Vintage

1964 RALLY MONTE CARLO

THE MINI COOPER S WINS THE MONTE CARLO RALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME

STORY AND PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIM MILLER

In the early 1960s, the Ford Motor Company was heavily involved in motorsport, especially stock car and drag racing, and was dipping its feet into IndyCar and Formula 1 engine development. In 1963, the company decided to get into major rallying and fielded a team with the then-new V8-powered Falcon Sprint for the 1964 Monte Carlo rally. This was an all-out and expensive effort to dominate a form of motorsport Ford had never pursued.

But a rally driver from Northern Ireland driving a diminutive tenfoot-long car put a monkey wrench into the Ford juggernaut.

Started before World War I, the Monte Carlo Rally became the most prestigious event of its kind, with entrants from all over Europe, the event ending in the sovereign city-state on the French Riviera.

The Falcon Sprints were assembled with Cobra modifications at Ford’s Lincoln Cars Ltd. in London, England, and horsepower in the 260-cubicinch V8 was upped to 260 from the stock 164. Disc brakes, suspension mods and a heavy-duty Ford Galaxie rear end were installed, too.

But lots of power was not the key to success, as the men from Dearborn found out. For several years, the techniques of winter rally driving by Scandinavian drivers, along with the road-hugging tenacity of the front-drive SAAB 96 was a winning combination.

The other major player in winter rallies at the time was BMC with its Mini Cooper S. This small and powerful (for its size) car, initially conceived as an ultra-economy car for the British driving public, was modified extensively for competition since its introduction in 1959.

But the car is only part of the story. While the Scandinavian drivers were very good at winter rallying (think Erik Carlsson and Timo Makinen), a five-time circuit of Ireland winner and rally veteran named Patrick (Paddy) Hopkirk was ready to do battle with his Cooper S. He had previously competed with a Sunbeam Rapier and Austin Healey before the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.

Meanwhile, with success in both the Canadian Shell 4000 and Tulip rally in 1963, Ford pressed on with its program for Monte Carlo. The 1963 cars were prepared by the Dearborn Pressed Steel Company, which performed a lot of Ford’s prototype and show car work. With this background, the new cars for the Monte Carlo were prepared in England. Eight Falcons were geared up and part of the driving team included automotive writer Denise McCluggage and Grand Prix ace Graham Hill. The cars and drivers put in many practice miles and one team driver, Bosse Ljungfeldt, stood above the rest. The way he threw the high-powered Falcon around the narrow mountain passes in testing was garnering a reputation. There were nine starting points for the 299 cars entered in the 1964 event. Hopkirk and his co-driver Harry Liddon began in Minsk, Belarus, meeting up with the other five Mini works cars and teams in Rheims, France. Ford would start its assault in Oslo, Norway, including Ljungfeldt and co-driver Fergus Sager. All cars were set up in divisions according to engine size and, in some circles, this proved to be a controversial handicap for the bigger cars.

For the first 2,000 miles, all went well for the competitors with good weather. Ljungfeldt was impressive in his Falcon, placing first on four of the special stages and tying for first in the fifth with Hopkirk. An extraordinary single-lap time of just under six minutes over the Monte Carlo Grand Prix course gave the Swede second place overall behind the winning Hopkirk. Carlsson and his SAAB took third and Hopkirk’s teammate Makinen placed fourth.

There was some talk that the rules favoured small-engined cars

(Opposite page) Paddy Hopkirk at the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. (Above, left) Hopkirk and co-driver Harry Liddon. (Above, right) Preparing the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally Falcons in London. (Left) Bosse Ljungfeldt at the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally. (Below) A Ford Falcon at 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.

(Chrysler had entered three Valiants in the GT class), but Ford felt it had proven its point. All its entrants finished the 1964 Monte, and although Ford had been protested and declared illegal (but exonerated), its heart was not in fielding a company-backed rally team with the upcoming introduction of its Mustang.

For Hopkirk, he became a household name with his win. He returned to the UK with many accolades and public and broadcast appearances. He even received a note from The Beatles. He retired from rallying in the early 1970s, built a successful career in the sale of accessory products, and at 88 years old, is still involved as an ambassador for the sport. In 2016 he received his OBE from Princess Anne.

Ljungfeldt continued to race, including rallies in Europe with the Ford-backed Mustang team of Alan Mann. He died in 1988. IT