The Rally Cars

[ClaytonSpeed]

Ooooh! Will have to watch that ! Thanks!

[crashbang]

I think I have some picture of us in lee's car and some of my old red car the last picture is Ellie first historic which we got 4th out of 12 cars I will see if we can get some in car but not Shaw how to do it I have a mobile phone and last time I had gaffer tape to the wing mirror but I have a new phone now so don't want to do that [image][/image]

[crashbang]

Ok how do you put this picture up on here from a phone

[locost_bryan]

Ok how do you put this picture up on here from a phone

Either save it somewhere like photobucket, or attach it to a post? What type of phone have you got (android/iphone/winphone), and did you use an app or browser to post your message?

I've never tried posting a message with a pic attached from my phone.

[MarinaCoupe]

I do it all the time from my iPhone, using the TapaTalk App for the forum.

At the bottom of the screen where I am writing now, there is a square icon with a mountain and sun, click on that and it takes you to the Photos storage app.

Select the picture you want, by tapping it and then by clicking Done it uploads the picture onto Ben's server.

You can upload up to 6 pics in one message.

Then just click on Reply and you are done.

[locost_bryan]

Another photo of the ex-Jim Richards TC in the hands of Judy Hanbury on the 1973 Heatway Rally - note the dents on the rear quarter, and the reversed wipers.

[crashbang]

So I was just thinking we should put some results up from what we are competing in my last rally was a 12 car historic timed to the second I ended up 6th but I was driving and navigating on my own

[JoshWard]

and the reversed wipers.

Funny you should say that, just looking at the pictures of GC2 and I note that the wiper pattern has been changed to the later type (which would mean replacing the wiring loom). It also has SDL windscreen inserts front and rear, I have seen DL inserts on SDLs but never the other way round before... It also has an SDL dashboard and the later (1973 on) front valance. Not saying it isn't genuine as rally cars are particularly susceptible to being chopped around with later on and modified in their lives (MK3 door handles, wrong sidelight/indicator units).

Was it a UK built car? If so chassis number 40207 makes it a 1971 build

[locost_bryan]

and the reversed wipers.

Funny you should say that, just looking at the pictures of GC2 and I note that the wiper pattern has been changed to the later type (which would mean replacing the wiring loom). It also has SDL windscreen inserts front and rear, I have seen DL inserts on SDLs but never the other way round before... It also has an SDL dashboard and the later (1973 on) front valance. Not saying it isn't genuine as rally cars are particularly susceptible to being chopped around with later on and modified in their lives (MK3 door handles, wrong sidelight/indicator units).

Was it a UK built car? If so chassis number 40207 makes it a 1971 build

They were built by ST in 1971, but I'm not sure if GC2 was a restoration or replica (the rego details for "IGC2I" list the chassis number as MH25940727M). I can't find the article about it, that used to be on the net.

But I found this info in a story about it's rally-winning Clubman stablemate...

Two Mini Clubman GTs were built in 1971 at the British Leyland Abingdon Special Tuning Department in the UK to Group 2 specs for the New Zealand Motor Corporation to compete in the 1972 Heatway International Motor Rally.

The NZMC Team Manager was John Seabrook and the driving force behind the works cars entries (Seabrook Fowlds Ltd were the major BMC Austin agents in Auckland, which were integrated into NZMC). The building of the cars was done at British Leyland’s Special Tuning Department at Abingdon. As well as the two Mini Clubman GT’s, two Morris Marina Coupes were part of the team.

[JoshWard]

That'll be MH2S9 40727M then which is just about visible in the photos. Probably safest to call it a reshell or a restoration with lots of bits from different cars! Will add it to the register anyway

[locost_bryan]

http://www.angelfire.com/mo/convertible/rally.html

Here from the 1972 RAC rally is Brian Culcheth's Marina. Brian was a Leyland Special Tuning, works driver, but the car was entered by Dunlop. Running on their Total Mobility tyres, designed to stay on the rim and partially re-inflate. They did too, as Brian had a blow out in Dalby South, but continued at speeds up to 75mph for some 20 miles to finish the stage, before changing the wheel.

Driving for Leyland from 1963 'til 1977 Brian had many class wins, with highly successful drives in the 1000 Lakes, World Cup, Cyprus, Hong Kong and Malasia. He once described himself as having come 2nd to some of the best drivers in the world!

Through 1974-75 Cars & Car Conversions ran a series of articles on their rally prepared Marina. This too had several class wins mostly at the hands of Andy Dawson. Pat Ryan drove a Blazespeed/Endrust sponsored car and yet another Marina was sponsored by Appleyards and driven by Phil Cooper.

Special Tuning's catalogue listed some 190 parts for the Marina. everything from glassfibre body panels to turretted rear shock kits and 8 port alloy cylinder heads.

http://autoshite.com/topic/14647-how-mu ... ally-cars/

"After the success of the 1970 World Cup Rally (2nd, 4th and 10th places overall, three class wins) BL supremo Lord Stokes did the decent thing - and closed the competitions department, although driver Brian Culcheth was retained for ‘promotional purposes’.

Soon Team Castrol was formed, rallying with first the Triumph 2.5 PI and then the humble Morris Marina. Culcheth and Willy Cave were entered for the 1971 RAC Rally in a Special Tuning prepared Marina, winning the 1300cc class. Ford competitions manager, Stuart Turner (formerly of BMC), was famously wrong-footed here, because he thought the Marina was to be 1.8-litre and so didn’t field one of his Escorts in the small class! With the 1275cc A-Series engine tuned like a Sprite to give around 95/100bhp the Marina was only averagely quick but reliable.

Culcheth was the man to make it work, claiming 2nd on the Cyprus Rally in ‘72 (with Johnstone Syer) and 6th the following year. His 16th overall and class win on the 1000 Lakes in ’73 was the stuff of legends, the top Brit position only being beaten in ’82 when Russell Brookes came 6th in a Vauxhall Chevette. Pat Ryan was the other Marina man. The moustachioed Midlander was blindingly quick on British national rallies - it was usually a class win or an accident - until BL put him into its other lost cause of the time, the Allegro!

Special Tuning built a Rover V8 Marina for the 1972 World Cup Rally but - predictably - the rear axle broke. Truth was ‘though, the Marina was too heavy in 1.3 form to ever beat an Escort, and just too heavy, full stop, in 1.8-litre guise. Anyone who tried to drive a 1.8 also quickly soon learnt about the dreaded Marina plough on understeer! The last official fling for the 1.3 Marina was the 1975 RAC, when Phil Cooper and Andy Marriott finished 4th in class.

[locost_bryan]

Brian Culcheth on Rally Finland 1973, 1st in class and 16th outright, the highest place for a Brit at the time.
Part 1 yumping Marina 1:56, interview at 4:14, action at 7:15
Part 2 Brief appearance at 8:54

[minispeedstar]

Interesting read. I'm in fairly regular contact with ex works Marina driver Pat Ryan. He's taking early retirement this year so is looking at possibly getting back into a rally seat of somethjng he used to drive. ie Marina, dolomite mini etc. pref not an Allegro!... Lol