Rallye Report – Ennstal-Classic 2018 – Rallye Premiere for our 1934 Auburn Six Roadster

After three days of a nail-biting race we finished 2nd in the Pre-War Class and 17th overall!

Rallye premiere for our 1934 Auburn Six Roadster at the Austrian “ENNSTAL-CLASSIC” 2018, 18. – 21. July 2018

In 2018 we started at the famous ENNSTAL-CLASSIC for the fifth time.

My co-pilot, Norbert Walk, and myself, Otto Kames, registered our “youngest baby”, a 1934 Auburn Six 652Y Roadster and drove it to the starting grid in July.

The ENNSTAL-CLASSIC

“Driving in the last Paradise”

With the cars of yore on the streets of today: that is the Ennstal-Classic. The event has experienced a high that could not have been foreseen when the first edition in 1993 took place with 35 cars. Gröbming in the Styrian Ennstal has become the centre of the classic car world. Walter Röhrl was the first winner and in his slipstream world stars like Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Sebastian Vettel, Rowan Atkinson, Patrick Dempsey and Brian Johnson have visited Gröbming.
The Ennstal-Classic is a ticket back to the youth for its participants; it stands for pure driving on the most beautiful Alp roads in Austria with outstanding cars in an atmosphere embossed by the passion for driving.

The Ennstal-Classic is a three-day-event with starting point in Gröbming in the Austrian province of Styria. Gröbming, situated within a beautiful mountain landscape becomes the center of the oldtimer-scene for three days. The smell of hay and hot engines is in the air. The only thing that counts is pure driving without electronic devices.
The Ennstal-Classic is driven on tarmac only. Approximately 450 km must be completed on each of the two driving days. The Ennstal-Classic is a sporty competition that keeps the excitement in the cockpits high during the regularity tests that are up to 20 km long. The average speed of 40 km/h for the epochs I and II as well as the 50 km/h average for the epochs III and IV are monitored in secret checkpoints from where a signal is sent to the encoded transponder of each car. Also regularity tests with light barries have to be driven. Every hundredth of a second difference from the target time is measured with one penalty point. The fewer points you get the better. Only mechanical time- and distance measuring devices are allowed. On the last day the Zenith Grand-Prix takes place with thousands of fans in the centre of Gröbming.

They still exist and we drive them: the last light traffic streets of the Alp-regions. Driving like 50 years ago is what it is all about. An art that is reanimated at the Ennstal-Classic. Where do the participants of the Ennstal-Classic find the last paradise? They do on the beautiful Alp roads as well as on the enchanted passes either driven in the early morning – to gain the strength for the 12-hour Artcurial-Marathon, or in the evening when the finish is near.
It is also the enthusiastic spectators in the leg villages along the route that hand over their love for nostalgy to the participants. Adventure is constantly aboard: when the region becomes lonelier and the headlights are switched on. When the hundredths speed on the stop watch, the eyes of the co-driver stick to the roadbook, those of the driver to the oil-pressure gauge. When thunderstorms arise and try to displace the participants from paradise.
It is the mixture: paradise times sporty challenge times adventure equals a product charged with emotions – an event that has become cult – the Ennstal-Classic.

Our Car at the 2018 Ennstal-Classic – 1934 Auburn Six 652Y Roadster:

In autumn 2017 we acquired our 1934 AUBURN Six 652Y Roadster right at his place of birth in Auburn, Indiana and brought the piece of American automotive history to Austria.
The car was delivered to our garage and workshop, OK-Classic GmbHjust in time before the winter arrived. Overall in beautiful condition but obviously driven sparingly since it´s frame off restoration a couple of years ago.
The Auburn 652 is powered by the original six-cylinder engine which is mated to a three-speed gearbox. The car has the desirable “Columbia” two-speed rear axle and four-wheel hydraulic brakes with power assist installed. The 652 was one of the last models to be created by the Auburn Company, as they went out of business just a few years later. Very few were ever made. It is believed that less than five 652Y convertible roadsters are still in existence.

By beginning of 2018 we started to work through the mechanics of the car, leaving no part untouched.

  • A complete engine rebuild with recoated pistons, new bearings, valves, etc.
  • Rebuild and upgrade of steering with tapered roller bearings
  • Front axle rebuild
  • New gas tank fuel lines, fuel pump
  • Re-cored radiator and rebuild of water pump
  • Installation of “heavy duty” brake pads
  • Fabrication of a lean backrest according to original patterns allowing 5 feed additional space for large drivers
  • Installation of rallye equipment – analogue “Rallye GT” -> LINK zu Rallye Service
  • Installation of heat insulations
  • And much more …..

Picture gallery of mechanical work performed:

1934 Auburn 652Y Roadster – getting ready for the rallye season 2018     (-> LINK)

A bit of history: Auburn Automobile

Established in 1903 by Frank and Morris Eckhart, with the patronage of their father Charles Eckhart, the Auburn Automobile Company (AAC) produced some of the most-desirable, aesthetically striking and technologically innovative automobiles.

From its humble beginnings in the corner of the Eckhart Carriage Company factory, Frank and Morris grew the AAC to occupy its own dedicated facility in 1909. Headquartered in Auburn, Indiana, a town of 5,000 people, the company successfully built a reputable automobile that sold nationwide.

In 1924, Errett Lobban Cord became general manager and would save the AAC from an early death. Hired by a group of investors from Chicago who bought the AAC from the Eckhart family in 1919, Cord grew the reputation of Auburn automobiles worldwide. The consummate marketer, Cord knew how to promote racing prowess and in-vogue style, making these attributes synonymous with Auburn to this very day.

Engineers such as James Crawford, Herbert Snow, George Kublin and Cornelius Van Ranst pushed the limits of technical innovation. Alan Leamy and Gordon Buehrig’s magnificent body designs earned Auburns accolades for style worldwide.

The journey ended in 1937 with AAC’s bankruptcy. E. L. Cord sold the company to AVCO and then headed out west to create new fortunes. Like a dying star, AAC burned the brightest just before its death, with their automobiles earning many speed and endurance records. Even today, Auburns are still revered for their elegance and performance.

Rallye-Report

We finished the preparation of the 1934 Auburn for its rallye premiere just in time before the start of the Ennstal-Classic 2018, with a few days left for first test drives

Day 1 – Tuesday, July 17th 2018 – “Driving the Auburn from our garage to Gröbming, Styria“:

  • We take the country lane from St. Andrä-Wördern to Tulln, St. Pölten, Scheibbs, Lunz am See, Admont, Gesäuse to Gröbming, including the first mountain roads and small passes. After 4 ½ hours, 200 miles behind us we arrive at Gröbming. The rebuilt engine is performing well and almost run-in.
  • Check-In and technical check at the Ennstal-Classic Motorpark in the afternoon.
  • Meeting many old friends.

Day 2 – Wednesday, July 18th 2018 – “Test-Time“:

  • Calibration of the “Tripmaster“ on the reference track.
  • Oil change at a local garage.
  • Test drive on the “Stoder“, a steep 8 miles mountain road going up to appr. 6500 feet above sea level. As expected the “Columbia dual speed rear axle“ proofs to be essential to be competitive at the Ennstal-Classic. Going up the hill in “Low“ in second or third gear effortless. When driving downhill we variegate between „Low“ and „High“ to save brakes.
  • We are ready for the race!

Day3 – Thursday, July 19th 2018 – “THE RACE is ON“:

  • Start formation at 08:00 am. An impressive line-up of Bentleys, Bugattis, Aston Martins, Lagondas and many others in the pre-war class. Starting time 08:56:30 directly into the first timing challenge heading towards the Salzburg Race Track.
  • After a short lunch break at the Salzburgring restart with four laps on the race circuit.
  • The way back from Salzburg takes us along the Wolfgang See, the Postalm, Bad Mitterndorf to Haus im Ennstal. At 18:00 we cross the finish line in Schladming.
  • The commentator informs us that we finished day one leading the pre-war class and 10th overall. Wow – Norbert and myself knew that the performance during the day was not too bad, but that´s sensational. The result is underpinned by a 2nd place on the Salzburg Circuit, staying just one hundred of a second behind the winning team in a 1957 BMW 507.

Day 4 – Friday, July 20th 2018 – “Stoderzinken and the Marathon“:

  • Start formation at 06:00 Uhr – uffff. Starting time 06:51:30- driving the timing challenge „Stoderzinken uphill“. After the complete starting field of 250 cars arrived on the top of the Stoderzinken and enjoying a delicious “Alps breakfast“ we restart for the “Stoder downhill“ challenge.
  • The Marathon has started. 300 miles and a long driving day in front of us.
  • From Gröbming towards Spital am Phyrn to the centre of the city of Steyr. Thousands of spectators and good friends welcome us.
  • After lunch we are entering the next stage driving to lower Austria, Lunz am See. The way back takes us along the river through the Gesäuse valley, to Rottenmann, a short stop at the castle of Pichlarn and to the airfield Niederöblarn. The timing challenge on the airfield is crucial for us. We know that we will not be able to meet the target time. The final timing challenge “Moosheim uphill” takes us back to Gröbming, where we pass the finish line at 19:00.
  • Modest results at the Stoder challenges and a 4 second (= 400 points) penalty on the airfield Niederöblarn set us back on place 17 in the overall ranking, still leading in the pre-war class but just 2 tenths of a second in front of our German friends Ralf and Hans Georg, in their 1933 Talbot London.
  • A thrilling showdown on Saturday is guaranteed!

Day 5 – Saturday, July 21st 2018 – “ZENITH Grand Prix Gröbming“:

  • After a late breakfast we are entering the starting grid at 11:00 am.
  • We are enjoying the supporting program with the Red-Bull Skydivers and a Racecar showrun.
  • 13:45 start for the final run. Seven light barriers in front of us on the one mile circuit in the center of Gröbming. A driving mistake at the fourth light barrier with 168 penalty points is too much.
    After three rallye days we finish second in the pre-war class, just 97 points (hundreds of a second) behind the winning team. Congratulations to Ralf and Hans Georg!

In the evening we are celebrating our 2ndplace in pre-war and 17thoverall.
A great result, especially when driving the Ennstal-Classic with a ”new “and almost untested pre-war car!

Our 1934 Auburn worked terrific, without any technical issues!

Day 6 – Sunday, July 22nd 2018 – “Way back home“:

  • We take the highway route. After 3 ½ hours of driving, partially in heavy rain we stop and park the Auburn in our garage in St. Andrä-Wördern. The Auburn will get a pause for some days before getting his well-deserved maintenance.

 

Many thanks and congratulations to the Organizers for a perfect event!

We are looking forward to seeing you again at the Ennstal-Classic 2019. 

Picture gallery:

Fotocredit: Ennstal-Classic GmbH; Photographer: Martin Huber, Peter Meierhofer, Rene

Link to Organizer Homepage: https://www.ennstal-classic.at/

PICTURE GALLERY