RAOC Gazette - page 185
Image details
| Corps | RAOC |
|---|---|
| Material type | Journals |
| Book page | |
| Chapter head | |
| Chapter key | |
| Chapter number | |
| Full title | RAOC Gazette |
| Page number | |
| Publication date | 1977 |
| Real page | |
| Colour | No |
| Grey | No |
| Early date | 1977 |
| Late date | 1977 |
| Transcription |
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF RALLYING by MAJOR BOB PRICE RAOC, HQ BASE ORGANISATION PHIS past year has seen Staff Sergeant Les Dalton and myself plunge from the heights of elation when a special stage has been completed perfectly, to the depths of despair, standing at the side of the road with a seized l engine. After successfully finishing first in the Army Rally Magnum Spirit/ we were ; t ,rcd with enthusiasm to take the next upward step in the rally scene. The ultimate for any rallyist in the UK is to compete in the International Lombard Royal Automobile Club Rally (the RAC) held in November every year, and just to finish in this event is considered an achievement in itself. How true that was eventually to prove! As in many other sports the only way a rallyist, in these financially stringent times, can carry on competing is through the contacts he has. Our contact was a member of the Esso organisation which was prepared to pay our entry fee—the no mean sum of £160. All we needed now was a car! The next stage all started with a chance discussion between Major Tim Pro nit and myself on a dark October morning last year in the Camp Commandant's office in Didcot, which culminated in Commander Base Organization's agreement to loan an Austin 1800 for the event The original concept was to use the car in a fairly basic format prepared by a REME LAD, but time, engineering and financial problems seemed insurmountable, until an unbelievable offer of assistance from Brigadier Mike Short at COD Don- nington and Colonel Peter Elkins of the Central REME Work- shop, who undertook to prepare the car. This was the signal for the beginning of a yery hectic four weeks, and in retrospect this was part of our undoing, but in those heady days the future engineering problems were totally unforeseen. Modern rallying is far removed from Sunday afternoon treasure hunts, for advances in engine and body design have resulted in corresponding increases in the severity of events, We knew we could not prepare a car that was going to be in the same competitive league as the Ford Escorts, TRTs, Datsuns, Stratos, etc. We certainly needed a vehicle with a degree of performance and reliability and to this end the car was completely stripped and rebuilt. The idea was to convert a standard production shell into a regulation competition car. For safety reasons fire- proofing, by using fibreglass to seal all the holes and seams, as well as the front and rear bulkheads was essential, as well as a laminated windscreen and a roll cage. For the car to be com- petitive and comply with safety regulations a dual braking system had to be found. A kit was not available and an ex- hausting search revealed that with a slight modification, a Mk |1I Cortina braking system would be adequate. In com- parison, the fitting of special seats, an accurate mileage indicator, map readfcig lights, special jacking points etc were minor problems. All this preparation was done at a furious pace, un- fortunately all to no avail. Readers of the January GAZETTE will have read about the ignominious end—so soon after the start—so back to the drawing board, especially in the engine compartment. The period of January—March was an evolution- ary engineering phase, and numerous discussions were held within the workshop and with outside industry, resulting in the development of an engine designed, to overcome the basic 1800 shortcomings when the vehicle is subject to competitive stresses. One of the worst of these is overheating. This was solved by drilling all the main bearings to increase the oil flow and by fitting two oil pickups, surge baffles in the gearbox and the use of a Kenlowe oil fan which fed extra oil into the system. Various- techniques and methods were also tried to overcome the inbuilt traits of the hydrolastic suspension. Needless to say, the majority of equipment required is not available from normal military resources, and a trip to a Ley- land garage will reveal how cheap vehicle spares are these days! Without the added help in cash and kind from firms within the Telford area the whole concept would still have been a non-starter. D and J Fasteners of Telford proved parti- cularly helpful sponsors. During this phase the car was tested in a number of events with quite creditable results considering the standard of opposition. A jammed throttle on the Dukeries National Rally led to an interesting few moments with few alternative options as we headed directly for a hairpin right bend. Thankfully, we took that of staying on the road, though there was little of it to spare! A few of the spectators standing on the corner were seen to lake rapid evasive action, and you can be assured that a deep ditch full of cold water at 5 am on a March morning was not the most inviting of sights. Needless to say, this led to certain throttle, petrol and linkage modifications. Another episode was to show how essential competition brake pads are in fast and furious night navigational events. Due to a manufacturer's shortage at precisely the wrong time, we had (o rely on standard brake pads, and seventy miles after the start—somewhere in central Wales—a frustrating half hour was spent changing red hot pads worn down to the rivets. To say gentle persuasion was required to remove the pads would be an understatement. One particular modification led to interesting, though not recommended, handling characteristics. Every minor bump in the road resulted in the car taking to the air. All right on a smooth motorway, but on the small tracks and Ordnance survey yellow roads of central Wales, horrific! I normally have very little difficulty in keeping my magnifying light and pencil on the map, but this night they had a will of their own— a jump would result not only in a change of location, but nearly a change in county. From Dyffed to Powys did you say? Our progress was charted with jocularity by many other rally crews with various observations on how many times they had seen ' landcrabs/ the rallyist's affectionate term for an 1800, but never constantly low flying ones! None of these events could have been completed without the assistance of a tremendously hard working and efficient service crew. Trevor Lacey, Richard Jerrard and Trevor Churm from the REME Workshop were the stalwarts of the team, and they received considerable assistance from many people within the Workshop, from the CO and Mr Peter Cook, downwards. These are the unsung heroes of rallying. They do not have the glamour of competing but their Function is vital and often rewarding, requiring all their skills in performing their task, often with very little sleep or even rest, Our plan for the future is that we should compete in a number of restricted, national rallies with the aim of building up experience and confidence for a return to major rallying in perhaps six months—with a proven car and an experienced crew. We shall report again. The Donnington Rally Car in sponsorship livery with Major Bob Price and Staff Sergeant Les Dalton. |
| Book number | R0246 |