World famous Monte Carlo Rally to leave from Paisley

Final checks are being made on a collection of classic cars which will set off next week from Paisley on the 2017 historic rally run to Monte Carlo!

Article Source: Paisley 2021
Last Updated: 20 January 2017 14:25

It’ll be the fourth time the town – which is bidding to be UK City of Culture 2021 – will be the only British start point out of seven European cities for a range of historic cars to make the 1300 mile trip to the South of France.

Around eighty cars are expected to leave the start ramp outside Paisley Abbey at 6pm on Wednesday January 25th in three separate categories.

The Historique class is being run for the 20th year and is restricted to car models which competed in the Monte Carlo Rallies between 1955 and 1980. It will take place over eight days on open public roads with the cars and crews undertaking a series of fourteen demanding test stages in the mountains of southern France.

Included in the line-up will be an ex-BMC works Mini Cooper S which competed in the Monte Carlo Rally 50 years ago, finishing 6th overall in the hands of rally legend Paddy Hopkirk. It will be driven by Scottish rally enthusiasts Pat Haley and Mike Hyrons. Also taking part will be a rare and original 1978 Ford Escort RS 2000 which had previously been on display in a car showroom in Wales.

The Classique event is for older cars from as early as 1911 to 1980 and follows the same route to Monte Carlo but does not include any test stages, the goal simply being to finish in Monte Carlo after checking in at a series of control points on the way. Among the cars in this category are a 1960 Rover P4, affectionately named “Cuthbert”, and a Sunbeam Stiletto, which was built nearby at the Linwood car plant and looks as good as it did when it rolled off the production line in 1968.

Once again the event will also feature the popular Monte Heritage Runs which will follow on from the full-scale events and will take in a series of short classic routes in Scotland.

Last year a crowd of more than 10,000 gathered in the centre of Paisley with the magnificent backdrop of the Abbey to wave off the crews in a party atmosphere with lights, music, street food and fireworks... and working with staff from Renfrewshire Council and volunteers from many motorsport clubs in Scotland, the organisers expect this year’s start to be even bigger and better next year.

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