Group B MG Metro 6R4 History

[Gerry Taylor]

This may be of interest. Its in the Motor Museum on the strip in Las Vegas. It is for sale. I wonder if anyone recognises the reg No?
I took this in 2007.
Gerry

[chunterer]

Gerry, the one in your post is a Rothmans liveried 6R4, not a Grp A Turbo, is that right?

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Gerry, the one in your post is a Rothmans liveried 6R4, not a Grp A Turbo, is that right?

I was just about to post exactly the same comment!

[andy97]

Looks like its in "Rothmans" colours. I wonder if it came from the David Sutton Museum? He had several rally cars on display of that era, including a collection of quattros, but I think the owner decided/ needed to sell them off.

[KA]

It certainly looks like it's in Rothmans colours- although the registration number doesn't ring bells as being one of the original Dave Richards-run Rothmans cars (C749LFM, ex-works/Computervision C869EUD, and C84RBD amongst others I think)

[Tim Wilkinson]

It's a very late reg. A DVLA check shows it as being registered for in mid '90 and not taxed since late '90, with a 3000cc engine. Weren't the 6R4s long gone from front-line rallying by then?

[MG Rover Sport]

Good evening all, apologies for my somewhat lengthy recent absence, and here's wishing you all a belated Happy New Year!...

...if anything's going to get me posting again it'll be a 6R4!

G177 AWL actually started life as one of the 'production' Clubman versions, but was later modified by Bill Gwynne Engineering (BGE) in 1989/90 for a client in Guatamala as a Rothmans liveried left hand drive tarmac rally car replica - so no actual David Richards Autosport (DRA) history I'm afraid. You are indeed correct with your Rothmans registration numbers, KA - although DRA only borrowed C869 EUD from Cowley for Billy Coleman to use on the 1986 Shell Donegal Rally.

G177 AWL was exported out there by BGE along with Harri Toivenen's Unipart liveried ex-works car C96 KOG for the guy to have a little fun with around his plantation, apparently! Lucky Guatamalian!

Both cars were advertised for sale on an American classic car website for quite some time up until the last year or so - G177 AWL for a stonking $200,000 (approx £124,000 now), and C96 KOG was $250,000 (approx £155,000 now)!

I reckon that's where the photo above was taken as they are located on the Las Vegas strip - am I right Gerry?

Hope that helps.

[bigears]

Originally Posted by MG Rover Sport

G177 AWL actually started life as one of the 'production' Clubman versions, but was later modified by Bill Gwynne Engineering (BGE) in 1989/90 for a client in Guatamala as a Rothmans liveried left hand drive tarmac rally car replica - so no actual David Richards Autosport (DRA) history I'm afraid. You are indeed correct with your Rothmans registration numbers, KA - although DRA only borrowed C869 EUD from Cowley for Billy Coleman to use on the 1986 Shell Donegal Rally.

G177 AWL was exported out there by BGE along with Harri Toivenen's Unipart liveried ex-works car C96 KOG for the guy to have a little fun with around his plantation, apparently! Lucky Guatamalian!

You mentioned the C96 KOG car, surely it is the same C97 KOG as driven by Pete Slights for the 1988 MG Metro 6R4 Trophy? Or is it just a different car?

Same for the C869 EUD car was later used in 1989 for Pete Lloyd in his C874 EUD car well?

I want to check if my research of the Metros' partipication at the Birmingham Superprix is correct!

[metro 6r2]

With all that 6R4 knowledge I am sure you can tell me a lot about C998 LCA which I now own. During the current rebuild the car shows signs of being painted Computer Vision blue in the early days. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks: metro 6r2

[KA]

C998LCA was an R-E-D car- If the registration number and bodyshell still match, I think it was Willie Rutherford's car used on the National Championship and the RAC

Are the traces of blue definitely Computervision blue?

I don't remember what colour Rutherford's car was all season, but pretty sure that on the RAC it was in an overall blue colourscheme, with sponsorship from Sanyo and Comet.
RED boss Geoff Fielding's own car (C288JFM) which was usually white (I think?) also had the blue Sanyo/Comet colours for the RAC, the two cars being entered as 'Team Sanyo Racing with Comet' or something like that.

I'm sure Rutherford's C998LCA was blue colours on other events as well- I'm sure there was an Autosport front cover pic of it at some time in the year

The only RED car I can think of in Computervision colours was David Llewellin's late-season car D750PDM, which ran in Computervision livery in the second half of the British Open season (Scottish, Ulster and Manx I think) and the RAC.

[ollyuser]

Hey,

I was wondering if anyone had any info or pictures of a gloplas 6r4. It ran with sof 406 number plate and was driven by andy sharam and ade jefferies around 1988/89/90. Any info would be great :-)

Thanks
Olly Jefferies

[MG Rover Sport]

Originally Posted by ollyuser

Hey,

I was wondering if anyone had any info or pictures of a gloplas 6r4. It ran with sof 406 number plate and was driven by andy sharam and ade jefferies around 1988/89/90. Any info would be great :-)

Thanks
Olly Jefferies

Good evening Olly, and an equally warm welcome to Ten Tenths to you too!

I know the car well, as I recall watching it in Andy's / Ade's hands during the 1988 and 1989 Esso Metro Superchallenge amongst others. It was first registered D316 CVJ which was later changed to SOF 406 (or SO F40 6) due to Andy Sharam having ordered a brand new Ferrari F40 at the time!

In fact you must remind me to your father - assuming that's what relationship Ade is to you? Tell him David Sims says 'Hi, and I hope he is keeping well? I am still keeping a track of all the 6R4s, but it's nowhere near as fun as the Superchallenge / 6R4 Owners Club days!'

I'd be interested in what his reaction is?

I'll see if I can find some photos and get them uploaded over the weekend.

[DRS 28]

Originally Posted by ollyuser

Hey,

I was wondering if anyone had any info or pictures of a gloplas 6r4. It ran with sof 406 number plate and was driven by andy sharam and ade jefferies around 1988/89/90. Any info would be great :-)

Thanks
Olly Jefferies

Hi Olly,

I am Andy Sharam's brother David. I think I have some home video of the gloplas car either taken by Andrea or Austin. From faint memory it is shot in farmland somewhere and is of a stage or stages in a rally. It will take some digging out but if of interest can commit to a dvd and post on to you. It is by absolute fluke I came across your post as had not visited this site before and was looking for info on another subject.
Hope your Dad is well. He may remember me.
rgds, David all the info ref. the toyota and F 40 are correct.

[MG Rover Sport]

Originally Posted by metro 6r2

With all that 6R4 knowledge I am sure you can tell me a lot about C998 LCA which I now own. During the current rebuild the car shows signs of being painted Computer Vision blue in the early days. Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks: metro 6r2

Good evening '6r2' and a warm welcome to Ten Tenths to you - and to C998 LCA!

As KA rightly pointed out, C998 LCA was indeed rallied by Willie Rutherford during the 1986 British rally season. It started it's life in white with blue Sanyo / Comet logos but was then painted blue with white logo as the season progressed. The car was prepared by Rally Engineering Developments (known as R-E-D) in Widnes, Cheshire, and they also looked after the 'sister' cars C996 LCA for David Llewellyn and C997 LCA for Harri Toivenen.

The blue that this car was painted was indeed very close to Computervision blue - see the photo below with Willie Rutherford stood alongside it - which was taken at a pre-1986 Lombard RAC Rally shakedown. Full credit to the original photographer - 'the' Ian Grindrod from britishrally.co.uk...



I do also recall that it was actually sprayed Computervision livery by a subsequent owner before Steve Winter / Andy Elliot started rallying it - I'll see if I have any photos though.

Events wise, C998 LCA contested the following rallies in 1986 - Granite, Manx, Port Talbot, Mewla, Lindisfarne, Quip, Audi Sport and the RAC.

So what are your plans for the car then '6r2'?

[Gerry Taylor]

Originally Posted by MG Rover Sport

Good evening all, apologies for my somewhat lengthy recent absence, and here's wishing you all a belated Happy New Year!...

...if anything's going to get me posting again it'll be a 6R4!

G177 AWL actually started life as one of the 'production' Clubman versions, but was later modified by Bill Gwynne Engineering (BGE) in 1989/90 for a client in Guatamala as a Rothmans liveried left hand drive tarmac rally car replica - so no actual David Richards Autosport (DRA) history I'm afraid. You are indeed correct with your Rothmans registration numbers, KA - although DRA only borrowed C869 EUD from Cowley for Billy Coleman to use on the 1986 Shell Donegal Rally.

G177 AWL was exported out there by BGE along with Harri Toivenen's Unipart liveried ex-works car C96 KOG for the guy to have a little fun with around his plantation, apparently! Lucky Guatamalian!

Both cars were advertised for sale on an American classic car website for quite some time up until the last year or so - G177 AWL for a stonking $200,000 (approx £124,000 now), and C96 KOG was $250,000 (approx £155,000 now)!

I reckon that's where the photo above was taken as they are located on the Las Vegas strip - am I right Gerry?

Hope that helps.

Hi, sorry for the delay in responding. This car is in the Motor Museum on the Strip in Las Vegas, along with quite a few others, all are for sale. Owned by a millionaire collector theyre displayed in a really good area above a hotel. If anyone visits L V it's well worth a visit.
Gerry

[KA]

Apologies if it's already been answered, but a question about the 6R4 seen in the Ayrton Senna rally car test in CCC Magazine- According to pics, it was C64WDU.
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/i...5ef8efb7e3.jpg
Was it loaned by Austin Rover themselves or a private owner- it's got ARG logos on the front/rear wings, so possibly a factory demo car?. The number plate rings a vague bell from somewhere...

[KevinSRJones]

Originally Posted by KA

Apologies if it's already been answered, but a question about the 6R4 seen in the Ayrton Senna rally car test in CCC Magazine- According to pics, it was C64WDU.
http://www.racecar-engineering.com/i...5ef8efb7e3.jpg
Was it loaned by Austin Rover themselves or a private owner- it's got ARG logos on the front/rear wings, so possibly a factory demo car?. The number plate rings a vague bell from somewhere...

Apologies for the much belated response ... I was once registering a fleet of Montegos when I spotted C64WDU and thought it would be as near as perfect to place on the Press Car Clubman-spec MG Metro 6R4. Ironically, I was then the lucky individual to sit next to Ayrton Senna when he drove it (the Press Car, hence the Austin Rover livery) for that infamous moment, captured by Russell Buglin in CCC. Kevin Jones

[6r4 twin turbo]

i've read somewhere that C84RBD had a DRA chassis number when it was sold for rallycross. Does anyone know the number and the other DRA numbers that were issued?

[MG Rover Sport]

Drop me a PM giving me a few more details, and I might be able to help when I get home this evening. I'd really need to know what your reasons are for asking though - which I think is pretty understandable under the circumstances.

[KA]

Looks like the 6R4 bits have been split off from the end of the Metro Turbo thread- that's cool, we've got a 6R4 thread....

Think this is the only 6R4 pic I've got to hand right now, though there are plenty more I can post- mostly rallycross, and a few questions raised by them.

Pic is Guy Williams at a Lydden rallycross meeting, 1990/91-ish I think

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by KA

Pic is Guy Williams at a Lydden rallycross meeting, 1990/91-ish I think

That shell looks like a Belga livery?

Could the car or shell have originally been a Belgian/Euro contender for someone like Robert Droogmans?

[KA]

You beat me to it- I was just looking for pics of the Duez/Belga 6R4. IIRC, he usually appeared on tarmac events in Europe, but did do the '86 RAC.

http://www.autotitre.com/forum/up/31dbc981c8.jpg

http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/20...1132668826_6r4

http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/20...lga_metro1.jpg

[KA]

Just trying to re-cap who the main teams running 6R4s internationally were, apart from the works/Computervision cars

As we've just established, Konrad Schmidt ran Duez, with Belga sponsorship and Per Eklund's Clarion car- A couple more pics from Marc Duez's own website:
http://www.marc-duez.be/galeries/ima...-Giet-(19).jpg
http://www.marc-duez.be/galeries/ima...-Giet-(28).jpg

Eklund (86 RAC)
http://images.forum-auto.com/mesimag...RAC%2086-P.jpg

Dave Richards ran the Rothmans-sponsored cars in the UK and some European events for Jimmy McRae and Billy Coleman
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/...42efa86235.jpg

RED (Rally Engineering Development) ran David Llewellin and Harri Toivonen on the British Open series- Llewellin got Computervision sponsorship like the factory cars late-season, but started the year with a plain white car with just ARG logos. D750PDM in the pic is the car he used late-season in Computervision colours (new car from Ulster onwards?)
http://www.crspics.com/onlineshop/po...in-ulst-85.jpg
Toivonen's was Unipart-backed
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_hK4B3XA1DSM/SA...ro_jyska86.jpg
(though i think this is the works car he used on the 1000 Lakes, rather than his RED car- the original RED cars were registered in the C9xxLCA series I think?)

Did they also run Didier Auriol's 'Export 33' car in France?

Think RED also ran a car on the National Championship in the UK for Willie Rutherford- in blue Sanyo colours I think. RED boss Geoff Fielding also had his own 6R4- debuted on the 85 RAC with the works cars?

Apart from that, a whole lot of privateers, Ken Wood (Golden Wonder-sponsored, like his Rover), David Gillanders and many more in the UK

[MG Rover Sport]

Indeed, a dedicated Metro 6R4 thread now - been meaning for a while to start one, but never really got around to doing it KA. Can see me spending lots of time here now, and to start off with...

Guy Williams' car was the ex-Gary Midwinter car, Reg No D574 UXF that he rallied during the late 1980s - as well as racing it at the Metro 6R4 races at the Birmingham Superprix and Silverstone. I'll dig out a photo or two later.

[Thundersports]

The Guy Williams car served some time with Terry Briggs 5-6 years ago then the engine/body were split and sold to an Irishman.