In May 2005 I received an email from the owner at that time (RL), the car was living in Ireland but had recently been moved back into the UK.
"I bought it new circa 1987 (would have to check the logbook) after a test drive at Boreham. It was registered 200LMN in the Isle of Man and was stored at my home there for many years. Painted white and orange it featured in the marketing brochures of Motis Systems (UK) Ltd, a company that supplied software and systems on mid-range IBM computers to motor dealers in the 1980's. The car was supplied as tarmac rally spec, with an up-rated engine, but with road trim. It has run as safety car a few times on the Manx National Rally (1990?) setting faster times than the competing cars and entertaining the spectators! It is much more fun than the Audi's I drove in the New Zealand International in 1990 and 1991. The car now has around 2000 miles on the clock and is in as-new condition as it has been garaged for almost 20 years. I just don't have the time to make proper use of it so I have just had it shipped back to the UK, given the right offer, the car is for sale."
By June 2007 (RL) had been in touch for a while and #157 had become a little difficult to start. (In fact, she wouldn't !) So, the car was shipped to sit alongside mine (#193) so that while Derek (DS Motorsport) installed a new engine management system into mine he could use my spare parts to find the trouble with #157. It turned out that the distributor had given up and the fuel lines (and injectors) had all got blocked. (Cars are not designed to sit around for years on end really).
She was in really good condition and just needed a really good clean. She had picked up some minor knocks being moved from place to place (as RL moved house) over the years but nothing a little love couldn't sort out.
Derek cleaned the fuel lines out and cleaned the injectors, fitted my distributor, fitted a new cam belt and performed an oil change and now she started and drove well. She really needs running in all over again - I put about 30 miles on her and she felt really good.
In August 2007 #157 found a new owner (FmcP) and she was destined for Ireland and the following month, with 2201 on the clock #157 left me for some TLC to deal with those little knocks and bring her back to show condition.
#157 then underwent a huge restoration (paintwork) job and (FmcP) had an offer for her from (W) he couldn't refuse so he sold her and started to look for another one for himself. She actually has a new registration number now but I can't find the email that told me what it is !
Here is the brochure that this car relates to... http://www.rs200.org/downloads/Motis%20RS200.PDF
The new registration is D155SBA.
2022 - The new owner (PJ) has been in contact.
2023 November - (PJ) has found a new index number, B20 OUP which should look good
If you find out anything else about this car please drop me an email and I'll update the cars entry !
justin.smith@rs200.org
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