A pioneering New Zealand-built sports car that pre-dates Bruce McLaren's first Chevrolet-engined CanAm car by more than two years, is on the way to Melbourne to compete in the Victorian Historic Racing Register's Sandown Historic race meeting from November 10-12.
Built in 1964 by brothers Maurie and Charlie Stanton, the mid-engined Stanton-Corvette with its space-frame chassis was the forerunner of the 'big banger' sports cars powered by V8 engines that went on to dominate most avenues of sports car racing in the decades to come.
The Stanton brothers had made a habit of anticipating racing design since 1953, when they built their first big aero-engined special, powered by an inverted 6.1 litre Gipsey Major engine mounted between the driver and the rear wheels.
As avid readers of overseas magazines, they were aware of the increasing success of rear-engined racing cars and decided to apply their knowledge to what was then New Zealand's first rear-engined sports car.
Powered by a Chevrolet Corvette engine mated to a Borg Warner T10 gearbox and delivering its 353kW (500HP) via a 1935 Ford V8 car differential, the Stanton-Corvette was way ahead of its time. Events disc brakes and callipers were of the Stantons' own design and manufacture.
As raced by former speedway rider Geoff Mardon, its power was more than enough to put it on an even footing with such exotic vehicles as the Ferrari 250LM of the same era, however when the Elfin CanAm car arrived on the scene, the Stanton's days were numbered.
In Australia, it's early 1960s alter-ego - the Carter Corvette, a rapid front-engined sports car with similarly blunt bodywork built by Murray Carter - met a similar fate at the hands of more advanced sports cars, such as Bib Stillwell's factory-built Cooper Monaco.
The Stanton Corvette is only part of the Kiwi V8 invasion at Sandown and will be crossing the Tasman with a thundering collection of 16 Formula 5000 open wheeler racing cars.
More than 300 historic racing, sports and touring cars have entered the Sandown meeting, which is sponsored by the VACC, Shannons, Tattersall's and Wurth.
As well as the Stanton-Corvette, the meeting will see a big grid of historic Group C and Group A touring cars, plus feature races for more than 20 Formula 5000s, while off the circuit an estimated 100 special cars from Brock Commodores and GT and GT HO Falcons will be the stars of the Shannons Show & Shine under the main grandstand.
For further meeting details visit www.vhrr.com or call (03) 9744 1807.
Media enquiries contact Michael Browning (03) 9879 9111/0418 324 328
Shannons enquiries contact Richard Sanders, Business Development Manager (03) 8543 2203 or visit www.shannons.com.au
