COB 35

Tour Auto, as viewed by a rookie navigator

Tour Auto is a marathon rally for cars built before 1965 and this
year it ran from Paris [dead centre] to Nice over five days.

The cars are the stars of the whole show and they are supported by a
pilote and navigator and in the case of some but not all [or us] a
couple of mechanics in white vans with a bag full of spares.

The course is extremely precise running over motorways, roads main,
minor and side, car parks and even pedestrian's shopping streets. Very
precise pace notes give exact instructions for each turn, the
distances from the last and to the next to the next and sometimes what
to look for. So miss one turn and all subsequent instructions are
meaningless as I was to find out.

There are transport stages from one challenge, stage or race to the
next. The stages are closed roads where the pilote must do his bit and
proper races on race tracks. Points are given for the challenges and
races and marks can be lost for delays on the transport stages and
being caught speeding by the organisers.

Thus Mark the pilote could win the event and I, the navigator and the
car could loose the event by getting lost or breaking down!

The car in our case was an AC Cobra, a British sports car of the early
1960s that has a V8 American engine. Inside the car was only enough
room for us, some spares, a big jack and not much more. As the Cobra
makes more noise than Concorde on a take off run we have an internal
intercom. The enormous engine was a great advantage as almost all the
stages were up hill and the cobra even in the wrong gear kept on going
up. Thus the Cobras filled most of the leading positions, far more
than their share.

To aid the navigator I had my own trip meter that showed distance run
and distance between turning points which was extremely accurate
[which was just as well].

Thus the stage was set, the star the AC Cobra was set up to run for a
year before seeing a mechanic again and was absolutely ready. Mark,
the pilote was very experienced and competent and then there was me,
the navigator who really did not know what I was doing.

Day 1

This was spent in the garden of the Tuilleries in the centre of Paris,
whilst officials checked papers licences, cars and clothing. We signed
forms and collected some goodies, some good and some not so.

Day 2 to Vichy and Lyon

We stated with an alarm call at 4.45 am as we were one of the first to
leave.

I was reminded of my duties, which were to note when we passed turning
point, know where the next one was and how far away it was. Easy or so
it seemed.

The police who accompanied us all the way were great. They decided to
escort us out of Paris and on our way towards Versailles, our first
stop. All I can say is thank goodness or we might still be there now.
Let me explain the navigators instructions were very exact like
[1.23km turn left sign to le capel]. However I was bombarded with
these instructions as 0.08km, most around 1 to 3 km and most of the
signs were hidden until you were committed to the turn. Thus we
twisted wriggled and generally wound our tortuous way was to the
destination.

The learning curve for me was steep, very steep. Loose concentration
and you are lost. I was helped by there being other rally cars [but
they might have their own agenda like the search for fuel] but the
crowds and photographers always showed that we were on the right track
[even if I did not know where we were!] In the class room it is one
thing, cramped and on a bumpy road is another!

My tuition was interspersed with

'You really must concentrate John' [Mon Dieu did he think I was doing
the crossword!]

'It is really very simple' [yes it is in a stable class room and
without your eyeball being shaken to death and pages that did not
stick together!] and

'Are we on the right road?' 'yes' [vast cheering crowds lining the
road] 'No John I want to know exactly where we are'. This was always
followed by a long silence while again I worked it out.

Actually my tutor was good and very patient and bearing in mind all
that was at stake extremely reserved. Had I been the pilote I would
have said a bit more!!

So by luck rather than my good navigation we got to Versailles by
breakfast time.

I now learned that the rally proper starts at Versailles!!!

'Watch which way the cars turn from the start.' Always good advice.

And so my learning continued.

On we sped to a special stage where the road was closed. We entered
and left control positions and I was a bit at a loss, but we got there
and stormed up the hill. Then it was a the race circuit at Magny Cours
where Mark raced to a favourable position, about 5th as I remember it.

Then it was a long run to Vichy and the end of the day. We wound our
way on and off roads in heavy traffic at intervals of well less than a
km. I was sweating. It all seemed ok but I was not certain. At least I
had not been quizzed under pressure; we came what was to be the last
roundabout and my nerve failed. I had to admit that we [including my
driver] were lost. I knew that we were close but no signs at all of
the finish. To cut an agonising 10 minutes short, we did a short
circle, asked directions only to find that we were right in front of
the entrance that was under a bridge. No bollocking from the skipper
but my performance had been well below par for the trip and off the
scale at the end.

We also had another problem in that my 'left' did not always mean left
and sometimes meant 'right'. So when time permitted it was solved by
'Left – your side' and 'Right- my side'!

Now was the time to work on the car before dinner. I was learning that
it was the navigators job to do all the goffering and was responsible
for all horlicks.

I waited for my moment and then mentioned that on ships of all sizes
the skipper was responsible for everything!!!

So we were not that late, but could not change as our hotel was so far
away. So we ate in our racing gear.

Day 3 to Megeve just below Camonix

Another early start and into the Alps. I now thought I knew what was
expected of me, but had problems doing it. I was also not anticipating
the events that were to come so as ever surprise followed surprise.
How many miles to petrol? How long to check in? What average speed do
we need to maintain?

We got almost to our special stage and lost it in the final moments;
but we did get to the start and did the special stage, which went
without incident.

You will by now be aware that there was little wrong with the car or
the driver, all problems seemed to be elsewhere, [and a bit close to
me]!!

Now back on a transit stage we motored gently down the mountain only
to see one of our front wheels rolling ahead of us and down the hill
all on its own. We did not follow and ended up on the side of the
road, the nearside resting in the gravel.

Frankly I thought it was the end for us as few people have won events
on three wheels! I was able to retrieve the wheel from about 100 feet
below us. [we were lucky it had hit a tree]. However we needed the
spinner to hold the wheel on, but the gods were smiling on us and Mark
found it beside the road about a km back. Every car that passed
stopped to offer assistance but we waved them on, as there was nothing
they could do.

The race leader stopped and then ordered his 2 mechanics to stop
following him and to come to our aid, which they did and twenty
minutes later we were on our way again with a list of things that we
must do on arrival at the end of the day. We then find the race leader
broken down and without mechanics to help him. While the white vans go
like the clappers they had to be 30 minutes behind us.

Feeling responsible for the race leaders problems we went on and to
make matters worse never saw him again. He had retired [because of his
generosity to us?]. We later heard that he had retired for other
reasons. Relief!!

We were late but just avoided a penalty and set to work on the car.
Front wheels had to come off, disc pads changed and we had to look for
damage, which we found in the form of a front wheel drop link that was
now a new shape with half of it worn away. The neighbouring Dutch
mechanics told us to go easy but not real damage had been done.

I think I reported in to Tina, late again at about 9pm, just before we
ate. We were so tired that I only had time to report- 'Alive, having
fun, having problems, tired and hungry, off to dinner', this time
covered in grease from our time beneath the car

Day 4 to Aix en Provence

Another early start so no time to ring home before we started and I
was beginning to think that even if I was not on the ball, I did know
where it was!

My navigation now chose to let me down. We left a narrow street and
straight away it was a roundabout with a hundred exits. I saw the sign
and said Go for it.

From then on the pace notes made no sense. I was first not happy with
the navigation, then concerned, and then I knew we were lost. All this
I reported to my skipper. 'Turn around' I said, ' No' he said 'not
until you can tell me where we went wrong.' So on we barrelled for
5.64km at which point I now knew where we had gone wrong. We had
turned at the 75th exit and not the 76th to whom the sign referred.

We now went up into the mountains again for some of the most
spectacular scenery. It was truly magnificent.

On the road no problems but on the special stage the steering way very
heavy indeed. On to the next race track and the kindly Dutch engineers
explained why the steering was so hard and we whipped the wheel off
and the problem was sorted except for the drop link, which caused Mark
to take the race very easy indeed.

All garages en route from now on were only fitters of parts and could
not help with the broken link. We refuelled and enquired whether their
mechanics could help. No. However after a quick call by the owners
wife she shop off with the cobra in hot pursuit to an agricultural
work shop who made the part and fitted it all in half an hour!!

I should add that every one was very helpful, cars ahead of us leapt
for the ditch to let us pass, gendarmes stopped traffic for us and the
crowds cheered us on.

Day 5 to Beaulieu sur mer, beside Monaco and Nice

Not such an early start but no lie in. By now I really did think I
knew what was happening and what to do first, like check where all the
petrol points were, how long all the stages were, clear the windscreen
and check all bolts [they can undo in the rattling on the minor roads]

For the first and only day the navigation held together. Bravo. Mark
had by now been almost the quickest on almost all the stages and on
the track. Our charming and most helpful Dutch neighbours have an AC
Cobra beat us but they have an extra 50 hp and that does make a
difference. We finished 7th overall.

It was a fantastic experience. Scenery to die for, every one was kind
and helpful especially the gendarmes [most importantly for me so was
my pilote]. Brilliant car. Great fun.