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Marques
Brabham BT 36
Written by Dick Willis
Originally owned by Don Baker of Rydalmere and first raced by the late Max Stewart in round 3 of the Australian Formula Two championship at Oran Park on Aug. 1", 1976. Qualified eighth on the grid, further back than would have been expected because of an engine miss. Going better in the race and working his way through the field, he eventually had to retire when the 190bhp Vegantune engine went off song.
Next race was the 1976 Australian Grand Prix at Sandown on Sept. 12th 1976 driven by Andrew Miedecke, now of Port Macquarie, the BT36 recorded eighth fastest qualifying time amongst a large field of Formula 5000's, but was forced to start from the rear of the grid for perceived safety reasons, Miedecke eventually finished fifth, a highly creditable performance, winning $1100 in prizemoney, a substantial sum in those days.
Miedecke again drove the car in Round 4 of the AF2 Championships at Phillip Island on November 20th, 1976, qualifying on the front row and leading the race for eight laps until being forced to retire with a broken valve spring.
As the car had been for sale since 1975 at prices varying from $6600 to $4000 in 1977, it was bought in 1977 by Ken Shirvington who raced it once at Hume Weir before selling it to Paul England for Peter Lamer to drive in the prestigious New Zealand Peter Stuyvesant series against the best world's best F2 drivers of the time such as Keke Rosberg, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan and Australia's Larry Perkins.
A Cosworth BDA engine replaced the Lotus Twin Cam and a wide "March Type" nose was fitted, but the series wasn't a success for Larner as the opposition had the latest cars, the BT36 was by now six years old, and the car was plagued throughout the series by gear selection problems.
On it's return to Australia, the car sat in Paul England's workshop for about 12 months before being sold to a Queenslander who did not race it but stripped it for parts.
It was traced and purchased by Brabham guru, Bryan Miller, in 1992, the engine and rear wheels were missing, but the car was generally in quite good shape, having only had eight races from new, and had been carefully stored.
Bryan painstakingly rebuilt the BT36 and first raced it in Historics at Amaroo Park in January 1993, also racing it at Eastern Creek and Winton.
The car was featured on the cover of the 1994 Amaroo Programme and was driven there in a demonstration for a TV programme by Neil Crompton.
In July 1994 it was bought by Dick Willis, the pair making their debut at the then new Wakefield Park circuit at Goulburn in the following November.
Since then, up to the end of 2003, Dick and the BT36 have competed at 28 historic race meetings and six open hillclimbs, the car is usually a front runner in its category and holds several class lap records.
Miedecke again drove the car in Round 4 of the AF2 Championships at Phillip Island on November 20th, 1976, qualifying on the front row and leading the race for eight laps until being forced to retire with a broken valve spring.
As the car had been for sale since 1975 at prices varying from $6600 to $4000 in 1977, it was bought in 1977 by Ken Shirvington who raced it once at Hume Weir before selling it to Paul England for Peter Lamer to drive in the prestigious New Zealand Peter Stuyvesant series against the best world's best F2 drivers of the time such as Keke Rosberg, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan and Australia's Larry Perkins.
A Cosworth BDA engine replaced the Lotus Twin Cam and a wide "March Type" nose was fitted, but the series wasn't a success for Larner as the opposition had the latest cars, the BT36 was by now six years old, and the car was plagued throughout the series by gear selection problems.
On it's return to Australia, the car sat in Paul England's workshop for about 12 months before being sold to a Queenslander who did not race it but stripped it for parts.
It was traced and purchased by Brabham guru, Bryan Miller, in 1992, the engine and rear wheels were missing, but the car was generally in quite good shape, having only had eight races from new, and had been carefully stored.
Bryan painstakingly rebuilt the BT36 and first raced it in Historics at Amaroo Park in January 1993, also racing it at Eastern Creek and Winton.
The car was featured on the cover of the 1994 Amaroo Programme and was driven there in a demonstration for a TV programme by Neil Crompton.
In July 1994 it was bought by Dick Willis, the pair making their debut at the then new Wakefield Park circuit at Goulburn in the following November.
Since then, up to the end of 2003, Dick and the BT36 have competed at 28 historic race meetings and six open hillclimbs, the car is usually a front runner in its category and holds several class lap records.