Aston Martin Nimrod, FIA Group C

Nimrod

NRAC2/004

1982 Nimrod Group C competition car. NRAC2/004. Private entry car by Viscount Downe (AMOC President) and managed by Richard Williams, built to FISA specifications. Driven predominantly by Ray Mallock and Mike Salmon, first at the Silverstone 1000km in 1982 in Pace Petroleum colours, finishing 6th overall and 4th in class C.
Before le Mans in June 1982, Mallock introduced revised suspension to the car, but the overall height was too low so an extension was added above the windscreen, and additional driver Simon Phillips was added to Salmon and Mallock. The car performed well for most of the race until it started to lose power at 10.30am on the second day, stopped briefly on track and did a 7 minute final lap to finish 7th. At the Spa 1000km, the car finished 11th overall and 7th in group C, securing 3rd place in the 1982 World Endurance Championship.
The car first ran in Bovis livery in the 1000km Brands Hatch race, 1982, finishing 9th in heavy rain.
A revision in body aerodynamics and weight loss in winter 1982/83 led to a 7th place in the Silverstone 1000km and at Le Mans 1983 in qualifiying, they reached 213mph along the Mulsanne straight, however on the Sunday morning of the actual race a conrod broke and the car retired. The car also retired from the 1000kms at Spa and Brands Hatch. The car still came 3rd in the World Endurance Championship that year.
During the 1984 Le Mans the car suffered a tyre blow out on Mulsanne, bursting into flames. The driver John Sheldon was badly burned and a track marshal was killed. The sister Downe car hit some of the wreckage and also spun, ending Downe's racing team.
The car was rebuilt from spares and a new tub in 1988 by Viscount Downe.

Car

1982

AMHT-2015-277L