Austin-Healey’s and the Austin Healey Car Club of NZ and Others

[Roger Dowding]

Timo Makinen and Paul Hawkins 1965 Targa Florio in the works 3000 that was later raced at Targa as an ex-works car by Ted Worswick.
" the track length in the race's last decades was limited to the 72 kilometres (45 mi) of the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, which was lapped 11 times "

Last run as a race in 1977 - since then a Rally.



A long distance Rally - over 4000 miles 1964 Spa Sofia Liege that became known as Marathon de la Route -
it changed the start and middle destination at one stage Rome being the turnaround point - still finishing in Liege, Belgium.
1960 - when Pat Moss and Anne Wisdom won in the Austin Healey 3000 Mark One - the Rally was Liege - Rome - Liege
1961 - also the Liege - Rome - Liege Rally - an Austin Healey 3000 came 6th overall
1962 - Run as the Liege - Sofia - Liege Rally. Austin Healey 3000's came 5th and 8th overall two other AH3000's retired
1963 - Run as the Spa - Sofia - Liege Rally - Paddy Hopkirk and Henri Liddon came 6th
1964 - again run as the Spa-Sofia - Liege Rally - won by the car pictured below;
Rauno Aaltonen and Tony Ambrose - BMC works team BMO93B came first



- some statistics on the Rally.
97 cars started 21 finished.
BMC team was 3 Austin Healey 3000's the others dnf/retired for Timo Makinen D Barrow ARX92B - punctures, Paddy Hopkirk Henri Liddon BRX852B - gearbox
Morris Cooper S for J Wadsworth M Wood 20th overall and 3 MGB's all retired

1965 - There does not appear to have been an equivalent rally usually held in August however there was a Munich - Vienna - Budapest Rally BMC came first overall with Rauno Aaltonen and Tony Ambrose in a Austin Mini-Cooper S.
1966 - The rally was called Marathon de la Route
1967 and in 1968 again called - Marathon de la Route.