Leyland's competitive spirit

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32640, 23 June 1971, Page 11

Leyland's competitive spirit

When a major motor manufacturer withdraws from active participation in motor sport, many enthusiasts consider it the end of their world. This dilemma was particularly evident in the case of British Leyland, Britain’s largest car company. When it closed its competitions department last year, after 15 years, cries of “shame” echoed from

racing circuit to special stage. Yet an examination of the motor sport scene today reveals a very active situation, with works support vehicles for privately - entered British Leyland cars in European rallies and active works competitions departments in North America and Australia ... not to mention the championship “Rallycross” events in England where the Mini is very much the car to beat Although much credit goes to the private entrants

for carrying on the tradition in Europe, competition success in this part of the hemisphere is in many ways due to the presence of British Leyland’s special tuning department' at Abingdon.

The department was started in 1964 to publicise all information available on improving the competition performance of British Leyland cars. Today, Special Tuning has three distinct functions —to develop and market performance aids encompassing the entire range of cars made by the corporation, including the running of a demonstration fleet, to modify and prepare customers cars to order and to provide an extensive back-up service for private entrants in both,rallies and rallycross.

The man behind the operation is Basil Wales, a 35 - year - old engineering wizard. Explaining the growth of Special Tuning, he pointed out that right back to the competitions department’s formation in 1955, private owners wanted to match works car performance. At that time the company’s most successful racer was the MG A. But it was not until the advent of the Mini that the competitions department became inundated with inquiries from people who felt they could be competitive with the works team if only they could get the right tuning parts. “Undoubtedly, the Mini has been mainly responsible for the success of Special Tuning,” he says, “and, in fact, it is still our top model as far as turn-over of parts is concerned.” With 14,000 sq. ft of floor space, the department is completely autonomous from the MG and Sprite car production plant sharing the same site. Besides an extensive storage and packaging area for special tuning parts, the department boasts its own rolling road coupled to a dynamometer, two test beds, two special workshops and a design office.

Special Tuning’s range of equipment now covers seven basic models produced by British Leyland —all Mini variants, MG Midget and Sprite models, MGB, Triumph Spitfire, Austin/Morris 1100/1300 saloons, 1800 saloons and Maxis. Special Tuning products range from “Stage 1” kits (either a polishpd cylinder head or twin-carburetter conversion) giving up to 21 per cent increased power and better fuel economy, right up to eight-port Mini cylinder heads, dose-ratio straight-cut gears, alternative rear axle ratios and limited-slip differentials. Between these extremes are items such as glassfibre body panels, perspex windows, anti-roll bars, suspension lowering kits, wide rim magnesium wheels and competition seats. A perfect example of Special Tuning’s craft is its outwardly standardlooking MG Midget 1275 cc demonstration car. A full-race cylinder head and camshaft, plus other modifications, have transformed this popular sports car into a 110 m.p.h. rocket, with a 51 per cent power increase. Special Tuning’s fitters can re-build any customer’s car to full works specification in the Abingdon workshops. The result will be a virtually hand-built car, for Special Tuning’s mechanics strip a car right down to the bare bodyshell and re-build from scratch. Special Tuning will modify further British Leyland cars, particularly 1800’s, for the next London to Sydney Marathon in 1972. Sydney is the headquarters of British Leyland’s competitions department in Australia. An extensive rally, rallycross and racing programme is supported by British Leyland’s Australian plant A variety of . cars are useci, , including the Nomad, the special Austin 1100-bodied

car with five doors and a Maxi 1500 engine, sold only in Australia and New Zealand. An active British Leyland competitions department also exists in North America, based in New Jersey. Such activities in overseas territories are dictated by local marketing policies. In the United States, sports cars are among the Corporation’s most popular models. The department in New Jersey campaigns every corporation 5 sports car from Midgets to Jaguar E-Types with considerable success. No competitions department exists in Europe, but the Corporation’s Lausannebased operation runs an in■centive scheme with cash bonuses for private British Leyland entrants who are successful in competitions throughout Europe. For British Leyland, motor sport today must be commercially viable. With the North American and Australian markets well covered and Special Tuning continually gaining strength, there is little chance of such famous names as Morris, MG and Jaguar fading into motor sport obscurity.