Rennmax Traco Olds sports car pre 1969. | FerrariChat

Rennmax Traco Olds sports car pre 1969.

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Arvin Grajau, Sep 2, 2007.

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  1. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
    78,322
    Wurundjeri man.
    Full Name:
    Arvin Grajau
    Go to Google type in "Rennmax Traco Olds" go to 1st on the list.Anyone know anything about the car/history.
     
  2. yasmin

    yasmin Formula Junior

    Been for sale for a long time
    Quote : "In 1962 Alec Mildren returned to Sydney with Glen Abbey where he established an Alfa Romeo Dealership. He suggested to Glen that he utilise a number of components that they had collected over the years, and build a sports racing car. These included a 3 litre Type 61 Maserati engine, which no longer complied with ANF1, and a number of Cooper and Brabham suspension components and a Colotti gearbox. Bob Britten of Rennmax was commissioned to manufacture a one-off chassis to accept all these components, and with assistance from Peter Wilkins of Brabham the car was finally finished in 1964 and called the Mildren Maserati Sports Car - Frame No. 1. The car was fitted with an all aluminium body created by Wal Hadley of Hadley Brothers. The chassis was basically a copy of a Lotus 19, which Bob Britten was repairing at the time The Mildren Maserati first competed in 1965, driven by Alec Mildren, Ralph Sach and Frank Gardner. Due to commitments in the Tasman races and ANF1, Alec sold the car to Ross Ambrose in Tasmania, where it remained for the rest of its racing career. It was sold as a rolling chassis, less engine (the engine was damaged at the Australian TT at Lakeside driven by Frank Gardner). Rennmax Climax. Ross Ambrose set about re-powering the car, using a 2.2 litre Coventry Climax engine, and decided to rename the car the Rennmax Climax. Apparently he was averse to driving anything that was not a factory car, and went to great trouble to ask Bob Britten and Alec Mildren for their permission to rename the car. The Rennmax Climax went on to win the Tasmanian Sports Car Championship and continued in this form until 1969 when the engine finally wore out. Rennmax Traco In 1969, Ray Gibbs and Tony Osborne of Argo Racing, advertised a 4.4 Litre Traco engine for sale. Ross Ambrose bought this engine and fitted it to the Rennmax, together with a Hewland HD4 gearbox. The car was renamed yet again, to the Rennmax Traco, and was first entered to run at Symmons Plains on the 28th of September 1969, but was a non-starter due to last minute problems. The next meeting was at Baskerville on December 7th 1969, where it ran, but had problems with oil burning from the right bank of cylinders (it was black flagged for this reason). Ross Ambrose asked the stewards if he could run the car without the rear bodywork in an attempt to identify the problem, and a picture of the car without the rear bodywork appeared in the race report in Racing Car News showing this. Despite these problems he finished second in the race. The Rennmax Traco appeared for sale in RCN in January 1970 and was subsequently purchased by Geoff McHugh who also lived in Tasmania. Geoff raced the car until 1972, when he sold it to Glen Warren. Glen ran the car through to 1975, when an advertisement appeared in RCN for its sale. Bodywork The original Mildren Maserati was built with a curvy, all aluminium body which was typical of the cars of that period. It maintained this body until 1970 when a more modern fibreglass rear body section was fitted, and following an accident in 1973, which destroyed the aluminium front bodywork, a fibreglass front body section was fitted. In 1974 a brand new aluminium body, fashioned after a Chevron Sports Car, was fitted. Historic Classification. The Rennmax Traco has a Group O CAMS Certificate of Description in 1969 configuration. Bodywork: All aluminium bodywork as created by Wal Hadley for Alec Mildren Engine: The original all aluminium Traco Oldsmobile engine purchased from Argo Racing and installed in September 1969. Gearbox: Original Hewland HD4 installed in September 1969. Running Gear: Original Brabham and Cooper components".

    Ths was taken from the www.racecarwarehouse.co.uk site

    Nice M10B, which I would have bought had the agent not been such a knobhead.
     
  3. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
    78,322
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    Arvin Grajau
    I've known DD for about 20 years.What does he want for it?IMO it might me a nice car to own and have at Historics,but not a nice car to drive hard ala Lotus 19.
     
  4. yasmin

    yasmin Formula Junior

    Who's DD ??

    It's listed at US$120k or 72,500 pounds. Depends who you buy it through.
     
  5. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
    78,322
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    the owner David Doubtfire.Ment to say it might handle like a Lotus 30.The owner has owned the odd Ferrari.
     
  6. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
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    Got the hots for this monster.Is Goodwood ready for Bob?
     
  7. 360C

    360C F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Better sell the BB then :)
     
  8. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
    78,322
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    Arvin Grajau
    don't need to.
     
  9. 360C

    360C F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Got any room left in the motor house?
     
  10. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
    78,322
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    Arvin Grajau
    UM no,will need to store a car at Amanda's garage or put one down at Mt Martha(lol guess which one)
     
  11. [355]

    [355] F1 Veteran

    Apr 10, 2006
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    you and your OHOS, get a 997 GT3 already and be done with it. geez.
     
  12. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
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    to common IMO,this thing will bite,need a challenge,a raw grunt race car,no abs,traction control for this boy.
     
  13. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    Jun 23, 2003
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    fixed
     
  14. [355]

    [355] F1 Veteran

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    datto 1600 with an FJ20 turbo engine
     
  15. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
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    well that would do expect its of the same vintage of a far better car "The Porker 911 RS/CS"
     
  16. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    i don't agree that it's far better.

    it laps at about the same speed....but doesn't sound as good or look as good...but that's just my opinion...and the only one that matters.
     
  17. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
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    I've owned the better car and it a'int the 355ch.
     
  18. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    driven one, have you?
     
  19. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
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    well I bought it new in '95 and when I sold it 3 years latter it had 8,000ks up so yes I drove it,stupid question but it is you after all,have you driven a RS?
     
  20. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    i meant have you driven a 355ch, dork!!

    yes, i've driven a RS touring. one of the best cars i've ever driven.
     
  21. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
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    I'm a dork we don't get to try great cars.But no never even sat in one,would think it would be a pretty special car,take me for a ride next time you can.I reckon as a passenager driven by the owner gives one a good enough idea of how good a car is.
     
  22. Aircon

    Aircon Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    buy your own :)
     
  23. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
    78,322
    Wurundjeri man.
    Full Name:
    Arvin Grajau
    would a 100k get me one.
     
  24. [355]

    [355] F1 Veteran

    Apr 10, 2006
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    with enough change left over for a new corolla daily.
     
  25. Arvin Grajau

    Arvin Grajau Seven Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 7, 2006
    78,322
    Wurundjeri man.
    Full Name:
    Arvin Grajau
    993 RS cars are going up in value 170k plus and what a 355ch is under 100k?l
     

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