151 replies to this topic

[Cooperman]

Let's hope the weather is OK for the event to run.

I think I'll drive from Cambridgeshire to the start and to my marshalling points in my Land Rover Discovery rather than my BMW. BMW's don't like the snow on their big wide road tyres!

My first control is the lunch halt, so it will be warm and dry! Second control is the start of a regularity section late afternoon.

[minisi35]

Just had this from the clerk of the course

 

It is with great regret that I'm cancelling Saturday's event.

We have had a very wide response to the emails that went out last night - competitors saying they are looking forward to the challenge to others saying not sure how they are going to get out of their front drive.

We had a similar response to the marshals' email that went out last night.

However, I and my motor club have to be mindful of everybody's safety and feel cancelling is, unfortunately, the right course of action with this in the foremost of our minds.

This as you will appreciate has not been an easy decision, but we feel if one competitor, marshal or official had an accident getting to / from / on the event because of the weather conditions - it's not a responsibility that KDMC could live with.

I know some of you will be disappointed not to have the challenge but others will be relieved. As the organisers we cannot win, but the safety of everybody must come first.

We will look to see if we can run the event later in the year.

Mike Harrison

(Clerk of the Course)

1.3.2018

[28hodge]

Cheers si just gotten your email too, As you say can't blame them as marshals standing out in this temp with the wind chill factor for a couple hours could be at danger. The GF is happier also as she was a bit concerned that we may get stuck away from home trying to get back on the Saturday night and with grandparents on child care duties it could all of gotten a bit tricky really quickly. 

 

Its a massive shame but I think the right decision and hopefully It will be re scheduled. Think i'll have a look around now for another event to do.

[GraemeC]

There will have been a lot of long and hard deliberation over that decision but I have no doubt it will be the correct one.

The safety of competitors and marshals is paramount, and it is a good (if brave) organising committee that cancel/postpone an event that will no doubt cost them dearly financially.  They should be comended, although no doubt they will receive some unjustified criticism.

 

That's all three Northern events this weekend now cancelled - ToC, Saltire and Malcolm Wilson.

[28hodge]

Looking at putting a entry in for the ilkley jubilee, just need to see if there is any plot and bash as I am pretty sure we aren't up to that yet.

 

Once I had seen the saltire and Malcolm Wilson stages cancelled I was kinda sat waiting for the ToC to have to do the same.

[GraemeC]

There's the White Heather next weekend up near Wigton - I believe there are still some places left.
Basically a large test based event - no tricky navigation just a good blast.

 

http://www.wigtonmc..../2018/03-10.doc

[minisi35]

Let’s hope they can reschedule it later on in the year
Will have to have a look around for some other events as I need my fix lol

[28hodge]

Ilkley jubilee entry put in and paid, it actually works better for us as it's based at Harrogate so is drive able in the mini, that said I'm going to have to go over on Saturday get it scruitineered and signed on get all the route info and then drive back home plot what we have then head back in the morning, I can't pay for a hotel that's under an hour and 50miles from my house!!

I think the rally has some plot and bash, which will be tricky for us, but we'll just see how we go. However there are 2 guys entered who I know pretty well and are pretty seasoned & experienced so they will hopefully steer is right where they can.

And today as we have had nicer weather in this part of the country the snows started melting so I have done 100miles in the car and its run great all day, I need to heel and toe to give it a blip on downshifting from 4th-3rd otherwise we get a crunch unless we are going fairly slow, but that's not killing me, I don't think I'm up to doing it if I was really weighing on the brake pedal , but really on the road I shouldn't be doing that anyway.

[Cooperman]

When rallying you should heel-and-toe on all downshifts whilst braking. It's the onlt way to keep the car stable and optimise tyre grip under braking.

[28hodge]

I think that's where I'd struggle to effectively heel and toe, currently I'm fine if not pressing on too hard, so driving pretty sensibly on the road, I'm fine but if I was really pressing on and was hard on the brakes as late and deep as I dared whilst also wanting to come back to 3rd with heel and toe I think I'd find myself running out of talent so it's going to take a bit of practice to make it second nature.

I've driven around in it all day today and not crunched once even when coming back at fairly high revs so it'll get there.

I have two smallish issues to solve now, one is the heater hose from the bottom rad where it tees off is rubbing badly on the engine mount, it's started to cut through the pipe, I think this is due to the hose arrangement, it's an mg metro engine so has no bypass hose, so the tee off from the bottom rad hose is linked into the heater and then it runs through that. So I need to sort that interference issue.

And the second problem may be linked to the above as I struggle to get the car up to a decent temp, and the engine and top rad hose are never that hot to touch, they are warm but not 70degree warm. I need to have a look at the thermostat see what's there if it's drilled and figure out why it won't get up to temp. I know it's cold out at the min but it's been like this when the weather was milder so isn't just due to it being around zero outside. It's a std 11blade plastic fan so that's not the cause!

[Cooperman]

A bit more on heeling-and-toeing if I may.

If you are on a rally and driving as quickly as you can (drive like you stole it  ) imagine you are approaching a corner where some very hard braking is needed. You need to brake as late and hard as you can and change down as well. Because a down-shift will be needed, if you do not match the revs for the lower gear, when you quickly let the clutch up the revs will be too low and you will be adding sudden engine braking on the front wheels. This can unbalance the car which is being driven close to its limit of road-holding and that ain't good. It will also increase wear on the syncros and the clutch.

So you need to increase the revs to match the new gear whilst braking to keep everything as smooth as possible.

My son has just finished building a Mk.2 Escort RS2000 very full spec historic rally car and there is a problem with the throttle pedal. Heeling-and-toeing is difficult because the throttle pedal is low compared to the brake pedal. We are going to modify the throttle pedal by welding on an extension to raise the pedal so that it is level with the position of the brake pedal when the brake pedal is pushed down firmly. That will make H & T gear changes easy.

All rally drivers do this because it is very necessary. Go out and practice until you can do it without having to think about it.

 

You know you can do it if you practice enough  .

[28hodge]

So when i bought the car it was covered with Vinyl, and the paint work isnt the best having had a poor respray done at some point.

 

IMG_8046 by

 

 

no matter how careful i was removing this piece it took the paint with it....

 

IMG_8047 by

 

 

Great!!

 

So regs state cars must be one colour and not be covered in graphics etc and no primer is to be visible so we had to do something, i have been waiting for some warmer dryer weather but its not fast approaching so armed with a hair dryer i set too.......... and im pretty pleased.

 

IMG_8045 by

 

 

For a rattle can spray its better than the majority of the car, and the colour match that i got from a local paint factor is bloody good, there is a ridge which if i was really picky i'd t cut out but honestly i'll probably leave it.

 

Anyway before i did that i took it out with fresh AAK needles which work a lot better and put some miles on it whilst having a nosey at a house for sale....

 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/24quJdp]IMG_8043 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/157137336@N07/]

 

 

 

 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/25HJ5TJ][url=https://flic.kr/p/25HJ5TJ]IMG_8044 by [url=https://www.flickr.c...157137336@N07/]

 

 

I've also sorted a local dyno that i didnt even now existed and is 15mins from home, he does a lot for the stock car/ministocks so can go and get the fuelling dialled.

 

So we are pretty much ready for Ilkley Jubilee on the 15th.

Edited by 28hodge, 03 April 2018 - 03:54 PM.

[DUF2]

28Hodge here is another date for your diary, Sunday 10th June, Whickham & DMC will hold their Shaw Trophy Targa Rally. The event will be starting from Matfen (10 mile W of Newcastle) will have a number of tests linked by road sections, navigation will be dead easy to follow, with perhaps 1 or 2 regularities, just to prevent boredom on the longer sections between tests. The event is a round of the NESCRO championship and welcomes both historic & modern cars.
Have a look at www.wdmc.org.uk for further info. Or PM me if you wish

[28hodge]

28Hodge here is another date for your diary, Sunday 10th June, Whickham & DMC will hold their Shaw Trophy Targa Rally. The event will be starting from Matfen (10 mile W of Newcastle) will have a number of tests linked by road sections, navigation will be dead easy to follow, with perhaps 1 or 2 regularities, just to prevent boredom on the longer sections between tests. The event is a round of the NESCRO championship and welcomes both historic & modern cars.
Have a look at www.wdmc.org.uk for further info. Or PM me if you wish

 

Thanks I'll have a look, i am a little wary of events that are open to modern and historics (possibly incorrectly) as although i am no show queen, i also dont want to absolutely batter the car, and i always get the impression that the targas are maybe a little rougher and more brutal than the historic rallies.

 

I also need to sort a trailer out as i can drive to and from ilkley OK and i have AA breakdown cover but im not sure i'd want to risk driving to newcastle, rallying, then driving home again in the same car. However i bought an engine last night so not sure I can spare the cash for a trailer at the minute.

 

All that said, i'll stick it on the wall planner and have a look at the regs.

 

Cheers

[DUF2]

28Hodge
The Shaw is aimed at Historics, with the moderns "making up the number" nothing is particularly rough, but underbody protection is needed as there are a couple of farm tracks with a raised grass centre to the road.
I could comfortably take my Leon over any of the tests no problem, without a sump guard.
I'll let you know when regs are available.
Thanks
Gordon