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Apr 24, 2013 17:45:53 GMT
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Every year without fail, at least twice a year, sometimes more, my GF and I rent a beautiful little cottage in a stunning part of SW Wales. The beaches, coastline and scenery are just stunning and we usually have great weather. If two photos can sum up our frequent trips there, it would probably be these two (not strictly true, I've got thousands I could use, but you get the idea): The thing is, it's not always perfect. When the sun isn't shining, it usually means the wind is howling and the rain is coming in horizontal. There seems to be no in between, like an on/off switch, it's either beautiful blue skies and lots of sun or weather that'll have you heading for shelter.... any shelter, just to get out of natures fury. Last week my GF and I were in Wales, in our usual cottage and we'd just spent a restless night wondering if the roof was going to come off....describing it as gales and torrential rain would be an understatement. Due to the lack of sleep thanks to God venting his spleen on lovely Pembrokeshire, I thought I was imagining things when around 7am the ever loud sound of storms was somehow drowned out by what, to me, sounded like the ear shattering noise of engines bouncing off the rev limiters....right outside our cottage. It took me a few moments to realise that it wasn't my imgination and, in fact, the aural assault of mechanical mayhem was very real. I got dressed and headed out expecting to find some boy racer who'd lost their way and somehow ended up in sleepy Talbenny. I was very wrong! This, quite surprisingly, was happening literally just the other side of the lane where our cottage sat. Less than 100ft from our bedroom: No sh!t Sherlock!! Further clues. The rain was torrential, coming in at a perpendicular angle to the flat headland....but this certainly wasn't going to stop these guys. It was at this point that the clerk of the course (and land owner) came over in his van, enquired if I was from the press (having spotted my camera I guess?) and before I could even answer, handed me a hi-viz 'Pembrokeshire Motorsport' vest and told me to ignore all the prohibited/no entry signs....I had free reign to shoot anywhere on the course. An opportunity I wasn't going to pass up. I was expecting to be spending this very, very wet and windy morning making toast, drinking tea and trying to think of avoidance tactics to keep me holed up in the cottage in the warm and dry. Instead I found myself stood soaking wet in the middle of an old WW2 air field just over the road from my cottage, an airfield I never knew existed....currently host to a full-on stage of the Pembrokeshire rally. Suddenly, "What weather??" More shots to come....
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crazymonkey
Posted a lot
ummm....what was I doing again???
Posts: 1,981
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Apr 24, 2013 17:58:33 GMT
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now thats my kind of wake up call. when we went up to aberystwyth area there was a rally going on first thing. unfortunately for us it was as we were leaving to go home on the plus side we did get to see several nice mk2 escorts, novas and other awesome cars heading up there
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whoever said dogs were man's best friend....obviously never heard of cable ties
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sumpcracker
Posted a lot
Yes, I’m still here.
Posts: 1,751
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Apr 24, 2013 18:31:39 GMT
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This is Cool.
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Apr 24, 2013 18:33:11 GMT
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Very cool, you always seem to come across the good stuff.
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Apr 24, 2013 18:58:07 GMT
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Did I mention it was wet? Well..... ....it really was! That didn't seem to slow the cars down. Not one little bit! Probably one of my fave shots of the day...it just seemed to sum it all up for me. Moar to come very soon....I'm still working my way through all the photos. Some really good ones were ruined thanks to rain all over the lens. I'd wipe it clean, only to take one or two shots and it was covered in water again.
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Morning Glory [pics]stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Apr 24, 2013 19:46:32 GMT
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That is easily the best rally photo i've seen in years.
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Joe T
Part of things
Posts: 711
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Apr 24, 2013 19:49:37 GMT
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Great story! Great pics too!
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PHUQ
Part of things
Posts: 861
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Apr 24, 2013 19:50:00 GMT
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^ agreed.
This could only happen to you Bruce!
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Apr 24, 2013 19:52:54 GMT
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Escorts doing what they do best....going noisily sideways around the countryside. They do look good while they are doing this.... Overly blurry 'motion' pic, so why post it up? The look on the drivers face sums it up. It certainly wasn't just Fords. OK, it was mostly Fords....but not totally. This sounded AWESOME on full chat! As I worked my way through the stage, it became evident that the cars were being pushed hard. As they came in to the checkpoint, signs of hard battle were obvious. They may be valuable these days, but the classic Escorts still get properly used. And abused. This Mk1 was coming up to a gate after a long straight. It was certainly going some when it lost control and span into a bank only feet from where I was stood. Guess what, I was cleaning rain from the lens when it happened so I missed it. GUTTED! (probably not as much as the owner though??)
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retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member
Winging it.....Since 1971.
Posts: 3,726
Club RR Member Number: 94
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Morning Glory [pics]retrolegends
@retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member 94
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Apr 24, 2013 19:55:36 GMT
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Epic pictures, what other cars were out?
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1974 Hillman Avenger 1500DL1992 Volvo 240SE1975 Datsun Cherry 100a flying custard1965 Hillman SuperMinx Rock N Roller1974 Austin Allegrat Mk1 1.3SDL1980 Austin Allegro Mk3 1.3L1982 Austin Allegro Mk3 on banded steels2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible 220bhp TurboNutter1966 Morris Minor 1000 (Doris) 2019 Abarth 595C Turismo (not retro but awesome fun) www.facebook.com/DatsunCherry100a
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Apr 24, 2013 20:09:13 GMT
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Epic pictures, what other cars were out? I'll post up more pics of some of the other cars very soon. In the meantime, here are some more shots. I'm not being deliberately pro-Escort, it's just that there were a lot of them! As this stage (of four) was coming to a close, I headed back to the pits just as the cars were lining up for stage 2. The sound and smell of all the hot engines, brakes and hard worked clutches was brilliant. Almost intoxicating.
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retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member
Winging it.....Since 1971.
Posts: 3,726
Club RR Member Number: 94
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Morning Glory [pics]retrolegends
@retrolegends
Club Retro Rides Member 94
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Apr 24, 2013 20:13:58 GMT
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No worries, lovin the escorts and the corolla looks superb, can remember them tankin around Kielder on the R.A.C back in the day.
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1974 Hillman Avenger 1500DL1992 Volvo 240SE1975 Datsun Cherry 100a flying custard1965 Hillman SuperMinx Rock N Roller1974 Austin Allegrat Mk1 1.3SDL1980 Austin Allegro Mk3 1.3L1982 Austin Allegro Mk3 on banded steels2003 Saab 9-3 Convertible 220bhp TurboNutter1966 Morris Minor 1000 (Doris) 2019 Abarth 595C Turismo (not retro but awesome fun) www.facebook.com/DatsunCherry100a
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,926
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Morning Glory [pics]stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Apr 24, 2013 20:26:10 GMT
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Every time I go rallying it reminds me why people love Escorts more than any other 60s/70s car. They are a proper weapon with some choice mods.
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hamps
Posted a lot
www.medwayrscentre.co.uk
Posts: 2,077
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Apr 24, 2013 20:29:55 GMT
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Awesome
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Apr 24, 2013 20:36:03 GMT
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You utter legend.
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Apr 24, 2013 23:08:19 GMT
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Corsa. Being hunted down by a rather fast Escort. The very definition of commitment: Heading into a 90 degree corner VERY fast on standing water with almost no visibility thanks to the massive volume of water kicked up by the Corsa. After the 'off' into the bank by the black Mk1, the course clerk stands over the trouble spot to direct cars. As you pass fast through the gate, between the banks, you split left or right depending on what lap you're on. Because the sign had blown down in the wind, no one knew which way they had to go (although they did have their notes & co-pilot!) hence why the Mk1 stamped on the brakes at the last second, lost it and span hard into the bank. You can see the marks. I was stood exactly where the clerk now is when it happened.....as said before, gutted (but luckily, unhurt!) After a few more close calls with other cars, the clerk mounts the sign to some tyres and suddenly, everything is nice and clear... ....as demonstrated by this Vovlo which looked fairly plain, but BOY did the driver wring the most out of it. If I had to give an award to balls out driving, it would have been to this guy. What he lacked in a pedigree car, he more than made up for in bravado!
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Apr 24, 2013 23:24:40 GMT
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One of my fave spots of the day was on this hairpin at the end of a long straight....leading back onto another straight. One of the fastest cars of the day... ...with this not far beind. It did seem to love the water. That lunatic again.... There were a few Evo's but for some reason they didn't seem to be that fast. Maybe it's because they do it all with so little fuss? A few seconds after this shot was taken, the Escort went into a big slide and the Impreza caught up very quickly. Too quickly in fact which ended in a Ford/Subaru interface. The Escort came of worse unfortunately, but still managed to carry on and finish the stage. Have a guess why I didn't get 'the' shot? Damn that rain!!! As the stage ended, the cars came in one by one. Drivers hot and exhausted driving with their doors open to catch some cool air despite the rest of us being frozen right through. It was time for lunch, halfway through the days proceedings, two stages done and a chance to grab some food and discuss the way things were going. Cars were fuelled and prepped Course notes discussed (the route was in reverse for the afternoon stages) Many took the opportunity to make some repairs (this one was the victim of the rub with the yellow Impreza) The owner seemed quite chirpy and the mention of BIG hammers and the 'spares' car were discussed. For now though, this wasn't going anywhere. Retired for the day. ...and on that note, I am going to retire for the night but rest assured coverage of stages 3 and 4 will be dealt with tomorrow. There's going to be a lot more Escort content, but rest assured there will be other things to see as well.
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EmDee
Club Retro Rides Member
Committer of Autrocities.
Posts: 5,932
Club RR Member Number: 108
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Morning Glory [pics]EmDee
@emdee
Club Retro Rides Member 108
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Apr 24, 2013 23:38:56 GMT
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Six million and four out of ten. Thread of the year so far for the photography alone.
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hero! Incredible photo's and some proper cars being used in anger. Lovely
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You know how much I hated you before? Yeah, double that, add a bit, and you're getting close to how I'm feeling now. ;D
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