Port and Starboard MGs
Regular readers will recognise Colin Evans from his classic rallying exploits reported in Enjoying MG. The Port and Starboard MGs theme reflects Colin’s maritime background as he is a merchant seaman and therefore he has to fit his rallying and other hobbies around his duty rosta. Red and Green are the port and starboard lights carried by vessels at night, and when parked outside his house Colin’s brace of 1966 BGTs serve as markers to his enthusiasm for classic MGs and historic motorsport. The Green MGB GT is a purpose built rally car while the Red MG is a very nice example of an early BGT.
Port and Starboard MGB GTs
There is a story attached to the Red BGT, Colin first bought it in 1979 and used it as a road car for several years then sold it for £600 to a friend who paid him £250 down and £50 a month. About three years ago Colin discovered that his old BGT was on the market and he eventually bought it back again for a song.
Rally prepared BGT
From boyhood Colin had three ambitions, to become a racing driver, to learn to fly a plane and to take up scuba diving. He now has a British pilot’s licence (PPL) a Canadian commercial pilot’s licence, including a rating for Seaplanes (which he flies in Canada) and he is also a scuba diving instructor. While Colin has achieved the flying and the diving ambition, he has managed to satisfy his desire to be a racing driver by becoming a rally driver instead. Colin’s passion for rallying began as a spectator and marshal and when he had sufficient means he bought a MK II Cortina GT and entered his first rally. From that he moved on to a 998 Mini Cooper and then a 1293 Mini Cooper S.
A nice example of a 1966 BGT
Colin has always admired Roger Clark and through his rallying career was able to meet and talk with his hero quite a few times over the years. On one occasion Colin was chatting to Roger in an Ipswich car park on the Tour of Britain, and told him the story of how he had bought Roger’s book Sideways To Victory when it first came out in 1975. Roger had signed it for him in Chelmsford but then he had lent it to a friend who had never returned the book. Colin was very surprised and touched when a few days later he received a new replacement signed edition and a personal note from the rally ace.
Classic Rallying
In an attempt to give me a real flavour of classic rallying and as authentic an impression as possible Colin offered to take me out for a spin in his specially prepared Green MGB GT. After climbing into the Ridgard competition seat and then being securely buckled in with the four strap Luke harness belts we made our way down to one of Colin’s favourite local test areas. This was a carefully chosen route featuring a series of narrow country lanes that are very similar to those encountered on road rallies. Colin selected a road that combined lots of sharp bends, some ninety degrees, but all with low hedges that afforded a clear view of any oncoming traffic, thus eliminating the possibility of suddenly meeting a tractor should we be engaged in a full-on slide.
Colin then embarked on a master class on how to take sharp bends in a BGT. He would make his approach, set the car up and twitch the steering wheel to get it sliding and then exit the bend really well placed to rush straight on to the next corner. All the time the induction roar of the Weber in combination with a raucously loud exhaust provided a distinctive cacophony to accompany our rapid progress. Performance was impressive with the gusty torque of the 1 8 4 0 c c engine pulling us very quickly along the straight bits and into the bends. In the lanes most of the action takes place in second and third gears, the power of the engine coming in with a bang and thrusting the B relentlessly forward as Colin chose the most direct line between corners and negotiated each new twist and turn. The suspension thumped and banged over the poor road surfaces but everything remained very taut and solid as we roared along. Although the suspension is largely standard, albeit with V8 bushes and uprated shock absorbers, it coped very well with the less than ideal road surfaces and it was only when we traversed a railway level crossing that the limited ground clearance hampered our progress sufficiently to force us to slow right down.
The Rally Car
As a rally car the rugged build and predictable handling of the B are definite plus points, and although its low ride and limited ground clearance can be a drawback, overall the package remains a good proposition. Colin’s car had been built around a completely refurbished shell and this in combination with the full roll cage gave an incredible stiffness to the whole of the structure, this is undoubtedly because everything is so firmly located and securely bolted together.
Colin was kind enough to let me have a turn at the wheel and it was a great pleasure to be allowed to conduct this very well sorted rally car. The handling was most impressive with a precise feel, the steering enhanced by the high levels of grip from the Colway plus 4 rally tyres and the whole structure felt tight, solid and the engine pulled very well indeed. In fact the driving experience reminded me of a brief stint I once had behind the wheel of one of the original ‘works’ BGTs, which is not all that remarkable considering that the procedure for preparing a BGT for successful competition is bound to follow the same lines.
The cockpit
Brantz equipment essential
Based on an original 1966 BGT which Colin stripped down completely and then decided that overall it was just too good to throw away, he welded it all up and rebuilt it as a rally car. The BGT is fitted with a full competition roll cage and is powered by an 1840cc engine, built by Jerry Brown with a Peter Burgess Head and fuel is supplied via a 45 DCOE Weber. While the power is transmitted through a 4 synchro overdrive gearbox 4:31 diff in a banjo axle and sits on 5.5J Minilite alloy wheels with Colway Plus 4 175/70 x 14 rally tyres, incidentally Colin has never had a puncture with these tyres. Bolted to the floor directly underneath the engine is a substantial sump guard essential for rallying which Colin originally had fitted to his first Cortina.
The Ridgard rally seats and Luke full harness belts locate driver and navigator securely while the passenger footwell is fitted with a special heel board that enables the navigator to brace himself against the motion of the car and this was surprisingly effective when the car was being driven hard. Mounted on the centre console is a Brantz trip metre which keeps a very accurate measure of distance travelled and can be reset for each stage. Extra safety measures comprise of a centrally mounted engine cut-off switch and a large capacity fire extinguisher bolted to the floor in front of the driver’s seat.
Engine bay, not a concours unit but powerful
Sump guard
Spare
Colin in his office
Just a few of Colin’s trophies
Award for third overall on the Tour of Anglesey 2006
Preparing a rally car is of course a highly skilled job and a competitive rally car built by a professional is invariably expensive but Colin feels that if anyone wishes to take up the sport it is possible to put together a successful car yourself provided you have ability and resourcefulness. The base MGB GT is an inherently strong monocoque and provided it is suitably kitted out it is still possible to make it into a competitive car and Colin’s stack of trophies is proof enough of the MGB’s potential. Among his many successes have been the Marque Award on LE JOG 2005, various class wins and top ten finishes and a class winner on the HRCR Night Championship in 2006.
Navigator
Another crucial factor in any rally success is having the right person sitting in the car next to you, someone who can cope with all the complexities of the route and still calculate the times whilst being thrown around in the passenger seat. Colin has been fortunate enough to have some very able navigators join him in the BGT, Shon Gosling, Colin Francis OBE and also Nigel Raeburn who has been in rallying for many years and used to be a works co-driver. Colin is adamant that the right combination of driver and navigator and a high level of trust and understanding between them is absolutely essential for consistent success in competition.
Colin’s signed edition of Sideways To Victory
Port and Starboard MGs, the Red GT that Colin sold and then reacquired
The three on the bottom are Colway rally tyres
Interior of the Red BGT, the period bucket seats are comfortable and supportive
Marshal’s badges, one for each year’s service on the Lombard RAC Rally
Bumpers removed and special tow hooks fitted
Rally board ‘No Entry’ sign from the Lombard RAC Rally of Great Britain
Enthusiasm
Colin’s philosophy has been to enjoy every aspect of his motorsport and he has spent just as much time marshaling events outside in the worst of the winter weather as he has taking part as a driver. Colin has marshaled on the RAC Rally of Britain for thirty years, at the arrival control, the finish and out in the forest. He has also done his stint as navigator on the RAC Rally five times winning the csma team award in 1980, he has also competed in Belgium and the Isle of Man achieving various successes on both events
Colin is well aware that the sport depends on everyone who takes part at every level from the marshals to the drivers. Colin has a positive and realistic approach to rallying all and he is aware that there will always be competitors with bigger budgets and more expensive cars, but ultimately success still depends on the driver’s ability, skill behind the wheel and good navigating are crucial to finishing well.