Overview: A Rare Piece of Australian V8 Supercar History
A truly scarce relic of the late 1990s Australian touring car scene is going under the hammer. A rare early example of the Ford Falcon AU V8 Supercar, built and raced by John Briggs Motor Sport (JBMS) and later raced by Toll Racing, is listed for auction on My105. Known as JBMS 000, this car embodies a transitional era for the series when the Falcon line was just beginning to establish its long-running V8 Supercar heritage.
Origins: From Peter Beehag’s On Track Engineering to the Briggs Era
The chassis originated from one of the first AU frames produced by Peter Beehag’s On Track Engineering, Ford’s partner in crafting racing AU bodyshells. The car debuted at the Phillip Island round of the 1999 season, where Briggs piloted it in the Shell Championship Series in striking Supercheap Auto colours. At the time, the field featured just 11 AU Falcons, and this vehicle was among four to make its racing debut on the same weekend—a testament to the rapid evolution of Ford’s competition platform.
Racing Journey: From Briggs to Toll Racing and Beyond
After Briggs, the car moved to Toll Racing, then appeared under Anthony Tratt’s stewardship from 2000 to 2002. Notably, Tratt drove the car at the 2001 Bathurst 1000 with Formula 1 world champion Alan Jones as a co-driver, underscoring the vehicle’s enduring appeal and the high-profile partnerships it attracted during its competitive life. The full period history is detailed in the V8 Sleuth publication, The Falcon Chronicles, which chronicles the evolution of early AU Falcons in serious motorsport competition.
Recent Return to Track Ready Condition
According to the My105 listing, the car has undergone a recent refresh. The 5.0-litre V8 engine has been fully rebuilt, ensuring the chassis is ready for track use by its next owner. The vehicle also features launch control and traction control—modern enhancements that would not have been present in 1999—illustrating how historic race cars can blend period-correct aesthetics with contemporary performance safeguards.
Aesthetic and Historical Significance
Presented in its original 1999 Supercheap Auto colours, JBMS 000 retains the distinct AU Falcon V8 Supercars’ front aero kit, including the iconic “shark fin” in the middle of the air intake. A mid-2000 parity change saw the top half of the AU front bar paired with the bottom half of the VT Commodore unit, a reminder of the continual aerodynamic experimentation that has characterized the series. The car comes with CAMS/Motorsport Australia log books and formal provenance from Briggs, strengthening its appeal to collectors and historians alike.
Auction Details and What It Represents
Listed for auction on My105, the car’s sale closes at 7:30pm AEDT on October 20. For bidders, JBMS 000 offers a tangible link to the era when the Shell Championship Series featured tight competition among a handful of AU Falcons and set the stage for Ford’s enduring presence in Australian touring car racing. It’s a rare chance to acquire a period-correct, historically significant machine that has been refreshed for modern track use while preserving its original identity.
Why This Car Matters to Collectors and Fans
For collectors, JBMS 000 is a reference point for early AU Falcon development, the transition between chassis and body-shell production, and the influence of behemoth names like Briggs, Beehag, and the early team movements that defined the era. For fans of Australian motorsport, owning this car means owning a piece of the sport’s formative years—an emblem of evolution, competition, and the enduring appeal of a 5.0L V8 thundered by drivers in a rapidly changing paddock.
