Remembering Rallying 1960-2005
Discussion
Pretty much anything pre "WRC" spec cars was awesome. Be it Impreza's and Evo's, Escorts, Triumphs, Grp B's, Healeys, Porshces, Ferrari's, Mini's or older. Anything clubman and up.
Modern stuff is just dross and boring. Technically great and fast I'm sure. But I find zero interest or enthusiasm for it.
Modern stuff is just dross and boring. Technically great and fast I'm sure. But I find zero interest or enthusiasm for it.
Alan_I_W said:
What are your best memories of what I think was the best time frame for when rallying was interesting? For me it would be seeing McRae win in 1995 which inspired me to get my first STI, here I am 20 years later still in love with the love of my life, my 22B.
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. Yes 1995 was a very special year.
You just wanted to own a Subaru Turbo and put on a sports exhaust to sound like McRae in the British forests.
I also loved him in the Subaru Legacy which was a cool car at the time. Someone at school use to drive his fathers Turbo "hate to think of the insurance" and it sounded amazing.
Still look back at footage of 1995 and other rallies in the past. Some amazing drivers and cars.
The best era was Group B IMO. Yes they are not as fast as modern cars now but seeing these things in a forest with flames and the monster sound was jaw dropping.
I think because you knew they were dangerous but still the drivers drove them flat out gave you more respect for what they did.
When later on I found out the RAC was a blind rally without pace notes it made it even more crazy.
I am hoping to attend the Rally Legend in 2017. This event in Italy has cars from all different era's going full chat and it looks fantastic.
Clip here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOh9UZfIvmU
You just wanted to own a Subaru Turbo and put on a sports exhaust to sound like McRae in the British forests.
I also loved him in the Subaru Legacy which was a cool car at the time. Someone at school use to drive his fathers Turbo "hate to think of the insurance" and it sounded amazing.
Still look back at footage of 1995 and other rallies in the past. Some amazing drivers and cars.
The best era was Group B IMO. Yes they are not as fast as modern cars now but seeing these things in a forest with flames and the monster sound was jaw dropping.
I think because you knew they were dangerous but still the drivers drove them flat out gave you more respect for what they did.
When later on I found out the RAC was a blind rally without pace notes it made it even more crazy.
I am hoping to attend the Rally Legend in 2017. This event in Italy has cars from all different era's going full chat and it looks fantastic.
Clip here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOh9UZfIvmU
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 2nd November 14:11
Not sure if this counts as rallying but; the Dakar before stupid amounts of money got involved, back when it was modified 'normal' vehicles rather than purpose built monsters. Back when the partaking manufacturers had to follow homologulation rules so we got bonkers stuff like the Shogun evo on the road.
I also agree with the pre WRC stuff, again back before silly amounts of money and rules got involved
I also agree with the pre WRC stuff, again back before silly amounts of money and rules got involved
worsy said:
Walking down the forest tracks, hearing the whistle, hugging a tree and having your arse pelted with stones. Great times.
I remember jumping into a thorny bush when I heard the whistles. I got scratched to hell and then to make matters worse, some nutter in a blue Subaru with yellow decals comes flying past and throws a large stone up cracking my knee. Sounds like we had similar experiences 
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
Two particular favourites.
First - the late 60s and through the 1970s, as a kid living next to Sutton Park and walking in for the RAC stage there every year. Walked and watched pretty much wherever you liked along the stage, listen for the whistles, and look for what was coming next. Saabs, Ford Escorts, Minis etc all the way down to Ladas and Moskvichs....
Second was the developments in the 80s that culminated in the Group B. Opels, Quattros, Stratos, Deltas, 6R4s etc etc. Power, awesome sounds and sights.
Other than that, the McRae/Burns/Sainz/Makinnen era was good. Thereafter, interest has mainly waned as it has become relatively short special stages with little transit between them; people no longer turn out to see the rally come through their area as the RAC used to do across great swathes of the country.
Makes me laugh when the motorsport year kicks off with the Dakar and I see a single day on that with the special stage much longer than an entire WRC rally's stages combined, let alone the extra transition distances to/from the stage.
MG Mark
First - the late 60s and through the 1970s, as a kid living next to Sutton Park and walking in for the RAC stage there every year. Walked and watched pretty much wherever you liked along the stage, listen for the whistles, and look for what was coming next. Saabs, Ford Escorts, Minis etc all the way down to Ladas and Moskvichs....
Second was the developments in the 80s that culminated in the Group B. Opels, Quattros, Stratos, Deltas, 6R4s etc etc. Power, awesome sounds and sights.
Other than that, the McRae/Burns/Sainz/Makinnen era was good. Thereafter, interest has mainly waned as it has become relatively short special stages with little transit between them; people no longer turn out to see the rally come through their area as the RAC used to do across great swathes of the country.
Makes me laugh when the motorsport year kicks off with the Dakar and I see a single day on that with the special stage much longer than an entire WRC rally's stages combined, let alone the extra transition distances to/from the stage.
MG Mark
MG Mark said:
Two particular favourites.
First - the late 60s and through the 1970s, as a kid living next to Sutton Park and walking in for the RAC stage there every year. Walked and watched pretty much wherever you liked along the stage, listen for the whistles, and look for what was coming next. Saabs, Ford Escorts, Minis etc all the way down to Ladas and Moskvichs....
Second was the developments in the 80s that culminated in the Group B. Opels, Quattros, Stratos, Deltas, 6R4s etc etc. Power, awesome sounds and sights.
Other than that, the McRae/Burns/Sainz/Makinnen era was good. Thereafter, interest has mainly waned as it has become relatively short special stages with little transit between them; people no longer turn out to see the rally come through their area as the RAC used to do across great swathes of the country.
Makes me laugh when the motorsport year kicks off with the Dakar and I see a single day on that with the special stage much longer than an entire WRC rally's stages combined, let alone the extra transition distances to/from the stage.
MG Mark
I think a lot of it was watching cars that we would love to own being smashed down dirt stages, whereas now it's just economy cars with massive amounts of health and safety. Where's the excitement if there's no sense of danger? We all remember seeing McRae flying in that Scooby First - the late 60s and through the 1970s, as a kid living next to Sutton Park and walking in for the RAC stage there every year. Walked and watched pretty much wherever you liked along the stage, listen for the whistles, and look for what was coming next. Saabs, Ford Escorts, Minis etc all the way down to Ladas and Moskvichs....
Second was the developments in the 80s that culminated in the Group B. Opels, Quattros, Stratos, Deltas, 6R4s etc etc. Power, awesome sounds and sights.
Other than that, the McRae/Burns/Sainz/Makinnen era was good. Thereafter, interest has mainly waned as it has become relatively short special stages with little transit between them; people no longer turn out to see the rally come through their area as the RAC used to do across great swathes of the country.
Makes me laugh when the motorsport year kicks off with the Dakar and I see a single day on that with the special stage much longer than an entire WRC rally's stages combined, let alone the extra transition distances to/from the stage.
MG Mark
I find it interesting still.
Infact I'm off competing on a 12 car tonight
Then I'm doing the Dansport later in the month in a Mk2 Escort which is my last championship round of the season.
The joys of Navigating
In terms of my fondest memory of rallying, going to my first event which was the Oaks trophy in 2007 I think. The sight of seeing about 150 people stood on a corner on the last years of turbocharged cars down the lanes was something to behold
Infact I'm off competing on a 12 car tonight
Then I'm doing the Dansport later in the month in a Mk2 Escort which is my last championship round of the season.
The joys of Navigating
In terms of my fondest memory of rallying, going to my first event which was the Oaks trophy in 2007 I think. The sight of seeing about 150 people stood on a corner on the last years of turbocharged cars down the lanes was something to behold
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