Leyland P76

[v8pnut]

I am looking for any information and photos of the Darrell Eastlake driven Leyland P76 in 1973/74. The car was owned by Southport Motors on the Gold Coast and was mostly raced at Lakeside or Surfers Paradise

[Art Racing]

Sorry, can't help but it was good to see your article in AMC. But we need to find some of these one off cars - the P76, the 260Z, the Sigma, Volvo, Audi and the other oddballs. I assume you have looked for the actual car?

[v8pnut]

Yes I have tried to find as much info in the car as possible. To find the original car would be, by far, the best option but I'm not kidding myself to think that it will turn up. Ofcourse we live in hope. So far I have spoken to Southport Motors, the Australian Land Rover distributors (ex Jaguar/Rover Australia, ex Leyland Australia) and to Darrell Eastlake. I am still trying to get contacts for the old Southport Motors through the BMC/Leyland Heritage Group and I would love to talk to Gary Cooke as I am led to believe he prepared the car in Sydney.

[David Paterson]

I wonder if it's the same Gary Cooke who is now the EO for IPRA NSW.

www.ipransw.com.au

[werestheflares]

how'd you go looking for the eastlake car.
you get any pics of that P76

[v8pnut]

Thanks for the tip David but no it isnt. However I did have a conversation with Garry Mennell of IPRA and he put me on to Garys brother Will who then had Gary ring me. Yes he did build the car and had good things to say about it. All it needed was time and money to develop it to a race winner (and maybe a better driver:) We will be catching up soon to get more details on the car. We havent found the car and all we know is that it returned to QLD and was looked after by Mike Gore up till the project ended in 74. I would love to know where it went from there. I would love more pics as I only have the one.

[werestheflares]

could you send me a copy of the eastlake P76 in race trim

[v8pnut]

See my attached thumbnail. Otherwise send me your email address and I will send you one.

[werestheflares]

thanks, im building a mocky as well, street rego'ed though

[bent65]

I am looking for any information and photos of the Darrell Eastlake driven Leyland P76 in 1973/74. The car was owned by Southport Motors on the Gold Coast and was mostly raced at Lakeside or Surfers Paradise

I dont know if you have spoken to Darrell but he drinks at Terrigal Pub. I havent seen him down there for awhile but I can get hold of his son if you want me to put you in touch?

[v8pnut]

Yes I have spoken to Darrell and unfortunately he doesn't recall many details of the car as he was just a paid driver and had little to do with the cars build or preparation. I have recently tracked down Gary Cooke though. He had some good memories of the car and we plan to get together soon to talk at length about it. It is amazing how stock the car was. He said the same thing as Darrell. Handled great, stopped great, engine needed development. Gary said that the cars preparation was eventually taken over by Mike Gore on the Gold Coast and as Mike is no longer with us I cant ask him. I have spoken to his son Craig but he has no recollections of any P76 at his fathers workshop so we seem to have come to a dead end again.

[Art Racing]

Was reading some of my other stuff on the weekend and I found a note about a CAMS fine which Allan Moffat received in early 1980 for 'stomping on the bonnet of Noel Delforce's P76' after an altercation during a touring car race at Oran Park in May 1980. Long shot of it being the same car, but you never know.

John

[v8pnut]

Thanks Art but no the Delforce P76 Sports Sedan was built from a damaged road car and is not the same car. Noel is a member of our club and has confirmed this. Thanks for your suggestion though.

[v8pnut]

Many Thanks for your pm Shane. The contacts proved fruitful with some help and info. If you think of anything else please pm me

[werestheflares]

found this on a p76 site.
i wonder if this blokes seem the whole car or taken a guess....bonnet scoop?:)

[v8pnut]

All this guy has seen is the photo that is on this web site. Its sort of a replica with lots of mistakes including that ridicules bonnet scoop. I think he was just having a bit of fun but its not a serious replica.