1970's Group 1 and Production Saloon Program, entry and result car scans



I'm uploading some of the old programmes, entry lists and results, dated between 1971 and 1975 where my late father, journalist Roger Bell raced in the Escort Mexico Challenge, Production Saloons and Group 1 Saloons, the early years of the BTCC. Rather than blog posts, they'll all get added to this page.







































































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Ferrari Dino V8

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Listed on BAT; This 1972 Ferrari Dino  was refurbished and modified by Moto Technique in Surrey, England, between 2017 and 2018 for US entrepreneur and Ferrari collector David Lee. During the build, chassis 04886 was fitted with a Tipo F105C V8 that was overhauled with a displacement increase to 3.6 liters and the installation of modified cylinder heads, fuel injection with individual throttle bodies, and custom MoTeC engine management. Additional modifications include a Ferrari 328 dog-leg five-speed manual transaxle, Brembo ventilated disc brakes, custom-cast 17” Campagnolo-style wheels, electric power steering, flared fenders, Perspex headlight covers without visible fasteners, SNAP exhaust outlets, an aluminum radiator with dual electric cooling fans, red and black leather interior upholstery over Daytona-style seats, air conditioning, a sound system with iPod connectivity, and a fire suppression system. This V8-powered Dino Evo 3.6 is now offered on dealer consignment in Newbu...
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1970 Ferrari 365 Competizione Gp4

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Classic Driver  featured this sublime Michelotto built Ferrari 365 Competizione Group 4 back in 2018, after being photographed by  Tim Scott of Fluid Images for the then vendors Bell Classics. Alex Easthope - A soft and sultry front-engined Grand Tourer more suited to a leisurely cruise on the Pacific Coast Highway than a maximum-attack blast down the Mulsanne Straight, the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 — or, as it’s universally referred to, the Daytona — was an unlikely race car. But its strong chassis, bulletproof V12, and streamlined body meant the Competizione was reliable. And for smaller privateer outfits contesting endurance events week in and week out, reliability was king. “The Daytona was built in such large numbers that it meant the research and development and lessons learned during production went straight into the racing cars,” explains Masoud Abdelhafid of Classic Driver dealer Bell Classics, which is offering this very special Competizione for sale. “They were great...
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Honda Civic EG

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90’s soul never dies. Simple build, spot on stance, perfect fitment and the right parts. Honda Civic EG, tuned By Malaysian Garage Manjung Perak and photographed By  AYiE Photography  
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Honda RC149 5 cylinder 125cc Grand Prix bike.

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Cycle News  back in 2016 published an article and studio photos of Honda's RC149 5 cylinder 125cc Grand Prix bikes, and what a jewel it is. Often overshadowed by their 6 cylinder bikes of the same period, the RC149 was last attempt at beating the 2 stroke 125 Grand Prix bikes. 24 year old Shoichiro Irimajiri was given the engineering task, and, in 1966, riden by Swiss star Luigi Taveri, Honda won the 125cc World Championship. Back to  Cycle News ; Remember when debates raged about which fundamental design would prove superior for Grand Prix racing, four-stroke engines or two-strokes? We’re not talking 2002, when rule changes gave manufacturers the option of running two-stroke engines of 500cc or less or four-strokes up to 990cc in their GP machines. That deck was loaded in favor of the four-strokes, and morphed into the MotoGP era we have today. Rather, we’re talking about the middle 1960s, when that key question turned into a technological battle between two-stroke ...
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1974 Yamaha TZ750A

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  From the listing by  Yesterdays.nl  - The Yamaha TZ750 is a series production two-stroke race motorcycle built by Yamaha to compete in the Formula 750 class in the 1970s. The engine was created on the idea of connecting two blocks of the 2-stroke, liquid-cooled, in-line 2-cylinder TZ350 engine together to make a 700cc in-line 4-cylinder engine and mounting it on a newly designed high-tensile steel pipe double cradle frame. Motorcyclist called it “the most notorious and successful road racing motorcycle of the 1970s”. Another journal called it the dominant motorcycle of the era, noting its nine consecutive Daytona 200 wins, starting in 1974. A factory spec TZ750 (0W19) won its debut race in the 1974 Daytona 200-mile Race ridden by Giacomo Agostini, and it also went on to be a winner on the Japanese and world racing scene as well. The first version, the TZ750 A, had a cubic capacity of 694 cc with bore x stroke dimensions of 64 x 54 mm and dual shock rear suspension. Late...
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Making the MX5. Mazda's Hiroshima Manufacturing Plant

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  I'm currently driving my 6th MX5, and I believe it is simply the best sports car* in the world, thoroughly deserving all the praise plaudits throw at it.  Here's how and where it's manufactured. *Price, performance, interior space, running costs, world wide sales, longevity.......
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1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR

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Sam Hancock  currently has available a genuine 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR. Just under 60 3.0 RSR's were built for privateer race teams competing in Group 4 Sports Car events, making it a rare, collectable and subsequently quite expensive. Built in period from a factory-supplied chassis by renowned French garagiste and Porsche specialist Louis Meznarie, to participated in the 1975, 1976 and 1978 Tour de France Automobile. Further extensive and successful period race history in French rallies, including multiple victories, driven by the likes of Thierry Sabine, Bruno Saby, Jacques Henry, Francis Roussely and Philippe Malbran. Sam Hancock - “Few historic GT cars are as genuinely friendly and accommodating for amateur drivers as Porsche’s now iconic 3.0 RSR and this example, in its fabulous ‘Christine Laure’ livery, is surely among the most desirable of the 59 built in period. Well known and well proven on the historic racing and rally scene, it offers turn-key access to some of ...
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1972 Datsun 240Z

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  Edit: I put this post together about a week ago and scheduled publication for today. In the meantime I've seen on a great many social media pages, so apologies to those that have seen it. A 240Z would be an early entry in my dream car garage, and this one, up for auction in July through Historics  is perfect. 1972 Datsun 240Z with an estimate £34,000 - £38,000 Registration: EKP 311K Chassis No: H53010553 Engine No: L24078305 Odometer: 41,453 • Extensive nut and bolt restoration • One of the finest on the market It soon became apparent during its creation, that the Datsun 240Z represented all the requirements of sports-minded drivers by fulfilling their desires for superb styling, power and safety whilst providing them with the most thrilling and enjoyable ride available in any car at that time.  Reporting 151bhp and 146lb/ft of torque at just 4,400rpm, Car & Driver said, ‘a brilliantly conceived car with twice as much thought having gone into it when compared to the...
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Ford Escort MK1 RS1600 Group2

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Ford had, for a number of years, used active participation in motorsport as a means of getting their showroom doors swinging on a Monday morning, and the new Escort (introduced in January 1968) was to prove no exception. Popular at club level in every discipline of the sport, it was at an international level that the name Escort became synonymous with winning. The Ford Works team was practically unbeatable in the late 1960s/early 1970s, and arguably, the Escort's greatest victory was in the 1970 London to Mexico World Cup Rally being driven by Finnish legend Hannu Mikkola. This result and the ensuing acclaim prompted Ford to produce the famous Escort Mexico (1.6-litre Kent engine) road version in honour of the rally car. Definitely a step-up from the Mexico, the Escort RS1600 was developed using an engine that was essentially a FVA Formula 2 unit, designated BDA (Belt Drive A-Series), that produced 115bhp and 112lb/ft of torque and allowed the RS1600 to accelerate from 0-60mph in 8...
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TT 1973: The Race of the Power Bikes

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  From the BBC archives, "The Race of the Power Bikes" was a BBC documentary covering the 1973 Formula 750cc motorcycle race on the Isle of Man. The 1973 Isle of Man Formula 750 TT race was a historic event, marked by the performance of Peter Williams and his John Player Norton motorcycle. Williams' victory was a significant achievement, as it marked the first time Norton had won the TT race in 12 years.  His lap record of 107.27 mph set the second-fastest-ever lap of the Snaefell Mountain Course, showcasing his exceptional speed and skill on the motorcycle. The race was a testament to the dominance of British bikes in the TT, with Williams' Norton team emerging victorious against the competition of powerful, twin-cylinder motorcycles. The event remains a highlight in the history of motorcycle racing, celebrated for its speed, skill, and the legacy of the Isle of Man TT. 
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