The Daf’s ability to go as fast in reverse as forwards was exploited to full potential in what became a daffy Dutch pastime: Daf Racing. The highly unstable dynamics of (relatively) high-speed reverse driving result in lots of action and spills. But there’s lots more too: caravan (trailer) racing and slalom, backwards drag racing, and all kinds of other wackiness. And there’s quite a few big American cars in on the action too.
The reason very few are left today, a lot of them mysteriously disappeared the weeks preceding those races – but hey, it’s very entertaining! The Dafs were a different class in backwards racing, no other car could keep up. Most American cars were typically poor taste at the time and depreciated like no other, hence their omnipresence in these races.
They don’t make catch fences big enough for this series.
This is SO funny, especially the reverse ramp jumps. No wonder there are no DAFs left.
It does point out how slow American cars really are when against 4 banger competition but the Daf must be the least stable thing on the road, I do recall reading about how the unrestrained rear axles on some models were quite lethal admirably demonstrated in the film
Looks like the ’74 big Chevy kicked everybody’s ass in reverse bud. It laid waste to that concrete barrier with no apparent damage either.
I noticed that too, the Daf towards the end of the film just bumped into it; the Chevy blew it up!
Looked like a ’74 Impala to me:
Today when highly paid TV stars do things similar to backwards DAF racing and ramp jumps on Top Gear, it is considered cutting-end comedy and gets huge TV ratings. Back in 1981, hundreds of average Joes (Jupps, or is that only in German and not Dutch?) were doing it. Impressive!
You might be a car geek if you spent 1:55 to 2:15 thinking about the difference in camber changes between swing axles and solid or De Dion axles.
“Jan Modaal” is the Dutch Average Joe, “Otto Normalverbraucher” is the guy’s name in Germany.
In England it is “the man on the Clapham omnibus”!
This is what can happen when you legalize marijuana. Stay tuned for backwards Chevette racing in Washington next summer!
The caravan races however look more like normal summer Sunday-evening traffic on Hwy 1 into Vancouver.
Holy Halfshafts! Full Swing Axle Tuck-Under! American Iron Powers Through Anything!
That is priceless, I had no idea. Sponsored by the Netherlands Chiropractic Association.
Holy swing axle, Batman!
I heard that Ralph Nader saw that part of this video and crapped his pants. 😉
Electrics can do that too – there’s no transmission so just reverse the motor.
Nissan Leaf set the official World Speed Record at Goodwood this year! Nice video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GWfU_UwxFo
This sure beats the hosed down mud-bog demolition derbies in this country where top speed is like 10mph, all the interesting stuff like windows, lights, trim, etc plastic is removed, heavy steel plates welded to the doors, frames welded up by the cheaters, etc. and most of the destruction is inflicted as the car is being “prepared”.
I was loving this until I saw what looked to be a 1973 Gran Sport being killed. The ’74 Malibu bugged me too but not as much as the rare Buick.
Are you sure it was a Gran Sport? It could have just been a Century coupe.
One thing is for sure: Colonnades can really haul!
Side splitting funny stuff!
By all appearances, track workers, flag men and photographers lives were in very real peril near these racers.
Watching the flag man drop the flag and beat ass out of there pretty much says it all!
Brilliant! It’s like every awesome Top Gear UK race rolled into one – and I spotted at least one Morris Marina getting totalled, so maybe Jezza was there…
When I turned 15 I was allowed to drive my Grandparents’ 2 year old XF Ford Fairmont in the paddocks next to their house. And one day I discovered the speedo worked in reverse – “How awesome is that!”, 15 year old me thought, and immediately conducted an impromptu speedy reverse slalom through the few scotch thistles. Loads of fun! My Gran was watching from the dining room and oddly didn’t see it as fun. It was quite some time before I was allowed to drive it again…
That was great!