Pete05
Premium
- 7,059
- Melbourne, Australia
Few Australian made racing cars have the credentials of the SR4.
It's racing history speaks for itself; 19 starts, 19 pole positions, 15 wins, 8 lap records and only one defeat (second due to a throttle spring problem requiring a pitstop).
A car that was faster than the Formula One cars of the era, driven by one of Australia's best drivers.
Built in Sydney, Australia for Frank Matich to take to the 1968 CanAm series, it raced only in Australia, unlike it's equally famous sister car, SR3, it totally dominated the class and lead to coining of the local phrase "doing a Matich" (i.e. To take pole, to win, take the fastest lap and also the lap record).
The frame is made from tubular steel and weighs only 35 kg (81 lbs), extremely light considering the power of the engine, which was 600 bhp as raced. The gearbox is a Hewland LG500 4 speed manual. The gearbox is the only major item not made in Australia since the uprights, wheels, brakes and even the steering rack were locally produced. The body is made from fibreglass though the original intention was for this to be aluminium.
The engine was a 760 series, Repco-Brabham 5-litre quad cam racing engine developing around 600 bhp.
The SR4 was retired from racing at the end of 1969 since there was little else to be achieved for it in Australia. The rulemakers had outlawed the 760 series Repco-Brabham engine in CanAm so another foray into the CanAm series futile. In any case Frank Matich had his eyes on the emerging Formula 5000 series.
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