Monte Carlo Rally - Oldies with Stories

 There are some good stories connected with some of the older cars in the Historic Rally

This is a 1951 Austin FX3 taxi driven by a 64 year old Belgian, Jean Marie Hermann. His journey was inspired by F1 driver Tony Brooks who drove a similar vehicle in the 1961 Rally.

I wonder what the fare to Monaco will be?

This beast, known as "Josephine", is a 1934 Lagonda with a 4.5 litre engine. Amazingly it has been owned by the same family since new. The current driver's grandfather bought the car and drove it in the 1936 Monte Carlo Rally. The car has completed many rallies include the Monte Carlo in 1998. Its current mileage is 415,000.

Josephine leaves her mark on the Paisley asphalt

This is a 1927 AC Montlhery Sports drive by Michael Grimmond. His grandfather won the Montre Carlo Rally in 1926 in a similar car. All the way to Monte Carlo in an open car - wow!

This Bentley 3.5 litre also dates from 1934 and is being driven from John O'Groats to Reims by Dutchman Robert Jan van Rheeman.

I got there early to avoid the crowds and had some time to see the sights. Paisley is a place I know quite well because I went to school there and later frequented its pubs

Anchor Mills. A former thread mill converted to offices

The Abbey

Statue of Queen Victoria and the Town Hall

There seems to be a lot of fat birds in Paisley!