DR. MICHAEL HENDERSON

1982 RALT RT4

This Ralt RT4 is a 1992 model with several 1986 updates, originally constructed by Ralt Engineering Limited, Sutton. It was sold originally in Vancouver, Canada.

The second owner, from 1984 to 1987, was Martin S Pang of Seattle. Martin is currently serving 35 years in prison in Washington State, USA, on four manslaughter charges. He set fire to the family warehouse for the insurance money. Seattle’s firefighting finest barrelled into the warehouse without checking, and the four fell through the floor. Martin decamped to Brazil, which would not allow his extradition on murder charges. The 35 years he got for manslaughter was the maximum possible at that time. The Seattle Fire Department were later held to be 75% responsible for the deaths in a subsequent civil action. It is still a cause celebre in Seattle.

Martin (an immigrant of Hong Kong origin) has converted to Buddhism, and I am in regular correspondence with him. He still loves cars and is anxious for news about our racing.

It went on to continue in SCCA racing on both the west and east coasts. I bought the car in 1996, and it was the first to be approved for our then new “Group R” historic category for 1978-1986 cars.

I love driving it, for its responsiveness, dynamics, brakes and general fun. It is more of a young man’s car, however – I am not getting slower, but lots of younger drivers in RT4s are getting quicker!

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