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Re: rally elan

To: rodbean@ix.netcom.com
Subject: Re: rally elan
From: Derek Harling <derek.lola@sympatico.ca>
Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 21:15:41 -0400
rodbean@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> 
> Mike Causer wrote:
> 
> > rodbean@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> >
> > > Actually, there was a guy (his name escapes me now) from around here who,
> > > after being sponsored by Chrysler for early-mid seventies pro rallying,
> > > actually prepared an Elan for the purpose.
> > >
> > > My reaction was horror at seeing an Elan formally prepared for organized
> > > destruction.  What was next, destruction derby?  But... to each his own.
> >
> > There are lots of Elans used in "Classic" rallying around Europe, and they
> > are quite suceessfull too.  Not far from where I live there is a Plus Two
> > in full rally trim built by Peter Day.  It is a lovely looking machine,
> > very fast (170bhp and 4.7 final drive), and is used for tarmac rallies,  the
> > owner has a Mk2 Lotus Cortina for the rough stuff, although he's aquired a
> > Mk 1 to replace it.
> >
> > I don't know what sort of rallies Rod has seen, but in Europe an Elan is a
> > good choice for many of them.
> >
> > Mike
> 
> I'm referring to pro rallies (at least, that's what they call them here)
> usually run on dirt roads at full speed.  There's a lot of jumping involved as
> well as rough surfaces.  Not all that unlike off road racing sometimes.  Looks
> to me like it would destroy a car without very beefy reinforcement.
> 
> Rod


Just to confirm your last comment - in the old days of the 60's before
Euro rallies got really rough and fast - I did several in my Mini. We
had a really good sump guard [from BMC] but even then after the RAC
Rally it had been dented and pushed about an inch so that the engine
mounts were in tension [there was stiff foam between the guard and the
ally sump to stop rocks getting in and shattering the sump].

However because of the roughness of so-called "gravel" stages they now
also run "tarmac" stages on surfaced roads.

Derek

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