Group A Rover 3500 SD1/Vitesse - History & Whereabouts - Page 11

davyboy · 12 Apr 2007, 08:44 (Ref:1889542)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Don't think he was tethered. I recall the tv reports but I'm patchy on the details now.

Just looked at the youTube clip again... he was tethered... scary stuff !

ken clarke · 12 Apr 2007, 19:35 (Ref:1889975)

He was tethered up to 100 mph then he released the tether & followed the car. He was only tethered because the gearing was so tall that you could not pedal the bike from a stand still. It was the newly constructed M42. Interestingly on the first run the Rover would not pull much more than 100 mph due to the increased drag created by the rear bodywork so Tom's road car with 4 litre engine was called into service. This was then driven along the M42 with the race car hard on the rear bumper & cyclist right behind the race car. This did the trick & the cyclist was able to acheive over 130 mph. Cannot remember whether or not he broke the record.

davyboy · 12 Apr 2007, 20:02 (Ref:1889992)

Thanks for the insight Ken.

**chunterer** · 13 Apr 2007, 07:44 (Ref:1890211)

Yeah, cheers ken!

The sight of Vitesses '2 up', one a modified road car and one a works race car must have been a sight in itself??!!

BTW, how's progress on the '84 onwards chassis history?

relativtortoise · 13 Apr 2007, 14:15 (Ref:1890470)

Dave rode for Harlow CC the same time I did mid eighties

The club had their own 45 degree 200m wooden track adjacent to the station...it's long gone now.

There are/were sprinters with big legs...but Dave's put everyone elses in the shade literally...hence he was known as Dave Legro

RT

FM77 · 15 Apr 2007, 00:46 (Ref:1891483)

I really enjoyed the SD1 / cycling record contribution...thanks...I couldn`t believe my eyes....

Chris Griffin · 23 Apr 2007, 20:38 (Ref:1898863)

So which chassis could this one be chaps?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TWR-Rover-ex-w...QQcmdZViewItem

chrisgram · 24 Apr 2007, 07:41 (Ref:1899088)

Wow. I've just asked him about a chassis Nos/TWR enamel plate. Will report back if I hear. Interesting, nevertheless at a minimum; a good find.

**chunterer** · 24 Apr 2007, 08:29 (Ref:1899112)

Oh my god! (hand smacks on head) Top find!!

This is a very early car judging by the descriptive '82 Sanyo Allam'

Possibly a Grp 1 car before it went to France??!!

The dayglo chevrons look a bit worn!!

davyboy · 24 Apr 2007, 08:37 (Ref:1899118)

Its at times like these that I thank God I have a missus to knock sense into me and confiscate my wallet.

KA · 24 Apr 2007, 09:26 (Ref:1899161)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunterer

Oh my god! (hand smacks on head) Top find!!

This is a very early car judging by the descriptive '82 Sanyo Allam'

Possibly a Grp 1 car before it went to France??!!

The dayglo chevrons look a bit worn!!

In Ken's list of 1983 chassis numbers a few pages back he gave 001 as being the development car which later went to France as Rene Metge's Marlboro car- but if the seller's right about it being an ex-Allam 82 Sanyo car, then it can't be 001, so I'd suspect you're right about it being an ex-Gp 1 car

It's a great find though, and looks as if it hasn't seen any use since it was last raced in France- it's a good job I don't have the spare cash....

Chris Griffin · 24 Apr 2007, 09:37 (Ref:1899167)

Here's what I got back fron the vendor Geert Boels this morning...

"Hello Chris,

Ken Clarke , former engineer for TWR who has buid it thinks its the no 1 or 2 but is not sure. The car has no number on it but shows on the exact place 2 holes where it should be.( stolen in France?) but as Ken sad its just a little alloy plate that can be fixed again. It is for sure a Group 1 car as Ken said.Under the white paint you can still find the light blue paint from the sanyo car. The body shell is been taken off the production line by TWR and is still as new. I founded lead sheets in the 2 backdoors because of the weighthandicap . Bonnet is from TWR and provided to reach the 2 swithes fire ex and cut off elec.
On the Ronal there are huge Dunlop slicks. Dashboard build up by TWR, TWR steering wheel. Recaro bucketseat and belt original but useless

I,m not very familiar with Rover so everything I know about it is explained by former Race ace Eddy Joosen who is a friend of mine, Marc Duez( who has raced these cars) and Ken Clarke.
kind regards

Geert"

Perhaps this is No2 then KA?

Chris Griffin · 24 Apr 2007, 09:40 (Ref:1899172)

Chris Griffin · 24 Apr 2007, 09:57 (Ref:1899181)

It could be one of these two? What a great "barn" find.

KA · 24 Apr 2007, 09:59 (Ref:1899182)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Griffin

Here's what I got back fron the vendor Geert Boels this morning...

"Hello Chris,

Ken Clarke , former engineer for TWR who has buid it thinks its the no 1 or 2 but is not sure. The car has no number on it but shows on the exact place 2 holes where it should be.( stolen in France?) but as Ken sad its just a little alloy plate that can be fixed again. It is for sure a Group 1 car as Ken said.Under the white paint you can still find the light blue paint from the sanyo car. The body shell is been taken off the production line by TWR and is still as new. I founded lead sheets in the 2 backdoors because of the weighthandicap . Bonnet is from TWR and provided to reach the 2 swithes fire ex and cut off elec.
On the Ronal there are huge Dunlop slicks. Dashboard build up by TWR, TWR steering wheel. Recaro bucketseat and belt original but useless

I,m not very familiar with Rover so everything I know about it is explained by former Race ace Eddy Joosen who is a friend of mine, Marc Duez( who has raced these cars) and Ken Clarke.
kind regards

Geert"

Perhaps this is No2 then KA?

I think all the chassis numbers Ken gave were 1983 Group A cars- 001 being the test car and then the French Marlboro car, and 002 being Soper's Hepolite car. The Jeff Allam Sanyo car is listed as 004.

I wonder if the earlier 1982 Group 1 cars had their own chassis number sequence, which could make this chassis no. 1 or 2 of these....

MG Rover Sport · 24 Apr 2007, 13:12 (Ref:1899314)

Agree wholeheartedly with what has been said about this Marlboro car - a cracking find Chris! Top man...

Just think what it'd be like to restore this car, and demonstrate it at next year's Goodwood Festival of Speed in the Touring Car section. Awesome.

**chunterer** · 24 Apr 2007, 17:57 (Ref:1899494)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KA

It's a great find though, and looks as if it hasn't seen any use since it was last raced in France- it's a good job I don't have the spare cash....

Like you I'd be tempted to make a purchase, but just for the hell of it!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Griffin

It could be one of these two? What a great "barn" find.

Oooh!!! Chris excellent image posting sir!!

SD1's and lovely Capris,1982 styley!!

Which book are those pics from??, I've got a copy of the top one somewhere which bizarrely I cut out of an old scalextric catalogue back at the time!!

Those pics could even go in my CC Capri thread!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KA

I think all the chassis numbers Ken gave were 1983 Group A cars- 001 being the test car and then the French Marlboro car, and 002 being Soper's Hepolite car. The Jeff Allam Sanyo car is listed as 004.

I wonder if the earlier 1982 Group 1 cars had their own chassis number sequence, which could make this chassis no. 1 or 2 of these....

Hmmm....... the info we have is certainly pointing in that direction? and brings me back to a sustained line of enquiry I made a few pages ago about the original and latter identity of the early Group 1 cars from 1981/82 once TWR took over from DPR and if they ever got converted to Group A spec? Ken has confirmed the TWR Group A cars were new builds for 1983 IIRC, but that doesn't mean to say the Group 1 cars weren't converted (like this one) or indeed sold on to privateers and then prep'd up as Group A chassis?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MG Rover Sport

Just think what it'd be like to restore this car, and demonstrate it at next year's Goodwood Festival of Speed in the Touring Car section. Awesome.

Wouldn't it be nice to see any Touring car of the period all bright eyed and bushy tailed running at Goodwood!! We already know of several later Vitesses in good nick and all we need now is a couple of decent period Capris and 635's to join them.

Chris Griffin · 24 Apr 2007, 18:25 (Ref:1899511)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunterer

...Which book are those pics from??, I've got a copy of the top one somewhere which bizarrely I cut out of an old scalextric catalogue back at the time!!

Those pics could even go in my CC Capri thread!!...

shhhhh....They came from a mag article a while back Chunters! I was keen to get as many pics of Sanyo cars as poss when we were giving ours the makeover. I have others somewhere too. I'll take a look. in fact the mag article might have some clues about the earlier cars.

Interestingly the SD1 in the group shot at the woodcote chicane appears to be a Series 1. Check the tailgate glass.

Chris Griffin · 24 Apr 2007, 18:29 (Ref:1899514)

Further comms from Geert Boels...

"Hi Chris, thanks for replying. I find it terrible to sell the car but you know, if the wife isn't happy. To many cars for to little time.

I bought this car in SPA near Francorchamps from a French guy who said that he bought it in the France where it was sold as the 85 JL Schlesser car.
I quickly find out from Ken that it was not the 85 but more likely the 82 Trinicol Sanyo sprint car.
The biggest problem is that they took away the chass. number. Eddy Joosen came up to see the car and said immediately that it was genuine but who knows.

kind regards
Geert

I also have 1 other race Rover Vitesse and 1 Vitesse 85 for spare parts. So if you or interested for the TWR you get the other 2 cars for free if you want"

MG Rover Sport · 24 Apr 2007, 22:13 (Ref:1899702)

So do I understand it correctly by saying that if you win the ebay car, you also get ANOTHER racing Rover Vitesse and a 1985 road car as spares - FREE OF CHARGE?

I guess the ebay car could also be the one raced by privateer Jean-Pierre Gabreau during the 1983 season. He acquired René Metge's 1982 French Production Car Championship winning Marlboro / Castrol sponsored car.

**chunterer** · 25 Apr 2007, 08:22 (Ref:1899914)

Yes crikey, that is highly appealing isn't it!

This other race Vitesse is also interesting - wonder if we can get hold of some pics of that and see what it is??!!1

MG Rover Sport · 25 Apr 2007, 12:03 (Ref:1900030)

I agree - sounds very interesting 'chunterer'.

I thought about emailing the seller and asking some questions, but it's probably best if Chris is our one point of contact with Geert - otherwise it'll all get very confusing if he receives a load of emails asking about the other race Vitesse and the spare road car!

Chris Griffin · 25 Apr 2007, 12:08 (Ref:1900034)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MG Rover Sport

I agree - sounds very interesting 'chunterer'.

I thought about emailing the seller and asking some questions, but it's probably best if Chris is our one point of contact with Geert - otherwise it'll all get very confusing if he receives a load of emails asking about the other race Vitesse and the spare road car!

I'll ask

ken clarke · 25 Apr 2007, 22:00 (Ref:1900494)

I have been in communication with Geert over the last couple of months helping him to identify his car. This car is a series 1 car (pre November 1982) It certainly has TWR parts on the car is very possibly a 1982 Group1 car. It is certainly not one of the Group A cars. There are however 1 or 2 puzzling features, like it has its heater still in, on a race car?

Ken.

MG Rover Sport · 26 Apr 2007, 07:20 (Ref:1900662)

Thanks Ken. Do you have any knowledge of which car Geert's 'other' race Vitesse actually is?

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