Gartrac generated the very first friend that have David Sutton who was the fresh new manager away from Clark & Simpson who had been Ford people when you look at the Sloane Square, London. The cars was in fact mainly simple with no move cages, not Gartrac given uprated suspension system and you can powering resources areas into the knowledge.

Right before the start of the fresh rally Dave Bignold try questioned because of the Ford to visit as much as Clark & Simpson and fit butt treat absorber turrets toward Rauno Aaltonen’s Ford Escort 1850 GT. The installation try done easily over a sunday and you will Aaltonen’s vehicle was ready to participate about rally.

Regarding the early seventies, Gartrac altered Escort Mk1 bodyshells for Clark & Simpson in London

The new London – Mexico Community Cup rally already been during the Wembley Stadium when you look at the London area towards April nineteenth 1970 covering approximately sixteen,000 miles using Europe and you can South america and you can finishing in the Mexico Urban area on may 27th 1970. The event is actually really winning to have Ford having Hannu Mikola and Gunnar Hand winning the fresh new rally and Rauno Aaltonen and you may Henry Liddon finishing 3rd.

Gartrac proceeded development parts into the Escort Mk1 rally vehicles. During the early 1970s other well-known profit try Hannnu Mikkola and you may Gunnar Palm’s 1972 Safari Rally victory in the Escort RS 1600. The pair manage just take an early on lead which they never lost and you can turned into the first non-African team to win the brand new East African Safari Rally. Continue reading →