Rally - Ready to go

The sun has gone and someone has painted the previously sunny blue sky a sort of mottled battleship grey. And there were a few spots of rain during the afternoon. On that basis who knows what will happen on the opening Leg of the Beatsons Building Supplies Mull Rally tonight?

The rally gets underway at 7pm but there were still as few cars to get scrutineered this afternoon after this morning’s report. Amongst them was Mike Storrar’s latest rally weapon. Remember, this was the guy who rallied a 1600cc Toyota engine Ford Anglia till the tin worm had its evil way with the bodywork, so he’s moved on. His latest project is a ‘Horris Maronda’: “It’s a Grp4 Escort with a Morris Marina body and a Honda S2000 engine and gearbox,” said the nutter, sorry, said the ingenious budget bodger, “it’s got a baby Atlas at the rear and Bilsteins all round.” What’s not to like?

Another unusual choice of Mull rally weapon is Malcolm Ball’s Triumph TR6. “I got the car in April,” he said, “and it’s been built from then. It has a 2.5 litre straight six and a 4 speed ‘box out of a Triumph Stag –m because the standard ‘box can’t take the power.” Apparently it took the engine tuner 4 hours to tune the three twin choke carbs! By the way, it looks glorious and sounds minted.

Shaun Sinclair appeared late with his Subaru WRC after a last minute panic. “The car sprung a leak yesterday,” said Shaun, “and it was a magnesium pipe that couldn’t be welded, so Old Dom jumped in a car at Kelso at 3.30 in the afternoon, drove to Oxford to get the part and drove back up the road getting home at 3.30 am. Young Dommie then jumped in a car at 3.45 this morning and drove up to Oban to get the ferry and bring it over here, fix the car on arrival and then get it to Scrutineering.” Job done.

The ever-lucky Jimmy Allan had a busy week too. With the car all set and raring to go, he fired it up last Saturday night to go out and set the lights – and the engine “shat itself!” So he’s been up and down the road all week at TEG Sport to get it ready for tonight.

And so tonight. 5 stages with 54 miles of timed to the second tarmac. In the dark. With no idea of what the weather will do. And scary things lying in wait. Crests and ditches, ghosties and ghoulies. And they call it sport. Bring it on.