INGLEBY TAKES A MUSTANG TO THE WOODS
The ex-James Ingleby 5.7-litre Ford Mustang made a welcome return to the forests of Scotland last weekend on the Speyside Stages Rally.
Now in the hands of his nephew Jack Ingleby, the car finished third in class and 43rd overall. The car hadn’t turned a wheel since a small engine fire 15 years ago and the plan was to refettle it for the East African Safari
Classic last year.
Jack Ingleby said: “The car had been completely rebuilt and a fridge fitted [for cold drinks] in the back for the Safari but Covid scuppered our plans and we didn’t manage to get over there.
“The Speyside is a local event and seemed ideal to give the car a test run. Ryan Champion came up to set the car up and hopefully give me a few tips at a private test session and that was amazing.
“I haven’t rallied since the Ford Ka Challenge in 2001 and the Peugeot 206 Cup some twenty years back and those cars were pretty different to the Mustang. They were front-wheel drive of course and the Mustang is rear-wheel drive but the boys who rebuilt the engine reckon it has 600bhp.”
Jack, who was co-driven by sister Grania Watson, added: “It’s all so different since we last rallied. We didn’t realise how advanced the route notes were and didn’t realise that we got a DVD of the stages. We only collected the stuff on Friday afternoon and looked at it on Friday evening!”
After the rally Jack said: “What a day, what a car. It was all about fun, no risk taking, but the spectators seemed to enjoy it – and the noise!”
One of the spectators was James Ingleby himself out to see the car in action again. He said: “It’s just marvellous to see the car back out again. My wife Moira and I finished 28th on the East African Safari 20 years ago with it and we also did the Midnight Sun to Red
Sea and Panama Alaska rallies. In fact, my last event with the car was the Granite City 15 years ago – but it does sound wonderful, doesn’t it?”