'The Ghost of the XJB 305H in the Eifel'

Rallying with historic rally cars is a hobby that has gotten quite out of hand over the years. What once began as a bit of a tear-around in rally cars of faded glory has grown into a highly professional sport. Living proof of this is the annual ADAC Eifel Rally Festival, taking place this weekend in the rustic German town of Daun.

Text and photos: Peter Vader

Rally museum in action

Both participants and fans eagerly awaited the thirteenth edition of the ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival, which takes place from July 24th to 26th, 2025. This weekend, in other words. The world's largest mobile rally museum will transform Daun and the surrounding Volcanic Eifel region into an international meeting place for the historic rally scene for a weekend. And it's been doing so for thirteen years now! The ADAC Eifel Rallye Festival showcases the evolution of the most striking rally cars from 1950 to 1987, with the option to go beyond these years to see ex-factory Group A or WRC cars. In short: a collection of all the striking rally cars from the last century.

Daun is buzzing on Thursday

On Thursday, the "Dauner Stadtdag" takes place, where fans can experience the vehicles and teams up close. Highlights include the public inspection of the cars, followed by the presentation of all vehicles and teams on the starting podium, the autograph session, and the welcome evening with an open-air cinema. On Friday and Saturday, more than 160 original or faithfully reproduced rally cars will provide a visual and acoustic spectacle during the demonstration stages in the Volcanic Eifel. And if that's not enough, fans can always visit the Daun Rally Mile to see the vehicles and teams up close.

Orange well represented

The Dutch are certainly not going unnoticed in this international group. No fewer than 28 teams have registered this year! Their cars range from an Audi Sport Quattro, BMW M3, Renault 21 Turbo, Rover P6 2000TC, Ford Escort RS1800, Opel Ascona 400, Toyota Corolla 1600GT, Volvo 240 Turbo, Mitsubishi Starion Turbo, Subaru Legacy RS Turbo, and a Peugeot 404. But for your AMK editor, the Triumph Ton Cornelissen's 2.5 PI takes the crown. Together with his navigator, Jeroen van den Broek, he prepared a competition car that looks like it was driven from the 1970 London Mexico Rally. Looks like it? Do you remember the event? The 1970 World Cup Rally!

Triumph for Triumph

Those of you who are older will likely remember 1970. The year the FIFA World Cup was played in Mexico. And on June 21st, Brazil became world champions for the third time, with a team featuring the legendary Pelé. To give the tournament an extra boost, the Daily Mirror developed a plan to organize a car rally during the same time as the football tournament. The World Cup Rally turned out to be a monster rally, as expected. British Leyland entered a team with two Triumphs 2.5 PI, intended for Paddy Hopkirk and Brian Culcheth. The latter was assigned starting number 88. And why is that Triumph So special? Because he took second place! After a 16.000-kilometer route and three-quarters of the field dropping out, Culcheth finished second. Hopkirk came fourth. Both TriumphThey defeated Porsche 911s, BMW 2002ti cars, and Rolls-Royces, among others. A historic feat that still captures the imagination today.

The Ghost of XJB 305H

But what is "Number 88" doing on an anonymous industrial estate on the outskirts of Nijmegen, the Netherlands? Well, that answer is also very simple: Triumph Enthusiasts Ton Cornelissen and Jeroen van den Broek, along with their team of enthusiasts, have rebuilt the car from top to bottom, from front to back, and adapted it for modern rallies. They have created a historic rally car that has garnered admiration far beyond our borders.

Replica with history

She Triumph is popularly known as 'The Ghost of XJB 305H'. We'll tell you right away, it's a replica. But a very beautiful one! It's a tribute to the XJB 305H, the original car that took second place. And why a replica? Because the original was destroyed by British Leyland years ago. Reason unknown. Typical for the malaise at the British car manufacturer. Because this TriumphThe rally project was exceptionally successful. But it took place during a turbulent period for the British car giant.

Warm welcome in Daun

It's a beloved and highly regarded car. Navigator Jeroen van den Broek: "The organizers of the Eifel Rally Festival around the German town of Daun were only too happy to see our car on their entry list. So we decided to participate there in 2022. And we're doing it again this year. The Eifel Rally Festival exists primarily for its participants and the thousands of fans."

Memories and fun

Around the village of Daun, there are several special stages without timekeeping, but which are driven at full throttle. There's a real "old-world rally atmosphere" with authentic vintage cars. Historic rally cars like the Opel Kadett C GTE (1975), Opel Ascona 400 (1977), Audi Sport Quattro S1 (1985), Mercedes 280E (1977), Lancia Delta Integrale 16v (1991), and a Stratos (1976) are on display, as is the Dutch Rover P6 driven by Johan Löwik and Sander van Rijn. And, in the past, the red ex-Hannu Mikkola world championship car, the Ford Escort Mk1 of the late Wim Luijbregts, who drove with his brother Bart. It's a true feast of memories for enthusiastic fans of the rally cars of yesteryear. From autograph requests and small talk to a global gathering of rally drivers sharing the joy and reminiscing about rallying and its cars, that's what makes the festival so special.

Who's the boss?

"The Triumph 2000, introduced in 1963, entered the internal corporate battle with the Rover P6 2000. It was important for Triumph as it had worked its way to the top of the British Leyland model range. Triumph had to show who was boss. It was quite a challenge because the credentials of the Triumph might have made him 'King of the Hill' in the parking lot. But endurance rally events really do require different skills. Say Liam Neeson, hard, instead of Hugh Grant, the softie," says driver and owner Ton Cornelissen, who continues the conversation: "But after some finger-teasing at British national rallies, the Triumph proved he was also fit for a monster rally, by taking second and fourth place overall. Yes, really, after making his way through 16.000 grueling miles, the two Triumph 2.5 PIs, all other British cars, as well as the Germans, feared for their reliability and speed. Only the Ford Escort Mk1 was too fast for them, but then again, it was English after all…

Culcheth and Triumph

The man most associated with this Triumph 2.5PI is Brian Culcheth. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in June 2022 and passed away on Sunday, September 11, 2022, at the age of 84. In the 60s and 70s, he was one of Britain's top rally drivers. He was the one who... Triumphrally car on the map. In an interview with Car & Classic, he said: “When our participation in the London to Mexico World Cup Rally was approved by British Leyland management, it became the core of our program. Everything revolved around it. After the 1969 RAC Rally, I went straight to South America for what was the beginning of a six-month adventure. We visited all the major dealers and factories that assembled BL cars there, arranged reconnaissance cars, technical support, logistics, and so on. I was a single man with a factory contract, going to all these amazing places; life was a dream. And the World Championship was a fantastic event. It was clear from the start that the Ford Escorts were going to be dominant, but I honestly didn't expect to be beaten by Hannu Mikkola because he was always retiring.”

Inhuman rally sections

That it was an adventure was clear right from the start. Culcheth continued in the same article: "It was tiring. There was one section from Santiago to La Paz in Bolivia with three special stages: one of 200 miles, one of 270 miles, and another of 500 miles. And then there were another 1.000 kilometers on the road. I had to be carried out of the car at the end of the day. And we didn't really take good care of the car. Our Triumph I drove 16.000 miles with only one minor issue when the clutch cylinder failed. That was all; the engineering team had done a fantastic job. That same year, we also won the Scottish Rally in Group 2.5 with the 6 PI. That car was equipped with triple Webers, uPVC windows, and lightweight doors. I absolutely loved that car and was very proud of what we achieved with it.

End of an adventure

But the sense of pride in this top car and the top achievement it achieved would be short-lived. Lord Stokes closed the British Leyland Competition Department in October 1970: "After the World Championship, I went to Australia to do three rallies and then the news came through that he had closed the business. It was heartbreaking, because they were a brilliant team." Some claimed the closure was due to their failure to win the London-Mexico Rally, which Stokes had set his sights on.

Victim of reorganization

It later became clear that the loss-making British Leyland, led by the same Lord Stokes, simply couldn't afford an expensive competition department. It was just one of many casualties of the numerous reorganizations implemented in the decade after 1970. Stokes himself was forced to resign in 1975.

100 percent imitated

And although the original car no longer exists, this car is a downright intriguing alternative. Ton Cornelissen: “The base vehicle was once used for a Triumph 2000, registration number SFK 887K, after which a huge amount of work was carried out to ensure that every detail was correct and period-appropriate. The base car was completely stripped, and the bodywork was modified in several places. This included reinforcements to accommodate the side jack system and the addition of modifications to the sills. An air intake for cockpit ventilation was added to the roof. The front end was modified to provide additional cooling for the engine compartment. The trunk lid was also modified to accommodate three spare wheels. A roll cage was installed, as well as a sump guard. All unnecessary shiny trim and moldings were removed, including bumpers and side moldings. Triumph It has been restored to its original color scheme, including its signature matte black hood, as well as all the decals and the names on the front fenders. It's all 100 percent recreated.  

“No expense or effort spared”

"The interior features racing bucket seats. The rear bench seat has been removed, and the remaining bodywork has been clad in aluminum, as have the rear doors," continues Ton Cornelissen. "A tool roll has been mounted on the rear panel, as well as luggage nets for the driver's and navigator's helmets. In keeping with the original, all electrical wiring, fuses, and relays have been relocated to the nearest footwell, and the Triumph Equipped with its original air horns, a high-capacity windshield washer pump, navigation lights, auxiliary power outlets at the front and rear, roof-mounted vents, and switches for the front-mounted spotlights. The dashboard has also been accurately reproduced, including the modern trip meter, stopwatch, and clock. It features a completely rebuilt 2,5-liter engine with a TR5 PI camshaft and a modified cylinder head. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an overdrive gearbox and a 4:1 limited-slip differential, modified by transmission specialist Peter Boon. The springs and dampers have been modified in collaboration with Frans Verbaas from Oud-Beijerland, and the car runs on 15-inch Minilite wheels with Dunlop tires. The only deviation from the original specifications is electric power steering, which has been fitted for ease of use. No expense or effort was spared to restore this rally car to its former glory as a true Historic Rally Car. And they were more than successful, thanks to the help of a whole team of enthusiasts who shared their expertise with Ton Cornelissen.  

Who is Ton Cornelissen?

Born and raised in Nijmegen, he has a daughter (Maaike) and a son (Nick), and is married to Annette. He comes from a middle-class family. As the youngest member, he grew up in a butcher shop and now runs his own shoe repair business. Craftsmanship runs in his blood, hence his passion for tinkering. His love of motorsports was instilled in him by his older brother, Bart, who was always involved in rallies and road races. At sixteen, he was already navigating. Speed continued to be his calling, as in addition to driving, he also raced motocross and enduro for fifteen years. After his motorcycle career came historic road racing and then speed rallies. First in Germany, then in the Netherlands. All with the Triumph 2.5 PI and nowadays with the white Triumph TR8. Such a special story. But we'll save that for another publication on the AMK website. Ton Cornelissen made his debut in 1989 with a Triumph TR6. He currently competes in the ELE, the GTC Rally in Etten-Leur-Roosendaal, the Hellendoorn Rally, the Twente Rally, the Central Netherlands Rally, and the German Gronegau Rally. And of course, the ADAC Eifel Rally Festival!

Who is Jeroen van den Broek?

Navigator Jeroen van de Broek landed in the passenger seat in 2010. And he's stayed there ever since. Jeroen is another true-blue Triumph Fanatic: "The poster used to hang above your bed, now you race with it yourself!" That speaks volumes. Cars are in his blood. He attended the IVA in Driebergen and held various positions in the national automotive world. He developed a used car workflow system with an online advertising tool called Used Car Controller, and gradually began advising underperforming car companies on improving their returns. These days, he regularly lectures at the IVA Driebergen, is the owner of Motorvoertuig Taxaties Nederland (Motor Vehicle Valuations Netherlands), and chairman of the RETM Foundation. This organization keeps its affiliated experts and appraisers professionally informed about developments in the world of car valuation. In short, a true 'automotive intellectual' who spends his spare time tearing up the rally tracks.

A huge asset

What once began as a bit of a romp in rally cars of bygone glory, historic rallying has now grown into a highly professional sport. The Eifel Rallye Festival is a living example of this. One big celebration of recognition by enthusiastic fans of the rally cars of the past, of autograph requests, chatter, and encounters with former rally drivers. They enjoy the cars and the atmosphere of yesteryear. In fact, quite contemporary. Triumph With number 88, owned by Nijmegen native Ton Cornelissen, it's perfectly suited for that. A tremendous asset to Dutch historic rallying!