Go Rallying
There are rallies and there are rallies, and you need to pick an event that suits your car. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t enter the World Cup Rally in an MGB even it was a V8.
If you have a classic car there are really only two types of event for you. The classic car tour, sometimes called a rally and the classic car reliability trial, which includes regularity sections, hill climbs and auto tests. The latter two are always held on private property.
Some reliability trials such as LE JOG (Land’s End to John O’Groats) and the Scottish Malts run a touring trial almost parallel to the reliability rally. The ‘Tourers’ do not do the competition bits and have more time to take in the views and only have to check in at major controls while they are open and only have to get to the finish in time to receive a medal.
Eligibility
Some rally organisations will accept classic cars built up to 1974, some will go up to 1979. It pays to make sure your car is eligible before getting too excited.
Having decided you would like to do a rally you need to get the eligibility form to see if your car can take part. This is not usually a problem if you are doing the touring version but can be quite involved if you want to take part in a reliability trial. Certain modifications are allowed i.e. improving your headlamps, modern driver’s and passenger’s seats, possibly an electric fan.
Bumpers may not be removed and if you have fitted RV8 front suspension and a cross-member to your MGB you will definitely not be considered. Wheel and tyre sizes must be as per factory specification and the car must have the original type of suspension and steering gear. A servo for the brakes is acceptable if one was available as an option during the build period of the car.
Typical rally dash includes voltmeter, compass, stop-clock, stop-watch, electronic tripmeter
Extra fuse box for supplementary rally equipment
Early for the concours. Sylvia gets up to speed with the tulip cards
It does help to have a car with a good provenance but if the whole car has been completely rebuilt with a new Heritage body shell then things can get a bit sticky. A FIVA permit may be required but don’t let that deter you, as it can be quite easy to get, although it will cost you £40.
I have recently been preparing my V8 Roadster for the Three Castles Ypres Retro Rally which is run in association with Octane magazine. Octane’s editor Robert Coucher took part in the rally and who put up a very creditable performance in his Lancia Fulvia.
Three Castles Ypres Retro or Poppy Rally 2-4 April 2004
Having spent the winter months getting my V8 MGB ready for the next season of rallies we embarked on the first of the year, the Ypres Retro or Poppy Rally.
The V8 galloped down to the Channel Tunnel greedily eating up the miles thanks to its longed-legged five-speed gearbox and the huge torquey engine. The V8 is ideal for continental touring and with open roads and very little traffic the run to Ypres became a doddle. We stopped en route for a meal at ‘Les Routiers’, a truck stop where we enjoyed great food with good service and were impressed that everything was very clean; then on Ypres. Here all the competitors could be found in one place, the Novotel Leper Centrum Flanders Fields in the city centre with a parc ferme for the first night in their underground car park.
Ypres central square, nearly ready to go to the start at Boezinge
Quick dash to loo before we go up that Targa Florio ramp for the start
Ypres Rally, the starting ramp
Next day Friday April 2nd the cars were assembled in the centre square, where a huge area was set aside for a concours which was held after scrutineering had taken place in the Parc Ferme. The BV8 passed and I was allowed to run but I was advised to fit yellow tow hooks for future rallies. Lunch and then off to Boezinge for the rather late start with the first car away at 15.00 hours. Our car was number 42 of the 46 starters, which all started at one-minute intervals from a special starting ramp that had originally been used for the Targa Florio Rallies.
We had to follow a route book with tulip diagrams. A left hand turn from the start and then after 0.34 miles we turned left again and immediately entered our first time control (TC) and then straight into the first of the regularity sections with an auto test at the Dragoon Camp. From there it was more regularities, auto tests and finding one’s way on marked maps. Eventually we returned to Boezinge to finish the first day, not a lot of miles but very intensive driving.
That evening we all parked in a school playground and coaches took us to Watou for a wonderful reception and meal. After the meal some of us took the first coach back to Ypres as we had an early start next day.
Saturday was billed as ‘The Longest Day’ with a 100 mile night section as the ‘sting in the tail’. Unfortunately for us on one of the fast auto tests we lost a cylinder and acquired a nasty clonky noise from the engine. Although we would have carried on with seven cylinders I was not happy about the noise from the engine and so we decided that we would have to retire.
Flat out on flat scenery
Narrow bridge
Austin-Healey close behind
Two smart young men, Martyn Astley and Simon Mills from the RAF Motor Club were laying second in their MGB when they had a bump and lost a headlamp. The organisers tried desperately to find a replacement but could not obtain a new lamp for them. We heard of their predicament and as we were out of contention we lent them one of our lamp units so that they could compete in the night section. These two certainly caught the eye of all the ladies as they took part in the rally wearing lounge suits and were always immaculate. Their impeccable appearance was matched by their driving and they managed to bring their MGB home in second place overall.
Sunday and as we had a blown engine we decided to spend the day visiting the war cemetery and the WW 1 museum and spent a restful day. We will always remember the crowds of people converging on the Menin Gate each night at eight o’clock and the three firemen sounding the last post in memory of all the lives lost in World War 1 and World War 2.
That Sunday evening we were given a gala dinner in the Great Cloth Hall and here all the winners received their trophies. Sylvia and I were not entitled to any awards as we had not completed the rally. So imagine our great surprise when the very last trophy was presented to us. We received the ‘Spirit of the Rally’ award for helping out another competitor. We were so thrilled about this that you would be forgiven for thinking that we had won the rally itself. Our thanks go to the Three Castles Team and their Marshals and all the sweep crew for a truly wonderful experience.
Ron Crissell and Sylvia Barber
More of Ron and Sylvia’s classic rally experiences in the next instalment covering ‘The Emerald Isle 2004 Classic’
Handsome grille with V8 badge
Home from the Ypres Rally with the ‘Spirit of the Rally Award’