Keeping The "Group B Supercars" Alive

The cars that we know as “Group B homologation specials” existed for just one reason.

Produced in vanishingly small numbers to certify them for entry into FIA sanctioned competition, they led to the production of some of the most exciting road cars ever produced. Sprinkled with the stardust of some of the most evocative motorsport, these cars now trigger the nostalgia sensors in many enthusiasts around the globe.

Predominantly from the pre ‘86 rally scene, these cars are now rarely seen due to their scarcity, rising values, and the most pressing issue, lack of availability of both parts and expertise. Another factor can be that in their standard roadgoing form, and through the lens of 2025, many of these cars are best described as “underwhelming” to drive, their distended bodywork writing cheques that their aging drivetrains are unable to cash!

Today’s owners are now beginning to seek solutions to allow them to enjoy these cars again, and to share them with the petrolhead public.

Here at Tolman Engineering we have worked with quite a variety of these cars and have engineered solutions to many of the problems encountered during both restoration and recommissioning processes.

A recent example was a Ford RS200 with very little use, brought to us by our client to recommission. Many years in static storage meant that all of the rubber components (belts, seals, hoses etc) on the car had suffered badly. Even the bump stops had crumbled to dust. All had to be replaced with new items which would safely replicate both the form and the function of the original parts. Some items are readily available (especially those with a cross reference to other models) but others have joined the long list of “unobtanium” parts.

The engine and transmission were rebuilt purely to stop fluid leaks. Brake calipers rebuilt, friction materials replaced, and all 8 (yes, 8!) dampers rebuilt. Hoses and hard pipes can now be reverse engineered, and finally, a new set of tyres from Michelin - the originals wrapped up and stored for posterity - were fitted to allow safe enjoyment on the road.

The final part of the puzzle was getting the engine management to work properly. This is a frequent problem with cars from this era as the ECU’s were notoriously fickle. Happily modern technology has given us a great solution which brings many advantages. This is an invisible upgrade which brings with it the reliability and safety of up-to-date engine management. Once correctly set up on the rolling road the drivablity of the car is dramatically improved and some of its untapped potential can be released which makes these cars a vastly more exciting experience.

Another great example comes when we are dealing with the legendary Peugeot 205 T16, many of which are now not driven due to the the lack of available parts.

Aluminium coolant hard pipes connecting the mid mounted XU8 T engine to the front mounted radiator are mostly concealed from view and tend to corrode badly over time with disastrous results. We are now manufacturing these and have them available on our webshop, or to fit here in our workshops.

One of the more common issues with these cars is that the cambelt is no longer available for the XU8 T which will obviously prevent the running of engines for the sake of safety. Once it became apparent that even Peugeot themselves had no solution to offer, Chris Tolman himself set out to develop and manufacture our own Tolman T16 cambelt kit which allows the use of an alternative (and commonly available) belt by using different pulleys. Watch our webshop for this upcoming product.

Ultimately there is nothing that cannot be made to keep these historic cars from running, or that cannot be engineered to improve their performance and usability.

Contact us to discuss the possibilities for your own homologation classics.