Darren's Replica 1979 A9X Alan Moffat AMSCAR Winner ...


Darren's Torana started life as a former drag car come show car (yellow hatch 004). It was painted in Ipswich and stickers applied however he was not happy with the job and has had a few touch-ups done to fix a few problems. The engine is a VS 304 and was built with cam and porting, running a dual plane manifold and currently a Quadrant soon to be replaced with side-draught Webbers, a Holley Blue Fuel Pump, a toploader but has just been changed to a W58 Supra for highway driving and has a 9” differential. The insulation and soundproofing was fitted to floor and door openings before trim was installed. UC hand brake assembly fitted.

Affectionately known as the Muppet car, took just over a year to get it sorted and built. Assembled at Kev’s.

Unusual to have the Moffat name on a 1970's Holden windscreen banner. Story.....

The winding-down of the Ford Dealer Team component of Allan Moffat's racing operation saw him venture into the 1979 season without official support from Ford Australia or its associated companies. This was a situation potentially more foreboding than that which Moffat faced in 1974 following the closure of the Ford works racing team. The end result saw Allan slim-down his touring car program to a single XC Falcon Hardtop and also remove the covers from his Chevrolet Monza in order to resume participation in sports sedan racing.

The 1979 Australian Touring Car Championships (ATCC) kicked-off with three rounds in March of that year, with the remaining five rounds spread-out until the end of July 1979. In between ATCC rounds, many of the touring car drivers participated in an alternative run of sprint races known as the AMSCAR Series, based solely at Sydney's Amaroo Park Circuit. The Amaroo Park Based Touring Car Series (AMSCAR) format was based around drivers competing in three sprint races at each round meeting. Allan decided to participate in the AMSCAR Series, but at a mid 1979 meeting he found himself stranded without a car. His racing Falcon Hardtop was safely tucked away inside the Allan Moffat Racing transporter that was caught-up in a trucking blockade south of Sydney. The race promoters and Ron Hodgson Racing came to an arrangement that saw Allan Moffat drive a sister car to the A9X Torana driven by Bob Morris and for this one meeting Allan and Bob pretty much stole the show. The first sprint race of the day witnessed Allan Moffat take the win from Bob Morris. The second race saw the Moffat A9X Torana exit in a cloud of smoke by virtue of a loose oil filter. The third and final race of the day saw the two Ron Hodgson Racing Toranas ahead of the field with Bob Morris leading, however a last lap lunge by Allan Grice saw Allan Moffat displaced from second place on the run to the chequered flag.