Back in B​​​​​lack
Performance Vauxhall|February - March 2017

Following a colourful motorsport career and three decades laid up in storage, Garry Morgan’s 255bhp Chevette HSR has been given a new lease of life…

Dan Furr
Back in B​​​​​lack

The 1970s spawned awesome rally cars. RS-badged Mk2 Ford Escorts, Fiat 131 Abarths and specially decorated Lancia Stratos HFs rank high among the best of the decade’s dirtmunching machines. Seeing the exploits of these formidable four wheelers effortlessly raise the profile of their respective manufacturers encouraged former Vauxhall chairman, Bob Price, to order the development of a rally version of the Chevette. It was a shrewd move, and one that gave Dealer Team Vauxhall (DTV) boss, Bill Blydenstein, permission to develop what would become known as the Chevette HS.

Making use of the powerful 2.3-litre Slant Four engine, the HS was a great success in Group 4 rallying. The car’s silver paintwork, distinctive red body stripes and model-specific aero package made it instantly recognisable to rally stage spectators and motorsport fans worldwide. More importantly, the HS challenged the Mk2 Escort’s dominance on the rally scene, securing driver and manufacturer championships that upset Blue Oval bosses to the point that they objected to Vauxhall’s presence at the highly anticipated 1978 Rally of Portugal.

“Rival teams complained that the competition Chevette made use of a Lotus top end,” explains Griffin obsessive, Garry Morgan. “The long and short of the story is that Vauxhall was slow to develop its own Slant Four HS cylinder head, resulting in works rally Chevettes kitted-out with Lotus parts,” he sighs. Under pressure, the FIA deemed that Luton big-wigs had broken homologation rules by not building enough roadgoing HSs (the programme was massively behind schedule), and that qualifying road cars had been produced without the Lotus performance parts that were being picked apart in Portugal. Consequently, all three of the Blydenstein-built belters in attendance were disqualified before they got an opportunity to turn a wheel, much to the delight of the fellas over at Ford.

Esta historia es de la edición February - March 2017 de Performance Vauxhall.

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Esta historia es de la edición February - March 2017 de Performance Vauxhall.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE PERFORMANCE VAUXHALLVer todo
Three Of A Kind
Performance Vauxhall

Three Of A Kind

Whether you’re a fan of track-friendly fast-road cars or dedicated circuit racers, this trio of Astra VXRs has you covered…

time-read
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Generation Game
Performance Vauxhall

Generation Game

With a nitrous-injected 430bhp to play with, this Vectra VXR is taking the fight to its four-wheel drive successor...

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9 minutos  |
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It Was Fantastic, Nail-biting Entertainment for Our Followers, but the Consequences of Error Were Severe
Performance Vauxhall

It Was Fantastic, Nail-biting Entertainment for Our Followers, but the Consequences of Error Were Severe

In the Second Part of Our Big Interview With England’s Number One Rally Driver, Chris Ingram, We Look Back at His Amazing First Year as an Adam R2 Pilot for Opel Motorsport… 

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6 minutos  |
April - May 2017
Back in B​​​​​lack
Performance Vauxhall

Back in B​​​​​lack

Following a colourful motorsport career and three decades laid up in storage, Garry Morgan’s 255bhp Chevette HSR has been given a new lease of life…

time-read
7 minutos  |
February - March 2017
Power Maxed Racing and Vauxhall for BTCC
Performance Vauxhall

Power Maxed Racing and Vauxhall for BTCC

In incredibly exciting news, Automotive Brands – the owner of Power Maxed Racing – has announced a commercial partnership with Vauxhall Motors that will see twin Mk7 Astras star in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship from 2017 onwards, almost three decades after John Cleland won his first BTCC title as a works driver piloting a Mk2 Astra GTE.

time-read
3 minutos  |
February - March 2017
Split Personality
Performance Vauxhall

Split Personality

Ryan Davies’ 424bhp Mk2 Astra GTE is half show car, half race car, and it’s heading for the tens…

time-read
7 minutos  |
Oct - Nov 2017
Minty Fresh
Performance Vauxhall

Minty Fresh

Complete with Cliff Motorsport body styling, Steva Armstrong’s cool Calibra Turbo is one of the cleanest Vauxhalls on the show and shine scene…

time-read
6 minutos  |
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True North
Performance Vauxhall

True North

Once again, MW Performance invited ow ners of Vauxhall V8s to come together for a day of fun in Chester...

time-read
2 minutos  |
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Tour Of Duty
Performance Vauxhall

Tour Of Duty

Those of you who read our last BTCC report will recall how the Power Maxed Racing team were looking forward to Snetterton after their summer ‘break’…

time-read
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Winging It
Performance Vauxhall

Winging It

JULIAN ZAFIRA 1.9 CDTi

time-read
3 minutos  |
Oct - Nov 2017