History
Built by Brent Benzie in 1979 to complete in the 1979 Repco Reliability Trial. It was car 158 but due to infighting and sabotage the car pulled out early in the event. It was then rallied by a few people in the early 1980s as a blue Austin 1800 Mk1. I got the car as a basket case and some friends and I fixed it up to get it back on the road. It was originally IBB-916 but become ELI-131. It did the Alpine Rally Historic section in 1991 and 1992 and the inaugural HRA Otways event. From about 1993 to 1997 it did events with in the HRA before personal situation put on the brake. In 2009 I rebuilt the car, had it resprayed and entered it into the HRA's 2009 Repco Re-run. The car was resprayed into its original colours, got a freshened up motor, RWC and reregistered its original rego IBB-916. It completed the HRA 2009 Repco Re-run much to everyone surprise as it was arace to get the car finished, RWC, registered and scrutineered for the event.
Modifications
It has been built to BMC Competitions Departments, Works Abington on Thames, special tuning specifications stage 3 using off the shelf BMC/Leyland components, BMC/Leyland after market parts, BMC/Leyland ST parts and parts made specifically for use in special tunning by the likes of Downton and Brown & Gammon. It has twin HS6 SU carbs has manifolds and set ups for twin HS8 and 45mm DCOE on the shelf. It has extractors made in Australia by Hans Petersen in Mitcham but I have the original Downton items sitting on the shelf. It has a stage 4 set up head with all the ST bits. A forged and blue printed bottom end and a standard gear box. The suspension is the hydralistic set up with the big bags in all 4 corners. In 2010-2011 shock absorbers as per the 1968 London to Sydney BMC Works 1800s was fitted by Simon Young of British Sporting Cars in Kangaroo Flats. The body of the car has been stitch welded, reinforced and mounting points strengthened. Fuel tank is in the boot. Car has a full roll cage mounted and attached at for points to the floor, two points to the parcel shelf, middle hoop attached to B pillars(and floor) and bars across front and rear windscreens. Fuel lines, brake lines and hydralastic lines run through the car.
