Well-known rally car adds competition attraction to magic MotorFest

An impressive line-up of cars is being arranged to wow the Ormskirk MotorFest crowds on Sunday 25 August, including one raced by a top class rally driver.

The late Bill Gwynne, who passed away last year, enjoyed great success including winning the Motoring News Rally Championship twice. Although those titles came in a Ford Escort his son Paul Gwynne said this Chevette was always Bill's favourite rally car. He had built and developed it to enable the works Blydenstein Vauxhall rally team to be competitive in both road rally and stage rally events. He won the Manx Rally in 1991 and also drove it in the Chevette Cup and Motoring News Rally Championship in later years.

The car was purchased by motoring enthusiast Brian Wilson in 1996 and having restored it he is bringing it to the MotorFest for the first time.

Brian said: "MotorFest should be a really good day and I am really looking forward to coming. I have had different models of Chevettes since 1984 and am sure a lot of people will want to come see this former rally racing car."

Huge crowds flock to MotorFest each year to hear car engines purring around the town, and this year they can hear the impressive sound of an aeroplane engine.

Local engineer David Houghton has spent seven years restoring an Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah 7-Cylinder engine that was installed on an Avro Anson C19 aeroplane which was used to help test Concord’s weather Radar.
The engine will be in Coronation Park and when it isn't running the public will be allowed to see the engine close up and ask David questions.

He said: "I am really looking forward to bringing the aircraft engine to Ormskirk MotorFest. Anyone who wants to see it and ask us some questions is more than welcome to come and see us in the park."

Ormskirk MotorFest is organised each year by Aintree Circuit Club with the support of West Lancashire Borough Council.
The event will celebrate a number of significant motoring anniversaries taking places this year. These are the 100^th anniversary of the first Bentley being built, the 70^th birthday of the Jaguar XK120, the 60^th birthday of the Mini and the 60^th anniversary of the 1959 British Grand Prix at Aintree.
Mike Ashcroft, Aintree Circuit Club chairman, said: "The Vauxhall Chevette rally car will be one of the many marvellous vehicles people can see on Sunday 25 August and the Cheetah 7-Cylinder aeroplane engine will be another great attraction for people to enjoy. We are very grateful to Brian and David for bringing them along."

Councillor David Evans, whose Cabinet responsibilities include the Ormskirk MotorFest, said: “The MotorFest is a fantastic free event for all the family and really will have something for everyone, so don't miss this fantastic day out for people of all ages.