Your oldest motorsport television recording
Discussion
Hmm, good one. My parents were very late adopters when it came to that new fangled VHS, so mine would probably be the British Rallycross Grand Prix from Brands Hatch in 1988. I went to the event with my dad (and it was superb), but Grandstand had about 2 hours of coverage the following week so I taped it all and still have it somewhere. Amazing event at the height of Group B involvement in rallycross. Massive crowds, too.
Or maybe some races from the 1988 BTCC, but they were probably recorded over when we bought the Duke whole season video at the end of the year.
Or maybe some races from the 1988 BTCC, but they were probably recorded over when we bought the Duke whole season video at the end of the year.
I have most of the 1983 season on VHS. I tried to tape the highlights of all the races that year - and did that right up until 2000 or so by which time F1 had become a Schumacher dominated event and was becoming tedious.
I also have the 1983 International Race of Champions from Brands Hatch on VHS - the last ever non-championship F1 race run for contemporary and current F1 teams.
We got our first VHS machine at the end of 1981 - so missed the 1981 season. I thought about taping the GP highlights in 1982 but back then individual blank VHS tapes were quite pricey and I didn't really think I could afford to buy 5 or 6 tapes to cover the whole season.
By 1983 my income levels had gone up and tape prices were coming down - so that's why my collection starts with 1983.
I also have the 1983 International Race of Champions from Brands Hatch on VHS - the last ever non-championship F1 race run for contemporary and current F1 teams.
We got our first VHS machine at the end of 1981 - so missed the 1981 season. I thought about taping the GP highlights in 1982 but back then individual blank VHS tapes were quite pricey and I didn't really think I could afford to buy 5 or 6 tapes to cover the whole season.
By 1983 my income levels had gone up and tape prices were coming down - so that's why my collection starts with 1983.
I've got the Top Gear Rally Report from the 1991 RAC somewhere and I seem to remember I've got part of the abandoned 91 Australian GP at the end of a tape as well. Don't have VCR connected to the TV at the moment, so it's hard to check. I do have a lot of early 90s BTCC and RAC Rally stuff that was taped from the TV at the time.
Having been to my first F1 race at Silverstone '87, I started recording pretty much every race from Austia '87 onwards till about 94/95. I think the earliest race I still have is the German GP '89.
Most of them got taped over or lost over the years. Must try and get them all together, at my parents somewhere.
Most of them got taped over or lost over the years. Must try and get them all together, at my parents somewhere.
Started recording GP's way back in 1984. I taped every single race until my VCR died midway through the 2010 season....
I have, literally, hundreds of tapes in the garage. Utterly useless now as I dont have a VCR any longer. Along with my model collection & my motoring books & magazines they have all got to go.
I have, literally, hundreds of tapes in the garage. Utterly useless now as I dont have a VCR any longer. Along with my model collection & my motoring books & magazines they have all got to go.
'85 Manx rally is the oldest I have - I transferred it onto Youtube a couple of years ago, and it then featured on this very website - time for tea article.
After that I have virtually every rally that was broadcast on TV from 1985 to about 1992. I stopped when I went to University that year.
Still watch them a couple of times a year.
After that I have virtually every rally that was broadcast on TV from 1985 to about 1992. I stopped when I went to University that year.
Still watch them a couple of times a year.
Like many on here, the VCR hasn't been set up for a couple of years. Lord knows what's on half the cassettes (I discovered part of a British GP with commentary by JYS on one around 10 years ago, along with the '94 Beeb coverage of May 1st's events) but one thing I could locate right now, all labelled and ready to go is the '93 Donington GP. Very special for me having driven round it two years previously as a 21st birthday present. You can imagine how livid I was (and still am) about the shambles that was the last attempt to host a GP. The whole place now resembles a recently constructed by-pass. And as for the access to the car parks.. 
Anyway, back on topic, also have the fantastic "The Power and the Glory" twin tape set. Practically wore the tape out at the part featuring the pre-war Donny GP and the mighty German machines. Ah yes, amazing what the Reich could build..
Anyway, back on topic, also have the fantastic "The Power and the Glory" twin tape set. Practically wore the tape out at the part featuring the pre-war Donny GP and the mighty German machines. Ah yes, amazing what the Reich could build..
I'm in the process of transferring all my old VHS tapes to digital and have discovered a few forgotten highlights programmes from the '80s. Probably nothing earlier than '84, but until I've worked my way through them, won't know for sure.
Bathhurst, F1 and some BTCC is in there, along with some club racing I took part in. Might Youtube anything unusual I find.
Bathhurst, F1 and some BTCC is in there, along with some club racing I took part in. Might Youtube anything unusual I find.
Probably the oldest would be of the Transatlantic Trophy races in the late seventies. Oldest were on Betamax and some got tranferred to VHS. I know there is one tape with the 1981 TT race from Brands and the 1988 British 500 GP. Also a fair amount of EU rallycross from the same era (Gollop, Reeves, Schanche etc..)
Somewhere I have that touring car race they did around Birmingham town centre. Not sure of the year but I downloaded it from PHtv years go. 
I have the BBC BTCC review taped off the TV from 1993, and after that I have had EVERY season review on VHS and then DVD when off my Mum for Christmas.
It's like a family tradition, but when I unwrapped this year's DVD, I didn't have the heart to tell her I still had he last 3 years season reviews still in cellophane.
Part of the problem is that BTCC just isn't as good as it used to be, and another is that they are now like 3 hours long. I just want a quick 1hr review of all the best bits!
I have the BBC BTCC review taped off the TV from 1993, and after that I have had EVERY season review on VHS and then DVD when off my Mum for Christmas.
It's like a family tradition, but when I unwrapped this year's DVD, I didn't have the heart to tell her I still had he last 3 years season reviews still in cellophane.
Part of the problem is that BTCC just isn't as good as it used to be, and another is that they are now like 3 hours long. I just want a quick 1hr review of all the best bits!
Edited by Emeye on Sunday 13th January 08:39
rhysenna said:
Having been to my first F1 race at Silverstone '87, I started recording pretty much every race from Austia '87 onwards till about 94/95. I think the earliest race I still have is the German GP '89.
Most of them got taped over or lost over the years. Must try and get them all together, at my parents somewhere.
Think we've had this conversation before Most of them got taped over or lost over the years. Must try and get them all together, at my parents somewhere.
British GP '87 was my first race as well, I had a load of taped races from the same period onwards too. Plus BTCC from '88 on, which is when the beeb started showing every round. I'd left all the videos with my parents, and they survived them moving house many years ago, but realistically I was never going to transfer anything after all this time, so it all got dumped a while ago...Last time I watched any of it I found a tape that had some live coverage of the start of the 1989 Le Mans race - Merc C9s, TWR Jaguars and no chicanes on the Mulsanne straight
It all looked remarkably "modern" as well, good quality coverage that hadn't really dated like some clips you see. I suspect that just means I'm getting old though... (particularly when I saw the same cars racing in the historic Group C race at Le Mans a couple of years ago!)Gassing Station | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff