The 1968 London to Sydney Marathon
A History of the 10,000 Mile Endurance Rally
$45.00
In stock
About the Book
On November 24, 1968, more than 250 people from 19 nations set off on a 10,000–mile endurance rally from London to Sydney. Crossing 10 countries, competitors encountered officious border guards, gangs of rock-throwing children, treacherous driving conditions, collisions, breakdowns, injuries, wayward dogs, livestock, camels and kangaroos, millions of spectators crowding the roads and even bandits. Among the professional drivers were a large number of enthusiastic amateurs, many of whom had never raced in their lives.
Drawing from personal recollections of more than 60 participants—many who made it to Sydney and many more who didn’t—and contemporary newspaper and magazine articles, this book tells the full story of what was called the “Marathon,” from an idea dreamed up over an alcohol-fueled lunch to the last car over the finish line.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
Robert Connor
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 308
Bibliographic Info: 142 photos (32 in color), 5 maps, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2016
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9586-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2084-8
Imprint: McFarland
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vi
Preface 1
Introduction 4
1. What’s the Big Idea? 7
2. Planning the Route 10
3. That Bloody 1100! 18
4. Growing Interest 24
5. The One About the Englishman, the Irishman and the Scotsman 29
6. Runners and Riders 38
7. The Red Arrows 44
8. Off with a Bang! 54
9. Add Lightness, Go Faster 60
10. Bound for Belgrade 72
11. The Curse of the Mercedes-Benz Radiators (Part One) 81
12. A Valiant Effort 87
13. The Curse of the Mercedes-Benz Radiators (Part Two) 92
14. Goodbye Bentley Tourer 95
15. Peeing in the Dark 99
Between pages 106 and 107 are 16 pages containing 32 color photographs
16. A Peykan by Any Other Name 107
17. More Than Just the Mechanic 112
18. All Along the King’s Highway 120
19. We’re Not Going Home 130
20. A Million Broken Metatarsals 138
21. The Fighting Falcons (Part One) 146
22. Close Shaves and Sacred Cows 154
23. The Fighting Falcons (Part Two) 160
24. Shenanigans at Sea 166
25. A Tale of Two Volvos (Part One) 173
26. Roo Bars and Bull Dust 179
27. A Tale of Two Volvos (Part Two) 185
28. Turning on a Dime 195
29. A Sleeping Bag to Kandahar 201
30. Can I Buy Your Axle Please? 213
31. All the Way Back 221
32. And Half the Way There 229
33. Meeting Triumph and Disaster 236
34. Waltzing Over the Khyber Pass 242
Epilogue—After the Dust Had Settled 251
Appendix 1: The Entrants 257
Appendix 2: The Scoreboard 263
Chapter Notes 266
Bibliography 269
Index 271
Book Reviews & Awards
“Connor provides ideal insight as to why the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon captured the imagination of the public…Connor has written a most appealing account of the marathon…an enjoyable and informative read…highly recommended”—SAH Journal; “Connor, relies on both statistics and anecdote to tell this amazing story of endurance…one of the most ambitious books on a single motorsport event that we can recall reviewing. It’s liberally illustrated with maps and photos that make clear just how monumental an undertaking London to Sydney really was. Any rally aficionado will want to read this comprehensive work”—Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car; “the book is a fine tribute by a wholly enthusiastic chronicler who full well realizes, as do the many participants he was able to interview, how unique the Marathon was. Even the reenactments never surpassed it, nor do any of the other modern-day long-distance rallies”— SpeedReaders; “I could hardly put [it] down. Connor, is clearly expert in all aspects of the Marathon…read the book. All in all, the most enjoyable book I have read for ages.”—Escape Motoring Inc.; “a book to savor over…. A masterpiece that will well reward the reader!”—Victory Lane; “plenty of archive pictures help to set the scene…entertaining”—Classic & Sports Car
