Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Posts relating to early (Pre 1985) Hotrodding History in Australia, including Hotrod and Custom Shows plus early Drag Racing, Speedway, Hillclimbs etc.
Harv
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:11 am

Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

Ladies and Gents,

I am currently building a Holden grey motor project, and would like to set myself some targets. I am interested in collecting the fastest Holden grey motor performances known. Many performances are subject to speculation, and as the old t-shirt says “the older I get, the faster I was”. Interested in performances that can in some way be verified.

Listed below is what I know so far:
Land speed: Dennis Boundy #283 Norman-blown FJ sedan, Lake Gairdner Great White Dyno. XO/PRO class March 2006 @ 113.075mph and XO/BVGC class March 2009 @ 113.478. Records held by DLRA (https://www.dlra.org.au/index.htm).

Drag racing: Bob Hamilton “Captain Nitrous” FJ sedan, Willowbank Raceway January 1989, 12.98s Source: Street Machine Hotrod Ledgends January 2008 (http://www.thegreymotor.com/2015/11/cap ... trous.html. Legend has it that this record has been eclipsed bu Mark Riek (see below) at 12.78s, though I need to verify.

Dynometer: Mark Riek, MUX53 turbo EFI FX utility, 204rwhp. Source: Street Machine July 2017 (https://www.whichcar.com.au/tv/dyno/tur ... dyno-video)

Your views on contenders for these titles (or additions for circuit, hillclimb or marine) appreciated.

Cheers,
Harv
Harv
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Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:11 am

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

A rather fast update. Have now seen the timeslip for Mark Riek’s run. Would propose:
Drag racing: Mark Riek MUX53 turbo EFI FX utility, Willowbank Raceway October 2017, 12.78s (source: timeslip).

Cheers,
Harv
spinner50
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Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:23 am
Location: Nicholson ..Vic

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by spinner50 »

Are there different records for grey motor X-flows ala Repco & non X-flows ??
Harv
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:11 am

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

spinner50 wrote:Are there different records for grey motor X-flows ala Repco & non X-flows ??
Not that I have seen. My intent is to build an alky grey, Norman fed, Hilborn injected with a repro Repco head. Got me curious just how fast the grey can be made to go without going kablooie.

Cheers,
Harv
Harv
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Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

Another one to add to the land speed category(thanks Penny):

Bob Telford, #1160 “2015 Special” grey motored bellytank, Lake Gairdner Great White Dyno March 2018, XO/GL class @ 133.254mph.

Cheers,
Harv
nomadawhat
Posts: 280
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 6:08 pm
Location: Langwarrin Victoria

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by nomadawhat »

Bob McWilliams had a grey engine in his "Wee Tee" in the 70's and 80's. He had the national record for a while but the class he was in was changed to allow slant 6 engines, and he could not compete. He also had problems with cranks. He had a supply of NOS cranks abut when they ran out he gave up racing.
I can't recall the times he was running, but a check of the old Rod Sports may have some info. I've got a bunch of Rod Sports in the shed, but don't have time ATM to look through them. Someone else may remembrr Bob and the Wee Tee.

Cheers, Des
spanners
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Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:23 am
Location: Temora NSW

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by spanners »

I've been chasing some of the drag racing records for a while whilst running my HAMBster. Just kidding, too busy having fun racing. Best I've done is 13.5 at 96 M.P.H. Not too shabby from a fairly stock bottom end with Yella Terra head and ground cam and manual gearbox from a standing start.
Shirley you must be joking? I'm not, and don't call me Shirley.
Harv
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:11 am

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

Have never driven a Hambster, but have watched more than a few out at Eastern Creek. You can hear a heap of noise as the tree counts down, though they seem to bog down in the first 10' or so of the track (more so than say a manual sedan). Not sure why (and have never looked at the various times as they hit each track timer)... could just be the acoustics up on the hill at Eastern Creek.

Cheers,
Harv
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steve the ford guy
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Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by steve the ford guy »

I saw an FJ Holden altered with a full on hot early side plate engine and manual box do 14's once at Castlereagh drags in the seventies, it was an awesome thing to watch! :D
spanners
Posts: 252
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:23 am
Location: Temora NSW

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by spanners »

[YouTubehttps://youtu.be/ZNNo4iiZnac][/YouTube]
Shirley you must be joking? I'm not, and don't call me Shirley.
Harv
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:11 am

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

spanners wrote:[YouTubehttps://youtu.be/ZNNo4iiZnac][/YouTube]
8) Love it!

Cheers,
Harv
Greg N Smith
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Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Greg N Smith »

User avatar
rx4ord
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Location: Tasmania! Tasmania!

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by rx4ord »

That thing sounded great :lol:

Tassie Dave
Founding Member of OZ-E-Rodders
Harv
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:11 am

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

A recent FaceBook posting got me thinking there may be a faster grey than Riekes.
From this article (http://www.thegreymotor.com/2014/08/121 ... r.html?m=1 it would appear that the Crater Critter was running 12.1 seconds with a grey motor. Sounds damn fast for the period, and is based on the owners memory.
As a cross-check, the above article (and this one = http://www.thegreymotor.com/2015/03/cra ... r.html?m=1) shows the car running in Car running in C Altered class. The articles infer a 12.10s pass at the 1968 Calder Nationals.
This article (http://www.speedwayandroadracehistory.c ... strip.html) shows April 1968 Calder C/A times at 12.12 (in the Corvette engine Shaker humpy), so the Crater Critter claim would appear to be reasonable.

Does anyone have any more documentation (old magazines perhaps) that describe the C/A class at the 1968 Nationals? Would love to validate if the Crater Critter 12.12s claim is correct.

Cheers,
Harv
Harv
Posts: 468
Joined: Fri Mar 22, 2013 9:11 am

Re: Holden grey motor speed/power record holders

Post by Harv »

Reviving an old post.

As far as research can tell me, the fastest ever quarter mile powered by a grey motor (regardless of body type... door car, FED etc) is Barry Goong's 11.49s (D/Dragster, 1970 Nationals). If anyone knows of a quicker time, please share.

Part of the reason for my curiosity is my FED project. To race in Modified, I am going to need to make the grey pull a 10.99s or quicker pass. As far as I can tell, that would need it to be the world's fastest grey, by 0.5 seconds. I've got Eldred, Phil and Hedley helping, but think it will still be a pretty fair challenge.

Cheers,
Harv
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