Nissan first rally win

[29pgc10]

I wonder if any of you would have information about Nissan early rallying. I would like to find when Nissan/Datsun managed first overall rally win, anywhere in the world.

Thank you, m

[chris b]

Hi

The efforts of the little Datsun (less than 1 litre) in the 1958 Around Australia are a great rally story and must be one of Datsun's first rally victories. First in class and both cars finishing, read the story below. This was the start of the Datsun rally history in Australia.

The Datsun 1600 (510) was the club rally car 70's and 80's winning numerous State Championships. Datsun Z was an Australian rally chanpion in the hands of Ross Dunkerton - several times I think. There are others who can tell the rally story of Datsun in Australia in much better detail than I can and I am sure that they will add to this thread.

I cut the following from this website.

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/trial_mobilgas_1958.htm

Mobilgas Around Australia Trial 1958

Class Winners:

Up to 1000cc: Y. Nanda / K. Okuyama, Datsun (1129 points) 1001cc to 1300cc: L. Perkins, Volkswagen (11 points)

1301 - 1600cc: R. Holden, Peugeot 403 (794 points)

1601 - 2600cc: Anderson / McAllister, Holden (58 points)

Over 2600cc: Murray / Muirson, Chrysler Royal V8 (194 points)

Women's Prizes:

Most successful woman crew member: Elaine Lenaghan (Holden)

Most successful all-woman crew: Valma Jerrard / Camille Wright / Mary Waters (Fiat 1100)

New Zealand Award: Alma McMillan, Nash Metropolitan

Overseas Award: Tubman, Skoda

Teams Prize: Volkswagen, for cars 48, 53, 68 (Cusack / Smith / McGlashan)

Please Note: You can sort this listing by simply clicking on the column heading

PLACE VEHICLE DRIVER(S) POINTS LOST

1 Volkswagen E. Perkins 11

2 Volkswagen G. Cusack 55

3 Holden D. Anderson / L. McAllister 58

4 Volkswagen S. Flashan 68

5 Volkswagen H. Smith 117

6 Holden L. Fiebig 125

7 Standard Vanguard M. Brooks 154

8 Volkswagen H. Firth / K. Young 155

9 Volkswagen H. Gunn 158

10 Chrysler Royal V8 W. Murray / W. Murisan 194

11 Holden A. Calnan 394

12 Skoda K. Tubman 429

13 Ford Zephyr J. Nalder 480

14 Holden Elaine Lenaghan 520

15 Volkswagen J. Mather 658

16 Holden A. Parker 695

17 Rover 90 Lorna Gamble / K. Gamble 786

18 Peugeot 403 R. Holden 794

19 Holden O. Roberts 820

20 Hillman Minx C. Turner 904

21 Peugeot 403 J. Perkins / P. Perkins 911

22 Holden P. Cullin 939

23 Hillman Minx W. Eremin 1012

24 Skoda N. Saville 1018

25 Datsun 1000 Y. Nanba / K. Okuyama 1129

26 Holden C. Chappell 1157

27 Hillman Minx F. Pitts 1183

28 Ford Zephyr A. Sharpley / K. O'Neill 1227

29 Austin Westminster A. Melrose 1255

30 Chrysler Royal Jack Murray 1295

31 Skoda M. Warwick / M. Watson 1486

32 Morris 1000 D. Rose / J. Hillman 1545

33 Morris 1000 L. Young 1780

34 Datsun 1000 Y. Ohya / Y. Minawa 2003

STARTERS AND FINISHERS

CAR STARTED FINISHED

Datsun 2 2

Chrysler Royal 2 2

Ford Zephyr 4 2

Hillman 3 3

Holden 12 8

Morris Minor 2 2

Skoda 6 3

Standard Vanguard 4 1

Toyopet 3 0

Volkswagen 12 7

A Test Of Car And Driver:Unlike the Ampol Trial held earlier the same year, the Mobilgas event circled the continent clockwise. Starting in Sydney, the entrants would again pass through Sydney and end the trial in Melbourne, travelling some 10,000 miles (16,250 km).

Interestingly the trial by-passed the east coast of Queensland, instead going through Isa, Cloncurry, Winton, Longreach, Charleville and Brisbane. And unlike the Ampol trial, the Mobilgas event was designed to stretch the cars to the limit of their endurance.

Mobil forbid anyone other than crews to work on the cars, sealing all main engine and transmission components, submitting time schedules to police for approval, re-introducing the hated secret controls to check speeding, and giving scrutineers the power to check brakes, tyres, steering and, if a car was found to be in a dangerous condition, the ability to eliminate it from the event.

Mobil were also keen to promote vehicle safety, as evidenced on the Mobil "Circle Of Safety" commercials in the media section of this site. To that end, it was a requirement that all drivers wear seat belts, their cars be fitted with fire extinguishers, first aid kits and a weeks supply of food and water.

But best of all, the Mobilgas event again attracted overseas competitors. Toyota sent three Toyopet Crowns, Nissan sent two Datsun 1000's, New Zealand sent over a Nash Metropolitan, and even Kenya entered the fray, their team driving an Auto-Union 1000. Czechoslovakian carmaker Skoda was keen to bolster its profile in Australia, and sent no less than six Skoda 440 crews, including quality drivers such as Ken Tubman and Major Warwick.

But the number that turned up to the starting line must have been a huge disappointment for the organisers. Only 67 would take part, and 12 of them were factory entries! Things would quickly get worse, with three private entries withdrawing by the time they reached Melbourne, and two more by the time they reached South Australia, one a German entered Porsche.

Due to heavy rains that had fallen just prior to the competitors arrival at the Nullabor section, the organisers extended the time limit by three hours. Many would get bogged, and two Toyota's rolled. Many witnessed the Volkswagen service teams "illegally" working on the VW's, but it seemed the organisers were now turning a blind eye for fear of even more withdrawals.

Three more cars had withdrawn by Norseman, but a controversial detour through Jurien Bay and Green Head all but finished off the faltering event. This “new” route meant the competitors were forced to traverse sandhills, swampy bogs and water hazards up to 1 metre in depth. Only 26 cars made it through, and as the dust settled it was the team of Perkins and Witter in their Volkswagen that had taken the lead.

Between Broome and Derby a third Toyopet would be forced to retire when it collected a kangaroo, and at Carnarvon the Nash Metropolitan finally called it a day, although this was many thousands of kilometers further than most thought it would get. By Derby five more competitors had retired, then two of the works Skoda teams crashed in the dash through the Kimberleys. Another four would retire on this section alone.

Just before Katherine Witter’s Volkswagen collided with two trees – Witter broke his arm and Stewart his nose. At Darwin yet another Toyopet retired. On the section between Darwin and Tennant Creek, Jack Phillips rolled his Morris Major, both being thrown out of the car. Tragically Phillips would be dead within 10 minutes.

At Renner Springs Jack Vaughan would roll his VW, the organisers must by now have been very concerned that there would be no competitors able to cross the finish line, particularly given the treacherous Mount Isa – Cloncurry stretch lay ahead. But the drivers in these events were a pretty determined bunch, and onwards they traveled.

But retirements would not abate, next out of the race was a Vanguard at Cloncurry, then at Blackall a Holden called it a day, and next at Dalby a Skoda was forced to retire. As the remaining competitors slowly hauled themselves into Brisbane, spare a thought for K. Hapgood, who was black flagged by the scrutineers when they discovered his Holden had faulty brakes.

From the initial 67 cars that left Sydney, there were only 36 left to make the run down the east coast of Australia. A Ford Zephyr would retire at Sydney, a Holden at Cooma and Jack Murray’s Chrysler Royale broke an axle near Manila, but he was able to limp along to Melbourne.

Unfortunately, given the toughness of the event, few bothered to turn up at the finish line to welcome in the 34 remaining competitors, and this in arguably the countries most sports crazed city. But at least there was a winner, Canberra businessman Greg Cusack in his VW had taken the honours with the loss of only 3 points. It was fortunate for Cusack that the committee had overturned an earlier decision to award him with 52 points at Green Head.

But just as the trial had thrown up countless obstacles en-route, in a cruel twist of fate a protest committee would overturn the overturn, effectively re-instating the original 52 point penalty. Eddie Perkins was now awarded the victory. Of most note however was the performance put in by Harry Firth to finish eighth in his Volkswagen.

Between the ’58 Mobilgas trial and 1964, Firth would become Ford Australia’s motor sport guru, until switching camps and joining the General in 1973. In the end the organisers were forced to lick their wounds, the in-fighting and repetitiousness of the events had seen them fall from favour in the publics eye. Would there be a Trial for 1959? The answer was no, and would remain that way for a further 6 years…

I hope this is of interest.

Cheers Chris

[29pgc10]

Thank you Chris B, I know about this one. It was a class win. Very interesting link, more reading and sleepless nights:knockedou

I am looking for first recorded overall win. m

[26th-Z]

East African Safari 1971 is the first thing that comes to mind. But I'm not the expert. Take advantage of the search function on this site and discover Nissan rally history!

Here are two pictures I cherish: HS30-00026 and HS30-00027

[29pgc10]

The oldest overall win that I know of was in 1963 Baira International Rally. So anything before that...