Wilson,
There is a serious misunderstanding on certain peoples part on what cars were like in terms of prep and to use the pointlessly inappropriate term technology in the period from the late 60s to the late 80s especially regarding what 98% of people in the world were rallying.
They have come into the sport recently, know what they know as enthusiasts from chit chat and books and from theier own wants and agenda.
I know people who were rallying in the late 60s, and thru the 70s and 80s, I know this:
The Technology of a reasonably prepped late 60s or early 70s clubman rally Ford, Volvo, Opel, Fiat, Toyota, Datsun, SAAB, Mitsubishi, etc, and in fact many supported cars was if you had a normal budget high comp, lumpy cam, a pair of 45s, a close ratio 4 speed, a short ring and pinion, and quick steering.
Ford had their BDA 210bhp in the Escort MkI by what 1969? But how many?
Every factory had 16v heads by 1975 even Simca spain for their 1000cc thing!!
But even at the end of the 70s 95% of club guys were still on a pairs of 45s and still using 4 speeds.
Yes Ford and everybody else used bigger ZF diffs and big ZFs and Getrag 5 speed boxes, but so what, 95% were doing the same sort of mods as 10 years earlier.
And although there were some wicked factory cars the level of prep for the ordibnary guy was not significantly different even into the late 80s.
A big pecentage in the countries where the sport has mass participatio STILL prep their cars more or less as it has been done since 1969. Maybe there are more 5 speeds, seems everybody likes Ford Typ9.
In terms of performance, regardless of how facinating people may think some of the swoopier cars like Lancia Stratos or 911, they were regularly beaten by simple crude Ford Escorts which any Clubman could put together. And those esorts could be beaten and were by such older car designs asthe SAAB 96 as late as 1976. Lots of overlap and small differences in performance in the end since the technology had not changed significantly, just the sheetmetal and how the valves on some cars were opened.
You may be surprised to know that on the Thousand Lakes the winning average miles per hour changed from 1980 when Markuu Alen won in a 131 Fiat rwd non tubo, non supercharged, crude car thru 1992 or 93 I believe, a nasty modern wicked box, 4 wd with diffs everywhere and massive brakes and a 38mm restrictor Lancia Deltona a grand total of 3.5 or 3.7 mph.
Vastly more sophisticated cars, marginal maybe 5% faster average.
A reasonable person, perhaps one that has worked in motorsport for a few years might safely venture the guess that the percentage change from crude MkI 1600BDA in 69 to crude MkII BDG in 79 was not as great.
Not significant in other word.
And that was the factory speeds.
What 98% were doing with their home built cars we can safely assume was not as extreme, and hence even smaller differences.
To anybody who has been around working on Foriegn cars in the times in question, the *big technological change' arguemnt is patently false, and not based on reality.
It may a a reflection in fact of the lack of actual working experience of those positing the theory of big changes being big differences in performance.
Why continually try and rehash and rework the question??
Glens proposal seems pretty good and pretty workable.
IF THE CLASS GETS BIG ENOUGH_THEN_ split it.
There are web site for those whodoubt the average MPH stuff, but I won't waste time just to prove them wrong. It doesn't matter.
John Vanlandingham
Seattle, WA. 98168
Vive le Prole-le-ralliat
Black Rocket Rally Tires
http://www.blackrockettires.com/