The Morrari.

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This has come up on a local discussion, and thought it'd be of interest here.

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We couldn't get all the nice stuff from overseas, if we wanted it, we made our own. The Morrari was an F1 Ferrari chassis, shortened, fitted with a 327 Corvette engine, with a Morris Minor body dropped on. I remember watching it race when I was a young fella in the mid/late '60's.

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Entering the first corner at Pukekohe, this corner is no longer used, for obvious reasons. Coppin's Corvette powered MkII Zephyr next to a MkII Jag, the Lotus Cortina (this is NZ, could be a 2 door lookalike)has spun out. The Morrari is further back, behind the FJ Holden. Anglia's, Hillmans battling it out.

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Images not showing, but the links work.
 
The Custaxie, a '55 Ford Customline with a 427 Galaxie engine. Chased by a Mustang and a couple of Anglia's.

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REAL racecars = taking the best parts you can get your hands on, & go win races!

What odd combos - - you could somehow source a Ferrari F1 Chassis, but no other parts?

How did these cars do? (win/lose record?)
 
It was a complete car, but out of date and totally uncompetitive as a single seater, as a saloon car it had an extra lease of life. It has now been fully restored as a Ferrari. The Custaxie is back too, racing in historic classes.
 
My most favorite racing car ever, The Lycoming Special, built by Ralph Watson. He made a tubing chassis, fitted the 4 cyl Lycoming upside down with his own fuel injection system. He used a Studebaker 3 speed gearbox, with input into the layshaft, to raise the gearing because of the low rpm of the aircraft engine. Used a Ford V8 rear diff, with a De Dion axle and inboard brakes. I used to have a very limited edition book about Ralph and his cars, with detail of the Lycoming build.

This is how I remember it, always looking pretty rough, and thrashed all the flash cars it competed against. According to Bruce McClaren when he drove it...wheelspin at 140mph. The car was never trailered in it's life, driving all over New Zealand on the weekends to race, then driving home again for work on monday.

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How it looks these days, restored and living in the USA, sadly.

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