1968 London to Sydney Marathon cars

Post by **Trident team** » Mon 2nd Apr 2012 3:46 pm

Does anyone know of the whereabouts of any of those very brave and battered Lotus Cortinas

Post by **mk2cortinamatt** » Mon 2nd Apr 2012 7:30 pm

I know someone with a GT that took part, I was invited to view it but havent yet, wrote its reg down somewhere, he said the car is as it finished so must be fairly tired

One of the CTC's was scrapped out there as it was so bad

Post by **Trident team** » Tue 3rd Apr 2012 2:34 am

I used to work late shift at the time of the marathon and about midnight
travelling home from work I stopped for a coffee at a shop.
Parked out front was a dark green GT ''survivor'' of the marathon.
We had a brief conversation to the 2 Englishmen and I remember that they said they were driving her out to Richmond RAAF Base to have it flown back to the UK.
One sad tale that I know of is that there is one of the factory cars
sitting in a paddock on the central coast of NSW minus engine and with a tree growing up through it.

robertverhey · Post by **robertverhey** » Wed 4th Apr 2012 1:57 am

The general wisdom is that they were scrapped soon after the rally because Ford UK and Ford Australia were more focused on pushing the Escort onto the motoring masses.

But I've heard the central coast story and I'm sure I've seen a photo of it somewhere (including the tree growing in the engine bay!). But just searched extensively and no joy

I know one of them was recommissioned locally soon after the rally and was campigned by Bob Holden, the legendary Australian racer and rally car driver (still at it too, I see). I did read an excellent article about that car called "The Ecstacy of a Lotus Cortina" in a magazine of the time but I lost that magazine in a big purge about 20 years ago.

Aaaah hindsight

Robert

Post by **Andrew C** » Thu 5th Apr 2012 1:53 am

I have seen the engine block from the central coast car in a shed in Sydney. He had a great collection of cars and a very nice bloke so i dont doubt the story - given lt was near 10 years ago now. The chap pulled it from that car and described it as pretty much Fe dust. So atleast one of the cars is dead

Cheers Andy

Post by **ray8829** » Fri 6th Apr 2012 12:23 am

The Rosmary Smith car VPI 77 came back to Ireland and was then rebuilt for the 1970 London to Mexico Marathon by Frank Pierson and entered by J.C. Withers. It had the original Twin cam drivetrain replaced by a 2.6 Taunus engine, Taunus rear axle and 5 speed ZF gearbox. The car reached Lima in South America before clutch failure resulted in retirement. The car was returned to the UK and I have an advert from a Motoring News dated May 1973 where the car was offered for sale, and interestingly, the advert only mentions the fact that the car took part in the London to Sydney event. Does anyone know what happened to this car after that date?

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1968 London to Sydney Marathon cars

1968 London to Sydney Marathon cars

1968 London to Sydney Marathon Cars.