THE SIX RAC CARS

SJN 830R

Hannu Mikkola/Arne Hertz This mysterious car was seen only once. According to the registration, SJN 830R was a 1977 car, but this came off a previously-written-off Escort.

MLD 999P

Ari Vatanen/Peter Bryant This Sutton-owned car’s original identity was on his own cars and dated from 1975/1976, but for this event it was effectively a brand-new car, sponsored by Marlboro.This lined up with the original Ford plan.

UNY 956S

Russell Brookes/DerekTucker Originally this was a new car being built up in the Russell Brookes/Peter Harrison workshops for re-sale.The UNY 956S identity came off a written-off Escort Popular from Jeff Churchill’s hire fleet. After the strike was over, UNY 956S was returned to Boreham and absorbed into the fleet (with yet another identity).

WTW 568S

Bjorn Waldegard/HansThorzselius This was a genuine Boreham car, spirited out of Boreham before the pickets arrived, and hidden away in Mick Jones’s home garage for weeks. Mick then spent much time part-completing the build, before delivering it toThomas Motors of Blackpool for completion. After the event it was later returned to Boreham.

OKK 380P

Roger Clark/Neil Wilson This was JohnTaylor’s original RS1800, which made its rally debut in July 1975, but was ready to be retired in 1978. For the RAC the gallant old car was wheeled out again, thoroughly refreshed at Maidstone, and entrusted to Roger Clark.

SKK 625R

JohnTaylor/Phil Short This car was brand new in mid-1978, and built up at Haynes of Maidstone for John Taylor to drove.Taylor chose to run it with Lucas fuel-injection on the RAC rally (all the other cars ran with Weber carburettors), which gave trouble throughout.