Background
Keen to create a car to take on the seemingly unbeatable Capri Perana in the South African Argus Production Car championship, South African touring car legend Basil Van Rooyen built a couple of Holden V8-powered Firenzas and brought them along to GM’s South African HQ in Port Elizabeth.GM built 100 road cars to homologate them. They were basically Vauxhall Firenzas but fitted with 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 running gear. As standard, they were 360 bhp and capable of doing 0-60 in 4.7 seconds
This car
The car is a replica of two cars rallied in South Africa in the early 1970s which were broken for spare parts. The car has been driven by Jimmy McRae on three Wales Rally GB’s, a Roger Albert Clark and several events in Ireland and Belgium (over 20 in total). It’s also been driven by one of the original drivers Jan Hettema and Stig Blomqvist. The car is registered as a ‘Post Historic’ with Motorsport UK papers and is now used for demonstration events.
Technical specification
Engine: Original V8 4998cc engine or a 6000cc.
Transmission: Muncie 4 spd man, Volvo 144 axle, LSD.
Power output: 465 bhp (4.9 L), 555 bhp (6.0 L).