29 replies to this topic

[cooper997]

The 5th running of the Historic Rally Association's (Victoria, Australia) Shannon's Rally Retro Festival is taking place next Saturday, February 17th at the METEC Driver Training Centre, Bayswater North. Public spectator entry from 10am and $10 (preferably cash) will get you in.

 

Further details can be found at https://rallyretrofestival.org.au/

 

I went to last year's event and it was an enjoyable day with a great variety of cars being displayed and exercised (the later optional).

 

A couple of snaps from 2023...

 

 

Aussie Rally champion, Neal Bates had just stepped out of the Stratos after a quick demo

 

 

 

Europe's Alpine and Japan's Celica represent their respective decade in Rally history.

 

I should be there to capture part of the 2024 action.

 

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 13 February 2024 - 22:42.

[brucemoxon]

Supposed to be a great day. I'd love to see something nearer to Sydney - It's a big country, after all!

 

 

 

 

BRM

[MarkBisset]

Would like to go Stevo,

 

Shall suss Il Duce as to this weekend's task list...

 

m

[Lee Nicolle]

Is it me or most of those cars never competed here in Oz. The Celica did but Lancias and Renault Alpines? 

Where are the Datsun 1600s, Escorts, Mazdas and XU1s that actually did. And a Ph 4 Falcon!

[cooper997]

Lee, you have totally missed the point of Retro Rally Festival.

 

The two photos in the opening post were put there as a small sample. They weren't meant to show the whole goings on of last year's event

 

I did put some Escort and RS200 photos in the Australian Escort thread last year.

https://forums.autos...800-rally-cars/

 

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 13 February 2024 - 07:44.

[2F-001]

Isn't one of the joys of shows like this the chance to see, close up, things that you couldn't see in period or on your doorstep?

 

Thanks, Stephen.

[cooper997]

Tony, you've summed it up in a sentence. And the same can be applied to the likes of Phillip Island, Goodwood or any other event where historic vehicles and enthusiasts gather across the globe.

 

 

Ferguson Round Oz Commodore at last year's gathering

 

 

Stephen

[GeoffR]

Is it me or most of those cars never competed here in Oz. The Celica did but Lancias and Renault Alpines? 

Where are the Datsun 1600s, Escorts, Mazdas and XU1s that actually did. And a Ph 4 Falcon!

Ron Marks competed in Australia late 1970's in a Lancia Stratos, including the 1978 Southern Cross rally, and Bob Watson won the 1974 Don Capasco Rally in Canberra in a Renault Alpine, so both have a competition history here.

[brucemoxon]

Ron Marks competed in Australia late 1970's in a Lancia Stratos, including the 1978 Southern Cross rally, and Bob Watson won the 1974 Don Capasco Rally in Canberra in a Renault Alpine, so both have a competition history here.

Add to that:

Rex Carr's FIAT Abarth and Lancia Delta. The factory Nissans that used to come for the Southern Cross (and were alleged to have been pushed overboard once out to sea). The works Fords. All those wonderful bits of kit that came once a year for Rally Australia. 

 

I have seen, now living in Australia, an Opel Manta 400, a Lancia 037, a few Audi Quattros (both long and short versions), a couple of other Delta Ingegrales. A mate has a Renault 5 Turbo2 in road-going form. 

 

While it might not have rallied here in period, who cares? They're delicious old cars and some of them get driven the way they were intended to. 

 

 

 

BRM

[GreenMachine]

Tony, you've summed it up in a sentence. And the same can be applied to the likes of Phillip Island, Goodwood or any other event where historic vehicles and enthusiasts gather across the globe.

 

 

Ferguson Round Oz Commodore at last year's gathering

 

 

Stephen

 

Great numberplate! 

[cooper997]

When the real 205 T16 is a bit difficult to find, you build your own. Dedication.

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

[cooper997]

A couple of action shots from last year...

 

 

 

 

Hopefully the next snaps to appear will be from 2024. All starts tomorrow at 10am (refer opening post)

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

The Historic Rally Association (Victoria, Australia) can be proud of their efforts running today's Shannons Rally Retro Festival.

 

 

Here's a few snaps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

These snaps part capture the display area before the crowd seriously arrived. Mount Dandenong (top RH corner) is quite hidden away by cloud at this stage. Ron Flockhart's Mustang crash was on the other side of the Mount.

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Aussie Rally Champ, Cody Crocker had a run in the Legacy (Liberty in Oz) RS.

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Here's a couple of Datto's. The 160J (aka Stanza in Oz) ex George Fury / Monty Suffern works car.

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

A couple of Mk2 Escorts at play. The yellow one... the ex Waldegård, Colin Bond-built Ford Australia works car YJT 444.

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[MarkBisset]

Stevo,

 

Looks like you had a fantastic time, I really must put that one in the calendar and go with you next year.

 

Meanwhile 155km to your north-west Jack Quinn's 'Wombat Park Classic' concours took place at Daylesford, with plenty of our mates in attendance competing (60 cars by invitation), and being shown (say 40 cars).

 

I don't want to get off your topic, the best news out of it from our (racing) point of view is that Troy and Lindon Davey-Milne were there with the family Bugatti T37 Chev Spl, firing it up a few times and eagerly explaining how the car came to be to all who were interested, and there were plenty of them. A good sign, I'm sure before too long the Cooper T23 Chev (REDeX Spl) will get a gallop too...and the rest!

 

m 

[cooper997]

Yes Mark, SRRF was a fantastic event, just down the road from home and all about getting cars out of the shed..

 

Given where you went I now understand why a mutual acquaintance of ours was taking a Ferrari to Daylesford.

 

 

Here's a couple of the cars from a NSW collection.

 

The symphony from the V6 Dino in the Lancia was the best sounds to be had around Metec yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

A couple of the Holden's at play

 

Mike Holloway's ( former Phillip Island Classic Clerk of Course) Round Australia Monaro having moved away from the start line.

 

And yes the red V8 Commodore tagged the barriers (twice that I witnessed) in setting up for the short gravel section entry (refer Datsun or Escort photos).

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Swift GTI and Celica GT4 at the beginning of the back corner esses

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

'Modern' Lancia aren't that common in Oz, but they were trying to be at Rally Retro Festival.

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[MarkBisset]

Was 'our' works-Lancia driver there? 

 

When I caught up with Lucio (Cesario) last June I'm sure he had a road Delta in his collection. Incredible the cars that are here that 'fly under the radar'.

 

m

[Lee Nicolle]

Great numberplate! 

Not quite to period look with the alloy wheels. HDT cars all had 14" steel rims.

[cooper997]

Was 'our' works-Lancia driver there? 

 

When I caught up with Lucio (Cesario) last June I'm sure he had a road Delta in his collection. Incredible the cars that are here that 'fly under the radar'.

 

m

 

Mark, if Lucio's doesn't look like either blue or white cars shown together, then it was either lurking elsewhere on the grounds. Or not there.

 

 

 

More Escorts  from Saturday.

 

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Abingdon-inspired 1800 - 1968 East African Safari replica and a real Abingdon-built works Austin Cooper S LRX 828E aka EPX 813 when in its BMC (Australia) Castrol Green guise.

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

How to get 5 cars to and from Shannons Rally Retro Festival.

 

 

 

The sixth spot was meant to have the Lancia 037, but a mechanical issue crept in while loading up to come down.

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

 

 

 

Stephen

[brucemoxon]

Here's a couple of Datto's. The 160J (aka Stanza in Oz) ex George Fury / Monty Suffern works car.

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen

 

The 120Y is a significant car, too. Built by shock-absorber guru Jamie Drummond and run in-period by George Fury. Had an L-series 'grunter' engine. Must have been a bloody quick car, being so light.


BRM

[cooper997]

 

 

 

Stephen