Jimmy Mcrae | Rallying with the Vauxhall Chevette

This wonderful archive film follows rally legend Jimmy McRae and his exploits with Dealer Team Vauxhall(DTV), driving the awesome Vauxhall Chevette. The film joins Jimmy as the 1979 season is drawing to a close with just the Bovis National rally – the final round of the Castrol Autosport Rally championship - left to go.

Featuring footage from the Mintex Rally, the Circuit of Ireland, the Welsh rally, the Scottish rally, the Manx Trophy International Championship Rally and the Ulster Rally, McRae races against many European champions and famous rally drivers including his team mate Pentti Airikkala, Hannu Mikkola, George Hill, Mike Jackson, Malcolm Wilson, David Jones and Arnie Garvick. If you're a rally nut and petrolhead at heart then you'll love watching this retro special!

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[pjackowspa]

Back in the day early one morning, I saw two Bedford vans with a Chevette apiece on trailers heading out of Woodhall Spa towards Cadwell Park. They were tarmac testing before the Circuit of Ireland. A friend and I skipped off work and went to watch. After a few laps, Penti Arikala and Jimmy McRae returned to the pits to wait some new springs that were due to arrive. I asked McRae if he would take us round and he said yeah sure. We had to wait quite awhile, but both of us got a trip of a lifetime around the track.Arikala had a red Ferrari at the time and he’d trodden in a puddle so he put his socks and shoes on the vents on the dashboard and drove McRae sideways round the Cadwell track trying to dry his shoes and socks . I also then managed to roll my Ford Escort into a hedge at the bottom of the hill on leaving the track!

[joaovitorsilvagohl]

Chevettes are still strong here on Brazil.

[dr.t.]

Total respect between two drivers back in the good old days.

[caeserromero]

The Talbot Sunbeam driver nearly stacks it at 2:28. Nice recovery, just finished sending that text in the nick of time 😂

[kramnam]

How lovely what kindness and respect with how they talked about each other

[Outamyhead]

I was given my great Granddad's 1978 Chavette after he passed away, it wasn't a bad car slightly fussy about sub zero cold starts but rust was eating that car quicker than I could get it fixed.

[poppops]

I had a Chevette HS back in the early 80s, engine built by blydenstein in Shepreth. Awesome rally car. Had to be sold when I got married, apparently Mrs S wanted a house to live in. Still married but wish I still had the car as well!

[TheAsa]

2:26 how he pulled himself out of that is good driving

[caeserromero]

My old Nan had a Chevette and she drove it like that...all round Kingston and Ham....she personified the phrase: "Drive it like you've just stolen it, " 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[sparky]

Great rallying with the best in the good old days !

[deancrisp]

How did he save that Talbot with it's arse bouncing around in the air amazing control

[mrdunns]

Saw many of these cars in the 70s and into the 80s when helping to run various events.
Now worth a fortune, particularly anything with a works history, or driven by well known figures. Not many of them left now from that era, probably Jimmy the best known, but one or two of the auld yins pop up on an entry list north of the Eng/Sco border.

[TheLRider]

I was there ha, ha. And many other years as well; absolutely fabulous rally. Love the IOM..

[rickydub]

Amazing footage, thanks for posting 👍🙂

[gerrymontgomery]

Amazing car the chevette, I remember at the circuit of Ireland rally when Pentti Arrikilla, in the chevette, and Ari Vatinen in the escort, I think Ari won the rally by less than five seconds

[twincamGT]

My god that sunbeam was lucky they never wiped out they were flat out he held it so well. it would not have been pretty if he left the road

[madmaniacloony]

I'm just going to go that wee bit faster, brilliant!

[MikeDuffy-fpzy]

Brilliant to watch back then, sadly I don't think we really knew what we were watching was so very good. Exceptional cars, drivers and days!. There was a buzz on the Ilse of Man when the International Rally Circus arrived, nothing like that now, shame really. This years Roger Albert Clark does seem to have caused a strange stirring though, or is it just in me?

[twoeyesinbritain]

the the andrews heat for hire escort ❤

[georgejacob]

2:11. Russell's Escort GVX489T is still taxed and MOT'd!