As an extra visual and stand attraction i created a movie of all the TV highlights broadcast by Motors TV featuring my car, plus added some extra onboard footage, slides and questionable sound tracks!!
Thursday 30 September 2010
Q20 at The Mechanex Show at Stoneleigh
The car was used as the main display on the Q20 stand at the Mechanex show at Stoneleigh on the Tuesday and the Wednesday. Luckily there was no external damage to the car at Snetterton so she was looking her best, especially after a rub down with petrol and a quick application of polish :)
As an extra visual and stand attraction i created a movie of all the TV highlights broadcast by Motors TV featuring my car, plus added some extra onboard footage, slides and questionable sound tracks!!
As an extra visual and stand attraction i created a movie of all the TV highlights broadcast by Motors TV featuring my car, plus added some extra onboard footage, slides and questionable sound tracks!!
Monday 27 September 2010
Snetterton 18th September 2010
I gave the car a real good shake after Silverstone and didn't find a single nut, bolt or wishbone loose. What could go wrong??
Snetterton is a long old drive so i entered the extended invitation from Bikesports to join them for an extra race. This meant 2 practices and 2 races. Upon arriving at snetterton we were informed that due to a lot of bikesports entering late we would now be having our own non championship RGB race, sorted! :) After arriving at 7pm and pitching up to Bob, the usual BBQ and beers were had while having a good chat with the RGB crew.
1 extra Stella resulted in a slightly fuzzy head when i woke up on sunday, but a shower and a cuppa sorted that out for scrutineeering at 8.15am. With only 1 session between bikesports practice and RGB practice it meant that a full tank of fuel was required so i could go straight to holding after the first practice had finished. As it turned out we had a bit longer as the marhalls had to peel a radical out of the tyre wall at russels after it had collected Andy Grant while making a completely unnecessary lunge to get past him going into Russels. Why some of the bikesports drivers feel these types of moves are necessary is beyond me, they can get past our cars where ever they like with ease, so why try doing it it tight places, especially in practice???
Practice went well, and i was 2nd in class, and only fractionally behind Al and in a pack of class C cars, so had high hopes for the race! The non championship race didn't really matter, but i was 8th on the grid alongside James W and would definitely require some kind of heroics to improve upon due to the straight line disadvantage my class C car had over all the A's and B's infront of me.
While calmly preparing for the race and with an hour to go i was looking round the car and noticed the driver side "H" engine mount had cracked. Further investigation showed that it had virtually gone all the way around the tube. Luckily Mr Bates was standing close buy and after 20mins with the oxy torch i had a a bronze splattered, dog eared looking bracket that supported the engine:-
The non championship race was great fun, trying to overtake james on the brakes and using his brick shaped car as a towing aid was great racing but also taught me where i could push the car harder and deeper and take liberties!! Bens dive up the inside at the end of the revitt was exciting, and also makes a good video, thankfully with a happy ending ;):-
I also managed a 1.18.92, which i was over the moon with as non of the other class C cars broke the 1.19.00 mark in either practice or the race.
The only downside of the race is that the car had started to jump out of 4th, which was not good going through the bombhole!!!! I had my fingers crossed it would hold for the RGB race!
I got off the line well for the RGB race, but by the time we had got down to the Esses Colin and AL had managed to get get a couple of cars in between us, and then over the next couple of laps Phil and a few class A and B went past me down the Revit. It took me a few good laps to finally get past James, Dan and Neil and back up the chuff of Phil. Phils car gives very little tow down the straight and is bloody quick, meaning a slip stream move was probably out. By now the car would not stay in 4th around the bomb hole and becoming increasingly difficult to get into gear, meaning on a number of occasions i either missed 4th gear or it popped out. The bombhole was the worst place, as when it popped into 3rd it would lock the rear wheels, and was something i was constantly thinking about while doing 95mph around Riches!! I started trying to drive it in 5th around here but i just couldn't get the acceleration, i tried holding it in 3rd for longer, but it either meant i hit the limiter, or the at the point where i needed 4th the car was becoming unbalanced at which point i couldn't wrestle to get it into 4th. I was right behind phil coming into the bombhole with a few minutes to go and decided to try it in 4th so as to get the best run on him, unfortunately it popped out just as the car was squirming around, this locked the rears and i ended up spinning off!! I got going again and finished the race, but it was the worst result of the season (well apart from the not seen at cadwell), although it had been a bloody good race and infact i recorded fast lap in class!!! The fastest lap cheered me up as i hadn't managed that before and at least means i was pushing it and could have stayed up with Al if i had had a better start!
On the downside the gearbox was shot and would need to be sorted for Oulton in less than 2 weeks
Photos of the day:-
New bit of white fibreglass
Well off white! I picked up a cheap little GTM with 1275 A series off piston heads, its a bit of an impulse buy, but always wanted to try one and thought it would give a little project while waiting next season. I suppose i ihave the bus aswell, but hey ho i've bought it now. It won't run at the moment and initially though it was carbs, but now thinking its something to do with the spark, even though we have changed all the plugs, leads, dizzy and coil.
Once its running and cleaned up she'll be on ebay so if you fancy it give me a shout.
Once its running and cleaned up she'll be on ebay so if you fancy it give me a shout.
Monday 6 September 2010
Head light covers fitted
Got the first set of lightweight Fury headlight covers through from Andy Westgate at the weekend. First impressions were very good, lightweight, nicely made and more than sturdy enough. A quick trial fit showed they fitted like a glove and i decided they would probably be securely held on with just double sided tape, but if that didn't look secure enough i could add 2 or 3 pop rivets or self tappers.
I got some extra strength double sided tape from the local hardware shop applied it to the car then positioned the lense cover. It stuck down a treat, so much so that i cant get it off now!! So with it in place i decided to put some edging stripes around the covers to hide the double sided tape. with it all stuck down the lense cover is very sturdy with just a small amount of flex if pushed, which will be perfect to hopefully stop stones and debris cracking the cover.
The lense look great and will defo do the job, Andy is a top bloke and done a super job!!!
If you want some give him a shout as i think he is ready to start selling them :-
Andy Westgate
Westgate Creations Ltd
andy.westgate@btinternet.com
07733282947
Hopefully this mod will knock 2 seconds a lap of my lap times ;)
I got some extra strength double sided tape from the local hardware shop applied it to the car then positioned the lense cover. It stuck down a treat, so much so that i cant get it off now!! So with it in place i decided to put some edging stripes around the covers to hide the double sided tape. with it all stuck down the lense cover is very sturdy with just a small amount of flex if pushed, which will be perfect to hopefully stop stones and debris cracking the cover.
The lense look great and will defo do the job, Andy is a top bloke and done a super job!!!
If you want some give him a shout as i think he is ready to start selling them :-
Andy Westgate
Westgate Creations Ltd
andy.westgate@btinternet.com
07733282947
Hopefully this mod will knock 2 seconds a lap of my lap times ;)
Thursday 2 September 2010
Silverstone 28th August 2010
Now hold your breath, as the car was already to go i had a bit of spare time so ended up cutting back and polishing the bodywork! Apart from the cracked front from when she rolled of the corner scales back at Brands the body is still looking pretty fine, if i can keep out of trouble for a couple more races she will be looking good for the mechanex show (http://www.mechanex.info) at stoneleigh in September where the car is the centre piece for the Q20 oil stand! Its only 2 days after the Snetterton meet, so i really need to keep out of trouble there!!
I had entered the Allcomers race aswell as the single RGB race, so scruitineering was at 7.45am which meant an early start, especially as i had volunteered to join Amanda and Colin on their half marathon (8 laps) of the silverstone national circuit before hand, although i hadn't got time (or the fitness) to complete all 8 laps, so opted just to do a couple. If you want to sponsor Amanda and Colin in the forthcoming London Marathon, click here http://www.justgiving.com/amanda-chapman. The 2 laps managed to give me two huge blisters (i mustn't have done my trainers up properly) and have only just started to be able to walk properly again after filling my thighs with latic acid, that will teach me not to warm up or warm down!! My trips to the gym and quest to lose 10kg have now gone out of the window due to lack of time and moving jobs, but the short run (and my work trousers becoming tight again) has highlighted that i really need to get back on it!!!
Allcomers practice went ok, it was nice and dry and had a good clear track, although my lap times was down by almost a second from last year. After talking to a few people the track was seeming to be slower than last year, either down to the surface or head wind so wasn't too worried. The car did seem to be understeering a bit too much though so decided to go up a click on the rear dampers for RGB practice. I definitely need to stiffen up the rear springs a tad, as i was only 2 clicks off the hardest setting on the rear dampers, and really shouldn't be using the dampers to effect the spring rates this much. If i get chance i will get a set of 200lb rears to put on before snetts.
RGB practice went OK, qualified 3rd in class right behind Al and Colin on the grid. A good start was imperative!!!!
In the Allcomers race i had a great start and went past a few off the start line, but within a lap, everyone i had taken on the line was past me again, but that was always going to happen as they were 2 seconds a lap faster than me in practice. For the next 3 laps or so i had dan closing in down the 2 straights and was having to defend my line, his R1 powered fury is so much quicker down the straights than my old blade!! I managed to hold him off by taking the inside line and leaving the braking as late as possible coming into Brooklands!! I was managing to pull away from him on the corners, but every lap he would close in on the straights and we'd repeat the same manoeuvres, it was great fun!! Unfortunately Dan then dropped back and i was left on my own, i did actually contemplate slowing down so we could have a another go, but thought better of it!! So apart from a few back markers and couple of the front cars lapping me i had a pretty lonely second half of the race. At least i felt like i had learnt something about the lines and braking point going into Brooklands, ready for the RGB race!
So we waited round all day for the RGB race, slowly watching the lovely blue sky get blacker and blacker, until 10 minutes before our race when the heavens opened!! We were getting soaked in the assembly area and there was a mad dash by most to soften the suspension settings off. I'd not used the current setup in the wet, so wasn't sure what to do, the car is pretty soft anyway, but decided to drop 3 clicks off all the dampers and hoped for the best. As the track was now so wet we were given a green flag, which just confirmed the fact that there was no grip anywhere and lots of standing water!! It was the 2009 Birkett all over again! This was going to to be a slippy slippy race, and woodcote scares the crap out of me in the wet!!!!!!
In the end the race turned out to be lots and lots of fun, i had a cautious start, but didn't lose any places, and everyone made it round copse, maggots and becketts without incident. I managed to get a good line into and out of becketts and a good drag down the back straight, although this was terrifying as you could not see a thing due to the spray, the car was aqua planning and every time you up shifted the back wheels lost traction. I was alongside colin down the straight to Brooklands, he was on the left (either defending his line or just trying to find some visibility, and i managed to get a head of him on the brakes coming into brooklands. The next lap i was in a similar position with Tony at brooklands and we went round there and luffields side by side, excellent fun!!! Coming out of Woodcote, Colin got a great exit/line and looked to come down the inside so i moved over to defend, just to see him whizz up the outside of me and get past! For the next few laps we were tucked up together with Dave Wale, Daves cars
looked a real handful in the wet, and colin was all over the back of him with me too close for comfort sometimes!!! Colin managed to get past Dave out of Copse, but ended up having a small spin and Becketts which allowed me past and into 2nd in class. I thought that was 2nd place safe, but Colin pulled 3 excellent laps out (coupled with a 2 slightly slower ones by me) tp catch right up, and with a similar great exit from Woodcote he came up my inside at copse on the last lap and nipped past. I still had the back straight and brooklands to get the position back, Colin stayed far left up the straight, i slipstreamed him and pulled out to start going past him as we passed under the bridge, I left the braking as late as i dared as we came into Brooklands and actually had my nose in front, but colin must have let of the brakes slightly and we went round Brooklands and luffield side by side, i was on the inside at luffield and Colin managed to find slightly more traction to pull out into woodcote and beat me to the line.
It was a brilliantly exciting race (for me anyway) and i take my hat off to Colin for a great bit of driving and it just goes to prove i have a lot to learn before i can be as a wiley dog as him (i won't say old as he out ran me on the morning jog aswell!!) , its just a shame my forward facing camera packed in due to the rain!!!! New HD camera ordered in readiness for snetterton, and hopefully another exciting race!!!!
RGB Race Video:-
Photos:-
I had entered the Allcomers race aswell as the single RGB race, so scruitineering was at 7.45am which meant an early start, especially as i had volunteered to join Amanda and Colin on their half marathon (8 laps) of the silverstone national circuit before hand, although i hadn't got time (or the fitness) to complete all 8 laps, so opted just to do a couple. If you want to sponsor Amanda and Colin in the forthcoming London Marathon, click here http://www.justgiving.com/amanda-chapman. The 2 laps managed to give me two huge blisters (i mustn't have done my trainers up properly) and have only just started to be able to walk properly again after filling my thighs with latic acid, that will teach me not to warm up or warm down!! My trips to the gym and quest to lose 10kg have now gone out of the window due to lack of time and moving jobs, but the short run (and my work trousers becoming tight again) has highlighted that i really need to get back on it!!!
Allcomers practice went ok, it was nice and dry and had a good clear track, although my lap times was down by almost a second from last year. After talking to a few people the track was seeming to be slower than last year, either down to the surface or head wind so wasn't too worried. The car did seem to be understeering a bit too much though so decided to go up a click on the rear dampers for RGB practice. I definitely need to stiffen up the rear springs a tad, as i was only 2 clicks off the hardest setting on the rear dampers, and really shouldn't be using the dampers to effect the spring rates this much. If i get chance i will get a set of 200lb rears to put on before snetts.
RGB practice went OK, qualified 3rd in class right behind Al and Colin on the grid. A good start was imperative!!!!
In the Allcomers race i had a great start and went past a few off the start line, but within a lap, everyone i had taken on the line was past me again, but that was always going to happen as they were 2 seconds a lap faster than me in practice. For the next 3 laps or so i had dan closing in down the 2 straights and was having to defend my line, his R1 powered fury is so much quicker down the straights than my old blade!! I managed to hold him off by taking the inside line and leaving the braking as late as possible coming into Brooklands!! I was managing to pull away from him on the corners, but every lap he would close in on the straights and we'd repeat the same manoeuvres, it was great fun!! Unfortunately Dan then dropped back and i was left on my own, i did actually contemplate slowing down so we could have a another go, but thought better of it!! So apart from a few back markers and couple of the front cars lapping me i had a pretty lonely second half of the race. At least i felt like i had learnt something about the lines and braking point going into Brooklands, ready for the RGB race!
So we waited round all day for the RGB race, slowly watching the lovely blue sky get blacker and blacker, until 10 minutes before our race when the heavens opened!! We were getting soaked in the assembly area and there was a mad dash by most to soften the suspension settings off. I'd not used the current setup in the wet, so wasn't sure what to do, the car is pretty soft anyway, but decided to drop 3 clicks off all the dampers and hoped for the best. As the track was now so wet we were given a green flag, which just confirmed the fact that there was no grip anywhere and lots of standing water!! It was the 2009 Birkett all over again! This was going to to be a slippy slippy race, and woodcote scares the crap out of me in the wet!!!!!!
In the end the race turned out to be lots and lots of fun, i had a cautious start, but didn't lose any places, and everyone made it round copse, maggots and becketts without incident. I managed to get a good line into and out of becketts and a good drag down the back straight, although this was terrifying as you could not see a thing due to the spray, the car was aqua planning and every time you up shifted the back wheels lost traction. I was alongside colin down the straight to Brooklands, he was on the left (either defending his line or just trying to find some visibility, and i managed to get a head of him on the brakes coming into brooklands. The next lap i was in a similar position with Tony at brooklands and we went round there and luffields side by side, excellent fun!!! Coming out of Woodcote, Colin got a great exit/line and looked to come down the inside so i moved over to defend, just to see him whizz up the outside of me and get past! For the next few laps we were tucked up together with Dave Wale, Daves cars
looked a real handful in the wet, and colin was all over the back of him with me too close for comfort sometimes!!! Colin managed to get past Dave out of Copse, but ended up having a small spin and Becketts which allowed me past and into 2nd in class. I thought that was 2nd place safe, but Colin pulled 3 excellent laps out (coupled with a 2 slightly slower ones by me) tp catch right up, and with a similar great exit from Woodcote he came up my inside at copse on the last lap and nipped past. I still had the back straight and brooklands to get the position back, Colin stayed far left up the straight, i slipstreamed him and pulled out to start going past him as we passed under the bridge, I left the braking as late as i dared as we came into Brooklands and actually had my nose in front, but colin must have let of the brakes slightly and we went round Brooklands and luffield side by side, i was on the inside at luffield and Colin managed to find slightly more traction to pull out into woodcote and beat me to the line.
It was a brilliantly exciting race (for me anyway) and i take my hat off to Colin for a great bit of driving and it just goes to prove i have a lot to learn before i can be as a wiley dog as him (i won't say old as he out ran me on the morning jog aswell!!) , its just a shame my forward facing camera packed in due to the rain!!!! New HD camera ordered in readiness for snetterton, and hopefully another exciting race!!!!
RGB Race Video:-
Photos:-
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