10 replies to this topic

[MarkBev]

I've recently acquired an original car from the 1979 British Saloon Car Championship, and we're currently going through the rather 'involved' process of getting an HTP for it.

 

It's clear that the championship, from 1974 to 82, ran under the Group 1 banner, but we think there's a high likelihood that it also had a set of it's own regulations that allowed for a little more departure from the homologation papers that Gp 1 so firmly adheres to. For eg wheel  size.

 

I've telephoned the MSA and their reply was "yes, we'll have the regs somewhere, but we won't be able to find them, try somewhere else"........Have a nice day!

 

I wonder whether anyone can shed any light on this matter, or perhaps point me in the right direction.

 

Many thanks

 

Mark

[raceannouncer2003]

Don't know if it helps you, but have you seen this webpage from Frank de Jong's excellent site?

 

http://www.touringca.../1979 BSCC.html

 

You can contact Frank via the link on this webpage:

 

http://www.touringca....net/index.html

 

Vince H.

[MarkBev]

Thanks for that Vince.

 I have spoken to Frank....and what a cracking website he has....the closest set of regs he has is the Trans Europe rules, which are close, but of course, don't contain the finer details we're looking for, specific to the BSCC.

 

The search continues.

[bradbury west]

Try contacting Marcus Pye, via Autosprt or Goodwood, he knows everything and everyone, or Bruce Jones via Goodwood, ex. Editor of. Autosport. It is the sort of stuff they would keep, for record purposes. Perhaps GRRC might know someone via their contacts, or a man who does. Possibly personnel from a period team
Best of luck
Roger Lund
Edit
I have just checked the records for some of the period teams and people like Andy Rouse, Whizzo WIlliams, Stuart Graham, perhaps Robin Brundle, may recall or have records. It could be a long list to try....
RL

Edited by bradbury west, 21 January 2016 - 16:01.

[RS2000]

Isn't there now an historic UK race series that uses the period "Gp1 and a half" regs?  

[MarkBev]

Thanks RL...I have spoken to Marcus Pye just the other day, and no joy there. And I tried a couple of the old teams.....

 

....but I have been informed that a blue book of the right era should have a lot of the information we need....I don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place...E Bay to the rescue.

 

And if anyone knows of RS's Gp1.5 series, I'd love to know.

[MarkBev]

Ah...the 1979 Blue book didn't help then. It contains detailed regulations of lots of classes of racing, but when we get to the Touring Cars...I quote..

 

TOURING CARS

1. Description

Series Production Saloon Cars complying with FIA Appendix 'J' and modifications as defined in regulations available on application.

 

The question is what were those "modifications as defined in regulations....."?

[MarkBev]

The problem we've got is the car clearly did the 79 leg of the series on chunky little red Minilites...every period photo shows this.....

 

 

To our knowledge, Toyota didn't homologate these wheels, and the fact that in 79 the BSCC ran under Gp 1 regs, means there must have been some 'series specific' rules allowing for non manufacturer wheels.....something to do with the quote from the Blue book, mentioned in my last post???

[RS2000]

"Appendix J" on its own is meaningless. Presumably Group 1 but it doesn't say so. The BSCC did not run under Gp1 regs: it was FIA Gp1 + specific MSA additional regs ("regs" implies restrictions but it was, of course, "relaxations"), as you have found in the 79 Blue Book. Suggest ask in the "Historic Racing" section on TenTenths Forum (not "Motorsport History"). A new series to those BSCC regs has certainly been talked about there (but may not have come to fruition).

 

Not the first time this question has come up. Presumably those running the series in period were at pains to conceal that they were not actually running to the claimed "Gp1". Hence the unhelpful Blue Book.  

[raceannouncer2003]

Have you spoken to Win Percy?

 

Vince H.

[MarkBev]

Yes, sorry RS my mistake, the Blue book did mention Group 1 directly after App J, and as per your advice, I've post the same request for information on the TenTenths forum.

 

Vince, I've not spoken to Win Percy, but I have to Alec Poole, and he's very helpfully putting a word in for me with Peter Riches, who was the Chief Scrut for the BTCC for many years....

 

......we'll get there in the end!!

 

In the meantime I leave you with a great shot of Percy and Richard Lloyd knocking lumps out of each other at Mallory in 79.