Posts

In search of Galant rally cars

Image
I n search of Galant   rally cars and all things Japanese In 1988, I was working part-time for the Light Car Club of Australia as Event Office Manager for the BP Alpine Rally, and in September that year, I ventured north - Asia - bound on two assignments. My trip was primarily for Australian Automotive Import Parts (the importing arm of Japwreck in Keysborough) on a three-week purchasing trip to the huge scrapyards in Japan, with the brief to locate some more reliable suppliers for our in-demand second-hand Japanese engines and panels from up and down the country. As an interesting motorsport sideline, I managed to schedule this trip to  fit in with the Lucky Strike Rally Malaysia; the second round of the inaugural Asia Pacific Rally Championship on September 24 to 27, as an observer for the BP Alpine Rally, talking to possible entrants for future Alpine Rallies a nd potential involvement in this new Asia Pacific Rally Championship. Arriving at Changi Airport on the Thu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Alpine Rally SHORTS – Murray Coote ~ My memories of the Alpine

Image
  A lpine R ally SHORTS – M urray Coote My memories of the Alpine It was like an end of year pilgrimage for me – the last rally for the year. Rally crews taking over the friendly town of Bright creating a special atmosphere.  Winning the Alpine (to me) was even more of an achievement than winning the Australian Rally Championship. Scantily clad girls cleaning the windscreens at the end of stages. The cricket matches on the oval at Bright at the end of the event were something I will never forget.  John Dawson-Damer acting as umpire with a bottle of wine stored at the base of the wickets. I guess in my memory it was the entire package, the area, the roads, the social atmosphere before and after and during the event yet so highly competitive as everyone wanted to win the Alpine. Murray Coote has competed in many Alpine Rallies  from the mid-1970s to 1991,  when he won BP Alpine Rally  that year  on his way to secure the  Australian Rally ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Alpine Legend Frank Kilfoyle - What are my most poignant memories of the Alpine?

Image
As editor of the November 2005 edition of the Historic Rally Association Journal  I did an interview with Australian Rally Hall of Fame member &   Alpine Rally legend Frank Kilfoyle as a 6 6-time winner & 4-time Director.  I have reproduced the words here with some extra recently  researched  information & pictures  to add some more colour  as we prepare for the  2025 Lovells Suspension Alpine Rally of East Gippsland. Man on Road Alpine Legend   Frank   Kilf oyle What are my most poignant memories of the Alpine? I’ve competed in some 12 Alpines.   I think I finished in 11 of them, won 6  or maybe 5.5, depending on how  you count the one as co-driver.   ed note - an Alpine Rally win as a Navigator certainly counts! The first was 1959, which we rather won be accident.  George Reynolds in the 1985 Olde BP Rally with Frank's long-time Navigator Mike Osborne Bruce Ford, with Harry ...
Post a Comment
Read more