Name: Sam Smith
Age: 38
Background: Producer of straight to DVD movies with plot-lines revolving around street-racing. The third film is currently in the early stages of filming and so Sam decided to use the Great Automation Run to collect authentic sound data and inside/outside shots of high speed action.
Sam is car enthusiast, Socialist Libertarian and is currently single despite his many attempts to woo the starlets who feature in his films but remains positive he’ll find his soulmate soon.
Why is he in the GAR?: Simple really, $5 million dollars will lift the budget into the decent film category and see “Angry Angus” achieve box office success!
Name: Ben Smith
Age: 30
Background: Brother of Sam and the “Star” of his movies. He’s also the mechanic so he keeps the cars in the films from grenading themselves trying to keep up with Sam’s creative vision!
Ben hates cars but loves driving and he knows he is going to miss his lovely wife of 10 years and their 2 sons as he travels about Europe at breakneck speed. A dyed in the wool Social Democrat, Ben’s looking forward to seeing one of his brothers films actually sell well, which will allow him his dream of owning his own home…
Why is he in the GAR?: 50% driving holiday, 50% work requirement. Ben’s coming along for the ride!
The car: The car chosen to star in “Angry Angus: Irritation Road” is a heavily modified version of a 1977 Bogliq Bushranger Veloce.
Essentially a licence built XC Ford Falcon hardtop, the Bushranger packs a 351ci Cleveland V8, makes about 165Kw and is a handful to drive anywhere where there’s a corner.
The Bushranger has been extensively modified with aftermarket alloy heads and stroker kit being sourced to stretch the engine out to 408ci. Multi-point fuel injection was installed using a Leeroy Racing kit and the cam was replaced with a Bathurst specific grind so that there would be a wide spread of power without stifling the top end. Quality extractors were installed to a dual pipe, crossover exhaust system which exited at the rear of the car via two twin pipe cannon mufflers. Power has been massively increased to 308Kw and the gearbox, tyres, brakes and suspension has all been modified to cope with the massive increase in power.
The result? This car’ll do the 0-100 sprint in 5 seconds flat and will go on to top out at just under 250Km/h.
Best of luck to all who enter because regardless of where you end up, you’re likely to find yourself immortalised on film! 