Ardenne Rally Festival The philosophy
DG Sport has been organising speed rallies such as SpaRally and the South Belgian Rally for many years, as well as regularity rallies such as the Tour of Belgium.
Many participants were asking us for an event without competition, where passion and conviviality between participants and spectators would be the key words. So we decided to launch the Ardenne Rally Festival, inspired by what is organised in the Eifel region. During time trials, the vehicle has to perform as well as possible. As a result, original parts are generally replaced during the restoration by modern, higher-performance parts. Makrolon windows with sliding apertures replace glass windows that have to be cranked shut. Engine performance was improved, and the running gear was redesigned with shock absorbers that have nothing to envy of today's cars.
None of this is in keeping with the spirit that we want to develop, because there's one essential step that has to be taken before a rally car can be restored: research. What was the car like at the time? Old photos, newspaper articles and films are all valuable clues, if not direct contacts with drivers or mechanics who have worked on the car. So before tightening the first screw, you need to go hunting for period documents. And based on these elements, try to recreate the original as faithfully as possible. It's the details that make the difference. Many beautiful restorations are ruined by details. The design or size of the rims, for example, plays a crucial role in the overall appearance.
Respect for decoration is another important point. Here too, the difference lies in the details. Owners sometimes use scale models to reproduce an old competition car to 1:1 scale. But these must be faithful reproductions, both in terms of the colour of the bodywork and the reproduction of the sponsors. Here again, the best solution is to rely on period documents.
That's why, before you can register your car, you need to fill in an eligibility form so that we can validate your participation.
