Tag: Bron’s Story

12th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Buenos Aires 0700
Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally.

We dried our tears and set off back to Buenos Aires…we are now out of the rally, but decide we have to go back to Buenos Aires as there is absolutely no chance of catching up with the rally through Argentina and on to Santiago.

6 hours and c 400 miles later we arrive in BA and find our British Leyland dealership. The lovely rep Mateo booked us into a hotel in the centre. We settled into the hotel and now had to decide what to do next. As Puff seemed to be running so well still, Tish and I were keen to catch up with the rally, but Tina wanted to go home as she was desperately missing her two children. She was helped and advised by some of the guys in the army and navy teams who said they could get her back on a service flight – little did we know then how circuitous that would be – but that is a story for Tina to tell.
Eh, Katrina Kerridge-Reynolds??

Now officially out of the rally, I rang England to let my family know I was safe. The newspapers were already reporting that we were missing apparently. Tina was busy getting ready to leave, but Tish and I sat down to discuss what we would do next. We did not want to go home – yet! And Puff seemed to be running so well now that the manifold issue had been sorted. After all, we already had flights home booked from Mexico City, so “ c’mon – let’s get there”

Tish and I poured over our maps, and decided we could catch up with the rally as it crossed back into the north of Argentina on its way to Bolivia, and then we could drive over the Andes to the Pan American highway with that ‘easy’ run up to Lima. Now we had a chance to follow the rally route all the way to Mexico City. Decision made, we would leave tomorrow……no time to lose if we were to catch up……

Pics x various cine films & stock pics

This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.

11th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Montevideo-Buenos Aires Day 4 x restart – 2000 miles from Rio
Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally

A not-too-early start thank goodness as we only had to reach the ferry at Colonia by midday some 110miles away. We noticed on the way that Puff was not sounding quite on-song, but knew there will be a British Leyland service point before the next Prime at Saladillo – only some 250 miles driving. The ferry crossing would take 3 hours roughly- gosh the River Plate is vast, and it took longer than crossing the Channel!!

We arrived into BA with a band playing and thousands of people lining the pier to greet us – great excitement in the air with the rally about to get serious. Such a long way still to go. We got police motorcycle escorts through Buenos Aires and again hundreds waved us on our way.

Drove 100 miles to the service point in Saladillo, some 12 miles from the start of the Pampas Prime – first car due away at 2100 so enough time for servicing. This was going to be a 200 mile blast through the huge paddocks of the virtually treeless pampas on domed roads (deep drainage ditches either side). 200 miles in 3 hrs 30m (57.14 mph!). It would be easily cleaned by nearly 20 of the survivors.

Pics x various cine films – stock pics – pics newly discovered

This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.

We eventually reached the border at Rivera mid morning, and managed to clear the customs quite quickly. Lots of border guards trying to look important, but we were soon on our way to Tucarembo and the start of the Uruguay Prime – 125 miles in 1hr 30m – again (seemed to be a favourite target time!).

Another hellishly fast time to make and this time with a lot of 2-way traffic. We were amazed to see how many ancient cars were driving on the roads, and I do remember one old lady in her Sunday best (well, it was Sunday!) in a Model T Ford I think, with a lovely hat looking absolutely horrified and scared of all these fast noisy cars rushing past in clouds of dust – luckily she was going the other way!

There were several crashes in this fast dirty section and we lost the one-time leader, Rene Trautman with his big Citroen after he somersaulted into a ditch trying to make up time on the Prime, but eventually we reached the ‘highway’ and the long tarmac run into Montevideo for a much welcomed night’s sleep. We were a bit shattered I must admit.

Only 52 cars running now … ready to cross the River Plate in the morning…..

This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.