From: NAME: Mike Jeffreys [DAT31 ]
FUNC: DAT31
TEL: 0473-645609 <JEFFREYS M J AT WEB AT WEBCS>
To: british-cars@hoosier.utah.edu@unet
You are right about these cars; I believe that there were a number of
European competitors in what was called Group A(?). This group was a no
holds barred collection of cars that competed in the European Rally scene
and some also visited the US at Pike's Peak (?!) :-) .
These cars were very fast, all having 4 wheel drive and loads of
horsepower. They were so fast that after a number of spectator fatalities
they were banned. Spectators still seem to be nutters and stand on the
track until the last moment, some consider the rally cars to be bulls I
guess, but nowadays the cars are slower so everybody is happy.
In Europe these cars are still competing, and winning, in Autocross. This
is a mixture of rallying and racing and the European (World?) final is
usually held at Brands Hatch (UK) on a modified course (half tarmac,
half dirt).
A list from memory of these cars is:-
Mini Metro VR6 (?) 3.6 litres (I think the engine was a cut down V8 but
surely not the Rover/Buick one) atmospheric.
Ford RS200 turbo 2 litre(?)
Peugout 205 turbo
Audi quattro sport turbo
Renault 5 mid engined turbo (?)
A few anecdotes:
Towards the end of their lives the Metro and the Ford could have been
bought new for 15000 pounds or less.
The Essex police have good connections with Fords of Europe and managed to
borrow an RS200. Two police drivers went out, only one came back. The
concensus was that the driver went from third into second (it was left hand
drive) instead of fourth. With such grip, the car would decellerate
horrendously. The police are now very aware of the engine braking effects
of 4 wheel drive cars in extremis.
How do I know this?
I have just been on an 'improve your driving course', the lecturer being
the chief police driving instructor for Essex; so lots of anecdotes to be
had. This course culminated in a drive on the Police skid pan and a trip
out in a Police vehicle around Chelmsford. On the skid pan (a circular
track covered in oil and water) I almost managed to complete a full circle
of the track with opposite lock and lots of power. I 'bottled out' because
the earth banks were fairly close at one end of the track and I had 5000
revs in second gear with the back of the car continually 'out' and I was
driving the 'winter' car, my TR7 16 valve coupe ;-) .
The drive around Chelmsford, in the county of Essex (UK), was also an
experience. The car was a Vauxhall Carlton 24valve (though not the Lotus
Carlton) which accelerated at almost the same rate as my other TR7, a V8
convertible :-) although the quietness was astonishing in comparison.
Regards,
Mike.
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