Didier Auriol 33 Export 1986 Rallye Garrigues
Didier Auriol's first rally of the 1986 French National Rally Championship was the Rallye Garrigues on 4 / 5 April. His 33 Export sponsored rally car was built at Rally Engineering Developments (R-E-D) and despite the fact it was registered C206 JMB on 19 November 1985, it appears that it was fitted with registration number C998 LCA from Willie Rutherford's rally car for this event. I wonder why?

hiya captain i have a route leaflet from the 1986 alpin behra rally (very rare) and it shows a picture of the car on the rally garrigues and it shows didier in C206JMB? dan

I wonder if R-E-D had to use a spare bonnet from Willie's car, as they didn't have any spare 33 Export liveried ones for this debut outing? Only guessing mind you Dan.

Would that be legal tho,surely they would have had to take the reg plate off?

Do you think the French would honestly notice a different plate front and rear? I reckon it was possibly only for a stage or so anyway, as every other photo I've seen from Garrigues has C206 JMB on the front. I bet they'd never notice.

Lol,thats true,got a nice b&w photo of the show car in clubman trim,sure i gave you one of them a few years back?

Hey, I've got one of those too Dan - but I can't recall where I got it from! :wink:

If its the same one im thinking of then you got it from me,i got given a few from andy marchbank at R.E.D who very kindley also gave me a austin rover france metro 6r4 press kit,along with abt 30 photos of rutherord,llewellin etc,i can tell ya,they were greatly appreacited!!

I know exactly where I got it from Dan - I was winding you up mate! :lol: