RtG Ypres-Istanbul Daily Dispatch - complete - web - Flipbook - Page 14
13 June to 3 July 2022
Day 6
Rest day in Prague
19 June 2022
two, they’ve fitted new brakes and a new wheel to the Model
91A. Today was the perfect opportunity for a precautionary
session with the wrench. Tony Rowe and Mark Delling,
another crew with a Ford, were waiting patiently in line for
some help to adjust the travel of their clutch pedal.
Jack Amies was in the footwell of Bertie and Charlotte van
Houtte’s Porsche 911 doing the tricky job of refitting some
gear linkage bushes. Charlie Neale, meanwhile, had his head
deep inside the rear wheel arch of Enrico Paggi and Federica
Mascetti’s Fiat, looking to cure a wheel bearing oil leak.
Daniel Wiedemann was wrapped up in paperwork,
concentrating hard in the seat of his Mercedes. He’d
borrowed a set of instructions for his Monit tripmeter which
needed recalibration and there was also a slight speedo
issue to deal with. Barry Nash and Malcolm Lister, inveterate
tinkerers and Rover aficionados, were “just playing and
checking. There’s nothing wrong with the car, but we like to
keep an eye on things... You know how it is”.
It’s Jack’s last day on the tools today. He’s flying home
today as part of a planned crew rotation and is being
replaced by Owen Turner. Another true wizard of the
spanners, although we hope that he doesn’t have to work
too much of his magic over the next two weeks.
www.rallytheglobe.com
Text & photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Rest days follow a certain pattern and it’s a brave crew who
try to buck the trend with any ideas of their own. The first
job is to get another hour or so in bed and then it’s time to
enjoy a slightly more leisurely breakfast after which, one
of two things can happen. Laundry needs to be done and
the car will need some attention. This is often, although not
always, where a division of labour kicks in.
When the morning’s chores are finished there’s time for
a long lunch, some sightseeing and shopping, and dinner
at your time and choosing. There’s much to do in Prague
and there’s plenty to see but, on a day as hot as this, most
people were looking for shade.
The sweeps were on duty as usual and, down in the
relative cool of the garage, we found them doing their
best to stay hydrated, and helping out with all manner of
problems. Andrew Boland and Andy Inskip were looking
to making the Ford V8 stop more efficiently, there’d been
some trouble with the brake servo yesterday afternoon.
Andy had rigged the system to get it to the night halt but,
this morning it was time to make good on the repair for
two more weeks of rallying.
Lukas Ospelt and Russ Smith were giving another Ford a
good torquing to. After losing a wheel on the track on day
Design: K-Design
We celebrated Mother’s Day on our Generations Rally and today, in a neat twist of fate or a lovely piece
of symmetry, we find it’s Father’s Day. And, for those amongst us who qualify, what better way to spend
it than tinkering with an old car in the middle of a long distance rally.