907 replies to this topic

[rally1380]

It's my favourite colour as well.
 

 

You'll be disappointed when I paint it then!!!!  Ooops

 

Cheers though

[rally1380]

VALE OF CLWYD CLASSIC  2015

 

 

 

 

For me, these events start weeks in advance - New parts, problem snagging, tuning, tweaks....roadside breakdowns!!....and with last year’s suspension failure, I wanted to double and triple check everything so the little car wouldn't let us down (I don't have the luxury of having a 'man' look after my cars like some competitors do).  My work clearly paid off, as other than a slight change to the mixture (after previously mentioned misfire issues), the car cruised over to wales (I drive to rallies remember) and set about negotiating the noise test and the dreaded scrutineering.  Noise was passed @ 90db and scrutineering was no problem at all (as always) so off to signing on.

 

 

Some photo's of Noise test queue and scrutineering

 

 

 

 

 

 

As some of you might have already noticed, I've swapped navigators for this year’s VoCC. This is not due to a fall out or wanting to jump up the leader board, but because my usual nav (and wife) is expecting our first child, so bouncing up and down in a mini thanks to its less than pliant ride didn't seem the best idea.  Some months ago I approached Matthew to see if he was at all interested in sitting in with me, and he seemed very keen, so a plan was hatched and we would take on North Wales' finest lanes and test venues together.  Looking back, it might have been a good idea for us to have spent some time together in the car, but plans to do a rally on the run up to this event failed to happen due to engine problems with my other car, so the first time we actually sat in the car together was the morning of the 'Clwyd' as we lined up at MC1 awaiting our minute to start.

 

 

 

 

 

08.30 (or there abouts - i'm a driver after all!) and we headed off to the first test just down the road.  Not my finest spin round Loggerheads carpark, and I've never been a fan of these sort of tests, but we were only a couple of seconds off fastest so a half decent start.  Note to self here - sort the handbrake out!!!  Really doesn't want to lock the rear wheels on tarmac for some reason (will investigate).  Please excuse the less than steady camera work.....and the dodgy gear choice at the end!

 

 

 

 

 

Regularity 1 was next and we headed off towards Mold for the start.  This 'reg' took in some of my favourite local road rally roads, a few gravel tracks and a couple of fords (the deep wet variety not the car sort).  We dropped 11 seconds in total over the 15 or so miles.

 

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

 

 

Another regularity followed as we made our way over towards Ruthin and the morning coffee stop at Clawdd-Newydd (all very civilised this historic rally lark).  Test 2 was before the stop, and a spin round a gravel yard that we've used before.  Just checked the times - 51 seconds - equal second just 1 second behind the fastest.

 

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

 

 

Petrol topped up, we headed off for a well-deserved coffee and catch up with the other crews.  We also discovered we were lying 4th overall....yikes!!!

 

Next we did a regularity up towards Clocaenog Forest and actually missed the turn for the self-start.....I blame the nav!.....but once realised, we quickly found our way to the start, and squeezed past a rather large Volvo to start on our minute...pheeeewwwww!  This reg zig zagged through 'cloc' and on up to the windmills at the top for Test 3.

 

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

 

 

'Windmills' test was great fun and similar to the one we used on the Targa rally a few weeks back.  Because of this 'reccie' (of sorts) I knew what to expect, and enjoyed throwing the little car around on the mud and gravel.  Our time was 2.05 - 5 seconds slower than fastest time set by a Porsche 911.....not bad really.

 

Regularity 4 over towards St. Asaph next and a very close call with a post van on a very narrow and slippery moss covered lane.....hit the brakes and just sped up!!!!  So I aimed for a very small gap to the side of the now stationary Postman Pat vehicle.......all went quiet as I waited for a crunch and a rock or something to jump out from the verge.....but nothing!  We 'just', and I mean 'JUST' got away with it.  

 

Test 4 was at a farm not far from St. Asaph and was a mixture of slimy concrete, gravel, grass, and the contents of cow's intestines all over a concrete yard!!!!!  Came round a corner after thinking "mmm....this is quite grippy" and hit a large patch of the digested grass.....wow that is slippery!!!!   It was like ice, and saw the little grey clubman fully sideways with me sawing at the helm to get it back straight again....luckily enough I won (the alternative was a trip into the side of a rather sturdy farm building).  Robs photo below show the exit from the yard along a lovely long gravel drive.....really was a good drag down there!!!!!!  2.11 was my time here.

 

 

 

 

 

Test 5 - a concrete surface in an industrial estate - all went well apart from the dodgy handbrake letting the side down making a 360 around a cone a wide berth approach rather than a nice neat donut (note to self - stop blaming your handbrake, and try learning how to handbrake properly!)

 

Tests 6&7 - A return to the grass field which last year saw me bag a bottle of bubbly.  All was going to plan this time with a very neat and quick test execution... right up until it was time to stop that is! Got carried away and attacked to the finish.....hit the brakes and slid straight over the 'STOP astride' line and even past the finish marshals!!!!  If you are going to balls things up, you might as well do it properly.  We'd actually beaten the 'bogey time' by 5 full seconds, but launching it over the finish gave me a ten second penalty.....ooops!!!  The second of the 2 grass tests didn't go to plan either with slow hairpins round cones thanks to over enthusiastic acceleration (in other words....sitting there wheel spinning) and missed gear changes.

 

Lunch halt next and a time to fuel up on butties, soup and crisps, check over the car (faultless all day) and calm down a bit.

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

 

A handout was given out on leaving lunch to be plotted on our way up the road to test 8 and the spitfire!!!!!

 

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regularity 5 next over towards the area I grew up in so nice to be on some more really familiar ground….we only dropped 10 seconds on the entire section!!!  Test 8 first, then afternoon coffee/cake (did I mention it was civilised) and then Test 9 at the same venue.

 

These two final tests were used last year and are great fun.  They involved a long run up a tarmac drive, then (first time) 90 right into a farm yard slaloming round various cones, buildings and a perfect 360 around a cone (cow muck helped break the back end away this time) then on to gravel, and a perfectly executed hairpin left (I have mucked this up on previous events though!) onto a gravel track under trees to finish.  The second run goes up the drive, but then 90 left at the top onto gravel ish track across field, over a bridge, up and hairpin left round a cone, then down to a code board and a 'stop in box' where I stalled!!!! AAARRRRGGGHGHHHHHH!!!!!!   3 maybe 4 seconds lost due to the starter not spinning over when I needed it to!!!!  Then on to the finish and the start of the final 'PLOT AND BASH!!!!' regularity.

 

We set off, Matthew head down muttering directions and general nav stuff to himself while I tried to stay at a steady 18mph up towards Moel Arthur.  Before we'd even reached the first time control he'd finished the plotting, double checked it, and made sure I was traveling at the correct speed!!!!  Pro or what?

 

Over the top of Moel Arthur via an en-route paparazzi snap from a high school mate (and fellow road ralliest) we zig zagged the Northern slopes of the Vale of Clwyd, visiting all controls and dropping a mere 12 seconds!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All finished (competition wise) we cruised back to the finish venue in Llanferres….job well done!!

 

Results time - we finished 4^th Overall, 2^nd in Class M2 behind Demot Carnegie (google him), and 1^st Mini so won the Elvet Pierce Trophy.

 

This last trophy is fairly special and meaningful to me, Elvet Pierce was a fellow mini enthusiast and a particularly keen rally face within Clwyd Vale back in the heyday of motorsport.  More importantly, he was one of my mate’s dads……proud to win your award Mr. P, wherever you are.

 

 

Hosted on Fotki

 

 

 

 

 

More photos to come, but hope you all enjoy.

[keefr22]

Brilliant!! Excellent result & a really well written & interesting report - thanks for taking the time to put it together for us Dave! 

 

These events really do seem to be tremendously entertaining to do, am seriously considering spending the money Phil & I will need to spend on new helmets & HANS devices to carry on hillclimbiing on prepping the Mini for these instead....

 

Couple of questions - do you have a Non race national B competition licence or if not what do you need, & does the nav need one too? And does the car have to have historic identity papers?

 

Really enjoyed that report Dave, look forward to more pics!

 

Keith

[rally1380]

 

Couple of questions - do you have a Non race national B competition licence or if not what do you need, & does the nav need one too? And does the car have to have historic identity papers?

 

Yes both driver and nav need nat B comp licence....but some, like the Targa I did a month back or big historic rallies like LeJog or Rally of the Tests are closed to club so you just join the club rather than needing a licence.

 

How old is your clubman?  That will dictate what papers, if any you need.  Mine is a cat 2 (1968 - 74) so doesn't need any homologation papers....cat 3 cars onwards do.  Mine just has to be built and modified 'in period'.

 

All the techy stuff is here......http://hrct.co.uk/

Edited by rally1380, 08 September 2015 - 09:43 PM.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

 

It's my favourite colour as well.
 

 

You'll be disappointed when I paint it then!!!!  Ooops

 

Cheers though

 

will still love the car. so won't ever be disappointed. plus I'm thinking of painting mine this colour.

[keefr22]

 

 

Couple of questions - do you have a Non race national B competition licence or if not what do you need, & does the nav need one too? And does the car have to have historic identity papers?

 

Yes both driver and nav need nat B comp licence....but some, like the Targa I did a month back or big historic rallies like LeJog or Rally of the Tests are closed to club so you just join the club rather than needing a licence.

 

How old is your clubman?  That will dictate what papers, if any you need.  Mine is a cat 2 (1968 - 74) so doesn't need any homologation papers....cat 3 cars onwards do.  Mine just has to be built and modified 'in period'.

 

All the techy stuff is here......http://hrct.co.uk/

 

 

Thanks Dave, ours is cat.3. I was wondering if these events were run to hrct regs. As they are it makes it a bit too expensive to think about at the moment.

[rally1380]

 

 

 

Couple of questions - do you have a Non race national B competition licence or if not what do you need, & does the nav need one too? And does the car have to have historic identity papers?

 

Yes both driver and nav need nat B comp licence....but some, like the Targa I did a month back or big historic rallies like LeJog or Rally of the Tests are closed to club so you just join the club rather than needing a licence.

 

How old is your clubman?  That will dictate what papers, if any you need.  Mine is a cat 2 (1968 - 74) so doesn't need any homologation papers....cat 3 cars onwards do.  Mine just has to be built and modified 'in period'.

 

All the techy stuff is here......http://hrct.co.uk/

 

 

Thanks Dave, ours is cat.3. I was wondering if these events were run to hrct regs. As they are it makes it a bit too expensive to think about at the moment.

 

 

Papers are easy enough to come by and I think you might be able to get some from the bloke who runs HRCT anyway as he's a mini nut.  They are not as strict as you might think by the way. I'm not saying folk cheat (they do!) but there are certain elements of cars that are overlooked shall we say.  I know of a few cars that had/have bits on them that are not allowed if you read the rule book, but they still compete.  So what i'm trying to say is, don't worry too much about the car....but you might have to drop to 12" wheels.

[keefr22]

We have a set of 12 inch ultralights, but they'd need tyres. We'd have to source a complete interior (apart from front seats obviously) & it has a non standard dash (piece of 9mm MDF actually - that's on the list to come out, previous bodger had obviouosly not heard of something lighter like aluminium!) so that would need replacing. Also has a perspex rear window - guessing that would need changing too? And it runs a single 45DCOE - I think they used those in period, but is it OK for 'road' rallying these days? 

 

I'm way out of touch with the rally scene down here, are you aware of any events like these in South or mid Wales?

 

Oh, & I meant to say too - going by the last pic in your rally report from last night, your handbrake seems to work pretty well...!!    

 

K

[rally1380]

Interior......All you need is a rear seat, front and rear door cards, carpet and a roof lining of some sort.  Put a wanted ad on here...i'm sure you will find some folks will give you an interior for not a lot of money.  I might even have some dodgy velour cards you can have.

 

Poly rear window is allowed so leave that alone....in fact that is on my to do list for mine.

 

Weber is ok.

 

Dash - yeh, replace will ally as MDF is heavy and flammable....but would still pass scrutineering in all honesty.

 

Your car (from what I can remember) is not far off mate.....Ross Traders Historic rally next year maybe????

[keefr22]

Hmmm, so it's not quite as bad as I thought. We'd been thinking about putting it back to run in standard production class in hillclimbs as you won't need a HANS in that class - despite being able to use a full cage, buckets & harnesses - don't ask me why!! That would need a whole lot more work - 'proper interior', glass windows with winders at the front, standard dashboard- blah, blah, blah! 

 

Ross Traders Historic? Do you know, iirc, the Traders original road rally was the last event I drove on, back in the late 70's/early 80's....!!!

 

This really is food for thought....

Edited by keefr22, 09 September 2015 - 11:09 AM.

[rally1380]

Hmmm, so it's not quite as bad as I thought. We'd been thinking about putting it back to run in standard production class in hillclimbs as you won't need a HANS in that class - despite being able to use a full cage, buckets & harnesses - don't ask me why!! That would need a whole lot more work - 'proper interior', glass windows with winders at the front, standard dashboard- blah, blah, blah! 

 

Ross Traders Historic? Do you know, iirc, the Traders original road rally was the last event I drove on, back in the late 70's/early 80's....!!!

 

This really is food for thought....

 

Yeh it ain't as bad as you think.  You're better off with a standard dash anyway.....tried and tested and less to go wrong.....and less weight as there isn't really a dash in a clubby is there?  I can sort you some winder mech's....I've got 2 somewhere, and I've got front glass you can have too.  So to be honest, if you did that, lobbed a cheapo interior in, you could run in the historic rallies and the prod class for hill climbs too....win win.

 

If you ever need any help....just ask.

[keefr22]

Cheers Dave - I'll have a chat with my son, & we may well take you up on your offer. I'll let you know!

 

ATB

 

Keith

[DEPS]

Great report Dave as always. Brilliant result and congratulations on the baby news. I like Keith had also expected that was why you were having a change of Nav

 

Also like Keith says it  makes the Historic rallying look more appealing. It's just the navigation bit that bothers us. Although my son is now 16 and so probably more able than even a year or two ago and his recent GCSE results would suggest he has the intelligence..........?????

 

Keith. Our Clubby would be cat 3 as well and looking at the tech rules not too hard to comply with. My biggest problem would be the rear beam axle wouldn't comply. Strange really that something that would be legal on an older car isn't legal on a later car?? And at £400 for a genuine rear subby it takes a bit of justifying!

[keefr22]

 Strange really that something that would be legal on an older car isn't legal on a later car??

 

Yes, annoying too! I've spent many a (happy?!) hour reading the HRCT rules on line in the past & I seem to recall there's a couple of grey areas like this (although I've forgotten what they are & will have to re-read the lot again!) I did wonder why they couldn't say Cat 3 (&now Cat4) cars couldn't just use what was homologated for them & also anything used on previous generations of the car? The only thing I thought of was whether they think that would make a later generation car unfairly more competitive in overall standings than earlier ones...but then that always seems to be the case anyway?

 

And as to navigating, I think I'd likely be lumbered with that - trouble was the last time I did any was about 35 years ago, & most of what intelligence I had then seems to have drained away...!!

 

K

[rally1380]

^^^ I agree with you guys, I just don't see why a modification that has come before can't be used in a 'newer' category.

 

The best person to ask these questions to, and keep any email replies is Paul Loveridge as he is the man you can blame for the HRCT site and direct any questions to.....he's a really nice bloke and likes mini's so always worth an email.

 

As for the actual subframe query.....I don't think anyone has ever got on hand and knees with my car and checked specifics......and I know they don't because a few cars out there are bending the rules slightly!!!!....so in short I bet you'd get away with it.

 

Scrutineering on these events are really only interested in whether the car is safe (so seats and belts bolted in correctly) and that you've not got anything daft like a K series under the bonnet.