Moffat XC 77 car

[wombat]

I had the #1 car out of the display case tonight (cleaning time) and happened to take it into the study where a photo browser program was open on the computer.

One of the photos was of Moffat and Bond driving the 77 XC's around Bathurst last year (taken by a collector and put on his site, then refered to in a thread in this forum). I happened to keep a copy of the photo and enhanced it as well as I could.

I held the model up against the photo and immediately noticed some significant differences (other than the absence of the word Camel on the front bumper.

I was under the impression that the #1 car is in original condition and lives in the Bathurst museum (I'm happy to be corrected on this fact - please).

Are the differences brought about by the #1 car not being faithfully and correctly restored (horrors)? Or is the model amiss in its detail (worse horrors).

Trev, I refer to the rear side indicator light which on the model is vertical, whilst on the pictured #1 car it is horizontal. Interestingly, on the #2 car in the pic, the indicator is vertical, like the model.

The BP decal under the fixed side window is also different, in size and position.

The word Goodyear on the rear spoiler is a different font and size entirely.

I could post the photo, but if I reduce it to 500x500, the detail is reduced. If this is an issue, I can chop the photo in two, but it will still be smaller.

If this has been the subject of previous threads, please forgive me, but humour me with some answers.

Ta

Dave

[BATHURSTFAN]

This has been mentioned before, i think it went like this:

The cars were originally the 1976 XB cars turned into XC's for 1977, then in 1978 i think they were turned into the Cobra's, I don't know if one was turned into the black 1979 Federation car.

Either way the cars did the rounds for a few years.

[Acj428]

Yep! The original body and wheels where donated to the museum by Allen Moffat, and it has been restored and put on display at the track museum....This is what is written on the plaque in front of the car, I saw 2 weeks ago.....:)

[Dale Robertson]

The most glaring difference on the car at the Bathurst Museum
was the fuel filling system located in the bootlid which was not
introduced till 1979, and the rear quarter side lights.

[Nick Short]

Does this support the story that it is the '79 Federation Insurance car returned to '77 livery?

[GT40]

I came across a great book over Xmas called FORD- Falcon, Mustang and sierra in Australian Competition. (170 pages with great shots B/W & colour and lots of info about the different race series through the years 1966 until 1993).

After reading your post 'Wombat' I took a closer look at my models and the pics in this book, I know the story from other posts re the rear indicator lights running vertical or horizontal depending on whether or not a team updated an XB or started with a new XC

Any way This is what I've discovered.

All AX falcons rear indicators - Vertical
Moffat XB 1974 - Vertical
Moffat XB 1975 - Vertical
Moffat XB 1976 - Vertical
Moffat XB 1977 - Vertical
Bond XB 1977 - Vertical
Goss XB 1977 - Horizontal
Ron Dickson XB 1977 - Horizontal
Richards/Coppins XB 1977 - Horizontal
Moffat XC 1977 - Vertical
Bond XC 1977 - Vertical
Carter XC 1978 - Vertical
Moffat Cobra 1978 XC - Vertical (Bathurst)
Moffat Cobra 1978 XC - Horizontal (Adelaide enduro)
Bond Cobra 1978 XC - Vertical (Adelaide October)
Johnson XC 1979 - Horizontal
Bond/French XC 1979 - Horizontal
Moffat XC 1979 - Horizontal

I guess some teams only updated thier XB's to XC spec gradually over a year or two.

I also agree with you on the size and placement of the BP decal.

Anyway I love my models and the Moffat 1, 2 cars take pride of place in my collection, soon to be joined by the plaque.





:D

[BATHURSTFAN]

The Ford- Falcon, Mustang, Sierra In Competition is a good buy at some shops for around $10, it is a condensed version of 1989 book Ford - The Racing History, probably because its by the same author(s). Whilst the text is nearly the same the photos are not.

[GT40]

I found my copy (for $10) at the Motoring book store in Cremorne Sydney.

I called them yesterday and they still have a dozen or so copies left if anyone is interested.

[Esses]

Oh Poop! I just looked at the lights on my Carter '78 XC (Trax 1/43) & they're wrong. I think it's because they're actual raised castings as part of the body, as opposed to prints or paint ( as used in the Biante XC Cobra) which can obviously be changed to suit.
Where can I get a copy of that book?

[Three_o_seven]

GT40...

This is where I come unstuck with the '76 cars carrying over to the '78 Cobra's......well at least the #1 Moffat/Icks anyway.
You listed the 1978 Cobra as having verticle quarter indicators where as infact the Bathurst entered #1 Cobra had horizontal quarter indicators.....
So begins the dilema.....no doubt the 76 XB's were carried over to 1977 and repaneled as XC's, but the Bathurst #1 Cobra must have been an original XC and more than likely would have changed its colours in '79 to the Federation coupe.
I think this would have been what happened because i dont see any purpose why the team would reseat rear quarter indicators on one Cobra and not the other #2 car. Bond's Cobra looks to be an XB even at Bathurst, maybe Moffat only wanted to buy one new XC as there may have been knowlege that the Dealer support was to be pulled at the end of the year and as a privateer he would be finacially confined to a 1 car team.

Jeremy

[brchi17]

Try
www.pitstop.net.au
their a motorsport book show located in Perth.
cheers.

[Esses]

Duuhhh! I should've thought of Pitstop, I do deliveries for them.

[admin]

Originally posted by Steve
Oh Poop! I just looked at the lights on my Carter '78 XC (Trax 1/43) & they're wrong. I think it's because they're actual raised castings as part of the body, as opposed to prints or paint ( as used in the Biante XC Cobra) which can obviously be changed to suit.
Where can I get a copy of that book?

Steve, while our 43rds do have prints for their indicator lights, our 18ths have actual lenses, so it is for this reason that we make DEAD sure that we get it right.
Don't really care what is on cars in collections or museums.....it is what was on the track that day that counts.
The reason for most variations is the initial assembly. I have 2 untouched Cobras and 3 of the 4 indicators are different on each car as far as colour combinations. And I have seen other immaculate cars with more still including horizontal and vertical rears.
And, like today, most of the race cars had more hits than Elvis and who really cared which lights went back where??

[Esses]

Thanks for the reply, Admin. I wasn't actually criticising, just noting that your system allowed changes to be made, while the painted castings (to my eye) looked a bit nicer. When viewing the 1/43 Cobra in-store, I noticed the indicators & didn't like them. However, overall, your XC is a much better model than the Trax.
I lust after a Mulberry XB, but have been waiting for the '02 Brock 05 to appear before deciding between it & #54, or the XB.

[ZORAK]

I have had XBs with factory horizontal markers and XCs with factory vertical markers.

[Nick Short]

Before buying the Cobra I nearly went for a white XC hardtop that had the vertical repeaters. Initially I was suspicious that it was a mucked about XB masquerading as an XC, but discovered that during the overlap of XB/XC production there appeared to be a few mixed panels. Makes sense to me!