Description:

One of just three built by Motor Racing Development this car was totally restored a number of years ago and has been meticulously maintained ever since. It is powered by a 2.5 litre Coventry Climax engine developing over 250bhp coupled with a Hewland HT200 gearbox. The engine has been completely refreshed and has just one race meeting on it since. The car has an excellent race record in historic motorsport having been driven by John Bowe and Richard Carter. It has finished on the podium in every race except two over the past eight years. In 2016 it won the Tasman Trophy and Leo Geoghegan Trophy. Prior to being brought to Australia it had great success in the UK and Europe. The car is absolutely original and has all of its original equipment. It will be sold with its original fuel tanks and fuel filling equipment, engine breather boxes and a comprehensive set of spares including body moulds. It has an expired FIA HTP and a current CAMS logbook Certificate of Description classed Group O Racing.


History

Vogele was a champion hill climber when hill climbing in Europe was a popular form of motor racing. Ferrari, Porsche and most factory teams competed in this form of motor sport. During Vogel’s ownership the car ran on only four occasions: 1967 25 & 26/3/67 Studen Rennen Hockenheim FTD 20 & 21/5/67 Bergrennen Schwarzenberg-Bodele FTD 14 & 15/10/67 Bergrennen Mollis-Kerenzerberg CH Second FTD 1968 14/7/68 Rundstreckenrennen Monza 1 1st in class Vogele sold the car in 1972 to Rino Bothone of Switzerland. We understand the car was stored for most of the time Bothone owned it. In 1981 Brabham BT23-B-2 was sold to Willy Wider of Belgium and we assume he raced it. There are no records of the period in which Wider owned the car. 1989 saw the car sold again, this time to Jen-Louis Gillet of Belgium and we understand it was again stored for some time. There are no records of it racing while Gillet owned it. In 1998 J Haper of the UK purchased it, selling it just months later sold as a rolling chassis to Philip Walker from the UK. Philip undertook a total restoration in 2000 which was entrusted by Retro Track & Air in Dursley, UK. On the 23rd of October, 2001, the car obtained an FIA Historic Vehicle Identity Form, which describes it as an F1 Intercontinental. On completion of the restoration the car raced at Zolder in Holand. BT23-B-2 then became part of Philip Walker’s collection which included a BT26 and original Ford GT40. In 2006 a new Coventry Climax 2.5 litre engine was installed and later in 2006 the car won its class in the Grand Prix Masters. In 2008 it again ran at Brands Hatch in the pre-1971 to win the race. In 2009 the car was bought by its current owner and restored at his workshop in Sydney. The car was very successfully campaigned by John Bowe for a number of years, particularly at the long circuit at Winton. Two years ago the car was rebuilt and it is now driven by Richard Carter. In 2016 Richard won the Tasman Trophy Race and the Leo Geoghegan Trophy Race for Group “O” cars.Spares

• none