The home of the Historic Marathon Rally Group. The Historic Marathon Rally Group (HMRG) is a friendly UK-based network of enthusiasts dedicated to reuniting historic rally cars, competitors, service crews, and supporters from around the world. Our mission is to celebrate and promote the legendary Marathon Rallies and Classic Car Endurance events of the past while fostering a shared passion for motorsport history.
The Datsun 180B SSS, Car 53, in the 1977 London to Sydney Marathon Rally.
Datsun 180B SSS on track
The car which was crewed by Jones/Davis/Latham during the 1977 London to Sydney is seen here on track. Later it went on display in the National Motor Racing Museum in Australia.
Datsun 180B SS arriving into the National Motor Racing Museum
1968 London To Sydney Cummins Archive Warwick Farm #29 Falcon XT GT Bruce Hodgson Doug Rutherford finished 6th. #2 Falcon XT GT Harry Firth Graham Hoinville Gary Chapman finished 8th.
1968 London To Sydney Cummins Archive Warwick Farm #32 Mercedes Benz 280S Captain Fred Barker finished 18th.
1968 London To Sydney Cummins Archive Warwick Farm #29 Ford Falcon XT GT Bruce Hodgson Doug Rutherford finished 6th
1968 London To Sydney Cummins Archive Warwick Farm #92 Ford Taunus 20M RS Herbert Kleint Günther Klapproth finished 7th
1968 London To Sydney Cummins Archive Warwick Farm #29 Ford Falcon XT GT Bruce Hodgson Doug Rutherford finished 6th
1968 London To Sydney Cummins Archive Warwick Farm HDRT Monaro, #92 Ford Taunus (finished 7th), #2 Ford Falcon XT GT (finished 8th) and #29 Ford Falcon XT GT (finished 6th). Bruce Hodgson leaning against 29.
1968 London To Sydney Cummins Archive Warwick Farm #92 Ford Taunus (finished 7th), #2 Ford Falcon XT GT (finished 8th) and #29 Ford Falcon XT GT (finished 6th). Bruce Hodgson leaning against 29.
Thanks very much to the Cummins archive for allowing us to share these photographs. The images were captured originally in Australia at the end of the 1968 London to Sydney Rally.
1968 London To Sydney Marathon. Warwick Farm finish. Holden Monaro HK GTS 327 (Sydney Telegraph-Holden Dealer Rally Team) of ?, Ford Taunus 20M RS #92 (Ford Works Germany) finished 7th, Ford Falcon XT GT #2 (FoMoCo Aust) finished 8th (Harry Firth) and Ford Falcon XT GT (FoMoCo Aust) #29 with Bruce Hodgson leaning against it finished 6th. Cummins Archive.
This photo was originally posted to Facebook by the Cummins Archive.
This photo shows the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon car 52 MG Midget of John Sprinzel / Roy Fidler just after it retired with a broken stub axle.
That box on the roof is an auxiliary petrol tank. The safety rules in 1968 must have much less restrictive. I can not think adding a petrol tank to the hardtop of a car would be allowable today.
I first meet Graham Robson back in 1991 when I created something to celebrate the 1970 World Cup Rally – a special stand in my role as Exhibition Secretary of the Historic Rally Car Register at the request of the organisers of a Classic car show being held at Olympia. On our stand I met in passing a lot of the people from the comparatively new world of Historic Rallying (it had been going for about 8 years) many of whom were involved in 1970 – one of them being Graham.
WCR40 booklet front cover
When in 2010 I wanted to organise an event at Gaydon to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1970 World Cup Rally I had the support of several clubs and people representing cars involved in 1970 but needed a key person to bring it all together as compere. With trepidation, because I did not really know him that well at the time, I approached Graham to be involved. I expected a brush off because I was not that well known but to my delight he was only too pleased to be involved. The success of WCR40 – greater than I had ever dreamed of – was very much down to Graham’s input.
When five years later it was decided we needed another celebration about Historic Marathons, though including other Rally Marathons as well as the 1970 World Cup Rally this time, I approached Graham who again was delighted to be involved and helped to make the event the success it was. When it was time to celebrate 50 years of the London to Sydney Rally in 2018, although again Graham was interested in being involved, his health being not so good meant that he could not see it through to the end.
Historic Marathon Rally Show banner
Graham Robson was very supportive of the WCR40 and the Historic Marathon Rally Show and his involvement was a key to their success. In 2018 I proposed the creation of the Historic Marathon Rally Group – and here we are.
So Graham ultimately had an important role in the creation of the Historic Marathon Rally Group as well, and like so many clubs we have much to thank and remember him for.
