Driver: Paul Marston
Class: Super ProET, ProET
Class: Super ProET, ProET
Bought as a complete car, this ex-Pro Modified Vauxhall Calibra was built at Hauser Race cars and probably only has just over 150 passes on it. The Calibra was campaigned by Paul Marston Racing in 2007 in Super Modified and in Super Pro ET.
Built at Hauser Race cars, this was one of twins both constructed at the time, the other Calibra became Dave Mingays Hellraiser IV UK Pro Mod Championship winning car, which then became John Ellis’s Lethal Pro Mod and after a brief spell in Greece it now runs in Top Door slammer in Scandinavia with a blown BAE motor and now runs a twin rail chassis.
The Calibra’s was constructed to be as light as possible, using chromoly tubing and to weigh 2350lbs wet with driver, this was easily achieved at Hauser Race car as when PMR ran the Calibra in Super Modified it weighed 2320lbs on the scales after a run. Since then the Calibra has been lightened even more by virtue of an all aluminium Donovan Block, a Mark Williams Aluminium third member, smaller new fuel cell, new much lighter radiator and fan assembly, new lightweight set of beadlock wheels. Until final assembly its difficult to predict what she will weigh but it will be a lot less.
Having now been completely disassembled, the Calibra was updated with a made to measure hood scoop and bonnet assembly, the rear wing was also replaced with a hand made item, not a bolt on kit form piece so as it kept the lines of the Calibra and would create only downforce as required not drag.
Paintwork and recolouring the entire chassis and body was entrusted to Curbishley Automotive refinishing, with the chassis being finished in Satin Gunmetal Grey and the bodywork in Blue Diamond White.
Motor assembly will be taken care of most likely between Gary Springford at Drag Race Engineering with Paul Marston and final assembly will also take place at Drag Race Engineering, which is where the Calibra currently resides.
VAUXHALL CALIBRA 2023 UPDATE
Well this will take a while. As mentioned on the PT Bruiser 2023 update, elsewhere on this site. The PT has competed in 7.60 Heads Up. Well the Calibra has sat around for 12 years awaiting a class that justifies the expense, investment, time and logistics involved in running this. Being an ex Pro Mod (Our F1 of Doorslammer Drag Racing) the Calibra is purpose built to be very light and very fast, a no expense spared, space framed chassis, built to the very letter of the rule book.
As I just said this has sat around for 12 years, in a state of refurbishment but with no class to run her in competitively, (Pro Modified is insanely expensive and the chassis design has moved too far for the Calibra to be competitive) until 7.60 Heads Up came along in 2022.
To be fair, we ran the PT Bruiser in the 7.60 Heads Up class 22/23 to support it, we knew she wouldn’t be competitive, nevertheless, if you dont support these things they die. Well the class has made it thru two years, now runs three rounds and has a championship. So now is the time to get the Calibra done. The clock is ticking, we have until June, when the 7.60 Heads Up class has its first round of the 2024 season. Thankfully, I have assembled all the parts and pieces the Calibra needs over the years.
We have, we hope, a proven, competitive combo that once the car has been developed and all the bugs are out of her. She will run the numbers. I make no bones about it, to be able to run 7.60 on a 1/4 mile is special, real special. There are very few that have done so, or are capable of doing so.
At present what I can tell you is keep an eye on our FB Page for weekly updates on our progress with the Calibra. The Calibra has new wheels all round, new slicks, the motor is a 622ci all ally donovan, same deal as the PT Bruiser but alot bigger and more powerful. You can now see why we ran that combo in the Bruiser, so as we can learn what the motor likes and dislikes, all aluminium blocks work alot different to steel blocks. The transmission is an all aftermarket JW Performance Transmissions deal with another custom built convertor.
The Exhaust manifolds are also fabricated and fit. So it’s recommissioning and then fitting her up. Designing and fitting the fuel system, again, same deal as the PT, alcohol fuel injection, etc, etc. Still a long way to go but, we know where we are going and the objective is clear. What also makes the 7.60 Heads Up class so attractive for us, is the fact that it does not interfere with the UK National Championship series, which allows us to run both programmes simultaneously. Wish us luck, or come and see us race.
