Isle of Wight Car Club 
The Isle of Wight rally was and is revered as one of the best national rallies of the 1960’s and 1970’s era.
Voted best rally one year by the much respected Ecurie Cod Fillet motor club, the rally was graced by many renowned faces and cars.
Indeed one of the best known ‘works’ Ford Escorts past and present, LVX 945J, was campaigned on the event by privateer Charles Eveson and John Wilcox of engine building fame.
Below it can be seen on the Isle of Wight Rally which it won.
The car was originally driven by world rally champion Hannu Mikkola when he was participating in the world rally championship for Ford Motor Company.
Hi, I am in South Africa visiting my sister who lives here and started looking on google. I was delighted to see the Isle of Wight car club come up reference my name. Without question the IWCC stages event each year was the highlight, the fun starting on the ferry chatting to old friends.
Sorry to disappoint you though,I think the picture of me and John was not on the Isle of Wight but an event in the east midlands. The car was red when we won it for the first time. I will try and organise some photos if you want.
Please give my regards to Mike and Terry.
Best wishes,
Charles Eveson
Charles,
I am delighted the club website is doing its job! We look forward with great anticipation to your photographs. I will pass on your best wishes to my Father Terry and of course Mike Davidson. Best wishes,
Richard
Hi, Charles Eveson very kindly wrote an article for our website about his ex-works Ford Escort which can be read at the following URL;
http://www.rs2.co.uk/lvx.htm
Regards, Ian
Thank you Ian and Charles,
A very nice story which was a pleasure to read.
Thank you!
Richard Weaver
Hullo Charles – mike & I are fine – just a bit older.
I remember the old days with great pleasure.
See mike all the time.
Present reduced to Richards sponsor!!!
All the best,
Terry
Just back from 3 nights stay with my wife at the royal hotel in ventnor.
I think the only other time I have been to the IOW was back in the 1960s when I competed as navigator to JOHN CHURCH, possibly in a mini. Was the Hill climb at Ventnor up ZIg Zag Road? What hotel was used for the awards presentation and dinner Sandown or Shanklinq. it! The Isle of Wight Rally was a great event, and my visit has brought back happy memories. Glad to see the club is still going strong. JOHN MACE
I studied with Charles at Loughborough until we graduated in 1971. He was intrigued by my summer job working as a bus conductor for Southern Vectis. The next season he came down with me for lessons to gain his PSV and we became a driver / conductor crew.
One of the many memories was returning to Shanklin Bus Dept on the No 16 route from Ventnor a little quicker than normal in time to see the end of Top of the Pops when a lady passenger said to me; “Does he think he’s a rally driver or something?”
I spent the first 23 years of my life on Island and I think I was responsible for introducing Chas to the place. I may have been on the Island but one year he even entered his BDA Escort in a banger race. I rode in most of his rally cars including his Mk1 Zodiac, the first car he competed in.
Thanks for all those great times Chas,
Paul
Great to hear from Paul.
He introduced me to the Isle of Wight and that led me to entering their major event, the Premier Motors Stage rally, several times.
We won it three times and came second once. Tony Mason co-drove on that last time and unfortunately I dropped it in a ditch costing us 10 or so seconds and the win. Tony did a great speech at the prize giving.
I still have great and fond memories of the event. Best wishes to the club and its members.
Charles