Remembering Rallying 1960-2005
Discussion
Alan_I_W said:
LotusOmega375D said:
Your profile says you just paid 56K for your 22B.
Blimey!
I bought it new in 98 from Japan, upgraded the engine with RCM then sold it in 2003 and after a string of Scooby's I finally found the owner of it, so I sold my 2014 WRX STI and bought it again xD Best car I've ever driven, never mind owned. I was gutted to see that the Speedlines it had when I sold it on 2003 are no longer on it, although it does still have the 2000 Turbo steering wheel Blimey!
Edited by Alan_I_W on Wednesday 2nd November 14:42
Another one here standing in the Welsh/Scottish/Lake District/Yorkshire forests in the 70s, hearing carb-fed Group 4 monsters coming from miles off.
Watching the RAC on a road section going through past my school in the early 80s in the dark.
Group B.
Tarmac Group A Cosworths and Imprezas on the Isle of Man in the mid-90s, then screaming 2-litres later in the decade.
Living the dream and actually working on them for the last 20 years.
Every time I've been priviledged enough to be in the passenger seat of any of the above, being driven by a proper driver...
Watching the RAC on a road section going through past my school in the early 80s in the dark.
Group B.
Tarmac Group A Cosworths and Imprezas on the Isle of Man in the mid-90s, then screaming 2-litres later in the decade.
Living the dream and actually working on them for the last 20 years.
Every time I've been priviledged enough to be in the passenger seat of any of the above, being driven by a proper driver...
My main memories are from marshalling in the lake district forests for a good few years.
Nothing can beat the sounds and smells from back then.
My last time marshalling a big event was 1993 helping marshal in and around Lancaster.
My favourite memory of the 1993 event is Tony Mason & his enthusiasm plus the parc ferme in the car park at Lancaster
Nothing can beat the sounds and smells from back then.
My last time marshalling a big event was 1993 helping marshal in and around Lancaster.
My favourite memory of the 1993 event is Tony Mason & his enthusiasm plus the parc ferme in the car park at Lancaster
1985 RAC, a very icy Wythop hairpin around 5am and Tony Pond in a 6R4.
Following the Fellside Stages on my mountain bike.
McRae's title win.
BRC when it had loads of manufacturer interest, particularly the Maxi Meganes.
Jim Clark rally when it ran at night.
Roger Albert Clark rally.
I do have some good memories from after 2005 but they are mostly due to who I was with and the places we got to, back when rallying was an adventure and you were allowed to look after your own safety. It might sound pretty sad but I used to love getting route information and scheduling where we could go and how we'd get there - usually aiming to be well away from the "official" spectator areas. A convoy of mates all sleeping in cars in the middle of the forest, bacon butties in the morning, watch some rallying, head off to the next spot and do it all again. Happy days (and nights).
Following the Fellside Stages on my mountain bike.
McRae's title win.
BRC when it had loads of manufacturer interest, particularly the Maxi Meganes.
Jim Clark rally when it ran at night.
Roger Albert Clark rally.
I do have some good memories from after 2005 but they are mostly due to who I was with and the places we got to, back when rallying was an adventure and you were allowed to look after your own safety. It might sound pretty sad but I used to love getting route information and scheduling where we could go and how we'd get there - usually aiming to be well away from the "official" spectator areas. A convoy of mates all sleeping in cars in the middle of the forest, bacon butties in the morning, watch some rallying, head off to the next spot and do it all again. Happy days (and nights).
toon10 said:
I went to see the last Lombard RAC Rally and first two Network Q rally's (so early 90's.) Similar to you, the memories of McRae being right on the limit are up there along with watching Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen doing their thing. Got some great memories of being young, sleeping in a Vauxhall Nova with 2 other blokes as we couldn't get digs and various antics.
That brings back memories toon10We followed the RAC round and slept in our cars ( Mk2 Escorts and Sunbeams are not that comfortable 4-up as hotel rooms when it's hovering around freezing ) in the early/mid 80s
Had some great times and drives cross-country to catch the stages.
One of us even managed to become a mechanic for the Mazda team when the Group A era arrived. The Lancia chase car drivers were complete mentalists
'92 or '93 in the Imperial Hotel, Castle Douglas. Usual Friday night drinks. Walked in Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen there drinking with two nice ladies.
It was a week or so the Network Q/RAC and they had been up reccying Glengap and Glentrool.
I was a 22 yr old huge rally fan and this is a sleepy wee market town so a big thing for me.
To top it all off in the car park round the back was a crumpled wreck of a very crashed Celica which Carlos had rolled on the recce.
One of my recent favourites was time keeping at the Rally Of The Tests on the Kirkcudbright military range. Those guys gave those old motors some serious stick.
It was a week or so the Network Q/RAC and they had been up reccying Glengap and Glentrool.
I was a 22 yr old huge rally fan and this is a sleepy wee market town so a big thing for me.
To top it all off in the car park round the back was a crumpled wreck of a very crashed Celica which Carlos had rolled on the recce.
One of my recent favourites was time keeping at the Rally Of The Tests on the Kirkcudbright military range. Those guys gave those old motors some serious stick.
loskie said:
'92 or '93 in the Imperial Hotel, Castle Douglas. Usual Friday night drinks. Walked in Carlos Sainz and Juha Kankkunen there drinking with two nice ladies.
'92 was the last event for the works Integrale, and Juha let me share his umbrella at one service, as our service team were nearly always parked next to the Lancia service area as all our ART team mechanics were all the Lancia works mechanics that had been 'laid off' from Lancia about two weeks before the RAC!!s m said:
That brings back memories toon10
We followed the RAC round and slept in our cars ( Mk2 Escorts and Sunbeams are not that comfortable 4-up as hotel rooms when it's hovering around freezing ) in the early/mid 80s
Had some great times and drives cross-country to catch the stages.
One of us even managed to become a mechanic for the Mazda team when the Group A era arrived. The Lancia chase car drivers were complete mentalists
Ah yes the getting to the next stage drive. I have some great memories of being a passenger in a slow 1.2 Nova driven by an amateur rally driver getting to the next stage and getting first hand experience of the difference between a really good driver in a slow car and poor drivers in much quicker hot hatches. Some horrified faces as we passed and they clocked the 1.2 badge.We followed the RAC round and slept in our cars ( Mk2 Escorts and Sunbeams are not that comfortable 4-up as hotel rooms when it's hovering around freezing ) in the early/mid 80s
Had some great times and drives cross-country to catch the stages.
One of us even managed to become a mechanic for the Mazda team when the Group A era arrived. The Lancia chase car drivers were complete mentalists
Some more memories...
Waking up in a car park in November, freezing cold to find two old chaps parked next to us in a Celica GT4. They'd also slept in the car but had some sort of coffee making facility. The look of jealousy on our faces!
Parking about 2 miles away from a stage to avoid parking charges. Getting chased through a snow covered field by stewards/security and being egged on by a gang of mental Scandinavians.
Getting overtaken by Carlos Sainz in his GT4 on the way to a B&B.
In terms of the cars, for a brief period in time, I lusted after a Subaru more than I did a Ferrari. McRae was a pure talent and he tended to crash a lot but that was because he gave it 100% and was always on the edge. There were some pretty amazing drivers in that era but some you sensed they were a bit more consistent driving at 95%.
Looking back through my rose tinted glasses, it was a golden age for the sport. The modern cars and drivers just don't hold my interest anymore.
Me and a mate used to do that - we'd hire a car on Saturday so we didn't have insurance trouble using our own. It got to a point where the journey was more interesting than the stage, especially trying to find a way to a forest stage without going via the pay gates.
One memorable occasion we were using a 4x4 Sierra that I'd borrowed, and turned up at a locked gate with some other spectators. A Forestry Commission chap turned up in a Maestro van, offered to take us past the gate and to the stage, on condition that we'd have to stay there until all the cars had gone as the only way out was across the stage route. We got behind, and watched as this guy in his Maestro van left virtually all of us for dead around these forest tracks, and then deposited us in the public car park anyway.
Another was trying to sleep in the car park at Dalby forest in a diesel Montego as it got colder and colder. We didn't dare switch the engine on to get the heater warmed up as it was so noisy. At some point in the early hours, someone obviously weakened and we heard first one engine start, then virtually all the others as we'd all waited for one person to break the silence.
It was always surprising how little thought the local businesses had though - the number of times we came out of a stage, along with a load of other hungry spectators, to find ourselves in the nearest town and all the pubs had stopped doing food half an hour earlier, and all the takeaways had shut up and gone home. Could have cleaned up just by staying open a bit longer.
One memorable occasion we were using a 4x4 Sierra that I'd borrowed, and turned up at a locked gate with some other spectators. A Forestry Commission chap turned up in a Maestro van, offered to take us past the gate and to the stage, on condition that we'd have to stay there until all the cars had gone as the only way out was across the stage route. We got behind, and watched as this guy in his Maestro van left virtually all of us for dead around these forest tracks, and then deposited us in the public car park anyway.
Another was trying to sleep in the car park at Dalby forest in a diesel Montego as it got colder and colder. We didn't dare switch the engine on to get the heater warmed up as it was so noisy. At some point in the early hours, someone obviously weakened and we heard first one engine start, then virtually all the others as we'd all waited for one person to break the silence.
It was always surprising how little thought the local businesses had though - the number of times we came out of a stage, along with a load of other hungry spectators, to find ourselves in the nearest town and all the pubs had stopped doing food half an hour earlier, and all the takeaways had shut up and gone home. Could have cleaned up just by staying open a bit longer.
Wrong era, but;
Charging round Corsica trying to find the next stage. Sarah franicall map reading while I'm coaxing all the rampant horses the rental diesel can offer.
Glance in the mirror. Sebastian Loab sitting behind me, followed by 3 other rally cars.
They passed us. I tried to keep them in sight to find the start of the next stage.
Failed.
Charging round Corsica trying to find the next stage. Sarah franicall map reading while I'm coaxing all the rampant horses the rental diesel can offer.
Glance in the mirror. Sebastian Loab sitting behind me, followed by 3 other rally cars.
They passed us. I tried to keep them in sight to find the start of the next stage.
Failed.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff