According to the article below 9 Fiats started in 1963! What where the other ones?
EAST AFRICAN SAFARI 1963
A total of 84 cars were entered in 1963, including:
18 - Ford
11 - Peugeot 404
4 - Peugeot 403
9 - Fiat
7 – Volkswagen
7 - Morris
5 - Saab
5 - Simca 1000
4 - Nissan
4 – Mercedes-Benz
4 - Rover
The route was composed of a 3189 mile route through Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika. The first casualties shortly after the start were a VW and a 403, which rolled less than 100 miles out of Nairobi due to intense thundershowers. Shortly thereafter, a further 6 cars retired or were excluded due to lateness. By the 1/4 point at Kampala, Swedish Monte Carlo Rally winner Erik Carlsson in a SAAB 92 was in the lead. The mud on the sections out of Kampala was severe, and Carlsson was lucky to get through before a knot of cars became embedded, tying up all other competitors for many minutes. Back in Nairobi, at the halfway point, Carlsson was still in the lead, with a Ford Cortina in second, and three other Fords rounding out the top five. At Nairobi, all 43 remaining competitors were compelled to have a 12 hour rest. It was then predicted that the second half would prove to be the most difficult.
Erik Carlsson had a collision with a giant anteater near the 3/4 point, which damaged his Saab's front suspension, and pushed the engine back 1.5 inches. He continued on for some minutes, until his front suspension completely folded up on him. Other competitors' hopes were destroyed by the incredible mud, with the most common reason for retirement being exclusion for lateness (time-barring). The second place Ford holed a sump and retired with engine failure. A 404 sedan then took over the lead.
Due to the extreme conditions, a further rest stop was organised near Dar es Salaam. On the return leg to Nairobi, a few more retirements were recorded, but the Kenyan crew of Nick Nowicki-Paddy Cliff held their lead. Only 7 cars were still running at the finish:
1 - Peugeot 404 (Nowicki-Cliff)
2 - Ford Anglia (Hughes-Young)
3 - Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb (Cardwell-Lead)
4 - Fiat 2300 (Joginder and Jaswant Singh)
5 - Peugeot 404 (Lionnet-Philip)
6 - Peugeot 403 (1300) (Jaffray-Bathurst)
7 - Rover P5 (Bengry-Goby)
The most impressive finishing percentage belonged to Rover and Mercedes-Benz, with a 25% standard. The Peugeots had a 20% finishing rate, and the others declined from there. Ford was particularly hard hit, with only the little Anglia showing the flag at the end.
