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THE GALWAY CAVENDISH FOREST RALLY AUGUST 09, 2008
What is Classic Rally?
Many rally fans nostalgically remember the sixties and seventies as a golden era. Performance, speed and excitement were increasingly important to the average car enthusiast. Numerous auto manufacturers had competition departments offering special rally equipment or homologation versions of their cars. Buyers snapped them up and then raced or rallied them. Often these cars were used for competition on the weekends and then for daily transportation through the week.
Rallying a car from this era today recalls that enthusiasm. This is rallying where both competition and having fun are high priorities. The technology was less sophisticated than it is today. While the cars are not as stunningly quick as current four wheel drive, turbo charged machinery, they are definitely exciting. And they remain less costly. These are perfect qualities for rallyists on a tight budget or for those who wish to do their own mechanical preparation.
A simple rear drive car, common in the day, will absorb a lot of punishment and still keep going. The spectacular, tail out driving style needed for rear drive often draws cheers from the watching crowds. And, for those rally teams with a yen for glory, it is also an excellent opportunity to be more aggressive and try to match the times of faster cars. A well driven two wheel drive car can still humble faster, all wheel drive cars in a crowd pleasing, giant killing act.
Where and when is Classic Rallying happening now?
For the 2008 competition season, Rally Sport Ontario has created a scoring class for older cars. Known as the Classic Division, the older rally cars will enter as regular competitors and meet all the normal requirements of the rules. This includes safety regulations for roll cages and other preparation. Any entry that is twenty or more years old can then be scored in the Classic Division as well as figuring in the regular results.
There will be three rounds in the series. They include the Black Bear Rally June 14, the Galway Cavendish Forest Rally August 9 and the regional portion of the Tall Pines Rally November 22.
(BELOW) Ian Crerar of Clear Water Design putting his 1977 Porsche 911 through its paces. Ian has been a consistent competitor at the national level of Canadian rallying and is an enthusiastic supporter of vintage rallying. His company, Clear Water Design, makes kayaks and proudly sponsors the Rally Sport Ontario Classic Division of rally.
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Up to this point in Ontario regional rallying, only a handful of competitors have run older cars. They have enjoyed the support of enthusiastic spectators and rally organizers, especially at the Galway Cavendish Forest Rally (GCFR). For 2005, 2006 and 2007, GCFR included a class specifically for such cars. They divided them into Classic for cars built before 1982 and Post Classic for cars built between 1982 and a rolling twenty year cut off. Entries have ranged from a 1976 BMW 2002, '72 Ford Capri, '67 Ford Cortina Mk II, '77 Porsche 911 to an '85 Dodge Omni turbo, a VW Golf from 1987, even an '87 Ford Merkur XR8 as well as a 1981 VW Scirocco.
Building on the support shown by organizers and fans alike, RSO has started and continues this series for a second year with the expectation that it will encourage more owners of classic cars to use them as they were intended to be used. Perhaps a few forgotten rally cars will emerge from barns and the depths of garages. If you have an older rally car, dust it off and bring it out. Check the regs to see what updating may be needed. Ask questions. Just don’t let it disappear from history!
How can I become involved?
If you are new to rally, a primer written especially for novices may be of interest. Meant for all classes it applies to classic rally car rallying as well. (link) In the meantime, look for the rally club nearest you and attend some of their meetings. Check the links on this site's homepage. You will connect with others who share your interests in rallying. They will likely be able to answer your questions or set you in the right direction. There is also an internet based mailing list for rally enthusiasts by Rally Sport Ontario and other forums with Historic rallying sections such as Tim Winker's Vintage Rally site or Special Stage. And, by all means, feel free to contact the Classic Coordinator, Jeff Lantz, at RS2600@gmail.com.
What are the requirements?
Check the Rally Sport Ontario (RSO) and Canadian Association of Rally Sport (CARS) websites for full details about the preparation required. Download the CARS rulebook and study it closely – especially with regard to the roll cage requirements. Talk to fellow competitors about their cars. Come to a regional rally and watch. Even if you decide not to build or buy a car to enter the sport, watching these older cars is enormous fun.
(ABOVE) From the 1994 Tall Pines Rally, a VW Beetle driven by the Villemeure brothers of Quebec.
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The basics that you will need are these:1) membership in an RSO affiliated club 2) a first aid certificate 3) valid driver’s license and 4) a competition license (which requires a medical examination). The car that you rally must be at least 20 years old or older. This is a rolling cut off. For this year, 2008, cars must have been built in 1988 or earlier. Next year, 2009, the eligibility date will be 1989 and so on. You will need to have the car licensed and insured for the road.
Costs for preparing a two wheel drive, older car are usually less than for preparing a full blown, four wheel drive, modern rally car. Engines will usually have fewer electronic controls. Two wheel drive cars will have only half the number of drive axles or differentials. And welding on mild steel bodywork is less complicated than on modern high strength steels
It is, however, extremely important to make sure that the body shell you are using is solid and not a rusty old tub. The rigours of rallying are very demanding and will shake apart a weak shell very quickly. And, even more importantly, it will provide much less protection in the event of an off road excursion than a good shell.
Modifying a classic car will often involve upgrading the engine’s power. One of the best ways to gain horse power is to reduce the weight of the car. Rally cars frequently are stripped of anything that doesn’t make them faster such as interior pieces, undercoating and carpeting. Even the back seat can be removed. A mild engine upgrade for power is really all that is needed to have fun.
Because gravel roads can be tougher on the suspension than asphalt, changing the shocks and springs for stronger units is essential. Here again, the latest technology is not always necessary. Taller, stiffer springs and top quality shock absorbers will be sufficient. Be sure to choose the best brand of shock available such as Bilstein. Improving the quality of the brake linings is similarly a very necessary modification. Often the stock rotors and drums will do for a start. Include a skid pan under the engine as part of the build. Look for proper rally tires because they have stronger sidewalls that will absorb more punishment than regular tires.
For many cars, high performance equipment was available when they were new. Factory or aftermarket offerings such as light weight wheels, fender flares, bigger carburetors, etc will very likely fit within the intentions of the Classic Division especially if they are period correct. One of the motivations for starting the series was to recreate the sights and sounds of the sixties and the seventies.
The required safety equipment will also have to be added. Included here are the roll cage, fire extinguisher, warning triangles and five or six point seat belts. The CARS/RSO rules are the ones to follow. Be sure to read them very thoroughly and ask lots of questions before starting a project.
Thus, the costs will depend on how expensive it is to find the older car you want and the price of the heavy duty suspension components you will need. There will also be the cost of the necessary safety items. Remember, parts that are normally expensive when restoring a vintage car such as interior trim or re-chroming etc will not be needed for a rally build. Most of the money needed to build a rally car will be spent on the roll cage and the suspension. Don’t scrimp on either.
The best approach for a new competitor is to ask lots of questions, spectate at a number of events and attend some club meetings. Find out as much as possible before spending any money. Most importantly, strive to have as much fun as possible.
(BELOW) Rick Williams of the PMSC has been campaigning this 1967 Mk II Ford Cortina since the GCFR of 2006. The fact that it has right hand drive steering doesn’t bother him at all. Like the car, he is originally from England.
For more articles about Classics, check out:
The Competitors, the Cars
A Closer Look
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