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RAC rally plaques I.D help

Started by CharlieCroker , Mar 31 2021 14:22

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14 replies to this topic

#1 CharlieCroker

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 14:22

Hi all

I have aquired 2 RAC rally plaques (numbers 166 & 236) but am struggling to find any possible info like Car/Driver/Year and was hoping that someone on this forum could help. I think they are after 1954 as the plaques before this year had `RAC Rally of Great Britain' on them where as mine has `RAC British International Rally'.

Not sure how to add photos.

Any help appreciated.

Cheers

Ash

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#2 Tim Murray

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 14:38

Not sure how to add photos.

Ash, your photos need to be uploaded to a website, yours if you have one or one of the image-hosting sites - Postimage is very straightforward to use. Alternatively I’d be happy to post them for you. If interested, let me know and I’ll PM you an email address.

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#3 RS2000

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 15:34

I think I'd need photos to understand "plaques". Finishers awards? Rally badges/year bars? Rally plates?.

By the 60s it was all a bit non standard. In the 70s we even had a cheap vacuum flask with a sticker on it as a finishers' award one year.

I'm still unable to post photos after hours wasted trying.

Edited by RS2000, 31 March 2021 - 15:36.

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#4 Tim Murray

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 17:54

I'm still unable to post photos after hours wasted trying.

My offer above about posting photos of course extends to you as well.

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#5 Tim Murray

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 18:00

Here are Ash’s photos of the rally plates:

5484-FF6-D-E716-49-D9-98-BA-4-E0-E2-DFFC

03-E2-AE7-C-4202-480-E-A242-84885-DC4-F4

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#6 RS2000

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 21:46

OK. Looks 50s or 60s plates. Few years with a 236. I only have full lists from 59.

1953 166 was Appleyards XK120 - worth big money if it's that! 199 seems to be highest number.

1954 No details of 166 or 236 but both numbers valid.

1955 No details of 166. 230 seems to be highest number

1956 166 TR2 OOK400. Seems no 236.

1957 No event (Suez)

1958 166 Rapier RU3. No 236

1959 146 seems to be highest number.

1960 166 A.T. (Tony?) Fisher/ Austin 7 (850 Mini). Part of 3rd club team, so finished. No 236.

1961 163 seems highest number.

More later

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#7 RS2000

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 22:00

1962 165 entries.

1963 166 Ron Clift. Cortina GT. Numbers to 179.

1964 166 Alan Rathmel/J.Ashton Cooper S. Numbers to 180

1965 166 F.White/A.Fleming Mini, Numbersb to186

1966 Numbers to 162

1967 Cancelled but numbers issued. Nos to 160. Appears to be stick on plates by then (they went back to metal later - I'm looking over my shoulder at my 80s plates).

For Tim Murray:

Thanks for offer. No photos for this subject but I've been trying for ages to post one on the "Grand Prix-the outtakes" thread that should please fans of that!

Edited by RS2000, 31 March 2021 - 22:24.

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#8 RS2000

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Posted 31 March 2021 - 22:14

1968 Nos to121

1969 Nos to161

1970 166 Tony Goulding/Gordon McLaren Hunter Nos to 213

1971 166 David Farnel/david Greenwood Avenger GT. 236 Brian Addison/John McKerrell VW1302S.

1972 166 John Daker/Robert Wayne Escort TC Nos to 199

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#9 CharlieCroker

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Posted 01 April 2021 - 15:32

OK. Looks 50s or 60s plates. Few years with a 236. I only have full lists from 59.

1953 166 was Appleyards XK120 - worth big money if it's that! 199 seems to be highest number.

1954 No details of 166 or 236 but both numbers valid.

1955 No details of 166. 230 seems to be highest number

1956 166 TR2 OOK400. Seems no 236.

1957 No event (Suez)

1958 166 Rapier RU3. No 236

1959 146 seems to be highest number.

1960 166 A.T. (Tony?) Fisher/ Austin 7 (850 Mini). Part of 3rd club team, so finished. No 236.

1961 163 seems highest number.

More later

Firstly can i say thank you for your help.

The chap i got the plates from said they were pre 1960. After looking at some pictures online of RAC rally's after 1960 they do seem to have stickers rather than plates.

For plate no. 236 I believe it must be a car from 1954 like you listed and have found the following record online.

RAC Rally 1954 Car 236 was a Morgan driven by Dr. John T. Spare and he did finish the rally. Whilst delvin deeper it seems he came 3rd in the RAC rally in 1956 so that gives it another piece of positive provenance.

For plate no. 166 as you say could have a number of possibilities.

I did have a heart flutter when i read about the Appleyards XK120 as it was a great car and now sits in the Nation Car museum. I soon came back to earth when i see a photo of the car with the RAC plate on but the wording is different so i can cross that off the possible cars.

As a huge Mini fan and someone who loves the BMC mini days from the 1960's i am going to assume the plate is from the Mini of A. T. Fisher in 1960 RAC rally. I have found a few photos on line of the car with the plate on and it does look right. I believe A. T. Fisher sometimes listed his name as Tony Fisher and if so he became British Rally Champion twice so again a good bit of provenance.

I will of course keep looking for any information that discounts it being the Mini's plate but for now it will hold pride of place in my collection of other Mini bits and pieces.

Thanks again.

Edited by CharlieCroker, 01 April 2021 - 15:33.

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#10 D-Type

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Posted 01 April 2021 - 17:15

Could the places the fixing holes have been drilled give a clue as to the type of car?

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#11 RS2000

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Posted 01 April 2021 - 20:40

As you are a Mini fan, some years ago I produced for someone on the Mk1 Mini Forum a list of all Minis to have done the RAC which was then pasted on to a Mini bonnet and signed by Seb Loeb and Petter Solberg at the start of Rally GB and sold for charity. I can send you a copy if I can find it.

1951 was first RAC under an International permit 267 entries, 229 starters

1952 242 starters

Edited by RS2000, 01 April 2021 - 21:07.

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#12 NZmember

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Posted 03 April 2021 - 10:13

Great timing - I also recently acquired the same RAC British International Rally plate this time with number 56 and would also like to estimate what car it was used on. It has the same font as the 236 above.

Searching for images of the rally there seem to be three fonts for the numbers used on tin plates with the RAC British International Rally. Diffcult to be definitive, but my number 56 looks around late 50 to very early 60s from the photos I've found today.

RS2000, would you be kind enough to list any car 56 from that era.

Many thanks for your knowledge.