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Rare footage: Wheelbase, Monte Carlo Rally, 1972


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#1 Rupertlt1

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Posted 06 March 2020 - 12:02

Does anybody have a copy of this film?

Was Wheelbase sold to overseas markets?

Did anybody watch Wheelbase overseas?

 
The Monte Carlo Rally
BBC Two England, 30 January 1972, 20.10
Synopsis
The 1971 British Rally Champion Chris Sclater and Monte historian Michael Frostick report on the motoring event of the year as it happens.
For the past nine days, 300 of the best rally crews in the world have been driving from all over Europe through winter snow and ice to the sunshine of Monte Carlo. Up against 38 German BMWs and 30 French Renault Alpines are a dozen British cars, among them a Ford Escort Mexico driven by the 26-year-old British National Rally Champion Chris Sclater. Starting with him from Glasgow is Wheelbase reporter Michael Frostick, a Monte competitor since 1954 and author of The History of the Monte Carlo Rally.
Tonight they tell the story of the 1972 Monte from the driving seat and examine some of the reasons for the event's popularity and prestige.
(Radio Times People: page 5)
Contributors
Driver/Reporter: Chris Sclater.
Driver/Reporter: Michael Frostick
Cameraman: Erik Durschmied
Cameraman: Colin Waldeck
Director: Tony Salmon
Editor: Brian Robins
 
RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 02 January 2022 - 12:59.


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#2 Rupertlt1

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Posted 02 January 2022 - 12:07

Monte Carlo

— and bust!

Caught in a blizzard, struck down

with electrical failure, and finally faced

with engine trouble, the B.B.C.'s Wheel-

base team had to pull out of this year's

Monte Carlo Rally on Wednesday.

But they will be going ahead as planned with

their report on the nine-day event (B.B.C.-2,

8.10 to-morrow).

Co-drivers in car 37. an Escort Mexico specially

prepared in Ford's competitions workshop, were

Chris Sclater 26-years-old British national rally

champion — and regular Wheelbase reporter

Michael Frostick, a Monte competitor since 1954

and author of the official history of the rally.

It looks as if they've been robbed of the Best

British Competitor award they hoped to gain—but

they'll still be bringing back the story of the rally

from the driving seat.

And they intend to go a little deeper into the

reasons for the rally's prestige and its popularity—

which. some say, is waning.

The camera team that followed them across

Europe were award-winning combat cameraman

Erik Durschmied and Wheelbase staffman Colin

Waldeck. The two film crews covered 10,000 miles

between them in specially equipped Range Rovers.

Liverpool Echo, Saturday 29 January 1972, Page 17

 

The BBC have a copy of this film on 16mm stock. So far they have resisted all efforts to make it available. 50-years on it remains lost to history. (I suspect there is footage from the East African Safari too.) Compare and contrast with the song and dance over a recently unearthed episode of Morecambe & Wise, which has not stood the test of time. 

 

RGDS RLT 


Edited by Rupertlt1, 02 January 2022 - 12:32.


#3 Dick Dastardly

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Posted 07 January 2022 - 15:49

Going off-topic....I spectated on the 1972 Monte. Remember Triple C magazine? In the Sept /or Oct 1971 issue, they ran a competition, the prize being an all-expenses paid trip to watch the rally. Yours truly won !! I don't think they..or GEC-Osram, who sponsored the competition, expected a schoolboy winning !  

The comp itself was easy....4 photos of cars competing in the 1971 Osram-GEC Saloon Car championship on different bends along with 4 circuit diagrams, you had to match each photo with the correct circuit and circle, on the circuit diagram, the corner. 

Circuits / Corners were Woodcote @ Silverstone; Lodge @ Oulton; Paddock Hill Bend @ Brands and Quarry @ Castle Combe.

Then complete the tiebreaker:  "I fit Osram headlights to my car because..."  at the time, I was in the 6th form at school, couldn't legally drive yet alone own a car ! Anyway I put "....Because I like to see what I'm going to hit". Cringe-worthy maybe, but it won the prize.

Dad wouldn't go with me....he thought I would cramp his style !!...so I went with my younger brother. So, Osram sent a director / manager out to chaperone us and to pick up the bills, tabs etc. Had a great time...rally-wise, our chauffeur-driven car took us up to the Turini for the final night section then later that day we wandered among the cars parked on the waterfront. We flew out on the Wed am, returned Sat pm. prize was more than stated in the competition....went to a couple of clubs [Mike, the chaperone picked up the tabs, anything we bought he said he'd put it on expenses !] Not able to visit the Casino though, age limit of 21 and passports had to be shown, so that was off limits !!

Would love to win a similar prize again 50 years on.... :clap:  


Edited by Dick Dastardly, 07 January 2022 - 15:49.


#4 Rupertlt1

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Posted 07 January 2022 - 15:55

Dick Dastardly: Did you take any photographs with your box brownie?

 

RGDS RLT



#5 Dick Dastardly

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Posted 07 January 2022 - 17:57

Unfortunately not......not of cars anyway, I recall some cringe-worthy photos of my brother and I, taken by Mike, our chaperone !


Edited by Dick Dastardly, 07 January 2022 - 18:03.