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Wheel Spins & Hand Brake Turns Now Illegal!


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#16 Cooperman

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Posted 20 August 2013 - 01:35 PM

I had thought that up-to-1400 cc Endurance Rallies were the way ahead and I built a 1275 Cooper in 2004 for these. However, after doing the RAC Revival in the Mini I decided that using a Mini against modern cars was a bit like kicking a dead whale up the beach, so I sold it and built a Rover 214Si (twin-cam) this was much better and I got some good results in it including a 3rd place on a Welsh Championship event being beaten only by another Rover 214 and a 2.0 litre Subaru. It was still flat-out motoring in the lanes at night. I reckoned the pace of the little Rover was about the same as an Escort Twin-Cam in the early '70's. 

It was one thing to drive an 850 Mini or a 998 Cooper flat out in the lanes, but modern cars with over 100 bhp/ton, long-travel suspension, fantastic vented brakes and modern tyres will do incredible speeds even in narrow twisty single-track lanes.

Really we have to accept that it cannot continue, sad as that is. The MSA are understandably concerned about it.

The big expense with stage rallying is the cost per mile per car in the forests. If we could all lobby for closed road events that would help, but it still wouldn't be cheap as the safety requirements for stage cars cost a fortune and entry fees would still be high.

The days of the Motoring News Championship type of event are (sadly) long gone and I'm pleased that I experienced the golden age of road rallying in cars like the Porsche 911 and Datsun 240Z



#17 Carlos W

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Posted 20 August 2013 - 01:53 PM

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I took these at the Jim Clark Rally in June, this is on a closed public road!

 

I really hope these are going to exempt, this isn't antisocial, it's sport and brings loads of business to the area!



#18 keefr22

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Posted 20 August 2013 - 01:55 PM

You & Mr Videan in that 240Z were a sight to behold amongst the usual sea of Escorts...!!

I hope the MSA are successful in their attempt to get closed road stage events up & running (& if they can do it for the Jim Clark, why not in some of our more remote areas?) I'd even find the money to do my BARS test if Abergwesyn-Tregarron ever became a closed stage!!

#19 keefr22

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Posted 20 August 2013 - 01:59 PM

I took these at the Jim Clark Rally in June, this is on a closed public road!
 
I really hope these are going to exempt, this isn't antisocial, it's sport and brings loads of business to the area!


I was typing when you posted, so missed your mention of the Jim Clark - pure co-incidence that I used it as an example! There's also the Tour of Mull, but I guess that could be argued as to not being a 'mainland' closed road event (& it's easier for most people to do an Irish event than Mull!!)

I don't think stage events will be affected, because of the reasons mentioned by Dan in his earlier post.

Lovely pics by the way...but no Mini's...??!!  :D



#20 Carlos W

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Posted 20 August 2013 - 02:02 PM



Lovely pics by the way...but no Mini's...??!!  :D

 

I can't find the folder of pics I took so I'm having to steal them from my Facebook

 

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#21 keefr22

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Posted 20 August 2013 - 02:04 PM

Lovely!!



#22 Cooperman

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Posted 20 August 2013 - 03:13 PM

The Jim Clark and the Tour of Mull both get the roads closed and the speed limit removed, but that seems to be only in Scotland. Of course Ireland, N & S, both get the roads closed as does Mull.

If the Welsh Assembly were lobbied strongly and the economic advantages were spelled out to them maybe they would close their roads and remove the statutory limits. 

As you say, Abergwesyn - Tregaron, possibly the most awesome road in Wales, would make a superb stage. Around 14 miles in 14 minutes?

One of the happiest times of my life were spent with Kevin in the 240Z. Well, there were several 240Z's including the one in which we destroyed the bodyshell, the 'works' cars, a Group 3 car we used on a couple of Internationals and the yellow road-rally one in which we did the 1975 MN Championship. That last one was fairly standard except for an LSD, a comp gearbox and 'Safari' suspension, plus some 'works' tweaks to make it more reliable, which it certainly was. I also enjoyed the times spent setting the cars up at various locations like Chobham and in Wales. Test driving those was demanding, but very rewarding and although I was a navigator, my engineering knowledge was, I think, a help as Kevin could drive but was not so good at getting the set up right and as I understood his driving style I could usually get it right for him.

Fantastic days :D ,



#23 Cooperman

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Posted 21 August 2013 - 09:54 PM

I did also do events in Escorts. This was on the 1974 Devil's Own Mexico Championship event with Colin Walker in a Mexico sponsored by Charles King of Bedford. 

They wanted to put Joe Bugner, the boxer, in a Mexico for a Championship event with me navigating, but Joe's agent thought it too dangerous in case he got hurt (that's absolutely true).

 

th_ColinWalkerampPeterValentine1973_zpsc



#24 keefr22

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Posted 21 August 2013 - 09:59 PM

Nice Mex - do you remember what colour it was?! First Mex I bought was a 72 Maize yellow one in 1976. It was fully prepared with a lovely 1760 motor running twin 45's & with dyno sheets showing 180bhp. Problem was it was as rotten as a pear...4 years old & completely shot!!

#25 Cooperman

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Posted 21 August 2013 - 10:10 PM

That one was Sebring Red and very well prepared. The reason I was with Colin, who was a good friend from my home area, was because I travelled up to the north, but my driver phoned to say he was sick on the morning of the rally. I went to the start with my wife & some friends from 'oop north with whom I was staying, only to find Colin had no navigator. So I got him moved up to run at No.10 and we were lying 3rd at petrol, but the rear suspension mountings failed just after petrol. Remember, Mexico Championship cars could not have turreted rear dampers.



#26 sonikk4

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Posted 21 August 2013 - 10:15 PM

This should be banned at its pure un adulterated porn

601897_10152908385570226_196975490_n_zps



#27 keefr22

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Posted 21 August 2013 - 10:20 PM

This should be banned at its pure un adulterated porn


I showed it to my son earlier - he said much the same...!!!

It's just gorgeous isn't it?!

#28 Cooperman

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Posted 21 August 2013 - 10:49 PM

The Escort Mk.1 & 2, probably the best handling car ever built. So easy to drive quickly on all surfaces. Not as good road-holding as, say, a Lancia Stratos, but pure, beautiful handling with total predictability.

#29 keefr22

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Posted 21 August 2013 - 11:02 PM

Couldn't agree more! Just wish I'd kept a couple of the ones I had back then - no way I can afford one now! The Lotus Sunbeam was almost as good in the handling department though, & some say the Chevette HSR was even better - but I've never driven one personally. I loved all my Escorts - even the rotten Mex!!

Still, the Mini is mighty fun (when it's going!) & handles pretty well in it's own way!

#30 sonikk4

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Posted 22 August 2013 - 08:27 AM

My biggest regret is selling my MKII RS2000 and for not buying number 10 off the production line MKI RS2000 for a grand when it was available to buy. This appeared next to my RS in the motor club at Lossiemouth in 92. It was bad but now in hindsight just how much would it have been worth?

I'm not sure exactly buy apparently the first 10 of the production line were all press cars according to what I was told, how true I don't know but I still wish I had bought it. Such is life.




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