RAC rally 1973

[Z-point]

Hi,

Just received this very nice wallpaper from a workscar.

Driver is this time is Harry Källström together with navigator Claes Billstam. What I didn’t know was they drove the no5 car! But now I do.

He ended 14th overall, the rest of the gang failed to finish.

[HS30-H]

Hi Guus,

Nice photo!

Did you know that particular Works car ( originally Japanese-registered as "TKS 33 SU 4079" ) still exists? Its here in Southern England, and it belongs to a family member of the "Old Woking Service Station".

On the '73 RAC it was fitted with the LY "Crossflow" engine and Nissan ECGI fuel injection system, giving roughly 255 BHP.

Old Woking Service Station ( the base for the Works team while they were in the UK ) acquired the car from Nissan after the RAC rally, and it was re-registered in the UK as "LPE 66P". It went on to do many other UK national events, and took part in the 1975 RAC rally too ( driven by Kevin Videan ).

Your photo shows an interesting detail of this car, in that before the '73 RAC it was fitted with the UK-type of lower front quarters, with their lack of cut-outs for the indicator lamps. As can be seen, the UK-type of front indicators ( usually mounted on the top of the front bumper ) were attached to the 'Drop' bumper uprights.

The car is still fitted with its LY engine, but the Injection was replaced long ago by a set of Mikuni carburettors.

Alan T.

[Z Kid]

Nice photo, it just bumped the nice orange 1600 and Z side by side picture off my background. Might be a stupid question, but what is the person in the RHS of the car grabbing at with his right hand, or is that a victory wave etc?

[Z-point]

Alan,

Is the Old Woking still in business or is that also history? Maybe a nice place to visit next time I‘ll be in the UK. To smell the old air from ages ago.:classic:

I’ve to check (next Saturday meeting) the Dutch Z cars if they heave the same lower front quarters as the UK cars. Or was It typical UK?

[HS30-H]

Hi Z Kid,

I think the Navigator is probably not waving, but holding on for dear life. I don't know about this particular car, but some of the Works cars had a grab strap on the roof panel edge above the door. It was usually fitted according to the Navigator's personal preference.

Don't forget that the Navigator had a really important job to do in calling the pace notes / maps for the driver. I should imagine Billstam is steadying himself with one hand and holding his notes with the other.

Looks like the car is set up in a pretty fast drift down a ( Welsh? ) forest stage, which must be pretty frightening!

Hi Guus,

Old Woking Service Station no longer exists as an actual company, I believe. I drove through Old Woking a few years ago ( its just a short drive away from the old McLaren International HQ in Woking ) and could not find the original buildings. They might be still there, but I did not see any old signs or other evidence of the original garage and workshop.

However - as I say - the family still live relatively locally I believe, and Gary Hicks still owns the car.

The story behind the different spec. of the front quarters and indicators is that they would not pass the UK's Ministry of Transport regulations for lighting ( the indicator postion was too low for UK law ). This apparently caused a hold-up on imports while a redesign was carried out at the Factory for parts to attach to UK-market cars. As far as I know, this DID indeed only apply to the UK-market cars, and was specifically caused by the need to comply with the UK laws.

All the best,

Alan T.