Classic Adelaide

[Nick Short]

Just got back from the qualifying prologue of the Classic Adelaide, the first one I've had a chance to see, and I was very impressed. Held on public roads, in the parklands of the CBD, and with minimal fencing, plus absolutely free entry to wander amongst the cars and watch them racing on part of the V8 circuit. A very relaxed atmosphere, and some stunning cars. Ferraris galore - F333SP, 288GTO, 275 GTB/C, F40, F50, plus heaps of Daytonas, 308s, Dinos, 550s etc. A gorgeous GT40, chassis no. 1109, a Jaguar XJ220 with delivery miles only, lots of Porsche RSs, GT-HOs, A9Xs, an L34, E49, Mustangs, Camaros, basically heaps of different stuff. There were so few people there, as it was a working day, that I got to stand by the startline scrutineers, behind the cars, and had the privilege of an earful of various stunning engines at maximum revs. A very nice way to spend the afternoon!

[rex555]

Chain of Ponds is the place to be today. The cars come towards you into a medium tight hairpin before heading away. All the while the sound of the engine echos across the water. The Porsche Carerra GT sounded phenominal through there last year.

Unfortunately the damage done by recent wet weather may see them not able to run on 2 of the best stages, Corkscrew Rd and Montacute Rd:(

[Nick Short]

Jag XJ220 and F40.

[Nick Short]

Fabulous Ferrari F333SP, which sounded like an F1 car at maximum revs. Carbon body, full venturi underneath, 700 bhp....

[Nick Short]

GT40 on startline - very rapid! Plenty of ill-informed people in the crowd, reckoning it was a kit, that it was a Ferrari (despite saying Ford on the side), that the MG Metro 6R4 was a "home-built bodge-up kit car", that the F40 was "probably a Ferrari, and looks to be about 1995", that 911 RSR stands for "911 racer"........

[toecutter]

Keep the pics coming Nick!

[clubsport]

Had a look at the cars on display in Victoria Square last Sunday, there are cars that we will probably never see here again so if you can get up to the hills and have a look.
I'm not sure but the f-50 is not even able to be registered here.(not sure about this so correct me if I'm wrong).
There were Ferrari's everywhere!!

[Nick Short]

Lots of the cars were unregistered and unregisterable! Many of the Ferraris were LHD, and a lot of the true competition cars had no registration at all. For toecutter and anyone else interested, here's a few more photos.......

Ferrari 550 racer (I was changing my battery pack and didn't get a chance to take one of it at speed, sadly). Would love a 1:18 of this one!

[Nick Short]

Another Ferrari for fans - the gorgeous 288GTO twin turbo Group B rally/race car!

[Nick Short]

General view of Wakefield Street in the city - the cars waiting their turn to blast round the circuit. In the picure are a Camaro, Twincam Escort RS, BMW 2002, Alfa-Romeo Montreal, A9X, Mitsubishi Evo 6, XY GT etc etc etc. Plus of course the beautiful MkI GT40, built in Slough, England......

[Nick Short]

The picture would be this one :D

[Nick Short]

For older rally fans, the MG Metro 6R4, 3 litre 24V V6, 410 bhp, 4WD, carbon and composite panels, only 200 built for Group B in 1985/6. The engine went on to power the Jaguar XJ220, which was also intended for Group B competition.

[Nick Short]

Lots and lots of lovely 911 RSs - I know we're getting white ones from AutoArt, but Porsche's "safety colours" of 1973 would make for a stunning model.

[Nick Short]

For older DTM fans, the beautiful lightweight BMW CSL "Batmobile"; aluminium panels, no soundproofing, no rustproofing, don't lean on it or you'll dent it, watch the rear spoiler bend over 150 kmh.....I was told by the owner that there are 20 of these rare beasts in Oz, which surprised me.

[Nick Short]

The just-over-a-metre-high GT40 on the startline. F40 in background.

[rex555]

Heres a link to Sundays activities (lots of Fazzers) and some pix from the prologue. (None of the pix are mine) Cut and paste the link to your browser.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?post id=2240348#post2240348

[toad]

Originally posted by Nick Short
For older DTM fans, the beautiful lightweight BMW CSL "Batmobile"; aluminium panels, no soundproofing, no rustproofing, don't lean on it or you'll dent it, watch the rear spoiler bend over 150 kmh.....I was told by the owner that there are 20 of these rare beasts in Oz, which surprised me.

That is Nigel Montgomery's car. He uses it in many tarmac events like Targa Tas, Classic Adelaide. It is a car that is being used to its original intent.

[Nick Short]

Yes, he told me he often uses it to drive to work, and he knows another owner whose CSL is his only car!

A couple of pics from one of the special stages:

For the Holden fans, a VC HDT Commodore at speed.

[Nick Short]

A9X leaning hard into a corner!

[Nick Short]

Most expensive car in the event, Paul Vestey's 1966 ex-Le Mans Ferrari 275 GTB/C, worth a cool $2,500,000.........

[Nick Short]

Porsche 911 Carrera RS scratching its bum on the armco!

[Nick Short]

TVR Tuscan, all the way from the UK, headed for an expensive accident!

[Nick Short]

And finally, the always beautiful Ford GT40.

[Nick Short]

Hopefully pictures will be approved on Monday!

[Nick Short]

GT-HO, braking hard, wheels sliding, trying to avoid the barrier......

[MarkHM]

More good reasons to live in Aus!!

[rex555]

Pity the Metro 6R4 didn't live long enough to enjoy Saturdays stages. I believe that he may have been the cause of the 1/2 hour delay in proceedings. Amazing the number of owners of new Ferraris who were driving like sooks. Most of the drivers of the older ones where using the cars 'for their intended purpose'.;)

[Nick Short]

The 6R4 came flying past me on the last stage of the day on Saturday (Gorge Road), and I didn't notice anything untoward about it! I hadn't heard of any problems and so wasn't surprised to see it. The F50, two F40s and the Jag XJ220 didn't show though, although most of the other cars I was looking out for came past.

You're right about the Ferraris - most were slow and cautious, and seemed to be trying to accelerate from slow corners in 4th gear, the way they bogged down and struggled, plus they would brake actually in the corner, run wide and wobble through on a clumsy line. I guess you don't have to be a good driver to own a Ferrari! But most of the other competitors gave it a bootful, and there was a fair bit of tyre smoke and high revs - some of the Escorts were very good value!

[rex555]

Some of the cars were really being fanged which was great to see. Had a Alfa Montreal lose it just as it passed us. Some were having a red hot go but others just lacked a lot of talent.

The F50, F40s and Jag all failed to pass us at Basket Range, as too the 6R4 since we were looking out for them all.

The best sounding of them all was the De Thomaso. He was wringing its neck as he passed us. Sounded better even than the GT40.

[toad]

I assume you guys are aware of the different catagories in Classic Adelaide. Most of the Ferrari's are in a touring catagory...depending on the drivers licence status, car safety mods...some have maximum allowable speed about 130kmh, others are not limited but instructed to drive within safety limits.

Cars like KC's Detomaso Pantera, most of the Escorts, A9X's etc are in the Competition catagory...i.e. full roall cages and safetly gear and not limited to any speed in any way.

[rex555]

Of course but when one of the Thoroughbred Sports goes past at close to full noise and the car following is a F360 being driven as if it is off to the shops to get some milk, the differance is obvious. One of the F360 drivers even missed a gear on the long, straight uphill section and some of the drivers of older Ferraris in the tour section were doing a far better job than many of the new ones.

Does anyone know if the silver Munro made it through the day? When I saw it he had a brake hose dragging along underneath and Basket Range is not a stage you want to lose your brakes on.

[toad]

Silver HK of the Callinan boys crashed 2 stages from the end.

[rex555]

D@mn! They were the second best sounding car on the day.:(

[toad]

I believe the XJ220 is bent in half after arguing with a tree.

[rex555]

Ouch! Still you have to be prepared for something to happen on those sorts of events.

Where were you and your car, Steve? Even the V8 hating rally heads I was with were asking that question. Seems there were a few that missed your sideways Monaro.:D

[Nick Short]

Just heard the bad news! It was an as-new car as well......

Toad, I realised that most of the Ferraris weren't in the competition category, but if they were having to keep their speed down there was no excuse for braking halfway round a corner or trying to accelerate in too high a gear so the engine fluffed and stumbled. At the qualifying prologue many of them were revving their engines at the start but then bogged down off the line, stuttering up the road as if they were in 4th gear. Many of the other drivers in the same category were far more smooth and skilful, even if they weren't racing.

[toad]

Originally posted by rex555
Ouch! Still you have to be prepared for something to happen on those sorts of events.

Where were you and your car, Steve? Even the V8 hating rally heads I was with were asking that question. Seems there were a few that missed your sideways Monaro.:D

I didn't go over this year as I am off to compete in the East African Safari...leaving this coming weekend. It starts on 1st December.

My crew were there supporting a few cars though including both Callinan cars...the HK and the Pantera, the red GTHO, the red A9X hatch and a green BMW M3. So I was kept up to date...but it made me feel sorry I couldn't make it

[rex555]

That will be something different. Is it still a really rough event as it used to be in the '70s and '80s?

Good luck with it and have a great time.

[toad]

You can read about it at www.eastafricansafarirally.com

I have not done it before, but guys I know from the UK who are fielding 5 x BDA Escorts did it in the BDA's in 2003 and say that is it the only "real rally" left.

I have watched the DVD of the 2003 event and yes it seems rough, very wet, tough, long days. Special stages up to 200km in length and no closed roads.

[Buffalo]

Just got back from Classic Adelaide ... we came 10th in the Classic Section and second in class to the GT40 !! ... He was pedalling that machine a lot faster this year than last year. Lot's of drama's, a few problems on day 1 but got back into it and finished ok despite doing a 180 on the second to last stage and also copping a 2 minute time penalty for changing a tire when I ripped a hole in it after going bush trying to pass an Austin Healey we had caught on a stage - the bugger wouldn;t get out the way !! ... Lot's of cars crunched - Ullrich's Jensen CV8 clobbbered the tree's as did a number of other cars ... Montacute seemed to catch a lot of people ... Oh well ... another year over and now to get ready for Rally Tasmania !! .. Was great to see a bunch of spectators out watching the action

[rex555]

Which car were you driving?

[Buffalo]

We were car 365 - 1965 Shelby GT350 .... White with Blue stripes although there were two others in the event .... Have heaps of photo's but all seem too large to post ...

[rex555]

Very nice car. Well done with the position too.

[wayno]

Originally posted by Buffalo
We were car 365 - 1965 Shelby GT350 .... White with Blue stripes although there were two others in the event .... Have heaps of photo's but all seem too large to post ...

Get a photobucket album or similar mate. That way you can post a direct link to the photo. Has the added advantage that they can be viewed straight away and you don't annoy admin with having to approve all your pics.

[BB]

I have posted pics of some of the cars from Sunday on my photobucket. The cars came past our house so I walked up to the round-a-bout about 50 metres away and watched them come past. There were way more ferrari's than in previous years, and hopefully this event just keeps getting bigger and better each year.

[toad]

Apparently at the awards ceremony (I think is was the SA Minister for Tourism) a lady...who was giving a speech told all the competitors she was disappointed this would be the last Classic Adelaide.

There have been plenty of rumours over the last 12 months of its demise. I certainly hope it continues as it is an excellent event for classic exotics and muscle cars and I for one want to enter it next year.

[Buffalo]

There were some rumors going around .... but nothing concrete ... certainly at the drivers briefing Tom Snooks announced it would be his last year as Clerk of Course and seemed to also indicate that he wasn't sure what was happening next year .... Undoubtably this year was the worst organised as far as the competition guys were concerned - results were a disaster the total field was too big and there were lots of delays - and it certainly seemed like we were the red headed step children as compared to the international Ferrari visitors.

Will be interesting to see what happens ! They certainly need to re-assess the business model ... I hope it does continue ! ...

[rex555]

I do hope it continues.

Get rid of the current cars that don't qualify by age. That will thin the field down by enough to get it to be a managable size. And after all, one day the current Munro will be a classic but its far from it now. (Add in also F360, F355, 996 911, XR8 Falcon etc etc)

[Nick Short]

And the Datsun 120Y! I suppose it had comedy value.

[toad]

Originally posted by Buffalo
There were some rumors going around .... but nothing concrete ... certainly at the drivers briefing Tom Snooks announced it would be his last year as Clerk of Course and seemed to also indicate that he wasn't sure what was happening next year .... Undoubtably this year was the worst organised as far as the competition guys were concerned - results were a disaster the total field was too big and there were lots of delays - and it certainly seemed like we were the red headed step children as compared to the international Ferrari visitors.

Will be interesting to see what happens ! They certainly need to re-assess the business model ... I hope it does continue ! ...

Intereting as these are pretty much verbatum comments I heard from the other competitors I spoke with. There was a lot of dissatisfaction right from Prologue where the touring classes took so much time to dawdle around that by the time to competition catagory got there half didn't get a run because daylight ran out.

I also heard complaints that the tourers chopped up the roads and many stages were littered with gravel by the time the competition arrived.

Its a shame as there are a lot of these events now to choose from. I keep hearing Targa NZ goes from strength to strength and Targawest in Perth was certainly very well run...albiet with much fewer entries.

Was there any news on the Suncoast rally? This is supposed to be run by Silverstone Events aswell...there is a button on their website to go to this event, but no data on it.

[toad]

Originally posted by rex555
I do hope it continues.

Get rid of the current cars that don't qualify by age. That will thin the field down by enough to get it to be a managable size. And after all, one day the current Munro will be a classic but its far from it now. (Add in also F360, F355, 996 911, XR8 Falcon etc etc)

I have heard rumblings that for Classic Adelaide to become viable it has to take the opposite strategy and go with modern entries to boost numbers in the competition catagory.

CAMS is also jumping in with new regulations covering tarmac rallying and they are going to mandate that any tarmac even running under CAMS regs must include a catagory for modern ARC style rally cars. If there is one move that will drive the classic cars and even modern 2WD's out, it will be this. Tarmac Rallying will just become other rounds for ARC cars.

There is a huge feeling of discontent building amongst the tarmac rallying fraternity over the future which is very concerning as this is the fastest growing form of motorsport in the country.

[Buffalo]

Apparently the Suncoast Rally won't be run in 2006 and will maybe run in 2007 .... They are all ready to go with the route all sorted but are having some last minute police/road closure issues to overcome ....

Jim Richards made a comment in his award speech whereby he stated that he hoped that the Adelaide event stayed with Classics and not allow moderns in which would seem to indicate that someone told him that maybe they were going to make it a classics plus modern event like Targa Tassie ... It's probably not a bad thing as long as it retains it's "rally" roots and doesn;t become just a touring event for once a year warriors in Ferrari's ! ...

I reckon the best value Tarmac Rally in Australia is "Rally Tasmania" - no fuss - great roads and great rallying !!

[rex555]

They had a huge field this year and what looked like one of the best competition fields ever. They should not include modern AWD cars other than as course cars. If they maintain the age limit on the cars they will not have to suffer a deluge of these cars. The only other car to qualify is the Audi Quattro and there aren't enough of those to worry.

The problem with motorsport around the world is that the regulators (FIA, CAMS etc) want to fiddle more and more with the rules and as they do so they ruin the competition and alienate the fans.

[rex555]

Originally posted by Nick Short
And the Datsun 120Y! I suppose it had comedy value.

Just like the Walkinshaw Plastic Pig. Surely in the running for ugliest car.

[Nick Short]

I think the Walkinshaw is a fantastic looking car, and it was one of the cars I always looked out for on the rally! And it makes my day to see one on the road anywhere. I am always amazed at what a negative reception it got when new - a genuine Group A car with full race aero kit, and that Holden V8, and nobody wanted to buy it! When I saw the prototype testing in the UK I liked it immediately, even if I didn't have a clue what it was at first! Now the 120Y on the other hand.......

[Buffalo]

There's a few pics of us at Classic Adelaide in ...

http://photobucket.com/albums/c254/bbr65/

There's some marks on the photo's as they were scanned when they were still wrapped in plastic ...

I like the one with all four wheels off the ground !!

[BB]

Originally posted by toad
I have heard rumblings that for Classic Adelaide to become viable it has to take the opposite strategy and go with modern entries to boost numbers in the competition catagory.

CAMS is also jumping in with new regulations covering tarmac rallying and they are going to mandate that any tarmac even running under CAMS regs must include a catagory for modern ARC style rally cars. If there is one move that will drive the classic cars and even modern 2WD's out, it will be this. Tarmac Rallying will just become other rounds for ARC cars.

There is a huge feeling of discontent building amongst the tarmac rallying fraternity over the future which is very concerning as this is the fastest growing form of motorsport in the country.

The Classic this year was run by Silverstone events outside of CAMS regs due to (from what I was told) a conflict regarding speeds. I believe (and as I said it is second hand) the organisers wanted the speed limits higher than what CAMS were permitting so they went with the Australian Auto Sport Alliance. Quote...........

"However, Classic Adelaide, expecting a full field of 300 vehicles this year, is not conducted under the auspices of CAMS, but which runs under the Australian Auto Sport Alliance (AASA), has no plans in the foreseeable future to change its regulations to be the same as the CAMS draft regulations."

"There are substantial investments by competitors in their vehicles and to change regulations at such short notice is detrimental to those competitors."
reference: http://www.classicadelaide.com.au/ca/

Hopefully it will not be their undoing.

[toad]

Originally posted by BB
The Classic this year was run by Silverstone events outside of CAMS regs due to (from what I was told) a conflict regarding speeds. I believe (and as I said it is second hand) the organisers wanted the speed limits higher than what CAMS were permitting so they went with the Australian Auto Sport Alliance. Quote...........

"However, Classic Adelaide, expecting a full field of 300 vehicles this year, is not conducted under the auspices of CAMS, but which runs under the Australian Auto Sport Alliance (AASA), has no plans in the foreseeable future to change its regulations to be the same as the CAMS draft regulations."

"There are substantial investments by competitors in their vehicles and to change regulations at such short notice is detrimental to those competitors."
reference: http://www.classicadelaide.com.au/ca/

Hopefully it will not be their undoing. \


Classic was run in 2004 not under CAMS either. I know a major drawback of going outside CAMS is the additional cost of insurance and I believe in the case of Classic this is underwritten by the govt. So I am not sure how much longer that will continue...if it is indeed the case.

[Nick Short]

Just read (in the UK press) that the Classic Adelaide for this year will feature Porsche as the theme marque. There should be some amazing cars (I'm not a fan of any showroom Porsche or Ferrari, but love their competition cars), and quite a few local rarities, like the 934 and 911 RSRs.

[BB]

Thanks Nick. Sounded like the event was on shakey ground there for a while. I reckon they have had Porsche themes before.