Marathon Competitors

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31729, 12 July 1968, Page 9

Marathon Competitors

rfHE field for the 10,000 x mile London to Sydney car rally, which will start in November, has now been selected. The 100 starters were chosen from 800 entries, and include 18 Australian crews and one New Zealand crew.

The drivers will have to traverse some of the world’s worst roads in extremes of weather. The route will take the cars through the snow and ice in the mountains of Turkey, through sandstorms in Iran to the fierce heat of the Nullabor Plain in the Australian summer. In Europe, the cars will travel through England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Jugoslavia and Bulgaria. After crossing the Bosphorus by ferry, the cars will traverse Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan and India. The cars will then Service Motorists are becoming more fussy about the quality of the service they obtain from service stations, and this is something that most service-station organisations recognise. Many drivers have decided to take their work to a certain station regularly after they have called just to obtain petrol, and have been served efficiently by courteous and friendly staff. On the other hand, many have resolved not to return to a service station after they have been served petrol by a grumpy, dirty attendant

Casual I was talking to one such motorist the other day. He had pulled into a service station, and had difficulty even attracting the attention of attendants who were standing about talking. Finally one sauntered over with a very casual “Watcha want?” approach. He left greasy fingermarks on the bodywork and spilled fuel on the paint. Some of the grease on his hands transferred itself to the change, and from that to my informant’s hands. Not surprisingly, the motorist has no intention of returning to that service station. Keeping Them Away Sloppy forecourt service does not encourage a motorist to sample the efficiency of the establishment’s mechanics. And, of course, careless

be shipped to Fremantle for the last 3500-mile leg to Sydney. The event is open to fourwheeled passenger cars with up to six seats. Modifications are allowed, but the body and the engine block will be marked at the start and if either is changed the competitor will be disqualified. There are 56 entries from Britain, five from France, four each from Russia and West Germany, two each from Switzerland, the Netherlands, Ireland, India, and one each from Italy, Norway, the United States and Poland, plus the entries from Australia and New Zealand.

Firms entering cars include Rootes Motors, Ltd (Hillman Hunter), B.M.C. Australia (B.M.C. 1800), Ford Motor Company of Australia (Falcon G.T.), B.M.C. of Britain

(B.M.C. 1800 s), Ford of West Germany (Ford Taunus), Ford of Britain (Lotus Cortinas), Porsche Cars, Ltd, Britain (Porsche 911), and Simca Motors (Simca 1100).

The New Zealand entry is a Cortina G.T. entered and driven by R. C. Campbell and R. Forbes. Other cars entered include an Alfa Romeo, Volvo, Mercedes, three Holden VBs entered by the “Sydney Daily Telegraph,” Moskovitch, Fiat 2300 entered by G. C. Baghetti, Peugeot, Triumph 2000, Ford Escort Twin Cam, Rover 2000 TC, Austin Healey 3000, Reliant Scimitar, M.G.8., Volkswagen, Daf, Saab, Chrysler Valiant VB, Jaguar E-type, Morris Oxford, Renault Gordini, Plymouth Belvedere, Datsun, Vauxhall Ventora, and a Fiat 125.