@ Vagrant no2

[Apache]

Noticed on another thread that you used to rally.

What did you run? What events?

and here's some eye candy

[Vagrant No2]

Used to co drive for a couple of mates who owned a poor looking, but very good Hillman Imp ! Won a 2nd and a 3rd in class . Others used to lauagh at the red primered body until the results came in . We did give it a coat of Vagrant blue (I over thinned the dark blue so had to thicken up with white) which changed it to a better looking vehicle . Twin 40's ported Wills ringed head , MGB trans mounted exhaust rear box , drop mount front wishbone mounts , monroes all round , front rad , HB Viva disc brakes , RAC suspension.

Other car was a Hillman Avenger GLS 5 door . Skip Brown engine , LSD diff, quick rack , rear disc conversion , RS2000 front calipers with spacer kit , RS 2000 gearbox to Skip Brown alloy bell housing , forest and track suspension springs (depending on event), Bilstein shocks , rear doors welded shut for strengh , fully welded floor and chassis rails , full cage , bias braking , etc ....

No trophy in that 1 only did 4 events and he gave up and did Karting instead . Car cost over £4000 to build , sold it £700 !

[Apache]

Hillman Avenger! Now there's a blast from the past!

Rallying's not the same these days. Used to prefer single venue stuff to the major events. However, I dont think anything beat the GpB stuff for sheer blood and thunder!

I was there when Stig Blomqvist completed a stage with his co-driver sat on the rear wing after ripping a front wheel / suspension off his SWB Quattro on a tree stump (I met Michelle Mouton at the launch of that car). I saw Roger Clark competing in a Porsche 911!!! Absolutely mad! I saw Russell Brookes launch himself off the top of a grass bank after missing a corner in a Chevette. Ahhh, the good old days. Scoobies may be fast but boy are they dull!!!

[Vagrant No2]

Mother in Law lived next door to the late great Tony Pond . Nice guy and full of 'stories' . I remember the Quatros and 6R4's etc . Used to be several of us in various cars chasing the RAC rally around the country when it was a proper rally . I dont bother to watch it much anymore.
I went to Cyprus 2 year ago to watch the rally there . Its what rallying should be like . Hanging off a loose shale hilltop , dust everywhere , sun burn .........................

[Gamedawn]

Stop it guys - you're making me go all misty eyed. I can remember well the sound of the Lancia Stratos in the forest - absolutely glorious - and then being surprised when the first Saab turbo turned up because all you could hear were the stones rattling on the wheel wells. And I still can't understand why they outlawed road rallying - it was such a gentle, quiet sport

[Vagrant No2]

Best sounding car to me was the Quatro semi automatic blasting through Kilder forest at 1 am . Very high tech for the mid 80's , great gearbox as power was always there at the wheels .
I got to drive a Quatro once , new pants needed . Better then the Sierra Cosworth which I also got to drive afterwards .

[Apache]

Best sounding car to me was the Quatro semi automatic blasting through Kilder forest at 1 am . Very high tech for the mid 80's , great gearbox as power was always there at the wheels .
I got to drive a Quatro once , new pants needed . Better then the Sierra Cosworth which I also got to drive afterwards .

I drove a Quattro too. One of the first of the Ur Quattros, in white with white five spoke Sparco wheels. It was the dogs! It was just so brutal in how the power was delivered, not 'soft' and civilised like todays turbo cars. As the revs went up it was like 'nothing... nothing... nothing... HYPERSPACE!' An absolute scream to drive!

Since then I've driven rally prepped Impreza and rally prepped Evo VII, and whist both were very quick (with the evo having the edge I felt - at least on tarmac), they dont produce anything like the excitement of the old 80's homologation cars.

How I'd kill for one of these things!