Jim Boxall started rallying with Cranleigh Motor Club in 1978, in club events night Nav Scatters.
1st ever event I Navigated for Alex Eden in a Mk1 Ford Mexico, after the night before instruction on how to navigate By Mick Mears (Sadly now passed away). The event wasn’t without its incidents with like all drivers going to fast for his Navigator to keep up and saw us sideways into a field, it wasn’t long before I decide that navigating was not for me.
So now should I have a go at driving in my company car, banged on some spot lights and talked Conroy into navigating and off we set, but yet again another driver was born.
After a few events I struck Lucky as Andrew French who co-drove for Keith Henderson & Hugh Wylie was looking for a new Driver to do 12 Car Rallies. So, I offered my services and Jim Boxall & Andrew French a new crew was now on the block. We started with a few club Scatters then on to Bigger Scatters and it wasn’t long before I was press ganged on to the Committee. And then on to Jim Boxall Competition Secretary.
With the help of some of the other committee members, we started the Five Maps Scatter Championship with Hants & Berks, Guildford Motor Club, Thames Valley Motor Club and CSMA Motor Club which became very popular in the area with as many as 40 cars out on most events.
After some good results in club events, and winning the club scatter Championship several time we then progressed on to 12 Cars and Larger Road rallies all over England & Wales with a purpose built Mk1 Mexico.
Until we had a 3 car Shunt on a Central Sussex event when reverse seeding was first introduced we were seed Car 2 and a Chevette HSR was Car 1, at a non-giveway junction we slowed a little as we were catching the car in front not expecting him to stop and giveway we broke hard but not enough we touched his rear but the HSR had caught us up and did nit expect us to brake so hard or stop we had a Collison of 3 Cars, no one injured only dent pride & car
While we decide what to do, we went back to club events in Family car and occasionally Andrews Honda Civic.
But the draw of Rallying was to great that I sold Family car and brought a Talbot Avenger with a 1.6 With twin 40’s similar to a Tiger engine. It wasn’t long before we were back into road rallying in Kent, Wales and Essex. Although the engine was in great condition the body work was not and failed M.O.T., so a shell was found and we swopped the running gear into a Talbot Sunbeam.
Then off to Wales again for Powys Lanes & Cilwendeg to see if we could finish the Season on a high, which we did finishing both events without any serious incidents. Picture Below Jim Boxall & Andrew French on the Cilwendeg
Again, the car Failed M.O.T. and another shell had to be found. By this time road Rallying was going to change its timing of events To BBC time and regularity sections. We tried one or two but the enjoyment had gone out of them for us.
The next Step was to Stage rallying. Project Stage car was started. With a lot of help from Andy Brown, Colin from Crescent Services & Phil Richardson from Ifold Motors. We had entered Imber Stages a great event that Sadly no longer runs over Salisbury plain, and of course Wales and The Zenith Championship.
Well the Stage rallying bug had really taken hold. While this was going on I changed jobs. And went to work for Poplar garage a Peugeot dealer in Five oaks. Kevin Griffin the owner was a fan of rallying and took a great interest in what we doing. After a couple of years working at Poplar, Kevin asked why we never rallied a Peugeot. Answer Cost, that s when Kevin offered to build a 205 Gti. if a damaged shell came in at work and was beyond economical repair. It did so our next Chapter begins.
A shake down event at Goodwood before we set out our next years plan. Which was a new paint Job and find so sponsorship which came in many forms’. Poplar Garage being our Biggest Sponsor, followed by Northbrook College of Worthing & Shoreham. Chiddingfold Post Office Great friends Phil & Jenny (Sadly no longer with us). L.T.D. Windscreens and Barclays Bank Motor Club. Other great competitors at Goodwood plus a source of information were Mike Hayward Grange of Uxbridge (Yellow 205 Gti and Russel Pugh Red 205 Gti)
The following year saw some great results in our rallying career
Then cane A 10-year break while starting a family Paul & Nicola. Which took up a great deal of time. But still wanted to return at some time to the sport that I loved. Paul called me one day and said Dad there’s a 205 Gti up for sale. You ought to buy it and start rallying again I’m sure you still got it. So I brought it convinced Allan Brown to Co-Drive for me and away we went. Only one place to Rally I said to Allan that’s Eypnt in Wales. We took on the King of Eypnt Challenge in our Third year and won the 1.6 class. The following year entered the 1.9 Class due to engine change (Built by Ralph Pinder). Saw us get a Class win on the Flatters rally. Allan had other commitments so after 5 years together we parted.
This year I have a new co-driver Waheed Majid only going to do 2 events. The Tour of Epynt finished 51st and 4th in class, followed by The Mewla in August.
My thanks to everyone who has helped me enjoy the sport that I really love.
Andy, Chris, Garry Colin, Ian K, Paul, Allan Kevin, Phil, Jenny. From my new home in Wales Ian J, Wiggy, Huw, Mike M, Lloyd, Ellie, Lori, Jake, Ralph, Alex, Dave F. And Joyce for putting up with it. Sorry if I have missed you out not on purpose, I thank you All.