FEATURE: MERCEDES BENZ 450SLC
GERMAN BEAUTY
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eading Australian rally photographer, Stuart Bowes, is the first entry in the new Heartland Rally, a classic event to be held in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia next June. Bowes will drive a magnificently prepared 1975 Mercedes Benz 450SLC in the event, to be directed by Lightforce Rally SA clerk of course, Ivar Stanelis. “Nothing could make me happier than to be the first entry for this new event,” Bowes said. “Ivar has been a stalwart of SA rallying for decades, he’s put his heart and soul
Stuart Bowes’ new Mercedes 450SLC is magnificent from any angle.
into the sport and I decided it would be good to jump in and put some weight behind his effort to expand classic rallying throughout Australia.” Having spent the last 25 years travelling the world covering the WRC, F1 and the ARC, the now recently “retired” Adelaide-based motorsport photographer decided to get back behind the wheel and committed to have a Mercedes Benz 450SLC built. Early on the decision was made to keep it all in SA, so Bowes quickly assigned the project to local car builder Garry Kirk. “Garry’s work is first class and he’s 16 | RALLYSPORT MAGAZINE - NOVEMBER 2016