Holden L34 Torana 1976 Bathurst Winner

The 1976 Hardie-Ferodo was the first time the race had genuinely attracted international interest, mainly because of the entry of Australia's own three times former world champion Jack Brabham, who had teamed with the legendary Stirling Moss, the pair driving a Torana. Other internationals included expatriate Australian Vern Schuppan partnering Allan Moffat and English long-distance ace John Fitzpatrick driving with Bob Morris in the Ron Hodgson Torana.
It is the number seven Morris/Fitzpatrick L34 Torana modelled here in the ‘Classic Carlectables Bathurst Collection’. It was the first L34 Torana to roll off Holden’s production line in Melbourne and also the car that was destined to become the eventual 1976 Bathurst winner. In the previous 1975 Bathurst race, the same Morris L34 Torana was running a strong second and chasing Peter Brock’s Torana with only 12 laps to go, when a cracked front brake rotor stole any chance of victory. Morris eventually bringing the car home in second place. After being so close in 1975 Morris felt they were a good chance for the 76’ Bathurst.
The 1976 Bathurst race had sixteen L34 Toranas and only three Falcons entered. There were two tyre providers, Bridgestone and Dunlop. Morris was the only outright class car on Dunlops. It was the first time that Friday was to be an official timed practice day. After the practice sessions it was the Allan Moffat/Vern Schuppan Falcon on pole, the Peter Brock/Phil Brock ‘Team Brock’ second, the Colin Bond/John Harvey HDT Torana third, with the Bob Morris/John Fitzpatrick L34 Torana in fourth.
The race was tough on cars from the start; the Brabham/Moss car was stranded and shunted on the start line. Jack Brabham was stationary at the start with a jammed gearbox as hundreds and thousands of horrified television viewers watched the Wade/Dellaca Triumph Dolomite crash squarely into the back of the L34 Torana.
Their day was done! After hours in the pits, the Australian Racing Drivers Club waived the rules to let the car and its drivers back onto the track for the benefit of the crowd. Moffat was leading at the end of the first lap but was soon passed by Bond in the HDT Torana. On lap ten Morris was running fourth, it was soon to be the start of the many problems that were to be so vital on the Mountain that day. It wasn’t long before Peter Brock was having fuel problems with his new drop fuel tank set up. The Goss/Richards Falcon was to blow a clutch, the Grice/Gardner Torana had retired with engine problems and Moffat who was leading by over a lap retired on lap 87 with a broken crank shaft pulley, which eventuated in a blown head gasket.
Morris who was leading pitted on lap 123 to hand over to Fitzpatrick for the final sprint to the finish, but Fitzpatrick was back in the pits two laps later with a flat left hand front tyre. This gave Bond the lead again till a broken fan belt and the resulting blown head gasket that brought Bonds L34 Torana into the pits for repairs as Peter Brock was absolutely flying trying to catch up the seven laps he had lost! It was Fitzpatrick leading up the hill with four laps to go, when his car suddenly slowed and started to smoke. The car had suffered a blown gearbox seal and oil was getting onto the clutch. Fitzpatrick was virtually carrying the car around the circuit. Back in the pits there was tension and tears. History would have said that the car should have stopped somewhere on the mountain, but suddenly the car appeared over Skyline and could now coast back down the mountain.
The television cameras recorded the emotional finish as Fitzpatrick took the chequered flag while Bob Morris and his crew were still wiping away their tears. The 1976 race has often been referred to as ‘the year of the Hollywood script’, the battling privateer beating the all mighty factory teams in a nail biting finale. The race was to be one of Bathurst’s unforgettable wins.

Item includes certificate and production number plate, mounted to the chassis.