FACTORY CAR "USINE"
HISTORY
1968 RALLYE EUROPEAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
RALLY VLTAVA
05-07 JULY 1968
RALLY-DEBUT
Alpine Renault took part in various championship races in 1968 as part of the European Rally Championship. The Rally Monte Carlo, the Rally San Remo and the Rally Wiesbaden were completed and the works drivers Vinatier, Piot, Larousse and Co. were able to achieve top ten results – but a victory was still pending. The Vltava Rally (CS), held from 05-07 July 1968, was supplied by the factory with 2 A110 1300S Berlinettes. The 4712GE76 received start no. 8 and was occupied by the team Jean Vinatier / Marcel Callewaert – both are standing next to their vehicle.
The Vltava Rally (CSSR) brought the first victory of the season as part of the European Rally Championship in 1968. The team J. Vinatier / M. Callewaert led the 1300S with the registration number 4712GE76 to first place overall on their rally debut.
Fotos © Le Tahitien
Fotos © M. Callewaert
"The Blue Riders" - Jean Vinatier, Jean-François Piot , Marcel Callewaert & Jean Todt in conversation.
ALPINE IN THE ALPS
VIENNA G'LATS
The Viennese Walter Roser (1932-1998), Austrian national champion in 1968 in a Renault 8 Gordini, took over the 4712GE76 in mid-1968 and received a contract as a semi-works driver from Alpine Renault.
He was very often in France, not only because of his profession as a perfume representative, but also because of his close ties to the Alpine factory in Dieppe. At that time, Alain Ducharne was the person responsible at Alpine, when it came to the sale of vehicles to the Eastern Bloc countries. In 1968 Ducharne procured Vinatiers ex-Alpine for Roser, who was successful on a few occasions with this Berlinette.
Foto @ TMW
3-2-1-go!
From 1967 to 1971 Roser was a member of the "BOSCH RACING TEAM VIENNA". He recorded his rally experiences in the booklet he wrote ... 3-2-1-go!
V.INT. 1968 1000 MINUTE RALLY
18-20 OCTOBER1968
1000 MINUTES
The first rally with special stages was the 1000 minutes International Border Rally of over 900 km through Lower Austria. The target travel time was 998 minutes resulting in the name "1000 minutes" being born.
Roser/Loibnegger clearly led in the overall assessment until they had to leave the road due to a navigation error. A broken windshield resulted in being thrown back to 3rd place overall although the victory in the class classification up to 1300cc remained with them.
Carelessness and laxity brought victory for Roser/ Mayer. Vinatier/Ruore stamped too early at the end of a special stage and were given a two-minute time penalty. Roser/Mayer on the other hand were only given one minute. Despite protests of the Equipe Tricolore - the overall victory went to the Alpine country.
Foto @ TMW
1969 CIRCUIT DEL MUGELLO
TRACK DAY
To prepare their 1300cc Gordini drive unit, Roser turned to CONRERO in Italy. The photo shows his Berlinette during a break, at test drives on the "Circuit del Mugello".
Foto © Carlo Alberto Gabellieri
3 CITIES RALLY MUNICH - VIENNA - BUDAPEST 1969
03-05 OCTOBER 1969
TEAM AUSTRIA
Leopold Mayer and Walter Roser at the wheel, tackled the 3-City Rally 1969 against illustrious competition. The Equipe Tricolore sent the teams Thérier / Callewaert and Vinatier / Roure into the race – both also on A110 1300S.
For some unknown reason Roser changed the French license plate of the 4712GE76 to 2575AL92. Roser was racing fast with his 1300cc Berlinette. Thérier, the overall leader, dismantled his 1300cc on the 12km special stage Vérteskozma in Hungary and had to give up the rally. On three special stages, Roser left the great Jean Vinatier behind him and thus achieved the status of the "fastest private driver in Europe".
@ TMW
© Rolf Schmidt
QUEL MALHEUR
Sloppiness brought the victory for Roser/Mayer. Vinatier/Ruore clocked in too early at the end of a special stage and received a 2-minute penalty time. Roser/Mayer only conceded a minute. Despite protests from the Equipe Tricolore - the overall victory went to the Alpine.
SHOW TIME
After winning the three city rally Munich-Vienna-Budapest in 1969, Rosers 1300S found its place on the Renault stand and was the star at a for me unknown auto show.
VI. INT. 1969 1000 MINUTE RALLY
16-18 OKTOBER 1969
MOST DEMANDING RALLY
The rally of 1000 minutes was one of the fastest and most demanding rallies in the sixties and seventies and was one of the European Championship races.
KING OF COOL
Walter Roser, a perfume salesman by trade, appears in the Parc Fermè in a fine thread with cigartette and sunglasses, to inspect his berlinette. The former 4712GRE76 is now on the road with the new license plate number 2575AL92, which is still french
© TMW
VII. INT. RALLY OF 1000 MINUTES 1970
16–18 OCTOBER 1970
DRIVER SWAP
The following photos show Georg Koltay during the International Rally of 1000 minutes in 1970. Another two professional Austrian rally pilots would later more or less successfully take over the wheel of the former 4712GE76, before it then came into the private ownership of various hobby pilots.
© TMW
PRIVATE DRIVERS
After Walter Roser’s numerous successes in the 1968/69 season he exchanged the 4712GE76 for a more powerful 1600S. The 1300S came into the hands of the Austrian Josef Barbach. He also moved this Berlinette very successfully, especially on rally tracks in the Alpine country. He proudly poses here with a trophy in front of a picture of his former rally car.
Josef Barbach! Ex-1300S Pilot.
SEARCH AND RESCUE
PATIENCE GAME
AUGUST 2005
The former works car was just a picture of misery, after it was allowed to run on public roads in Vienna and had a serious accident. This meant the end of the road for this particular Berlinette and it now faced an uncertain fate in the Alpine country. Research revealed that over the course of many years, the seriously damaged vehicle was passed through the hands of at least half a dozen enthusiasts, without any one of them doing any restoration work on the vehicle.
In August 2005 I was able to purchase the wreck after I had visited the owner several times during my summer holidays in Austria. Over the years, we became friends and in the summer of 2005 he deemed me worthy of reviving Walter Roser's ex-Alpine.
BLOOD SWEAT AND TEARS
LACQUERING
JANUARY 2008
The appropriate restoration of a Berlinette requires not only craftsmanship and technical knowhow, but also specialist knowledge of the evolution of the corresponding vehicle. Notably the competition vehicles have significant modifications, compared to a series model. These are usually not noted or not to be found in the relevant known manuals or literature. Almost 3 years, peppered with ups and downs, passed until the vehicle was ready for painting.
The endless hours of grinding work on the body work were a test of patience. A high-quality professional painting is mandatory, because cheap backyard painting would lead all the time consuming preparatory work ad absurdum. Despite all the preparatory work and efforts, the final painting remains a process between hope and fear for an outstanding and first class result.
REASSEMBLY
APRIL 2010
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS
All attachments were already adapted to the vehicle before painting and before they could finally take their original place. Holes were drilled precisely, gaps optimised, and the hoods and doors fitted precisely.
The restoration of gaps and light edges, the fitting of doors and hoods devour countless hours of work, but in the end make the difference between a run of the mill restoration and a high-quality restoration.
Each individual attachment was carefully examined, revised and given new splendour before reinstallation.
Even the magnets of the fuel filler flap do not come from a local hardware store, but were retrieved from the original manufacturer in France.
POWER PLANT
„LE SORCIER“ IS ALIVE
A ready to install GORDINI racing engine with 1296cc and approx. 135 hp is a sight for sore eyes.
Note the special pulley on the crankshaft, which was originally also responsible for driving the water pump and alternator, which was mounted on the chassis in the early models.
A racing exhaust without a silencer and a hand welded oil pan with cooling fins, the unmistakable attributes of a racing engine, trimmed for performance from that era. The unique sound of a Gordini engine is music to the ears of every Alpine lover.
BACK ON TRACK
LIGHT & SHADOW
OKTOBER 2010
AUTUMN TIMELESS
It is the time of falling leaves, colourful forests and the setting sun, which allows beguiling light to penetrate through the cascades of trees. Light and shadow change in a split second and for the No. 8 this autumn day equals her second spring. Risen like a phoenix from the ashes, it now shines again in the livery of the winning vehicle of the 1968 Vltava Rally (CS), as if it had never been doomed. Gracefully simple, it proudly carries all the rally options that the factory bestowed on it in 1968. If it comes to talk about an Alpine A110 1300S, exaggerated simplicity becomes elegance.
GET OUT AND DRIVE
FLAT OUT
OCTOBER 2010
LET`S DRIFT AGAIN
In addition to the classic appearance of this A110 1300S, the low power-to-weight ratio as well as the revving 1296cc Gordini engine now permit driving performance and driving pleasure at the highest level.
Insiders know - the low power-to-weight ratio of a 1300S in combination with a prepared racing engine undoubtedly guarantees the highest driving pleasure among all A110 models.
Car In Detail
DÉJÀ-VU
OKTOBER 2010
What would Jean Vinatier say today, if he saw his former Rallye car?
Would he remember her? Remember sitting behind the steering wheel, clasping it courageously to pitch his Berlinette around the bends? Remembering all the beautiful details of his former companion has today?
Extremely unlikely, seeing that at that time she was just considered a tool with one function only and that was to win Rallies. The muse to behold all her charms is reserved for the enthusiasts of today. She must no longer prove her skills on destructive European rally tracks.
FOREVER
MOMENT INVITATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2018
It sounds a bit crazy, but we did it!
A whole movie, produced on an I-Phone only.
Filmmaker and creative mind DAVID ZU ELFE & Friends of course already had a vision and only a few days passed from the idea to the execution of that idea. We were under time pressure, because we wanted to meet the deadline for the Moment Invitational Film Festival.
Under the most adverse weather conditions, in the cold, freezing rain and snow, this short film came about.
The voters liked FOREVER and our efforts were rewarded.
...and the winner was:
// a film by DAVID ZU ELFE (https://instagram.com/davidzuelfe/)
// recording, sound design & score by PHILIPP STEPHAN(https://instagram.com/deafbirdsound/)
// voiced by RICK WHELAN (https://www.fiverr.com/heresricky)
// poem by PAUL LAWRENCE DUNBAR (1872 - 1906)
// car provided by JUERGEN CLAUSS / ALPINELAB.DE
