Help Us Archives - Historic Marathon Rally Group

WCR50+2

Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation and today’s re-imposition of a National lockdown the HMRG committee feel that yet again we have to postpone our World Cup Rally reunion until April 2022.

We consider that April 2021 is still too close for vaccination to have been rolled out to enough people and also international travel is likely to still be very limited, further restricting potential visitor numbers.

On a brighter note we are planning to have another rally car event in July / August 2021 at The British Motor Museum at Gaydon, where we can promote who we are and what we do. This will most likely be as part of another event already being held. No dates have been confirmed, but we will keep you informed as soon as we know anything.

If anyone knows of any other events we could attend to promote HMRG while adding something to the event, please get in touch so we can consider it..

Display car needed

The Historic Marathon Rally Group are a part of the Competition car display at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon 6TH September. A couple of free car display passes are still available for this event.

Any make of MARATHON, ABINGDON WORKS, OR INTERNATIONAL RACE OR RALLY CAR is welcome to come. If you can get there, please contact us.

Full details of the event are on the British Motor Museum website.

New for 2020 – Abingdon Works Motorsport Celebration

There will be a special feature of ex-works cars prepared by the Abingdon Competition and Special Tuning Departments, a rare chance to see them together.

Some of the featured vehicles include Mini Coopers, Morris 1800s, MGBs, Austin Maxis, Austin-Healey 3000s and MG Metro 6R4s along with various experimental cars, prototypes and supporting vehicles.

There will also be the chance to meet the people involved in this golden era from the BMC Competition and Special Tuning Departments at Abingdon, Warwick Healey works and Downton Engineering.

This celebration is being run by the Mini Cooper Register, Historic Marathon Rally Group, Austin Healey, MG and Triumph Clubs.

Daily Express London-Sydney metal badge

Does anybody have a better photo of this badge. I understand that the above photo is of Ken Chambers badge and was taken by Máirtín Catháin. The badge is now in the care of his grand daughter.

John Vipond is looking to get his badge restored. This is how it looks now.

Hi, does anyone remember the badge that all competitors on LSM 68 were given? Mine is looking tired so I would like to have it re-enamelled. Could anyone provide me with a photo of one that shows the colours clearly please? Thanks in anticipation.

A 1970 WCR Archive on eBay

I wonder who won the recent eBay auction for a large collection of documents. The archive relating to the 1970 World Cup Rally BMC 1800 entry by competitor, archive compiler and main driver Peter Jopp.

You can read the advert text over the page.

If you won the auction and would like to join this group please contact us.

Pages: 12

1970 World Cup Rally by Robert Conner

Evening all. Some of you may know that Robert Conner is writing an account of the 1970 London Mexico World Cup Rally as a follow up to his book about the 1968 London Sydney Marathon that was published in 2016.

According to Robert the project has been in the doldrums for a while, for various underwhelming reasons, but is now back on track.

He has access to more research material about the actual event than he can shake an Austin 1800 at but needs more personal stories (thanks to those who have already contributed!).

If you competed, or played a part in any way, in 1970 and would like to share your recollections, let us know.