El Toro is a truly significant car in the history of motor racing
not only in WA but in Australia.
El Toro was the only Alfa Romeo powered car to compete in any Australian
Grand Prix during the 1970's and the last home made "special" to
compete in an Australian Grand Prix.
The early supercharged Peugeot engine car in 1962 |
The supercharged Peugeot powered open wheeler "El Toro"
was constructed in late 1960 by Bob Kingsbury. El Toro first ran
at Caversham in 1962 and was very successful.
In the late 1960's the supercharged Peugeot engine was replaced
with a normally aspirated Peugeot and then an Alfa Romeo.
Various Alfa Romeo engines were used including a twin spark GTAM.
The car continued to be improved by Bob Kingsbury and in 1979 the
car ran in the Australian Grand Prix as an Australian National Formula
1 (ANF1), retiring after 39 laps with a battery problem.
The car was later fitted with a peripheral port Mazda rotary motor
and ran until open wheel racing ceased in the early 1980's.
The car was then converted into a sports car by extending the cockpit
to meet the rules. Bob campaigned the car until the mid 1980's.
Over the years this car competed in more racing car events than
any other car in Western Australia.
The car was acquired in 2000 by Neil McCrudden and is currently
under restoration by Gordon Smyth and assisted by Nigel Cooper (New
Norcia).
It is intended to restore the car back to its 1979 ANF1 livery
