The Daily Mirror 1970 World Cup Rally 40
The World's Toughest Rally in Retrospect
Published on 15. September 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-1-78711-228-5 (ISBN)
Description
After the first ever intercontinental rally - the London-Sydney in 1968 - there was widespread enthusiasm for an even more difficult test. With the Football World Cup being held in Mexico in 1970, it was the perfect opportunity to hold a parallel, much tougher challenge - the World Cup Rally.
Organisers John Sprinzel and John Brown secured sponsorship from the Daily Mirror and planned a unique high-speed event, lasting six weeks and covering 16,000 miles from London to Mexico City via some of the most varying, tortuous and difficult terrain on three continents.
Serious works teams such as Ford and British Leyland spent tremendous amounts choosing and developing new cars, completing months-long route surveys, and analysing every detail of diets, oxygen provision, and the number of crew members. Despite all this planning, out of an entry of more than 100, only 23 cars made it to the finish. It was then, and remains now, the toughest rally of all time.
This book, now reprinted in paperback, tells the complete story.
Organisers John Sprinzel and John Brown secured sponsorship from the Daily Mirror and planned a unique high-speed event, lasting six weeks and covering 16,000 miles from London to Mexico City via some of the most varying, tortuous and difficult terrain on three continents.
Serious works teams such as Ford and British Leyland spent tremendous amounts choosing and developing new cars, completing months-long route surveys, and analysing every detail of diets, oxygen provision, and the number of crew members. Despite all this planning, out of an entry of more than 100, only 23 cars made it to the finish. It was then, and remains now, the toughest rally of all time.
This book, now reprinted in paperback, tells the complete story.
Reviews / Votes
It is the umpteenth wonderful book by publishing company Veloce Publishing, the publisher where every car enthusiast should be able to find something to his liking. Robson sketches a complete and detailed overview of the idea for the rally and the people being that idea. The participating cars and their drivers. The promising and hopeless participants and the hardships. And all that without being a dry summary of facts. The book is in fact a must-have for every lover of the (classic) rally sport. - Klassiekerrally.nl. Big story, big book. This is a great choice to be reprinted by Veloce - an excellent account of just how the Daily Mirroe World Cup Rally 1970 came about ... how it was planned and run is authoritatively written by the man who was on the ground throughout the entire six weeks that it took the event to cover 16,000 miles. Graham Robson makes the point that it was a once-in-a-generation event ... indeed, it was really once-in-a-lifetime as he explains just how incredible it was that it happened at all. No comparable event could ever be conceived today. Containing 237 colour and black and white photos it covers the planning, preparation, organisation and practice. There are full descriptions of the cars and crews, from the fully-profession works crews to the total amateurs... a truly engrossing read for any rally enthusiast. - Old Stager. Involved for 40 years in rally, as a competitor, team manager, organiser, reporter, commentator and observer, Graham Robson lived the test closely by collaborating with the organisation. In 2010, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the event, he had the idea of devoting a very complete bookto it. In about 200 pages, it tells the birth of the concept, its preparation and its development day by day, without forgetting at add many figures and crispy anecdotes. The illustration is rich and varied, with 237 photos, maps and diagrams, giving pride of place to the actors. - AUTOnews Redaction.More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
David & Charles
Dimensions
Height: 224 mm
Width: 224 mm
Thickness: 21 mm
Weight
780 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78711-228-5 (9781787112285)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
09/2015
NYU Press
€18.49
Available for download
Person
After a varied career in the automotive industry Graham Robson has gained a worldwide reputation as a motoring historian, and has more than 160 books to his credit.
Born in 1936, and educated at Ermysteds Grammar School in Yorkshire, Graham then went on to study Engineering at Oxford University. He joined Jaguar Cars as a graduate trainee, becoming involved in design work on the Mk II, E-Type and Mark X. Beginning as a hobby, he became a rally co-driver, eventually joining the Sunbeam 'works' team in 1961, and took part in rallies up to International level (once with Roger Clark), but stopped rallying by 1968.
During this time he joined Standard-Triumph in Coventry, in 1961, as a Development Engineer, mainly on sports car projects. He then ran the re-opened 'works' motorsport department from 1962 to 1965, this being the period of the birth of Spitfire Le Mans cars, TR4, Vitesse, Spitfire and 2000 rally car developments.
Graham Robson's writing began with rally reports for magazines which evolved into a job with Autocar from 1965-1969. He was recruited back to industry at Rootes to run the Product Proving department, then after a brief period in 1972 as technical director of a safety belt company, became an independent motoring writer. Graham has lived 'by the pen' and 'by the voice', not only writing but commentating, presenting and organising events of all types.
Born in 1936, and educated at Ermysteds Grammar School in Yorkshire, Graham then went on to study Engineering at Oxford University. He joined Jaguar Cars as a graduate trainee, becoming involved in design work on the Mk II, E-Type and Mark X. Beginning as a hobby, he became a rally co-driver, eventually joining the Sunbeam 'works' team in 1961, and took part in rallies up to International level (once with Roger Clark), but stopped rallying by 1968.
During this time he joined Standard-Triumph in Coventry, in 1961, as a Development Engineer, mainly on sports car projects. He then ran the re-opened 'works' motorsport department from 1962 to 1965, this being the period of the birth of Spitfire Le Mans cars, TR4, Vitesse, Spitfire and 2000 rally car developments.
Graham Robson's writing began with rally reports for magazines which evolved into a job with Autocar from 1965-1969. He was recruited back to industry at Rootes to run the Product Proving department, then after a brief period in 1972 as technical director of a safety belt company, became an independent motoring writer. Graham has lived 'by the pen' and 'by the voice', not only writing but commentating, presenting and organising events of all types.