A
ndrew Cannon rst purchased the
Hodgson Hatchback that had been
restored in the early 2000s by Tony
Collins-Haskins for the Hinton family. This
car (which at the time was referred to by
the Hodgson team as the ‘new’ car) was built in
mid 1978 prior to that year’s endurance races.
The other Hodgson Hatchback (the ‘old’ car)
dates back to 1977, and was shared at Bathurst
that year by visiting American stars Johnny
Rutherford and Janet Guthrie.
While it’s unclear which car was driven by the
respective Morris/John Fitzpatrick and Dieter
Quester/Derek Bell Hodgson team driver combos
at Bathurst in 1978, there’s no doubt as to the
historical origins of both cars. Likewise, Bob
Morris did race both cars en route to victory in
the ’79 ATCC.
The ‘old’ car has
seen very little active
service since that
tumultuous ’79 season,
and for many years has
been on display in the
York Motor Museum
in Western Australia.
When museum owner
Peter Briggs decided
it was time to offload
the A9X, Cannon sawwh
an opportunity to passup
both cars.
Making negotiations simpler was the fact
that he happened to be friends with Briggs, the
pair having competed against one another in
Admirals’ Cup and other top line yachting eventsBob Morris was reunited with his two Ron Hodgson
Racing Torana A9Xs at the Phillip Island historic
meeting earlier this year. Morris used both cars in
his successful ’79 ATCC campaign, with one famously
being raced by guest driver Allan Moffat at one of that
year’s Amaroo Park AMSCAR rounds.