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The competitors go to great efforts to dress correctly for the age of their car, even the officials on the event dress up in period costumes. Without the efforts of these marshals, the event could not run. A season of mists and mellow fruitfulness it may be for many, but for a specific group of classic car owners in Europe, autumn means one thing – The Rally of the Tests. With the days growing shorter and the air colder, many people begin to put their cars away for the winter, however for a rather more dedicated crowd it becomes the perfect time to come out and play. What sort of event can bring together such likeminded individuals, and who are these sportsmen and women who are willing to put their valuable cars through such rigorous testing? The Rally of the Tests has been drawing classic car enthusiasts from around the world for over 12 years. Taking its competitors back to a golden age of motoring, it focusses on some challenging navigation that the crews must work through in order to find themselves on some of the UK’s most exciting and beautiful roads. With cars ranging from Minis, MGs and Fords through to Bentleys, Mercedes and Porsches, what you drive is a matter of personal choice, but to have a chance 198 199
A gentleman should never be seen behind the wheel without a hat! The competitors all proudly display the badges from previous rallies on their lapels, with some having competed every year for more than a decadethe route changes every year, so they will never do the same route twice. The rally is fully supported by a team of specialist classic car mechanics, as seen here doing some final checks on a magnificent 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SE. A large and heavy but powerful car, these were successful rally cars when new and are still popular now. The youngest crew on the rally, the Whyte sisters take part in a 1972 BMW 1602, dressing in true 70’s style! of winning an award, the vehicle must be built before 1962. The crews are not racing each other, but competing in a “regularity” event where they must maintain precise average speeds across the many challenging roads. They aim to arrive at check points at exact times and whilst they must not break any laws, they must all press-on to avoid getting penalties for arriving early or late. These are interspersed with the many high speed “test” sections on private land, where the crews compete against the clock to get their cars around the course in the fastest time possible. Farm yards, forest tracks and British Army ranges are picked specifically to offer the greatest challenge and the greatest thrill possible to those taking part. The competitors are drawn to the event from around the world; they come for the sport, the competition and the camaraderie. Crews are required to dress in the same period as their cars, many dress in tweed, with the traditional British “flat cap” being a favourite for the gents and the more flamboyant style of the swinging sixties 200 201
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Page 5: A 1959 Morris Minor 1000 and a 1962

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