On Thursday, February 5, 70 teams started the 19th AvD Histo-Monte 2015. After a two-year break, the rally returned and there were more participants than there have been for 10 years.
The starting field included vehicles from around 20 brands and from five decades. Marcel Widler and René Jung in their 1969 Volvo P 1800 were among the adventurers who took on the 1800 km journey from Germany to Monaco.
Their experiences - snowstorms, breakdowns, technical problems, dislocated gears, near-collisions but also lots of sunshine and happy faces - form the basis of this report.
Start in Germany
The first day, Thursday, began in Mainz with fine weather at 0 degrees Celsius. The final technical preparations were made. The chroniclers' car, a Volvo Rallye Coupé from 1969, was there, just as Roger Moore alias Simon Templar drove it in the late sixties. The crew was equipped with a 300-page road book and the starting number "14" was revived. The start took place in the midst of works teams and as the only vehicle in this group in the hourglass class, i.e. without electronic aids for navigation and without an accompanying service vehicle.
After a smooth start, a distance of 250 km was covered without any breakdowns. The first special stage is a novelty for the team and, equipped only with a pocket calculator and a stopwatch, a challenge. During the mountain stages from 15:00, the Volvo was blocked by overzealous teams. On the first pass in the northern Black Forest, a tourist driving in front of the Volvo also failed to give way and almost caused a collision on the snow-covered road. The Volvo's gear stick even dislocated during the evasive maneuver!
But the rally continued and the time pressure was high. In third gear, we drove down the pass road to near the Alsace border. A necessary turning maneuver blocked the vehicle for a few minutes, as it was no longer possible to engage reverse gear. In a five-minute "emergency operation", the pilot Marcel Widler then turned the gear stick 180 degrees and the Volvo shifted back into all gears as if nothing had happened. At 17:00 it slowly began to get dark.
Two mountain passes still lay ahead of the 70 or so teams. The roads were now completely snowed in and visibility was zero in places. There were also snow drifts in the high mountains. Nevertheless, the pace had to be maintained at an average of 45 km/h, which occasionally required acrobatic driving. After a total of 470 km, the teams finally reached the finish line in Freiburg at 21:00. After the riders' briefing and the announcement of the intermediate ranks, there was an invigorating and warming dinner before preparations for the start of the next stage began again at midnight.
Snowstorms and lack of visibility on the second day of the rally
Early in the morning at 07:00, the 72 teams were ready for the second day of the rally. Shortly after the start, the rally participants were tested with a triple stage in Alsace. The journey then continued over snow-covered roads via St. Ursanne into the magical region of the French Jura. The radio stations in the area reported snowstorms and closed schools. Nevertheless, the Histo Monte entourage drove on and overcame passes that were actually impassable without snow chains.
The Volvo team was also successful, mastering even the most difficult passages. The car from Sweden obviously felt at home in the snow and at times drove in front of all the fast Porsches and the professional teams. After ten hours of snow rallying and, according to the organizers, a dramatic weather situation, it was decided to cancel the last special stage along the Doubs. The first teams reached Aix-les-Bains at 19:30. Surprisingly, breakdowns and retirements were the exception on this eventful day. Nevertheless, the last participants did not arrive until around midnight.
Breakdowns and driving errors on the third day
The first cars started at 07:00 on Saturday after a short and, for some teams, very short night. Snow-covered roads were once again expected, which presented a wonderful challenge for ambitious drivers.
The winners of the last event - Blunck and Aschmann in a 1974 Opel Ascona A - were the first to set off on the route to reach Nice after a mammoth 11-hour drive through the French Alps.
Just 45 minutes after the start, the first drivers tackled a special stage on a snow-covered road to the first pass. And from here, an unforgettable rally drive through exciting areas and magical landscapes began. The barely traveled routes and the snow-covered nature felt almost too romantic compared to the sportiness of the event.
The Widler/Jung Goodtimer team were soon back at the front of the field. Thanks to the Volvo's purpose-optimized equipment and advantageous weight distribution, driving was fun and enjoyable despite the tough conditions.
After the lunch break, a competitor caused some excitement at the restart and necessitated an evasive maneuver, which again, as on the first day of the rally, dislocated the gearshift. Then it was off to the next mountain stage in third and fourth gear and an exciting chase to catch up, but with disastrous consequences. When passing a roadworks site, the Widler/Jung team overlooked a red light. The organizer saw fit to remove the Volvo from the classification. A bitter pill for the pair, but even at a classic car rally, traffic regulations must be observed.
Nevertheless, the journey was not over. The entourage drove a section along the Route Napoleon and further south, where the first breakdowns and breakdowns were recorded between skiers, snowshoers and rally vehicles.
The final section was the descent towards the Mediterranean through a ravine, which the Monte Carlo winner from 1985, Ari Vatanen, encouraged to make the statement of the day: "Normally in rallies you always try to avoid hitting a tree, but in the Monte Carlo you're lucky if you hit a tree." And he was referring to the dangerous and very deep ravines.
Crossing the finish line in beautiful weather on the last day
Glorious sunshine and Kaiserwerter awaited the remaining 63 teams on Sunday, offering the best conditions for the final over five passes from Nice to Monte Carlo. In the meantime, the team with start number 14 had slipped back to 41st place. They therefore drove straight to Monte Carlo. A makeshift repair to the gearbox restored the Volvo to its original four forward gears plus overdrive and ensured a relaxed drive along the picturesque backdrop of the Corniche.
The first teams were expected in Monaco at 15:00. The finish took place in beautiful weather and sunshine. The winner in 2015 was a newcomer in a very fast and rare Porsche 914-6 GT with starting number 17. A Skoda 120 L took second place, while third place went to a Porsche 356 SC.
The professionally organized rally can definitely be recommended despite the unfortunate outcome for the chronicler. The very good road book, the varied and challenging route and the culinary experiences along the way were convincing. See you again!
Overall result
| Rank | Start no. | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | Porsche 914-6 GT |
| 2 | 20 | Skoda 120 L |
| 3 | 11 | Porsche 356 SC Coupé |
| 4 | 59 | BMW 325 IX |
| 5 | 45 | Daimler Benz 280E/W123 |
| 6 | 1 | Opel Ascona A |
| 7 | 65 | Audi Quattro Type 85 |
| 8 | 8 | Skoda 130 RS Coupé |
| 9 | 25 | Opel Ascona A Rallye |
| 10 | 13 | Porsche 911 ST |
| 11 | 4 | Mercedes-Benz 220 S |
| 12 | 35 | Porsche 924 Group 4 |
| 13 | 22 | Lancia Fulvia 1.3 S |
| 16 | 9 | Skoda Octavia 1200 TS |
| 17 | 29 | Porsche 911 Coupé |
| 18 | 12 | Saab 96 |
| 19 | 49 | Audi Ur-Quattro |
| 20 | 67 | Lancia Delta Integrale HF 2.0 16V |
| 21 | 64 | Subaru Legacy Turbo |
| 22 | 39 | Porsche 911 SC Coupé |
| 23 | 23 | Skoda 130 RS Coupé |
| 24 | 16 | Skoda Favorit 135 L "Rallye Monte Carlo" |
| 25 | 61 | Porsche 928 GT |
| 26 | 34 | Porsche 911 |
| 27 | 47 | Audi Quattro |
| 28 | 60 | BMW 320 is |
| 29 | 50 | Porsche 924 |
| 30 | 57 | Porsche 924 S |
| 31 | 18 | Lancia Fulvia Coupé 1.3 |
| 32 | 10 | MG A |
| 33 | 52 | BMW 320 i |
| 34 | 3 | VW Beetle |
| 35 | 36 | BMW 528 Sedan |
| 36 | 54 | BMW 316 |
| 37 | 55 | Audi Coupé |
| 38 | 46 | Citroen CX 25 GTI |
| 39 | 44 | Mazda 626 GLS |
| 40 | 6 | Porsche 356 A Coupé |
| 41 | 15 | Skoda 110 R |
| 42 | 66 | Audi S2 |
| 43 | 7 | Porsche 356 B 1600 |
| 44 | 27 | Leyland Mini 1000 MK II |
| 45 | 19 | Lancia Fulvia 1.3 S |
| 46 | 51 | BMW 635 CS I |
| 47 | 31 | Porsche 911 SC |
| 48 | 33 | Porsche 911 SC 3.0 |
| 49 | 24 | Mercedes-Benz 350 SLC |
| 50 | 68 | Porsche 993 Carrera 4 |
| 51 | 62 | Porsche 911 |
| 52 | 26 | Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Convertible |
| 53 | 5 | Volvo PV 544 |
| 54 | 28 | Seat 127 |
| 55 | 41 | Daimler-Benz 350 SLC |
| 56 | 69 | BMW 850 CS I |
| 57 | 43 | Porsche 911 SC |
| 58 | 48 | Volkswagen Golf 1 |
| 59 | 2 | Fiat 1100 TV 103 |
| 60 | 38 | Ford Escort Mk II |
| 61 | 58 | Audi Quattro Coupé |
| 62 | 56 | Audi 200 Turbo |
| 63 | 37 | Peugeot 504 GL |
