Saab 96 at Turku Historic rally 17.9.2011

By Tikkis

Finnish Historic rallychampionship series continued in Turku with 85 Historic rallycars up to yearmodel -81 and totally 161 rallycars consisting of every possible class. In our tightest class 9, Group 2 cars up to 2000cc between 1970 to 1975 were 12 competitors in starting point. And between those 12, nearly ten have sometimes won in Historic rallies. Some competitors were from Sweden, which is nice thing. So it was good challenge indeed. Little bit of a disappointment that no Saab drivers from the neighbour country participated.

Turku is Cultural capital of Europe 2011, and due that Starting point was town centre by the river. Very nice and historical place. My cars first driver, Leo Kinnunen, also lives in Turku, so it was some extra boost for rallying also. Here some photos of those competitors in same class #9 in starting place:

Saab V4, Escort RS 2000, Volvo 142, Opel Manta A

Take a look; Some guys sitting by the rive are more interested in their Saturday hobbybottle than rallying... Or it might be that they have cultural backround and are looking at the art sailing thru. Never know....

ART is sailing...

2x A Opel; Manta and Ascona

Very beautiful Belt Driven Ford. Fast also.

Tony “roten” Jansson. Tony has won several Historic rallies in Finland, Sweden and if I remember right in Central Europe also.

Scruteneering was a little bit disappoining for us, because there wasn`t any noise measurement. So we still don’t know how effective my endmuffler is.

Anyway, first transport stage was nearly 50km, and our car turns all the time to right – wery strong. We have right pressure, wheel aligment was correct etc. Maybe those 20 years old remoulded rallytyres wasn´t so good anymore I thought when starting to SS1. I wasn´t wake up in that stage and shut down engine once, and also my driving was as a nightmare. Result:  17^th overall in Historic.

After first stage was service and we put 2 brand new Kumho tyres in front which I got from my sponsor – the very first brand new summer rallytyres I have ever had ! Very soon in Transport stage to SS2 I regogniced a big difference; now the car go’s like a SAAB should be, straight like a train, and it reacts sharp and rapid for my any wish. In the rear we had still old Michelin M4 from late 80`s early 90´s which I have got with some other rallycar.

WOU, What a feeling with new tyres. Now I understand better those “big guys” who invest to latest tyres all the time.  Despite sometimes too fast stages we managed to increase our speed dramatically and we drove thru 9^th place overall and 6^th in our class. A bit surprisingly on some stages we managed also to beat one of the fastest historic rally drivers in Europe, Tony Jansson also.

Maximum attack !

Last stage, SS5 was dramatical for us when we lost brakes totally some kilometres before SS finnish. In one over 90 degree junction it was wery close that we drove thru on to a lodge wall. There were people standing on the closed road which goes straight when I noticed we haven’t any brakes in the car! To manage the situation I haven’t any other choise than try to turn my car where the SS was going and save those spectators. One to two seconds were quite exiting when waiting what happens. We had a luck, speed slowed down enough and we must just start accelerate our car again. After that those last kilometres weren´t so nice anymore, we also had big problem to stop the car after SS. Suprice was huge, when our time was fourth fastest in own class and 7^th overall.

Last transport stages to Turku, about 30km was a challenge. Front disc was broken, rear brake sylinder leak, and handbrake was nearly powerless. With freewheel it needed extra forward – looking driving thru Turku city to rally HQ. We survived, only one redlights were too fast for us…

Results, 6^th in own class, 9^th overall in Historic and 18^th overall between all those 161 cars was good result in fast summerroads.

Next time we are in rally 8. October when Historic rallyserie continue in Naantali, same region as Turku.