Model Collector May 2015 + Rosemary Smith

Check out the latest edition of Model Collector May 2015, there is a good colour feature on the SHMAC stand at Race Retro and a very big article about the cars of Rosemary Smith. Sorry Steve N they mucked up the titles for two of the photos!!

This year is the 50th anniversary of her winning the Tulip Rally.

This year she is back on the Tulip Rally with a good navigator friend of mine Ryan Pickering.

...The Rosemary job was all put together by Peter Rushforth really. It was meant to be the Tiger she drove in 1966 on Tulip rallye but the owner hasn't got the car ready and has started laying down unrealistic rules for the cars use. So we will most likely be in an MGB borrowed from Rushforth. I didn't realise how much of a well known star she was when I agreed, but we hope to find our way around on the 50th anniversary of her win.

Ryan won the Ilkely last weekend and has the Flying Scotsman coming up, then TDC Ireland next weekend, so plenty of practice going on,.

Chris

Not found out from both sides yet as to what happened but chatting with Rosemary Smith on Sunday..

..apparently the Tiger never materialised. So an MGB roasdster was found and driven down by Ryan to Aaosta the start in Italy, whilst Rosemary flew into Zurich to be collected.

Right from the start the clutch was not working properly.

Then there was stering problems. Not good when you are going up and down an Alp or two and not after Rosemary had broken her collar bone in a fall earlier in the year making steeering even more difficult.

Basically the entry was retired early in the event.

So no grand return to the Tulip Rally 50 years after Rosemary had won it outright in a Hillman Imp.

Chris

Chris, I've started taking Model Collector magazine* (* other model magazines are available) and the mag is a good read.

Already it's proved its worth - when my dear lady wife saw the photo of my rallycross model display in the magazine article (page 75, though other pages are available) she commented that my display cabinet had less models in it and more gaps between the cars than there were in the other displays. So, I'm able to get a few more models (hurrah! ).

Such a shame Rosemary wasn't able to celebrate in the way she (and everyone else) anticipated! Cars, eh?

Cheers Chris, Steve

Steve

Good news space for more non 6R4 rallycross cars then...

Chris

She did an interview on Irish TV last week-some of the stuff was hair raising, including ( I think) reversing her imp up the Kyber pass as the gearbox was broken and reverse was all she had-for 45 miles..

CDM wrote:Steve

Good news space for more non 6R4 rallycross cars then...

Chris

Yep! You are spot on there!

My 2013 Petter Solberg DS3 arrived from Vitor this morning, I'm working on Paul Smith's retro rallycross Polo Coupe and Roger Newbould's Renault 5 currently, so they will be ready for Mondello Park - might even have completed James harrold's VW Beetle by then too!!

After that, I'll have to do another rallycross 6R4 to help balance things up - I have a reputation to keep, after all!!!

Cheers, Steve

Cough cough. Still waiting for the Blue Oval rallycross pics Steve....

Paul

Yep sorry Paul much aplogises

I have all the photos of Steves models all taken at Lydden Hill but not had any time to sort them and post them.

Its on my list to do...

Chris

Please dont apologise Chris, just keen to see all the good work done by Steve!!!

Thanks Chris. I'm looking forward to seeing the shots myself too!!

Almost finished the Roger Newbould Renault 5 model today - very pleased with it.

Hope I don't disappoint, Paul.

Cheers, Steve

Folks I put together a collection of 1/43 Rosemary Smith models some time back for an event that did not take place. There is an event in Mondello Park in a weeks time and Rosemary is billed as attending. Hence it is my intention to put on the display there in conjunction with displays by Donie and others. The extra time has allowed me expand the potential models from just over 20 to almost 30 - whether we get to 30 is dependent on a number of factors. However what I am looking for is the entry list for the 1968 Coupe Des Alpes (Alpine) rally or at least what number did Rosemary Smith have on her works Porsche 911T on that rally ? A picture of the car would be the icing on the cake.

Any good?

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/classic-cars-uk/20170222/283145723488945


But then there's this one too!!!  Obviously a different Porsche!  I think it may be Toivonen's Porsche.
 

Thanks Ted - the white car is in the plan . Anyone confirm that the writing at the top odf the doorplate is  MACHERON CONSTANTIN ?  

As for the lower photos - they are from the 1968 Coupe Des Alpes but as I said to someone else we can't be sure that she is sitting on her own car.

James - i located a programme for the event on ebay snd emsiled the seller this morning but unfortunately it doesnt contain the list of runners and riders. I did locate a detailed document of the event and the drivers in each class on a very useful french forum and Rosemary is listed as running in group 2+ but no car numbers listed

reeft1 wrote:James - i located a programme for the event on ebay snd emsiled the seller this morning but unfortunately it doesnt contain the list of runners and riders. I did locate a detailed document of the event and the drivers in each class on a very useful french forum and Rosemary is listed as running in group 2+ but no car numbers listed

Again my thanks,
I have seen a similar list on forum-auto and as you say no doorplates. It says she was 26 after stage 1 and 19 for stage 2 but then disappears.

Anyone confirm that the writing at the top of the doorplate is  MACHERON CONSTANTIN ?

More likely to be VACHERON CONSTANTIN (swiss watches)

Detective work continuing on the Coupe Des Alpes 1968 car . It would appear that she used the same car on both events and the McKlein photo is something of a red herring. Coupe Des Alpes car apparently ran with#68 on the door . Still on the lookout for a photo. Amazing the people one comes into contact with when researching these old cars !!!

James - have you contacted Mcklein? They have 1000’s of photos in their database and not just the ones you find on their website. I’ve tracked down lots of photos by contacting them direct. Not cheap dealing with them but often the only source for reference pics.