LOCALLY BUILT V8 FORDS

[zahistorics]

Here it is in May last year

[Firenza GT]

So John you say that was May 2007 ?

Here's Dawie's rare Chevrolet badged V8 Vauxhall Firenza. This was May 1980 at Tarlton Dragstrip near Krugersdorp while on an Army pass. I hiked there in step-outs for the day from Voortekkerhoogte because I had read about this place in bike magazines and seen Piet "Spoed" Van Zyl at Killarney the previous year so I had to go see if it was true. I remember I got a lift back to camp after the races in a custom hotrod type vintage dicing against a Camaro and a bike. They were all pals then stopped at a bridge, had a dop and then went their ways. That must have been my first experience in a V8 dicing another V8 and a bike.



By now I was about 20 month's away from owning my first car a rare ZA V8 Vauxhall Firenza still dreaming and saving up from a 90 Rand a month salary.

At that race meeting at Tarlton I also saw this black car which took part and ran flat 12's over the quartermile. It had a 400 cube inch small block with 2 speed Powerglide. Whether it was a rare V8 Vauxhall Firenza or a Can Am I'm not sure but I do see it had a correct bonnet and rims. No wing though but rather a Camaro type boot spoiler. The seats are not correct.



Maybe you can now understand that our cars did not just happen. We made them happen from nothing or rather real interest in the cars specific. Maybe you can understand why that other thread on the replica Firenza racer lit my fuse because in my opinion it is a cheap trick to rock up now lately and lay claim to the Holy Grail of these rare V8 Vauxhall's. There are many other old photo's of rare ZA V8 Vauxhall Firenza's from school days when this was just a vague dream for me.

[Gavin RS]

Well Well, I recognise these photos,I was always at Tarlton in those years,I still had my AMC Rambler Hornet SST fitted with a Fairmont GT 351 V8.
I will dig up my old Tarlton pics I have lots of pics of CanAm Firenza's from those days.Dont know if you remember a very clean CanAm, std looking but with an auto and hand controls, driver was a paraplegic but could get down the quarter in low 14's

I will post some pics of cars from those days,remember theGale Banks twin turbo Capri V8 of Peter Minellis,before his XR8 twin Turbo that thrashed Brian Whites Porsche.lots more

[Firenza GT]

In 1980 I was at Tarlton twice then could'nt go againas we were posted up Angola way. I also made it to Kyalami three times. Which was quite a cool break from trying to understand that "lick-yak-lick-yack" actually was the twiseted Afrikaans version of "left-right-left-right" while marching. All 5 times I hiked so determined I was to check out the Jo'burg scene. At Kyalami too I saw a couple of road Can Am's which I have pics somewhere taken with a crappy 110 camera.

The second time I was at Tarlton was for the first night race they had there which was quite a big thing. There was a certian thing about Tarlton and Kyalami which was different to Cape Town events. Everything seemed a few years ahead compared to Cape Town. Also at the time at Tarlton they had what was the "Brotherhood of Van's" that gatered there which was a craze then for a while customized old Bedford and Transit vans normally fitted out and with V8's.

Never thought I'd talk about these things again. But as you see there are others that have also been around and seen things we speak about.

Lino

[Boxy MS33]

I trully love these cars you guys have done an awesome job

[Kerwynne]

Hi

I have an 1992 Ford Sapphire V8 built by Novel Ford. I an looking for an clutchkit for the car and a few other parts too. Any help will be gladly appreciated

[alvin chetty]

where about are you. if you are near cape Town the Ralph at Motown can get you a replacement. Its the same as the XR8 setup

[Insomnia]

Kerwynne, browse about.Look under Parts suppliers section.
And also intoduce yourself in NEW Members section.
Pics of your ride would be appreciated too.