- 3,898
- Hamburg, GER
- SPYDER_907
FINAL ENTRY
The persistence of time, and wind, and rain........
What happens if you leave if 1972 Alpine A110 1600S in a dilapidated and leaky Dutch barn for 40 years?
This Alpine was unusual as it was actually built in Mexico, under licence by Diesel Nacional, and imported back to the UK by semi-pro rally driver George Vardy, it competed in the 1973 Monte Carlo rally in the privateer class, finishing in 53rd place overall, a good way behind the works Alpine team that completed a tremendous 1st, 2nd and 3rd that same year. One of the pictures below shows the Alpine after returning back to England that same year, pictured with 2 other Alpines at the annual Suffolk County Show. George went on to complete a further 11 rallies over the next 2 years, the final one being the 1975 Lombard RAC Rally in Britain where Vardy placed an impressive 21st overall.
This was where George and the A110 parted ways, George secured a Group N drive in a Lancia Stratos and the Alpine was bought in late 1976 by a wealthy private enthusiast and collector; Ben Thatcher, a landowner and proprietor of several farms in the UK. The intention was to strip the car back to its original spec and then join his sizeable collection. Sadly this work never took place after Ben passed away unexpectedly a year later and the Alpine was left in an old Dutch barn at his farm in Wales along with a couple of other cars and host of farm implements.
Ben's family had clearly underestimated both the value and desirability of the Alpine compared to some of the more obviously valuable cars he had at the time. The farm was mothballed in 1979 as the family focused on the other businesses and thus the Alpine was to spend the next 37 years sat in an open-sided barn next to an old Fordson tractor and a Massey Harris combine harvester. Open to the elements, year after year of rain, wind and sun left the Alpine in a horrendous condition, while the body remained relatively strong due to its fibreglass construction the chrome, rubbers trim, paint and wheels steadily rusted, cracked and faded, helped along by decades or rusty water falling from the barn roof.
Salvation came in 2016 when the farm was put up for sale and the Alpine was sold for a mere £300 to a car restoration fanatic called John Logan. The car took some moving, most of the chassis and drivetrain had seized but with some forceful persuasion and a new set of wheels, the car was transported to Halifax in Yorkshire to John's workshop and can be seen below in the picture before the hard work began...
Download here: https://www.gran-turismo.com/gb/gts...arLivery/livery/1309219/1/4980994455104422401
448 decals used
Hope you enjoy
I really love your story and the livery work, too. Keep us entertained please.
) the seller almost gave some money with it.
I really like your entry and don‘t want to see it being DSQ‘d 
