1978 Birkin 25 Starstruck
Birkin Motors Limited is a Melbourne-based engine maintenance and tuning company created in the late 40s to service US car and agricultural engines. In the 1960s, when the muscle car era was mainstream, the company started to specialize in European import. This cumulated in the production of their own car – on US platforms but with European styling – in the 1970s.
The Birkin Starstruck was a limited production sports and track car built from 1976 to 1981. This one is in the PMI collection, because it uses a European-made PMI racing block, although detuned for street use. The engine was a single overhead cam, two and a halve liter V8 in a 90° angle, producing 185 horsepower.
Despite that its styling might lead to the conclusion that this car was a 70s mid-engined supercar, the Birkin had a simple ladder chassis and a front engine, rear-wheel drive layout. This did not mean the Birkin was a slow car. It had sports suspension and a 5-speed manual gearbox. The car reached 100 km/h within 7 seconds and continued easily to 200 km/h.
The car was relatively affordable and catered to the Australian audience that liked the stylish, but expensive to import European cars of the era. Production was obviously extremely limited. Today only a handful of these cars (which had serious rust issues) survive.
Specifications
| Engine Specs | PMI EUER76c25 |
|---|---|
| Description | V-8, 90°, cast iron block and heads, forged crankshaft, conrods and pistons |
| Valvetrain | Overhead Cam – 3 valves per cylinder |
| Bore x Stroke | 74.9 mm x 70.5 mm |
| Displacement | 2485 cc |
| Aspiration | 2 DCOE performance carburetors |
| Compression Ratio | 10.2:1 |
| Output | 185 HP @ 6500 rpm, 232 Nm @ 4400 rpm |
| Redline | 7200 rpm |
| Chassis Specs: | Birkin 25 Starstruck |
|---|---|
| Layout | Front-engined, RWD |
| Interior | 2 standard seats, basic AM radio |
| Chassis/Body | Galvanised steel ladder / Steel panels |
| Suspension | Double-wishbone F / R |
| Driveline | 5-speed MT, automatic locker |
| Brakes | Solid discs F / R |
| Curb Weight | 1194 kg |
| Weight Distribution | F:59% - R:41% |
| 0-100 km/h | 6,7 s |
| Top Speed | 206 km/h |
| 100-0 Braking Distance | 35,7 m |
| List Price, New | $ 12090 |
| Production Run | 1976-1981 |
| Examples Produced | 1060 |