Kennedy Cupcake
dancers
Kennedy Cupcake dancers in
sailor suits
Classic
line-up at Titan crane
Riley classic
1912 Ford Model T
Safari (Tiger stripe) MGB/GT
Anderson Herald
is off to Monte
First
Monte car -
1979 Parolin/Gessa Fiat 131
Davis/Cowburn Escort 1974 RS2000
Agostini/ Delliere 1959 Simca P60
Mottier/Hoff 1971 Datsun 240Z
Zak Matten and James
Aquilina in a fantastic 1965 Volvo 122S
McAlpine / Proctor
1965 Lancia Fulvia
MGB top down on way to Drymen
Triumph Spitfire top down too
Grahams Lancia Fulvia Mascot
David Heirs in Saab V4
Lancia Strators ready to go
Dumfries stage finish
| | |
 | Monte Carlo Historique Rally
Start Glasgow Clydebank -
29 January 2012
Report
by Jim Paterson
 Around
8000 people were reported to have come to Clydebank College to see the
line up of classic cars and the start of the monte Carlo Historique
2012 from Glasgow Clydebank. I cannot vouch for the actual number but
there were many thousands from my view putting up the gantry on the
start ramp.
Alongside the Monte Carlo starters
were the 58
CCHMSC Blythswood Heritage Run entries. These cars crewed by club
members from across Scotland would either join the Monte cars on their
first leg down to Dumfries, some 95 miles, with others heading to
Drymen over Scotland's local “alpine passes” in the
Campsies, some 52 miles.
But the story of the day
started
earlier in the morning at GTG training on South Street where the monte
cars wre scrutineered and signed on to the event, whilst the
Blythswood Heritage Run classics were signed on. Ralph Forbes was busy
making last minute adjustments tohis fiat 128, and checking that the
other Ecurie Ecosse team members cars were ready for the start. Ralph
had agreed with Tom McCaig who owns the “Ecurie
Ecosse”
name that he could use the name for a team of seven cars to challenge
the team prize if they got 5 of the 7 to the finish in Monte Carlo.
Joining
the Monte and Heritage crews were dozens of local Classic owners who
brought their cars to the Monte Carlo Show at the College. With cars
going back to Alec McDougalls 1912 mobel T through to cars from the
60's 70's and 80's, there was plenty of old metal for the spectators to
see.
To keep the afternoon swinging along we had the
Kennedy
Cupcake dancers performing to the music of the Glen Miller era with
both land and a nautical theme. Sharing the start ramp, which also
doubled as a stage, was Celtic Spirit with piper and drums who would
also pipe off the early starters. Though it was a bitterly cold
afternoon the snow managed to stay away and the hot food caravans
helped to provide ful for the hungry spectators.
Club
member and
motoring journalist David Ross was master of ceremonies with the
microphone and did a sterling job keeping the commentary going
throughout the afternoon, and for the Mont start. It was a pity that
only 13 cars were allocted the Glasgow Clydebank start, and one of them
failed to reach the start ramp. However they would be helped on their
way to Dumfries with 23 of the Blythswood Heritage entries.
At
around 5.20pm with all the lights blazing Glasgow / Clydebank start Coordinator
Douglas Anderson powered up his 1961 Triumph Herald course car and was waved off with a trditional
Saltire flag by East Dubartonshire provost, Denis Agnew. Douglas was
also carrying a bottle of the local Auchentoshan whisky, to
deliver to Prince Albert in Monaco as a gift from the people of
Clydebank.
As Douglas zoomed off the ramp on his way
to Dumfries for the first stage of the trip to Dover and over to France
on the ferry, the real Monte Carlo entries rolled up behind them. First
in line were Nicola Parolin and Alberto Gessa from Italy, but who work
in Monaco, in their 1979 Fiat 131 Racing. They formed one of the
Monateam, also challenging the team prize. The three of their other
team mates were starting from Barcelona, and another two from Turin,so
they had the farthest to go by a country mile! That made no difference
to them as they roared off into the night heading for the Erskine
Bridge and the route south to Dover.
Next up on the
ramp in a
1965 Lancia Fulvia Coupé was Andrew McAlpine, director with
Sir
Robert McAlpine the construction company, and Alexander Proctor. The
repsplendent Lancia would be first away as part of the Ecurie Ecosse
team. Only 2190 miles to go! The following three cars were also flying
the Ecurie Ecosse banner, AlanMorton and Milton Ringer in a 1969 Fiat
124 Coupe, Rick Pearson and Stuart Pringle in a 1979 Porsche 924 turbo,
and John Roberts and Oliver Tomlins in a 1977 Fiat 127 Coupe.
No
Monte would be correct without a Volvo, and Zak Matten and James
Aquilina rolled up in a fantastic 1965 Volvo 122S. If a Volvo is a must
then a Datsun 240Z is essential. Farthest travelled to reach the start
fell to Bradley Mottier and William Hoff, all the way from
the
USA. The pair came to crew their UK resident 1971 Datsun 240Z. The car
is an exact replica of the car driven by Rauno Aaltonen and Jean Todt
to 3rd place in the 1972 Monte Carlo rally. Greenwood Motorsport took
the standard road car and completely rebuilt it to a winning state.
Bradley has already taken the Datsun to a win on the 2009 London to
Casablanca and a second overall on the Tour Britannica. The 2012 Monte
marks the 40th anniversary of the Datsun's Aaltonen/Todt third place
Monte.
Closer to home, welshmen Paul Davis and Mike
Cowburn
drove off the ramp in their 1974 Ford Mk1 Escort RS 2000. Paul said the
car was relatively standard, but the usual modifications to improve
handling, safety and reliability had been carried out. Lets hope the
reliability gets it through to the finish at Monte Carlo.
 David
and Roger Loveys were brave in challenging the event in a 1950 Allard
P1. David found the car as a wreck some 20 years ago and has
painstakingly restored the car with help from the Allard owners club.
The car is no stranger to Monte Carlo having been there in 2002 and
2007 to celebrate designer Sydney Allard's famous 1952 victory on the
Monte Carlo Rally, the only person to have won the event in a car
designed and built by the designer/driver! The size and weight of the
car was to great however to roll over the start ramp and the crew were
flagged away by the side of the ramp. Good luck to them in their
attempt to repeat Sydney Allards 1952 victory!
What
a joy to see
two frenchmen start in Glasgow. Christian Agostini and Pierre Delliere
brought their 1959 Simca P60 on to the start ramp, as part of team Les
Trapadelles. The other team member crew were also in a Simca P60,
starting from Turin.
The remaining Ecurie Ecosse
crews were now
rolling over the ramp, led by Steve and Tony Graham 1970 Lancia Fulvia
Coupe. Having entered, and finished the 2011 event the pair just had to
try and do it all again this year! Did you see their
“Hamster” mascot sitting on the roof of their car?
 Ralph
Forbes and Wesley Massam were right behind the Lancia in the 1978 Fiat
128. Ralph has driven more than a few Monte Carlo rallies.
Lets
hope the little fiat takes him all the way this year.
The
final
Ecurie Ecosse entry was CCHMSC member and regular David Mustarde, who
with Bernard Northmore entered a 1961 Alfa Romeo Guilietta T1,but opted
to start from Reims.
With all the Monte starters
flagged off,
provost Denis Agnew kept the flag waving for the Blythswood Heritage
run crews. First off were the crews heading for Dumfries,
including a selection of Fords, Triumphs, Hillman Imps, Rover, Alfas,
Mini's,Porsches, and a very tidy 1960 Austin A40, a popular rally car
in its time. Car of the event went to the 1979 Lancia Stratos of
Richard Craig and Peter Leary. It looked fantastic but nearly came to
grief as it slipped to one side on the down ramp with the nearside rear
half hanging over. I thought if that drops it'll be the end of the rear
suspension for sure. But a quick blip on the throttle and they shot off
into the dark and on their way to Dumfries.
Following
the Dumfries crews were the 35 Drymen entries led of by Gordon
&
Liz McCallan in their 1936 Riley Kestrel Nine, the oldest competing
car. Gary and Duncan Whyte were not far behind in their 1937 Riley
Lynx. A selection of MG's also took to the road, most with the top down
despite the freezing night air. Moreno and Eileen Pisaneschi had
dressed for the weather in 1950's attire for the trip in their 1950 MG
TD and took with them the best in period dressed award.
Most
all
of the cars reached their destinations in the UK, the Dumfries and
Drymen crews calling in for a bar supper at the Cairneyhill Hotel in
Dumfries, or the Winnock Hotel in Drymen.
Though
the
Monte starters
made it over the channel, unfortunately the Anderson Triumph Herald
came to a halt on the road to Dumfries. Douglas had to abandon the car
but managed to hitch a lift with a service crew. We wait to hear
how Douglas got on in his quest to
deliver his gift of Auchentoshan!
The following You
Tube links show some of the action at various start / checkpoints.
Kennedy Cupcakes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIBrHqYoTnc&feature
Glasgow Scrutineering http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsr1hRjUzJE
and start with in car video on the road to Erskine Bridge
showing the crowds.
Glasgow /Clydebank start http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWuLRpZu4WI
Monte Departures http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtGp8mxVZtE&feature
The next video covers the Sezanne checkpoint. The following Glasgow
cars
are seen starting at 18.40 on the video (that is apart from
299
which also appears right at the start!) 194
190 131 203 196 216 299 248 221 and 239 before the video
stops.
Sezanne (east of Paris) checkpoint http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehn3wVxkMTU
And one of the Reims
start:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx4tYhb6TYc
More on route through the snow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64zZOia2cJ4
How about this for slipping - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqFqUyqUJeQ
Here they are at Sospel Control http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yNHbtyYzIQ
The cold blast has reached Monte Carlo. Yes snow on the Cote D'Azur and La Turbie
Ecurie Ecosse (Yes.....)
Ralph Forbes in Service http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqCGbuva240
(Keep going Ralph)
Special Stage ZR11 looks slippy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIetSzaS9sw
And
here is the final "Fun" stage over the Turini. See the crowds wave
through the cars as they slide over the summit on their way back down
to Monte Carlo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKbFP860mwM
This
link provides live results service. Just click on the stage, i.e. ZR1 - ZR14
http://www.rallyliveresults.com/livehisto/live_CG.php
You
will see that both the Loveys Allard and the Mottier Datsun 240Z have
retired due to mechanical problems on the concentration run to Monte.
The Mustarde Ecurie Ecosse
Alfa Guilietta has also succumbed on stage ZR5. The Morton / Ringer
Ecureie Ecosse Fiat 124 Coupe has also retired due to mechanical
problems on stage ZR10.
The Monte is a
tough rally
and right now it is snowing in the Principality and the surrounding
maritimes, so theyare not finished yet! Final stage finishes Saturday
4th February.
Now read all about the cars as they headed for the Monte Finish here
Lots of photos of the event by Alan Duncan here
|
| Updated 4 February 2012
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