1977

Re-live the action from 1977

Year in review

Highlights

The Victorian Rally Championship was won by Gil Davis and David Long in their Datsun 1600 2.1l. 

On the Anzac Day weekend, some of the more adventurous competitors tacked the three day Datsun Riverland Rally, the first event of its type since the last of the BP Rallies in 1973. 

Amidst a busy calendar, the  Singapore Airlines London to Sydney Marathon tackled a tortuous 12,000 km course across Australia which included a number of stages in Victoria’s high country. While the event was won by the wily Scott, Andrew Cowan, Victorians Bob Watson and Roger Bonhomme teamed with Ross Dunkerton to bring their Peugeot 504 home in fifth place.

The year ended with the traditional pilgrimage to Bright for the Repco Alpine Rally in November, where Greg Carr made it a hat-trick of victories.

Australian Rally Championship

Victoria hosted the first round of the Australian Rally Championship, the North Eastern Rally. The event was hotly contested with Dave Morrow and George Shepheard in the Gemini winning by a single point from Ross Dunkerton and Victorian Jeff Beaumont in a Datsun 260Z. Dunkerton and Beaumont went on to be equal winners of the 77 ARC with Victorians George Fury and Monty Suffern in a Datsun 710.

Portman and Runnalls on their way to winning the 1977 Datsun Riverland Rally

Series

Victorian Rally Championship

The VRC was contested over six events: Mountain Rally, Marchal Rallye, Semperit Experts Trial, Forester Rally, Chrysler Safari, George Derrick Memorial Trial

Outright Champions: Gil Davis / David Long, Datsun 1600 2.1 L

For more details, including event results and points tables, go to the 1977 VRC page.

Gil Davis on the 77 Overture

Victorian Clubman Series

VCS events in 1977 were the Summer Safari, Begonia, Yulunga, Otway, Camcrusher, Akademos, North Central and Blue Ribbon.

Winners: Jim Uttleymoore / Tony Bond, Mitsubishi Lancer

For more details, including event results and points tables, go to the 1977 VCS page.

TAUCC Series

This series of closed events were for the various technical college and university car clubs. There were eight events in the 1977 series which was won by the CCRMIT, with individual honours going to Norm Crofts and Bill Johnson.

  1. Summer Trial
  2. Autumn Midnight
  3. Swinburne 200
  4. Boomerang Trial
  5. Bog-a-Duck Trial
  6. Western Districts Trial
  7. Baxter’s Burn
  8. Disrally

 The Rally Calendar for this year:

DateEventClubStatus
22 JanSummer SafariPCCVVCS-1
30 JanOverture RallyLCCAOpen
5 FebInvitation TrialCOCCVClosed
6 FebSummer StagesBLCCOpen
12 FebSummer TrialMUCCTAUCC-1
12 FebSummer TrialNECCClosed
12 FebDustraiser TrialM850GClosed
19 FebRivertown TrialCERBClosed
19 FebPresidents TrialSEACClosed
19 FebDoyles DawdleVMACClosed
26 FebAmateur 100VADCOpen
26 FebMidnight TrialPIARCClosed
5 MarBegonia RallyBLCCVCS-2
5 MarNovice TrialCRBCCClosed
12 MarNorth Eastern RallyNECCARC-1
12 MarNovice TrialCCCClosed
19 MarTorino TrialFCCVClosed
19 MarTee Cee VeeTCVClosed
19 MarNovice TrialBLCCClosed
26 MarYulunga TrialHDCCVCS-3
26 MarAutumn Midnight TrialCCRMITTAUCC-2
2 AprMountain RallySCOTCCVRC-1
2 AprChallenge TrialDCCAClosed
2 AprShell Autosport 250MMSCClosed
2 AprPAC TrialPACClosed
2 AprNight RallySMSCClosed
16 AprOtway TrialWDCCVCS-4
16 AprClosed RallyRCCDClosed
22-25 AprDatsun Riverland RallyCCRMITOpen
23 AprWombat’s JauntBCCAClosed
23 AprAutumn TrialNECCClosed
30 AprSwinburne 200SCOTCCTAUCC-3
30 AprShamateur ILCCAClosed
7 MayCamcrusher TrialFFCCVCS-5
7 MayClosed TrialBMSCClosed
14 MayMarchal RallyeRCCVVRC-2
21 MayBrass Monkey TrialRCCDOpen
21 MayShamateur IILCCAClosed
21 MayNovice TrialADCCClosed
28 MayAkademosMUCCVCS-6
28 MayNewman’s Nutcracker TrialTOCVClosed
4 JunGoldfields RallyRCCVOpen
4 JunChallenge of MakesDCCAClosed
4 JunRally of the ForestsBACClosed
4 JunNovice TrialVMACClosed
11 JunAmateur Trial (cancelled)CCRMITClosed
11 JunSpencer Motors TrialFCCVClosed
11 JunBorder TrialSEACClosed
18 JunSunrise Rally (postponed or cancelled)PIARCOpen
18 JunMountain MastersADCCClosed
18 JunWestern TrialWDCCClosed
18 JunNovice TrialBLCCClosed
18 JunRookies RamblePCCVClosed
25 JunNorth Central RallyCCCVCS-7
2 JulRoundabout TrialM850Closed
2 JulAutumn TrialVADCClosed
9 JulSemperit Experts TrialLCCAVRC-3
9 JulGippslander TrialGCCClosed
16 JulTwilight TrialCRBCCClosed
16 JulHonda ScamperHCCVClosed
23 JulBoomerang TrialMSCCTAUCC-4
23 JulPresidents TrialHDCCClosed
23 JulBoomerang TrialMSCCClosed
23 JulRenault Australia TrialRCCVClosed
23 JulBellarine TrialWDCCWR-3
6 AugBog-a-Duck TrialMUCCTAUCC-5
6 AugAugust TrialMDCCClosed
13 AugWinter TrialBLCCClosed
13 AugWilliam Harvey Memorial TrialPCCVClosed
13 AugClosed TrialRCCDClosed
20 AugForest ClassicNECCClosed
20 AugValkyrian TrialVWCCClosed
27 AugPeck and Stokes TrailRCCGWR-4
27 AugNovice TrialFCCVClosed
3 SepAnglia Memorial TrialFFCCClosed
3 SepShamateur IIILCCClosed
3 SepPathfinder TrialPIARCClosed
17 SepZodiac RallyCRBCCOpen
17 SepWestern Districts TrialSCOTCCTAUCC-6
17 SepRollaway TrialM850Closed
24 SepBlue Ribbon RallyVSCCVCS-8
24 SepNight TrialSMSCClosed
20-27 SepLondon to Sydney MarathonInternational
1 OctForester RallyCERBVRC-4
1 OctPines TrialSEACClosed
1 OctKitchen Table RallyVMACClosed
8 OctTrialMMSCClosed
15 OctBaxter’s BurnCCRMITTAUCC-7
15 OctKarella KapersRCCVClosed
15 OctMini Invitation TrialM850GClosed
15 OctToya Parts Introductory TrialTOCVClosed
22 OctOctober TrialLCCBENClosed
29 OctChrysler SafariCOCCVRC-5
5 NovMidwestern TrialLCCAClosed
5 NovSpring TrialNECCClosed
5 NovKanardly TrialTCVCLosed
12 NovGeorge Derrick Memorial TrialCCRMITVRC-6
12 NovHonda GraduationHCCVClosed
12 NovAdam and Eve TrialCRBCCClosed
12 NovCCC TrialCCCClosed
12 Nov1000 Puddles RallyADCCClosed
19 NovDisrallyMSCCTAUCC-8
19 NovRally of the Rising SunDCCAClosed
25-27 NovRepco Alpine RallyLCCAInternational
3 DecPresidents TrialCCRMITOpen
3 DecMaldon MuddleMUCCClosed
3 DecPresidents TrialPCCGClosed
10 DecRally des DamesRCCVClosed
10 DecSummer TrialVADCClosed