Specifications
| Engine | 1800cc In-line 4-cylinder |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | 4-speed manual |
| Body Work | Roadster |
| Colour | Red |
| Interior | Black |
| Trim | Vinyl |
| Wheels | Wire-spoked |
| Brakes | Drums |
Description
One Australia’s best known specials, the Ausca was developed by a Repco engineer named Paul England, who designed and built the car in conjunction with his friend Bill Hickey. Using a bespoke tubular chassis frame made of 16-gauge steel, the Ausca employed Holden running gear, the Grey motor driving the rear wheels through a Fiat 521 gearbox, along with Holden-sourced front end and back axle and Peugeot steering. The Ausca’s most striking feature was a fibreglass bodyshell modelled on Maserati’s AG GCS/53 sports-racing car and it proved highly competitive against more fancied opposition from its debut at Fisherman’s Bend in February 1956, ultimately enjoying a long and successful racing career. The Ausca later ran with the first of Repco’s famous ‘Hi-power’ cross-flow cylinder heads designed by the legendary Phil Irving, appreciably boosting power to somewhere in the region of 150 horsepower, along with an Austin-Healey diff. A run of copies of the original body was made (most sources put the number at 16), mounted on a variety of chassis, including MG, Triumph and Healeys and using a mixture of running gear, some of them raced, including that built by well known actor Gus Mercurio. Now recognised as a part of Australia’s motoring heritage, the original Ausca was recently displayed in the Shifting Gear exhibition celebrating design innovation and the Australian car held at the National Gallery of Victoria.
