Seven Survivors (East African Safari Rally) - 1963

This film charts the gruelling 1963 East African Safari rally. Run over 3,200 miles, the rally attracted 84 entrants but only seven finished. Heavy rain made the course treacherously muddy. Casualties included Pat Moss and Eric Carlsson. Ford managed second overall with Peter Hughes driving a Ford Anglia. The winner was Nick Nowicki driving a Peugeot 404.

[@jrushen4235]

Really enjoyed that. Lovely to see standard production cars as opposed to today's bespoke ones.

[@gomezgomezian3236]

And none of that wussy safety gear.

[@peterpiper831]

A few classics in there.

[@godwindracing6056]

TBH, I can’t relate to rally cars nowadays in comparison to the almost factory looking Escort Cosworths/Deltas/Lan Evos/Imprezas

[@petermills34]

I was born in Kenya love the country, went to school in Karen ,I left in 1960

[@eugenegilleno9344]

I saw the Ford cars for real, when they won the following year - when they did the tour of Ford Dealers throughout the country. They still had the red dust of Africa on the vehicles. I went on to buy several Ford Anglias and a Ford Cortina GT as my daily drivers. 🤪👍🏼

[@michellekirwan5851]

Wonderful footage. Great to see women drivers Pat Moss and Ann Riley!

[@gomezgomezian3236]

Yes. Unlike circuit racing, rallying has always seen female drivers and co-drivers as just another crew. Everyone competes together. No need for a '2nd class' for the women. And people like Pat Moss and Michelle Mouton certainly showed that they could compete with the best of the boys. (And didn't that p!ss off some of the boys!)

[@davidcoleman6032]

Great film! More please.👍😊

[@aureliobrighton1871]

Even sitting in the garage this cars and their drivers emit lovely chunks of spirit and adventure, and the overall jazzy tone is not hurting it. Tell someone you went to race your 'Simca Rallye' in Africa today and they call the chaps with the jacket :). Thankyou.

[@one-o-four889]

“•••overtaken by a car that’s not even in the rally” LOL!

[@denomaluki5644]

😂😂😂😂😂 that was funny.

[@tangerinedream7211]

Love the clipped tones of the commentary. Might have seen this film as a kid, I remember going to an event with my dad at the local ford dealers and a rally Safari Anglia was on display in the showroom.

[@chazsach6594]

Ford used to do that sort of thing once, i even remember them displaying a Ford GT 70 rallycross car.

[@robertfish4052]

Oh , I couldn't agree more with your comment, dear fellow those "clipped tones" were indeed committed to audio visual media in a time when eloquence was truly valued.

[@MrRoyPacheco]

They called them the magnificent seven

[@ericthongori1995]

I am happy to see it for the first Time in a full Video

[@roywinchel3620]

Fantastic... It doesn't get any better than this ...

[@r1273m]

Helping a rival, sporting gentlemen of the day. Eric Carlson went on to marry Pat Moss (Stirling's sister) just after this rally.

[@wazungus]

....and he came 2nd in the 1964 Safari, driving with Gunnar Palm in a SAAB 96 Monte-Carlo 850.

[@philipcubitt]

great to see Herbie "No 53" Taking part albeit painted blue at the time

[@larszenthio1012]

It would be very fun to find out if any of the two SAAB 2 strokes remain? The red with No. 6 and the blue from Ethiopia with No. 7. "SAAB driver since 1977"

[@roywinchel3620]

That was great history.

[@deepahans2390]

Brilliant recollection of the Safari Rally no doubt the Toughest Rally on motoring calendar.

[@paulchika4121]

If a production house does a movie on safari Rally. It will be so epic. Infact it should be a series, like The Crown.

[@morris2450]

Done a few rallies as co driver in my old mans Anglia back in the early 80s. Those were the days.

[@glenndejong6817]

I’ve noted with interest that the roads were better then than they are today .

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

Mercedes-Benz made it. Nice to see these old clips, this rally used to run through our town in Uganda. In this 1963 rally, there is just one Japanese entry, the Datsun Cedric, a decade later the Datsun 1600 SSS and the 240Z would come to dominate.

[@peterpiper831]

Looked like there was a Datsun Bluebird as well.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

@@peterpiper831 Was there, I missed it. The "Bluebird" was the 1600 SSS. It was Nissan/Datsun's marketing strategy, in North America it was sold as Bluebird, the 240Z as the Fairlady etc Nissans. In Africa, Mid-East, Asia and I believe South America they were known as Datsuns 1200, 1600, 240Z. It was exciting times back then, when cars were cars, not computerized boxes on wheels!

[@peterpiper831]

@@mohabatkhanmalak1161 Yeah, I got curious so googled. A Bluebird (310) was indeed entered, but didn't finish. The 310 was also assembled in South Africa. Here in Australia, back in the 1960's, I recall the first Bluebirds arriving. They were quite rounded, replaced by the square 1600, 180B, 200B, then back to the Bluebird name in the 1980's. Good to see those old classics from that era..

[@vishalbhatt5811]

This is incredible to see. I have been searching for some time for the race my grandad took part in and this is it! He's the one in the Ford Anglia, number 08, is there anywhere I can find more footage or images of this particular car in action or anything more from this race? Thanks!

[@FordHeritage]

Hi Vishal, so pleased you have finally seemn your grandfather racing. Please email more details about him, the races he took part in etc and we will see if there is anything we can find. Email [e-mail]

[@russthomson6168]

a Happy time,,smokes and all

[@jaswindersinghsraa9435]

peugeot 404 was a strong car ,, great suspension ,,, so was cortina it was an awesome car

[@markjohn9396]

I wonder how many Kenyans, Tanzanians, and Ugandans can recognise themselves in the video. I recognise City hall annex where Nairobi City County Government holds its meetings, where the Safari rally started and ended. Not much has changed there....unfortunately it is associated with cartels and high level corruption in Kenya, and Nairobi. Asante sana for the beautiful memories and GOD Bless in CHRIST JESUS HOLY NAME Amen

[@nuthutch1]

When Rallying was really Rallying.

[@robert43g]

This is what we need to go back to drivers smoking driving in casual clothes no helmets no gloves no seat belts LOL

[@styleemusic]

Imagine showing up to this event in a modern WRC car

[@jacksonmutua3715]

the modern wrc drivers and cars could never survive that era rally,they would breakdown in the early stages

[@MrFakhruddin52]

Cortina, Anglia, Saab, dah long forgotten cars. Beetle in rally can't emagine. I loved watching and following rallies since 1968. But these days I lost interest because Kenya safari is always dry. EA safari is mud and rain, usambaras and overflowing rivers.

[@rancidschannel3206]

Radioactive paint!!!

[@jfv65]

Yes. Also used on the dail faces of many watches of that era. So you could read the time in the dark. As a kid i used to have one. Sweet to see the Peugeot 404 win. Those were good cars just like the 403 and 504. Tuff engine, long travel compliant suspention, modern Michelin X radial tires

[@gsd4me00]

@@jfv65. Very good cars in their day, but I wouldn't give you two bob for them today.

[@friendlypiranha774]

@@gsd4me00- year for year, they will outlast your modern car by farrrrr

[@gsd4me00]

@@friendlypiranha774. I was commenting on the current crop of French cars.

[@tomp1612]

Is there something like this film for the 64 East African Rally? Would Mercury division have films like this?

[@terrywootton8882]

What no roll cages?

[@aureliobrighton1871]

As TVR would say, 'don't roll it' ;)

[@morris2450]

Bro circuit raced a MkIII Zode yrs ago. Co drove in some tar seal rally stages and a shingle rally sprint. She was a heavy ol beast but we trimmed some of the excess lard off the ol girl. He also had a MkIII Zeph as a tow n daily driver, she was fitted with James Bond type smoke screen via the exhaust.

[@morris2450]

What a selection of rockets Pug 404, Angle boxes, Mk1 Cortina's, Simca, Saab, Fiat Bambi (Bambina), Big ol Fiat, MkIII Zode, Shit Tin (Citroen), Nissan Cedddy, Merc, Hillman Super Sphinx (Minx). Family have owned at least of 5 of these machines road, race n rally

[@jeanrobson5490]

@Brett Robson

[@robertfish4052]

Nissan micra, it won't die no matter what you do to it. Starts ugly - finishes ugly. GREAT!

[@edsebunya6970]

Who remembers that sweedish lady driver in a saab..she made it 2 kampala and we admired her

[@NjonjoNdehi]

Way better roads and housing now than under British rule.

[@sylvainwlusek6805]

Du bon vieux rallye a l'ancienne, que du bon !