The legendary Bathurst 1000-winning car driven by Craig Lowndes and Greg Murphy has finally broken cover in public for the first time since its heavy crash at the Gold Coast Indy event in 1999. This highly anticipated public appearance coincides precisely with the 30th anniversary of its famous victory at Mount Panorama, reigniting memories of the golden era of touring car racing.
The meticulous ground-up restoration was undertaken by Eggleston Motorsport after purchasing the shell a decade ago. The intricate rebuilding process was carried out under the direct supervision of its original fabricator, George Smith, ensuring every single mechanical and structural detail was restored to its exact original specifications.
Known as HRT 033, the car was initially debuted by Craig Lowndes midway through the 1996 season amid significant controversy surrounding its radical roll-cage design. The chassis featured a large tube running diagonally into the passenger footwell to enhance overall chassis stiffness, though the design was swiftly banned for future builds due to safety concerns regarding driver extraction.
Despite the regulatory hurdles, Craig Lowndes utilized the machine to clinch the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship title before teaming up with Greg Murphy to dominate both the Sandown 500 and the prestigious Bathurst 1000. Team boss Ben Eggleston was fully committed to finishing the restoration ahead of the milestone anniversary, welcoming back a group of original team members to the mountain.
Speaking to Speedcafe, Ben Eggleston shared details regarding the demanding restoration journey. “It’s been a long process,” Ben Eggleston told Speedcafe. “We’re lucky to have George Smith do all of the fabrication that it needed to bring it right back to original. It’s got the original engine and running gear and we’ve had stuff reproduced, like the wheels, to do it justice. It was a big push to get it finished but I really wanted to get it here for the 30 year anniversary. No one has seen it since it crashed at Indy in 1999.”
Baca Juga
Mobil juara Bathurst 1000 milik Craig Lowndes dan Greg Murphy kembali muncul ke publik setelah restorasi sepuluh tahun oleh Eggleston Motorsport.
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