 1988. Who was driving the car, where did it come from and where did it go. I have been wondering for 23 years now.

Hi. It would be one of the two Soderqvist Racing cars that competed in the Nissan Mobil 500 at Wellington. The driver would have been either Garry Croft or Inky Tulloch - but I don't have the results to hand unfortunately.
One of the two cars went to Japan after Wellington for the Fuji 500. The other one remained in NZ where it was driven by Tulloch and Croft in the Pukekohe 500 the week after Wellington and remained in NZ for the New Zealand Touring Car Championship over the summer of 87/88.

It is worth noting that Per-Gunnar Andersson, who shared one of the two cars at Wellington, was a regular competitor in NZ between 1986 and 1989, initially with the Volvo 240T and later with BMW M3s.
Interesting to note that while Andersson competed regularly in New Zealand, he did not to the best of my memory race in Australia, or in Australia's premier race the Bathurst 1000. I wonder what the attraction of NZ was over the Bathurst 1000? I see Per-Gunnar has posted in this thread. Maybe he can pass on some memories of his New Zealand campaigns if he has a chance.

[brendonwood1]

Originally Posted by DAVID PATERSON

What are the chances of that being a replica, not the real thing?

It is not an ex-Mark Petch car. It is a genuine, locally built Group A car, that was raced just once at Oran Park in 1987 and crashed. I was built by Laurie Hazelton, but this car has been mentioned several times in various Australian Group A threads, including earlier in this thread here: http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...on#post2771243.

It was rebuilt after its Oran crash returned to Australian race tracks to compete in the Historic Group A & C races about 3 or 4 years ago.

It is interesting to note that this Volvo found some spead at Bathurst in February, where it qualified 4th, finished 3rd in the first race and 4th in the second race and 5th in the third race.
It is worth noting that the Group A cars were running around in the 2m35-2m40m range, well short of what they were capable of their heyday around there, so it seems many drivers were not keen on introducing their now quite valuable cars to the concrete walls. The ex-HRT Commodores for example were over 20 seconds a lap slower than they were capable of lapping Bathurst back when they were current race cars in the late 80s/early 90s.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Originally Posted by brendonwood1

It is not an ex-Mark Petch car. It is a genuine, locally built Group A car, that was raced just once at Oran Park in 1987 and crashed. I was built by Laurie Hazelton, but this car has been mentioned several times in various Australian Group A threads, including earlier in this thread here: http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...on#post2771243.

It was rebuilt after its Oran crash returned to Australian race tracks to compete in the Historic Group A & C races about 3 or 4 years ago.

Brendon, are you looking at the same picture as the rest of us? The drive Bathurst picture above is of a car wearing Mark Petch livery. The ex-Hazelton Volvo is navy blue and almost devoid of signage.

[bludvl_x19]

David, going by what you said about it possibly being a replica, and having the possible owners last name, I did a bit of googling and came up with this (the first entry):

http://www.mumbomedia.net/blog/news/...cle%20Division

[DAVID PATERSON]

The ex-Hazelton Group A Volvo is owned by Richard Prince and it is still Navy blue, but no longer wearing the yellow tail stripes it wore in 1987.

[Nivola]

All car went back to the factory.

As even that livery chassis was converted and sold into the factory team.

That my take on things after researching the livery's

mark would be best to clarify this.

That is a replica though.

[brendonwood1]

Originally Posted by DAVID PATERSON

Brendon, are you looking at the same picture as the rest of us? The drive Bathurst picture above is of a car wearing Mark Petch livery. The ex-Hazelton Volvo is navy blue and almost devoid of signage.

I was under the impression - or remember chat - that the Hazelton car was to be repainted as a replica of the original Petch car. Last I heard the original Petch car was still in Europe. In which case this is another, more recent car? If so, how does it get approval to race in the Group A & C series which I thought was for genuine race cars with the log books to prove it?

[KA]

Originally Posted by brendonwood1

I was under the impression - or remember chat - that the Hazelton car was to be repainted as a replica of the original Petch car. Last I heard the original Petch car was still in Europe. In which case this is another, more recent car? If so, how does it get approval to race in the Group A & C series which I thought was for genuine race cars with the log books to prove it?

AFAIK the Hazelton car has been seen in historic Group A & C races in the original blue colours- but bearing in mind, as you say, it's a series for genuine log-booked original, then I don't see how the Veal car would be able to run in these, unless it was an original car from Europe- and even in that case, surely the only car allowed to be raced in the Petch colours would be the original Petch car, not the Hazelton car, or any other imported from Europe, let alone a replica?

If the Veal car is a modern replica, then presumably it's not running in the Group A/C races?

[DAVID PATERSON]

Originally Posted by brendonwood1

I was under the impression - or remember chat - that the Hazelton car was to be repainted as a replica of the original Petch car. Last I heard the original Petch car was still in Europe. In which case this is another, more recent car? If so, how does it get approval to race in the Group A & C series which I thought was for genuine race cars with the log books to prove it?

Originally Posted by KA

AFAIK the Hazelton car has been seen in historic Group A & C races in the original blue colours- but bearing in mind, as you say, it's a series for genuine log-booked original, then I don't see how the Veal car would be able to run in these, unless it was an original car from Europe- and even in that case, surely the only car allowed to be raced in the Petch colours would be the original Petch car, not the Hazelton car, or any other imported from Europe, let alone a replica?

If the Veal car is a modern replica, then presumably it's not running in the Group A/C races?

I raced against the Hazelton car at Bathurst last month, it's still Navy blue. If it gets painted up in Mark Petch livery, it will no longer be eligible to compete in Historic Group A.

The Veal car is a replica and does not and can not compete in historic Group A. The pictures earlier in this thread are taken at the drive Bathurst event, which is not a race meeting, it's a supersprint & track day.

[brendonwood1]

That clears things up. Apologies for any confusion I may have caused. I assumed without reading or looking closely enough that the Veal car was pictured at the Bathurst 12 hour support races.
The ex-Hazelton car did get some good results in the Group A/C support races last month, which is good to see.