What does it take to win a Marathon like the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally?

Preparation, Preparation, Preparation.

16000 miles in just five weeks from Wembley Stadium in London, England to the Aztec Stadium in Mexico City. Just the European leg alone was more demanding than any of us who weren’t there could possibly imagine.

Ford Great Britain masterminded their assault on the 1970 World Cup Rally with such planning that every member of the Works Team, from Managers to Mechanics, Transmission Guru to Transporter Driver, was issued with a set of Confidential ‘Team Ford Instructions’ that set out who would do what, when and where.

Here’s an extract from an original 1970 Instruction book that gives a glimpse of the thought and preparation that went into Servicing and Parts logistics between London and Lisbon, from before the cars left Wembley and until they set sail for Rio de Janeiro to continue their assault on the punishing South American turf.