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1 Dec 2009, 14:28 (Ref:2592288)
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1983 Trimoco RAC British Saloon Car Championship - Discussion & Results
Thank you for your corrections and additions, Carrera - much appreciated details. I guess the 3600 cc loft covers the 1983-1986 group A period?
Now, here is what I got about 1983: 1983 RAC Tricentrol British Saloon Car Championship Class A: 2500-3600 cc Class B: 1601-2500 cc Class C: up to 1600 cc (possible 0-1600 cc) Round 1 – March 20, 1983, Silverstone 1./ #? / Steve Soper / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse 2./ #? / Jeff Allam / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse Round 2 – April 1, 1983, Oulton Park 1./ #? / Jeff Allam / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse / 20 laps in 23m15.70s – class winner 2./ #? / Peter Lovett / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse / 20 laps in 23m15.89s 3./ #? / Steve Soper / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse / 20 laps in 23m16.26s 4./ #? / Jon Dooley / Dooley / B / Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5 / 20 laps in 23m46.97s – class winner 5./ #? / Tony Lanfranchi / unknown / A / Opel Monza 3.0E / 20 laps in 23m54.52s 6./ #? / Hamish Irvine / Irvine? / B / Mazda RX-7 / 20 laps in 24m09.22s 7./ #? / Peter Hall / Rouse / B / Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5 / 20 laps in 24m09.96s 8./ #? / John Morris / Maguire? / C / VW Scirocco GTI / 20 laps in 24m21.74s – class winner 9./ #? / Richard Longman / Longman / C / Ford Escort RS1600i / 19 laps 10./ #? / Rob Hall / unknown / C / Ford Escort RS1600i / 19 laps unknown results for the remaining drivers #? / Charles Sawyer-Hoare / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse #? / Mike Newman / Newman / A / Ford Capri 3.0S #? / Alan Curnow / Longman / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / Alan Greenhalgh / unknown / C / VW Golf GTI #? / Alan Minshaw / Minshaw / C / VW Golf GTI #? / Rob Kirby / unknown / C / Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti #? / Chris Hodgetts / Brooklyn? / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / Andrew Thorpe / unknown / C / Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti #? / Patrick Watts / Dowson / B / MG Metro Turbo #? / Lionel Abbott / unknown / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / Jock Robertson / unknown / C / Ford Fiesta XR2 Round 3 – April 4, 1983, Thruxton 1./ #? / Peter Lovett / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse / 20 laps in 30m31.85s – class winner 2./ #? / Jeff Allam / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse / 20 laps in 30m32.04s 3./ #? / Charles Sawyver-Hoare / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse / 20 laps in 31m06.57s 4./ #? / Jon Dooley / Dooley / B / Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5 / 20 laps in 31m12.56s – class winner 5./ #? / Hamish Irvine / Irvine / B / Mazda RX-7 / 20 laps in 31m17.92s 6./ #? / Tony Lanfranchi / unknown / A / Opel Monza 3.0E / 20 laps in 31m25.75s 7./ #? / Steve Soper / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse / 20 laps in 31m32.95s 8./ #? / Peter Hall / Rouse / B / Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5 / 20 laps in 31m53.42s 9./ #? / Alan Greenhalgh / C / VW Golf GTI / 19 laps – class winner 10./ #? / Rob Kirby / unknown / C / Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti / 19 laps The remaining positions once again unknown, but these are the drivers #? / Richard Longman / Longman / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / Alan Curnow / Longman / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / John Morris / Maguire? / C / VW Scirocco GTI #? / Rob Hall / unknown / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / Alan Minshaw / Minshaw / C / VW Golf GTI #? / Patrick Watts / Dowson / C* / MG Metro* #? / Chris Hodgetts / Brooklyn? / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / Andrew Thorpe / unknown / C / Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti #? / Lionel Abbott / unknown / C / Ford Escort RS1600i #? / Jock Robertson / unknown / C / Ford Fiesta XR2 #? / Andy Driver / unknown / C / Toyota Corolla GT *Listed as such in my notes, but thought it should be a class B MG Metro Turbo. Round 4 – April 10, 1983, Brands Hatch 1.unknown / A / Rover Vitesse Round 5 – May 30, 1983, Thruxton 1./ #? / Peter Lovett / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse Round 6 – June 6, 1983, Silverstone 1.unknown / A / Rover Vitesse Round 7 – June 25, 1983, Donington Park 1.unknown / A / Rover Vitesse Round 8 – July 16, 1983, Silverstone 1./ #? / unknown / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse 5./ #? / Hans-Joachim Stuck / Bob Sparshott / A / BMW 635CSi 6./ #? / Win Percy / Hughes of Beaconsfield / A / Toyota Celica Supra Round 9 – August 8, 1983, Donington Park 1./ #? / unknown / unknown / A / Rover Vitesse 2./ #? / Hans-Joachim Stuck / Bob Sparshott / A / BMW 635CSi 3./ #? / Win Percy / Hughes of Beaconsfield / A / Toyota Celica Supra Round 10 – August 29, 1983, Brands Hatch 1 . / #? / Peter Lovett / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse 3./ #? / Hans-Joachim Stuck / Bob Sparshott / A / BMW 635CSi 5 / #? / Win Percy / Hughes of Beaconsfield / A / Toyota Celica Supra Round 11 – October 2, 1983, Silverstone 1./ #? / Jeff Allam / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse 2./ #? / Steve Soper / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse 3./ #? / David Brodie / Brodie / A / Mitsubishi Starion Turbo 4./ #? / Peter Lovett / TWR / A / Rover Vitesse 5./ #? / Jonathan Palmer / Bob Sparshott / A / BMW 635CSi 6./ #? / Tony Lanfranchi / unknown / A / Opel Monza 3.0E Who as a person or team ran the Toyota GB/Hughes of Beaconsfield Toyotas in various BTCC seasons. From what I know HofB was/is a Toyota dealer ship. 100 % Rover domination on the road, but a lot of gaps. Any additional information, including fastest lap for the classes, will be gladly received and hopefull for the mutual benefit for all interested parties. Jesper |
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1 Dec 2009, 15:36 (Ref:2592337)
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Quote:
I'll have a look at the 1983 results I've got later- think they're fairly incomplete. |
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1 Dec 2009, 15:46 (Ref:2592343)
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Quote:
http://homepage.mac.com/frank_de_jon...lverstone.html This article on a Toyota owners club website, discussing the restoration of one of the original HofB Group 1 Celicas from 1979/80, which survives in Ireland, mentions that: 'For the 1979 season Toyota decided to become more involved in the Championship but decided to sub-contract the running of their team to enthusiastic Toyota dealers Hughes, based in Beaconsfield' so it could well have been an 'in-house' job run from the Huges workshops http://www.toyotaenthusiasts.com/Fea...ld_racecar.htm |
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1 Dec 2009, 15:58 (Ref:2592347)
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__________________
"Double Kidney Guv'nah?" "No thanks George they're still wavin a white flag!"
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1 Dec 2009, 17:41 (Ref:2592398)
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Quote:
Jesper |
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1 Dec 2009, 18:21 (Ref:2592418)
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http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....07&postcount=9
Here is a very good account of the various group A MG Metros in BTCC racing, telling that Watts did indeed race his first Metro in normally aspirated form before being upgrated to Turbo spec., but do read the original post. Only problem with the information, is that to my notes Patrick Watts was present, but perhaps not starting, for round 2 at Oulton Park on April 1, 1983. Jesper |
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1 Dec 2009, 18:49 (Ref:2592435)
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Quote:
http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....6&postcount=51 |
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1 Dec 2009, 20:34 (Ref:2592513)
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I can help with some of these- again, based on notes I took 20-odd years ago (...and have transcribed at least once...) plus articles in 'Performance Car' Magazine back issues that I've got (PC journalist Art Markus did a monthly BTCC review column under the title 'Art on A', which only gave partial results, but were quite good for pics and background)
My additions in bold Quote:
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1 Dec 2009, 20:39 (Ref:2592517)
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Oops, missed the DNFs from Round 5 at Snetterton....
DNF: #1/Win Percy/Hughes of Beaconsfield/A/Toyota Celica Supra #84/Andrew Thorpe/ARDT/C/Alfa Romeo Alfasud #??/Rob Kirby/ARDT/C/Alfa Romeo Alfasud #31/Jon Dooley/ARDT/B/Alfa Romeo Alfasud #6/Dennis Leech/Leech/A/Rover Vitesse #??/Tony Crudgington/RZ Racing/C/Toyota Corolla GT #72/Rob Hall/Lloyds/C/Ford Escort RS1600i #60/John Morris/Morris Vulcan/C/VW Scirocco |
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1 Dec 2009, 20:50 (Ref:2592522)
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1 Dec 2009, 22:34 (Ref:2592559)
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Thank you for the updates so far, KA. Your info has already put a lot of meat on the rather bare bones I started with this afternoon.
Seing that Tony Crudgington and Geoff Kimber-Smith pops up in Toyota Corolla GTs or perhaps Toyota Corolla GTs. These must have been of the 8 valve TE71-type, as the never 16 valve AE86 was only homologated from January 1, 1984. Jesper |
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2 Dec 2009, 11:18 (Ref:2592767)
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Quote:
Re: Corollas, Is this the 'TE71'-shape Corolla? http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-31-066.jpg If so, then definitely yes- I've got a pic of the Kimber-Smith car (accident-damaged) in an old Performance Car magazine, and it's definitely that shape. Win Percy, of course, had won the championship the previous year in one (see bottom right above the Rouse Rover: http://www.automobiliauk.com/images/btcc1_b.jpg ) |
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2 Dec 2009, 15:39 (Ref:2592894)
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Quote:
http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....0&postcount=55 Jesper |
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2 Dec 2009, 16:15 (Ref:2592905)
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Quote:
Opposition was mainly Audi UK 's 80 Quattro, Chris Lord's RX7, the fragile and underpowered works-backed RS1600is of Malcolm Wilson and Louise Aitken-Walker, privateer Corollas, Manta GT/Es etc and the first TWR Rover appearances. Eklund achived some impressively high overall finishes though, 4th o/a on the Welsh and Scottish in entry lists that featured Blomqvist in a Quattro and some quick 2wd Group 4/Group B opposition Incidentally, IIRC, Toyota GB used the 'Liftback' (as I think Toyota called it?) bodyshell http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0024_large.jpg rather than the Coupe version seen in the Spa 24 hours pics- Can't find a pic of the actual car anywhere. Eklund got a 16-valve AE86 for 1984, and continued to be the man to beat in Group A on UK events until Pond and the big Rover started to appear more regularly Last edited by KA; 2 Dec 2009 at 16:24. |
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2 Dec 2009, 16:35 (Ref:2592920)
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Rarely am I in rally mode, but perhaps I shouldn't be surprised the TE71 was competive in the forrests - and not least with Per Eklund driving. I think the Corollas were decently solid cars coping with the rigours of rallying nicely.
For the circuits they were too heavy. I think the 1983 Danish Castrol/John Nielsen was quotet at something like 880 kgs or there about, 80 kgs above the minimum weight for 1600 cc cars. Jesper |
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2 Dec 2009, 16:46 (Ref:2592929)
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Sounds about right- heavy and probably a little underpowered with the 8-valve engine. Looking at Eklund's 1983 results, he scored better on the forest events (Mintex 3rd o/a, Welsh & Scottish 4th o/a) than on tarmac (Circuit of Ireland, DNF, Ulster & Manx 7th o/a) where weight and lack of bhp probably showed up more
No pics, but a little video- first appears about 2m20 into the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9q-Qod7xKM Utterly off-topic, I learned to drive in an TE71 4-door! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:To...door_sedan.jpg Last edited by KA; 2 Dec 2009 at 16:54. |
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2 Dec 2009, 18:27 (Ref:2592985)
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I will return a little later with what I've got on the 1986 season. Jesper |
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2 Dec 2009, 18:49 (Ref:2593002)
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I think I've got most of '86 |
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2 Dec 2009, 19:31 (Ref:2593025)
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Quote:
 1986 not quite ready yet, anyway.Jesper |
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2 Dec 2009, 23:07 (Ref:2593127)
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Quote:
Usual routine, my additions in bold Quote:
1986 to follow |
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3 Dec 2009, 03:36 (Ref:2593207)
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22 Jan 2010, 10:51 (Ref:2617394)
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The Corolla liftback/hatchback was in its very early days of development in 1983. It certainly rank in Europe but was not a competitive proposition in the UK until 1986. Its class was largely the domain of the Escort RS1600i and VW Golf 1.6 GTi 8v in Europe with only John Nielsen's car being quick in the ETC for example.
Things might have very different if Chris Hodgetts wasn't racing Ford Escorts until the end of 1985, as CHMS may have come into being sooner and the Escort may not have had a look in. Last edited by chunterer; 9 Jan 2020 at 18:17. |
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22 Jan 2010, 20:59 (Ref:2617737)
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Quote:
http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-31-066.jpg http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-31-068.jpg http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-31-073.jpg Note that the Belgian Toyotas #66 and #68 running four stud wheels (presumably cars prepared for the national Belgian Group A series), while the #73 John Nielsen car has center lock wheels as the ETCC was scheduled for 1983. To my knowledge John Nielsen was a Toyota dealer and Danish TOM'S importer, but only did a selected programme of ETCC events combining it with domistic Group A. This is the 8-valve version being replaced by the new generation 16-valve AE86 for 1984, again at Spa: http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-29-060.jpg http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-29-061.jpg http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-29-063.jpg http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-29-064.jpg http://www.racingsportscars.com/etcc...-07-29-065.jpg From a general perspective the TE71 was too overweight without any power advantage for its day in circuit racing, while the AE86 should have had potential with its 16-valve engine. Toyota saw the AE86, based un the previous TE71, as a Group A clubman-spec rally car and apparently never exploided its potential on the circuits – I presume from the frustations of John Nielsen, Chris Hodgetts, Tony Niovanni, Bernhard Bühler and Georg Alber and by 1985 by countless Japanese Toyota affiliated tems (Their first year of Group A). By the summer of 1985 the front wheel drive AE82 hatch back was homologated, which started the move toward circuit homologation specials. By 1988 Phil Dowsett enjoyed 200 bhp from his AE86 competitors Geoff Kimber-Smith and Tony Crudgington's 180-185 bhp – simply by TRD (Toyota Racing Development)? homologating new parts on the FWD and leaving the RWD with nothing – and as this Corolla-generation was rappidly beeing replaced by a new one. Jesper Last edited by chunterer; 9 Jan 2020 at 18:18. |
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24 Jan 2010, 13:14 (Ref:2618552)
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Decent research and info there Jesper.
 These various Group A and BTCC threads have really developed into some fascinating and highly enjoyable discussion thanks to yours, KA's and other's input. Well done indeed! I confess I hadn't realised that the Corolla was as prevailent prior to 1984, even in the ETC. The other car I always thought we should've seen more of is the Mk1 Golf GTi. I know messrs Minshaw and Morris were very successful with their cars in Group 1 and then in 1983. Considering it was roughly on par with the RS1600i, it seemed to stop being competitive in Britain after that with Alan Greenhalgh the only Golf entrant in 1984. other than Minshaw's Mk2 Class B car. Were they an expensive car to run in comparison to the Escort and Corolla I wonder? |
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"Double Kidney Guv'nah?" "No thanks George they're still wavin a white flag!"
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25 Jan 2010, 17:21 (Ref:2619247)
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Minshaw moved on to the 1800cc Mk2 in '84, and Greenhalgh quit at the end of that year, and that was it- None of the cars seem to have appeared in other hands, and if the GTI Engineering Group A demonstrator that Richard Lloyd had for sale at the end of '83 ever found a buyer, then they certainly didn't use it in the BTCC So what was the reason- as you suggest costs, lack of support from VW GB, or difficulty in the supply of Group A parts- Or was it simply a case of Ford offering a better deal for RS1600i runners? |
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