Sometimes it’s impossible to plan ahead - that was the case with this exciting opportunity.
With shipping issues delaying the return of competitors cars from the Badawi trial, which were now up to a month late, it left many people with a lot of work to be done in a very short amount of time before shipping for the ultimate endurance challenge, the Peking to Paris Rally. The Badawi trial was the perfect test for vehicles undertaking Peking to Paris. Giving competitors the opportunity to test what works and what doesn’t. Any car intending to entertain both the Badawi Trial and Peking to Paris rallies would certainly need a thorough overhaul in-between events.
The initial phone call was for advice regarding a Chevrolet Master steering box. We are well known for our work on vintage rally cars, Ben has built many Chevrolet Fangio replicas most of which are regularly seen throughout the endurance rally scene. Happy to help, we identified and sourced the required overhaul parts for the steering box and had them delivered to us before Christmas. Conversations continued and our experience and knowledge was proving crucial, with time disappearing fast it was clear that OCR Rally could offer more than just advice and parts sourcing.
On December 29th the 1938 Fangio Chevrolet Master arrived at OCR Rally. The first job was to carry out a full road test and ramp inspection to get the detailed picture of the works required. The vehicle had performed admirably on the Badawi Trial and finished 3rd overall. To get the vehicle to a standard that would allow it to be competitive again would require a lot of work.
January 1st marked the day this project would kick into gear. The brakes were stripped, the shoes would need re-lining, the drums would need grinding. Wheel bearings would need replacing, springs would need retempering, bushes would need replacing. The list went on. We used our extensive range of contacts and good relationship with sub-contractors to get external work turned around quickly, our suppliers understood the challenge and could not have been more supportive and willing to assist us.
The cylinder head was removed to inspect the bores, confirming that the engine was in good condition. You can tell when the competitor has been in tune with his vehicle across an endurance event. Every grease nipple had new grease present, and the levels were all topped. This attention to detail across an event not only certainly helps get a car to the finish line, but also helps with the overhaul.
With rebuild parts arriving from the USA, we worked tirelessly across the month of January, including evenings and all weekends, to fully prepare the Chevrolet. The client taking this opportunity to further refine the storage and creature comforts side of the vehicle, the boot storage system was completely redesigned, additional cup holders were added as well as a cool box.
The final shipping date for Peking to Paris changed regularly as a result of the shipping crisis in the Middle East. The unavoidable shipping delays caused much stress for the event organisers. The Chevrolet was up and running in advance of the first date given which was February 8th. We had worked continuously through January (only stopping for the odd dog walk and child’s football match) such was our determination to get the vehicle completed with sufficient time to test and carry out all the running adjustments these cars tend to require.
The final shipping date ended up being February 12th. By this time the Chevrolet had been fully packed, all its spares fully replenished complete with a new packing list to make it clear and easy to service the vehicle. January had been a whirlwind month, but it’s these challenges that make the historic rally scene so interesting.
