Old bangers rattle along to win Ramshackle Rally

This year’s annual Ramshackle Race saw 115 rusty, but road worthy, old bangers line up to race across the mainland Europe to Valencia, Spain. The four day rally involves teams starting in Calais and driving the 1450 mile route. One team of four called Crash Test Dummies, hailing from Northwich, Cheshire, used the event as an opportunity to raise over £1000 for charity hospice, St Luke’s Hospice Cheshire. The team, headed by Vince Powell, independently sought the help of Mondial Assistance in the UK, a leading roadside assistance provider, to give roadside support in the event of an emergency.

“The Ramshackle Rally was such an enjoyable experience, and one I’m sure the team will never forget”, says Vince Powell. “One of the stipulations imposed on teams in this race is the £150 spend limit on buying the car, which is a gamble when it’s for a rally, but part of the fun. We were eager to accept Mondial’s roadside support offer in the event of something happening. It provided us with the peace of mind and reliability to concentrate on other things, like taking part in the daily challenges along the way, which included Car Snooker - taking digital images of moving vehicles in the correct colour order.”

Crash Test Dummies, who started their journey in Cheshire, and drove back from Valencia, completed the race in a 1992 Mercedes Benz 300e 4matic, and covering 600 miles on the first day. The team did not have to call out for Mondial Assistance, needing only to change a fuse and top up the oil. However, the team prepared the car by carrying out the necessary checks such as the brakes before they embarked on the journey.

“Mondial Assistance was delighted to support the Crash Test Dummies with our Roadside Assistance and Recovery service, and to help them raise funds for a very worthwhile charity,” comments Lee Taylor, Automotive Director at Mondial Assistance.