Group 2 Ford Capri RS2600/3100 racing history and whereabouts (mega merge!)

[Peter Mallett]

This is one for the touring car fans.

The following is a quote taken from one of the books in my library. It’s a quote from a famous racing driver (F1, Sports Cars and Touring Cars) talking about the competition and what that particular manufacturer has done.

“**** has done some steps for *** which weren’t among the ideas he had before about saloon car racing. He knew he had to win this year and he wouldn’t have won without those funny ****s on the ***s. So he homologated them, which was of course very clever but I think its a little off the line of saloon cars. I don’t think it’s a very good thing to do – to start with all those ****s – but sometimes its necessary to do things like that.”

We are talking here about two famous touring car marques. One of them did not have the means to homologate the parts that the other decided would give it the advantage it needed to win. The following year both marques had developed these items for their racing cars.

So. I realise these are difficult questions but can anybody tell me who is the person who homologated the parts? What were the parts in question? Who is the driver and what are the two marques concerned?

A clue is that these parts can be blamed for the "death of ST racing".

[Sparky]

Would it be Gabriele Tarquini and the aero package designed and homolagated as the Alfa 155 'Silverstone'?

I guess the other must be Nigel Mansell (?) discussing his time at Ford, and the struggle Ford / Andy Rouse had with the aero bits?

I think I'm way off the mark with our Nige, but dunno who else it could be...

[Peter Mallett]

Well Sparkster.

You are obviously on the right track but then again ................ perhaps not. I raised this as an example of how things get paralleled in motorsport. In your case the wings on the Alfa dealt the initial blow to Super Touring.

[kmchow]

In retrospect, I agree with your Peter. Alfa's wings certainly caused reprecussions in the future. Hmmm, ever watch Back to the Future with Michael J Fox??

However, you gotta admit, the spiral downward definitely was pretty damn cool looking!! Those aero aids made the cars look just absolutely mean!!

Sadly, the result is terminal and extinction of such a cool level and type of racing.
Sighhh...

Let's toast ST--Cheers!! ST was "An Affair to Remember!"

[Michael M]

I remember that in the 70s something similar happened with the BMW CSL Coupe, when the "homologated" spoilers of the standard CSL had been deposited in the trunk of any sold car, leaving it to the buyers to fit them or not. At least this was done for the small strips fitted between bonnet and front wings, I'm not sure whether they did it also with the rear spoiler. If BMW is correct, the other make must be Ford, which makes sense considering this topic opened by Peter.

Edit 1: I checked some photos, the strips had been mounted o n the front wings, and not between wings and bonnet, and the other trunk item was the spoiler mounted on rear part of the roof. The main rear spoiler as far I remember was standard for the CSL, but I may be wrong.

Edit 2: Okay, I give it a try now. Peter is talking about a book, and as he has only one , it must be about Capris, so the topic BMW CSL v/s Ford Capri must be correct. The year was 1973, the BMW driver Hans-Joachim Stuck, and the Capri driver most probably Jochen Maass. The question about the person who homologated the "Batmobile" is problematic, because homologations can only be done by companies, not by persons. However, it must have been Jochen Neerpasch, at that time head of BMW's racing department, and Managing Director of the newly created BMW Motorsport GmbH, which was also in charge selling the "Batmobile" to the public.

[This message has been edited by Michael M (edited 27 March 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Michael M (edited 27 March 2000).]

[Peter Mallett]

Humph,

Actually I do have more than 1 book. I’ve got one about Lamborghini!!!

Mr Chow.

How right you are about the Alfa’s wings and splitters. They made the car look great and indeed were so effective that the other manufacturers got sucked in to the game and changed the regs to include splitters and wings. However, I don’t recall that many production cars having those appendages in the immediately following years.

Michael.

You are absolutely correct. Jochen Mass was talking about Jochen Neerspach who’s actions for BMW forced Ford into homologating the RS 3100 Capri in 1973 with the rear “ducktail” in order to compete. The “Middle East crisis” caught them all out. Ford sold very few RS 3100s because of the hike in fuel prices. It was therefore a very expensive piece of homologation for them.

That was 1973/4 and the parallels with the current ST situation are there for all to see.

The story comes from Jeremy Walton’s book “Capri” which I tend to read at this time of the year purely for the stories about the Cologne Capris. Those were the days.

Sparky,

You see you were on the right course. So near yet so far.

[Michael M]

I knew it is a Capri book, and none about BMWs!

For those not knowing what we are talking about:

[kmchow]

Peter wrote:

>They made the car look great and indeed >were so effective that the other >manufacturers got sucked in to the game and >changed the regs to include splitters and >wings. However, I don’t recall that many >production cars having those appendages in >the immediately following years.
>
The way I justify their use is that they provided a good balance between production car and race car looks. Even with all those aero aids, you could VERY OBVIOUSLY tell what production car they were based on. As good as the racing and grids were for Class 2, the series just was "missing" something. Aero aids filled in that seeming "void". Of course, this is just MY HUMBLE opinion in the end!!

[fatbloke]

Hey Michael - thanks for that - I now have a spiffing new wallpaper on my PC...

[Peter Mallett]

Michael. If its ok I will use that on my website. (A little smaller though). OK?

I also have that wallpaper.

Mr Chow.

I think you'll agree that you can also tell which cars you were watching. The ducktail on the Capri reduced its CD by approx 20%. It was extremely hieght sensitive though.

[Michael M]

Peter, I do not own the copyright, I found it somewhere in the www, but cannot remember where. Looks like Nuremberg Norisring 200 Miles Race 1973 or 1974, must be DRM series.

Edit: I just see the source is shown on the picture, although I'm sure that I didn't found it there.

[This message has been edited by Michael M (edited 28 March 2000).]

[Michael M]

Peter, I do not own the copyright, I found it somewhere in the www, but cannot remember where. Looks like Nuremberg Norisring 200 Miles Race 1973 or 1974, must be DRM series.

Edit: what the h... is this now??? Seems so I hit the wrong button ...

[This message has been edited by Michael M (edited 28 March 2000).]

[Peter Mallett]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Michael M:
Peter, I do not own the copyright, I found it somewhere in the www, but cannot remember where. Looks like Nuremberg Norisring 200 Miles Race 1973 or 1974, must be DRM series.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yep, it looks like late '74. Those front splitters were run in the DRM not the ETC.

[Peter Mallett]

LOOK WHAT I FOUND



It belongs to Ron Frew in New Zealand and is the ex Lauda car form 1974 (?). He actually uses it. Lucky Bugger!!!

[Steve Holmes]

How clued up are you folks on Cologne Capri's? I thought all the racing Capri's prepared by the factory during the early 70's were called Cologne Capri's, but I'm told by someone who owns one of the RS3100's that there were only four. His is the car raced by Allan Moffat in Australia after the works had finished with it.

I know the name 'Cologne Capri' is a fairly abused one, and used on just about everything, but there are two more Capri's here in New Zealand, one raced by Paul Fahey in the 70's, and another earlier RS2600, both factory race cars, but apparently not officially Cologne Capri's. But they're loosly refered to as Cologne Capri's.

I know the name comes from Germany where they were built, but it appears unless the engines were built there too, they're not Cologne Capri's.

Any Cologne Capri authorities on this site? And can anyone suggest a website containing info on the subject?

Thanks