I am still recovering from a 3 day feast of magnificent pre-70's
rallying machines that hit South Australia for the Classic Adelaide
Rally... "a unique 4 day tarmac"... that covers a vast area of the
extremely scenic hills and countryside around our little town of
Adelaide. I put my 'B through a very trying 280 miles of frantic flying
around the countryside, chasing the Rally from town to town - taking the
exotic long-path detours because the race closed most of the direct
routes!
You can visit the website at http://www.classicadelaide.com.au
The International Parade Group had some beauties like the factory
presented/driven Mercedes 300SLS; Jaguar XKSS (yours for just a million
bucks or so); a couple of C-Type Jaguars; and AC Cobra and the like.
My biggest complaint was that there were only two MGs in the Competition
Group... and MGB GT and an MGB... out of a field of 65! (at this time I
can't tell you exact placings but the MGs did nothing spectacular - the
GT had engine troubles on Day 2 which virtually knocked it out of any
placing at all). For me the little cars that really pulled it together
were the Austin Healy mob (BN4; Sprite; BJ8 rally; 3000; BN4 100/6;
100S). The Bentley Speed Six was a showstopper - and most thought it was
in the Touring Group!
After all that, my question is (from the viewpoint of someone who is new
to the marque but madly in love with it)... is there any obvious reason
why there may not have been more MGs in a road rally like this? Are
they lousy rally cars? Fine, they may not be able to compete directly
against the Porsche 911's and the Jag's but in their class can they hold
their own?
I want more to cheer next year - or I will enter *my* 4 cylinder beast
on standard tyres!
Eric
'68 MGB MkII
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