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Looking forward to seeing you giving it some this afternoon Steve!

Tim

Shelsley Walsh this afternoon, anyone going ?

Nick

interesting engine sound on 6 EMO Steve- what's the spec?

Looked and sounded good as it went through my marshal point. Here is link to overnight results at Stoke.
Cliff
http://www.heroevents.eu/Events/rally_o ... s/results/

Rednal Karting test today

Why is half the field getting away with illegal auxiliary light arrangements? We were stopped from using spot lights that close together as long ago as 1972, both on national and International events (despite using the argument that they were only used on private land).

My recollection from the early 1970's was that it was height not space between lamps that mattered as I remember very clearly a disussion I had with a scrutineer who measured the height from the top of a kerb rather that the road surface! I do agree that the some lamps may be lower than legal but maybe they are only used in foggy or snowy conditions.
Whatever, I hope that Steve won his class as most of tests were held in daylight and I think current regs limit forward facing lights to 4.

UK road traffic law of minimum distance from headlights (as well as height rules) dates from before 72 (when it was suddenly made an issue on rallies). Not seen much evidence of offenders on other events but suddenly on this one it's endemic.

The Minis almost seemed to be running in convoy on this reverse seeding day (proving how well overall they were doing). No other photos but for something non-Mini, here's my former speed event class opponent from Escort days, Jon Miles, trying rallying and doing quite well (not entirely unrelated to expert navigator no doubt).

Sorry, but I think the statutory lighting regulations have moved on a long way since the 1970's with many amendments to lighting rules. What is allowed by the MSA does not always follow legislation. For example, many 1990's sportspack Minis had 4 auxiliary lights in line which despite being legal were not allowed on events such as the Northumberland Borders Rally. One car a couple of years ago had 2 lamps sealed with their covers on so that they could not be used. I am not sure but I think the spot lamps on the latest 1990's MInis were fitted in the centre of the car and the fog lights by the headlamps.
In the mid 1960's the Rally Minis had 2 fog lamp lenses on the bonnet, plus 3 other auxiliary lamps. By 1967 they had 4 in line as per 6 EMO (minus 2!).

LMM76C wrote:Why is half the field getting away with illegal auxiliary light arrangements? We were stopped from using spot lights that close together as long ago as 1972, both on national and International events (despite using the argument that they were only used on private land).

Driving lights can be placed in pairs (no limit to the amount) where ever on the front. Front fog lamps have to be within 400mm of the edge of the vehicle.

These two bits are from The Road Vehicle Light Regulations

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/made

I have noticed that Hi-intensity light bars are appearing on modern rally cars now.
The MSA are very clear that there should only be 4 forward facing lamps on road rally cars so if the car has 2 lamps in one unit for Main & dip beams, no additional lamps would be allowed (not even manufacturer supplied fog lamps, not that they would cause much light pollution on my road car as the bulbs are 27w !!!)
The Rally of the Tests was I think run under FIA rules which are different to the MSA rules for HRCR Regularity events for example.
The owner of car I mentioned in an earlier post applied red vinyl wrap to the white door panel as that's not allowed either. He didn't have to cover the white roof though.
Did anyone see picture of Ogier on Wales Rally GB wearing his helmet on a road section? But that event was run under FIA rules which is probably why we saw Photographers and spectators in some very dangerous positions on the stages.

cookie1071 wrote:interesting engine sound on 6 EMO Steve- what's the spec?

Originally built by Richard Longman, thick flange S block, plus 40 Omegas, 480 crank, 544 cam (done by Mini Sport, it did have a 649 in it) very nice cylinder head, twin H4s , sccr box, timkin sc drops, semi helical 4.1 cwp , twin pin diff, Janspeed lcb and system.

The lamps were scrutinneered twice, once by the MSA and again by the FIA chap, all legal, biggest thing these days is the size of the lamps, several crews changing lamps at the start.

Car was fantastic, just put petrol and oil in it, class win by one and a half minutes, and second fastest overall on the 30 odd tests, only beaten by the MK1 BDG Escort Glad to hand back undamaged

Well done Steve, fantastic result, another famous car you are making famous again !

Hope Paddy is proud of you ! , when can you borrow it again !

In the early 70's when as LMM infers ST were selling their 4 lamp mounting bar but were adding an addendum refering to it as a 2 lamp bar Road traffic stated at the time any lamp below 24" use in Fog or falling snow only, it was the distance between lighted surfaces (diameter of 7' lights) that restricted their use.

But Well done Steve Great Job

...and great to see historic rallying getting such good coverage for a change! Reminds me of the old Millers and Charrington's events of old that supported the RAC itself and had big audiences, even Top Gear coverage. Good work Steve!

Well done Steve.

Pete wrote:...and great to see historic rallying getting such good coverage for a change! Reminds me of the old Millers and Charrington's events of old that supported the RAC itself and had big audiences, even Top Gear coverage. Good work Steve!

All this coverage tempting you onto the dirt Pete?

Well done Steve. Well deserved.