69 Starters, 44 Finishers, 24 Special Stages

7 Malcolm Wilson / Phil Short, Gp A Ford Escort RS1600i, HPU 73Y

26 Louise Aitken / Ellen Morgan, Gp A Ford Escort RS1600i, HPU 74Y

Autosport May 12 '83 p26

photo '73

FORD - Ford were represented on the Welsh by the usual two car team of Malcolm Wilson and Louise Aitken in Group A RS1600i's. The cars were fitted with similar engines to the ones that appeared on the Circuit of Ireland, but were fitted with new, close ratio gearboxes in an attempt to cure the failures from the previous rounds. 

MCD Services' team boss, Dave Campion, hoped that the new units would provide a more sympathetic factor following the disasterous Circuit where the units broke due to the strains being placed upon them by the tarmac roads. In Wales, the problem should have been lessened by the smoother operation.

Recent testing has proved that the suspension was about right and the cars were prepared to the usual specification, providing about 150bhp.

Motoring News Wed May 11  '83 p8

photo HPU 73Y p9

FORD - The MCD run works backed cars of Malcolm Wilson / Phil Short and Louise Aitken / Ellen Morgan were at 8 and 26 respectively. The engines were as the Circuit of Ireland, although the team had tried to get more torque. Team Boss Dave Campion explained that MCD are continually developing the engine in an effort to extract more power, also commenting that the team had not had any engine failures so far this season. However, it did appear that the transmission system still needed further development. Pirelli tyres were used on the whole event using only 13” rims.

Autosport May 12 '83 p26

Group A cars had a fair share of the places as, apart from Eklund and Midgley, Malcolm Wilson gave the MCD team a good finish in the RS1600i. The rally was tough for him, though. By the finish he was on his third gearbox, teammate Louise Aitken retiring with another broken transmission. 

            .... while a more dramatic problem befell Malcolm Wilson. Right on top of the hill (on the classic Esgair Dafydd rally sprint course), after having his foot hard on the boards for the first section, the accelerator got stuck behind the stop on the floor. Wilson had the awesome task of tackling the downhill corners using the ignition key to cut the engine. Co-Driver Phil Short was not watching the scenery as they went! There also appeared to be a gear selection problem as the RS1600i entered the service area. At the moment, the problem was minor and the car was despatched to the Brechfa complex unchanged, but Louise Aitken arrived with a similar tale and the MCD team began to look worried. Were the gearboxes going to let them down again? 

The MCD radios carried a more serious message. Louise Aitken had stopped on SS04 Lady Megan 1 and a broken gearbox was blamed. Another failure to dishearten Dave Campion's team, but there was more to come. Malcolm Wilson had the same problem, although he was on his way to service for a replacement.

            While the crew relaxed with a hot drink, the service crew was hard at work. A new gearbox, clutch and linkage were fitted and the car sent on its way with only 21 mins elapsed in the service area.

            "I was very impressed with the way the team worked," said a relieved Campion. "We have changed gearboxes before, but never the whole system. I thought that was it again, but these boys kept us in the rally.

            (At the Machynlleth service)

            Once again, however, the MCD boys were changing a gearbox. Wilson had lost third gear, and now Louise's spare was being fitted. There were only two spare boxes in the first place. Now they had been used and with over half of the event still ahead, fingers were tightly crossed.

            Malcolm Wilsons' climb through the field was temporarily halted in Pantperthog when the fan belt came off. The item was replaced, only to do the same thing in Dyfi, forcing him to run on headlights only.