1979 Vauxhall Chevette HSR Works Rally Car

Lot details
Registration No: AVE345V
Chassis No: 9808DE7227913
Mot Expiry: Jan 2012

The Chevette was a small family saloon that slotted into the Vauxhall range below the established Viva. With Ford not responding with the Fiesta until 1976, it was in fact the best selling vehicle of its type from 1975 to 1978. By 1976 the company's Chairman Bob Price had decided competing in international rallying was the best way to increase Vauxhall's profile and a deal was struck with Blydenstein Racing to develop a rally version of the Chevette. Enter the HS.

A 16-valve version of Vauxhall's 2.3-litre 'Slant-Four' engine was shoehorned into the Chevette's purposeful snout. This was mated to a five-speed Getrag gearbox and the suspension and rear axle lifted from the Opel Kadett C GT/E. A glass-reinforced plastic airdam was developed and Chevrolet Vega alloy wheels fitted. Entry into Group 4 required the building of 400 'homologation specials' for general sale. The result was a rapid, good handling if rather unrefined machine. Like the Droopsnoot Firenzas, HSs were only available in Silver. The Works rally cars enjoyed great results in the hands of such talent as Pentii Airikkala and Tony Pond. To sustain the early promise, the HS was developed into the faster HSR by upgrading unsold HSs and modifying customers' vehicles. Among the many spoils amassed by the HS and HSRs were the 1979 British Drivers' Championship and the 1981 Manufacturers' Championship.

The 1979 right-hand drive Chevette being offered is the ex-Works machine in which Pentti Airikkala won the 1979 Sedan Open Championship. 'AVE 345V' was built by the Blydenstein operation at Shepreth and run by the Works manager, Gerry Johnstone. En route to his championship victory, Airikkala won the Ulster rally outright, came 4th on the Costa Brava and 7th on the RAC Rally. As a result the car featured in numerous publications of the day.

The following year the Vauxhall was run for Graham Elsmore, who achieved victories on the Epynt, Ard and Halewood stage rallies. It was then taken over by Brendan Fagan, who ran it in the Irish Tarmac Championship with support from Gerry Johnstone, who had by now left Blydenstein's Dealer Team Vauxhall operation. Following outings in a variety of known hands, 'AVE 345V' was then reunited with Airikkala, who used it as the course car on the 1997 Snowman event. After this it was laid-up for a while before being restored to the former glory it now represents. In this form it played the more sedate role of tribute car at Airikkala's funeral in 2009.

Presented in its final HSR form (the conversion from HS was made in the 1981 season), it comprises: a genuine Safety Devices shell (with correct shell and chassis identity) sympathetically restored in period form. It is finished in Silver with Castrol stripes and decals as per the 1979 RAC event (including the number 7 door squares that were Airikkala's entry and finish number on the event). It sports a freshly restored 2.3-litre dry sump 16-valve engine, with correct Cosworth pistons and Gordon Allen steel crank and rods. The direct-top ZF dog-leg S5/18-3 dog gearbox has been fully reconditioned by specialist Brian Wildman. The four-link refurbished rear axle is the correct 4HA unit; fully floating with correct AP brakes, vented discs and a Works ratio limited slip differential. The front brakes are also the correct AP units. The car has rose-jointed suspension and mounting points. The interior is period correct and features the passenger floor-mounted fuse and relay panel only found on the Works machines. The dry sump tank and fuel pumps are located under the Works covers in the boot.

MOT'd, taxed and accompanied by full FIA / MSA paperwork, 'AVE 345V' offers the chance to buy both a great car for historic events and a cherished slice of rally history, that would be welcome at any relevant meeting in the world. A truly unique opportunity.