Some analysis

A chat with one of the service crew (you know who you are!) made me think about what is most likely to go wrong with the car and, therefore, what spares we should take.

So I have looked at the retirements from a tarmac stage rally up here this weekend (the North West Stages), then I added the info I have on when I have retired the Mini back in the 80s on raod rallies.

That got me thinking so I added info from last year's Jim Clark rally (closed roads) and then finally I added in the retirements of the works Dolomite Sprints and TR7 16Vs on tarmac rallies.

What did all that tell me?

Well, here's the results

Transmission	19
Engine	17
Accident	14
Suspension	7
Electrics	3
Tyres	2
Brakes	1
Grand Total	63

So that means I need lots of spares for transmissions then? Gearbox, clutch, propshaft, half shafts etc- just what I am not planning to take! Time for a rethink then?

Well, I then took a look at the reasons for the Triumph retirements (none of them mine!).

Engine	5
Accident	2
Transmission	2
Brakes	1
Grand Total	10

OK - so it's the engine that's the biggest problem then which is what I have all the spares for! To be fair though there's no way we'd be changing a clutch or gearbox anyway on a multi use event.

What about the retirements when I have been driving?

Engine	2
Accident	1
Grand Total	3

OK - engine again then and accidents go with the territory.

Looking back at it though - I think I probably have never had a powerful enough car to give transmissions much of a problem and the works 16V cars used the transmission designed for the V8 as am I so it should be on top of the job really.