Classic, Retro and Sportscar Action Day

[2Toledos]

I'd just like to say thanks to you guys (especially those who've posted videos ).... Of late; I've been beginning to lose heart (and hope) of getting out on track this year; but, this thread may well be the proverbial kick up the backside I needed to get off my ar5e and get out in the garage and (at least) get Tara back on the road/track. I've been wanting to have a play with another 1850 for ages; then, when one finally came along - I wasn't there

When I got up on Saturday morning, and it was p'ing down, I really felt for you guys and at the same time had a degree of relief that I hadn't gone....
.. as the day went on, though, and it dried up; I started to get a bit jealous, and really felt like I was missing out. From what I've seen on the videos; it turns out I was Sitting here watching the videos; I just felt left out, so I have vowed to get myself out into the garage after I've put my daughter to bed, at least a couple of evenings a week, in the hope that I can get myself along to another track day, later in the year.....

PS Can't wait for part 3, Martin.

[DF]

Great vids mart
The jag spitting flames

[xvivalve]

A couple of things are quite telling from your video Mart, I wish I'd sorted out a mounting for my car to enable comparison. First, purely by sound alone you kept far more traction than I on the corners, especially over the starting grid before during and after Camp corner. Second, the overdrive gave a distinct advantage on the stretches before the chicanes; by the time I'd righted myself from Quarry and managed to floor it again there seemed insufficient space for a gear change before the Esses and I had a similar quandry before Bobbies. Rightly or wrongly I found myself dropping into second at entry to each. The o/d 'box gears are based on the 4 speed too, so each ratio seems a little longer legged and more versatile than mine. Bloody 5 speed 'box!

[DavePoth]

Mart's running a much lower geared diff (4.11:1 IIRC) so that will help. But overdrive was certainly helpful (I didn't get out of 3rd all the way round).

[xvivalve]

I too have LSD; I believed they were all 4.11?

[Mad Mart]

I'm pretty sure the final ratios were 3.45 whether they had LSDs or not. My diff was 3.45 originally but the LSD was retro fitted, as there is no 'S' on the casing no. I fitted a 4.1:1 (not 4.11:1) from a manual MK1 T2000.

[trackerjack]

Aha that Jag likes us sprints Mad Marticus several years ago I had a hugely enjoyable tussle with him too. I let him through and he could not get away so he let me through and so on, afterwards he came up and told me he was showing Jag owners how to compete in their Jags, he also stated how nice it was to have a good clean battle (huh I must have been on one of my rare good days )
Yes despite the problems it was a good day, as it showed how pleasant our Triumph owners are .
Vids are to follow

[DavePoth]

Just found one of the M3 crash. I'm sort of confused as to how he managed to do this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcgsHyFClIM

[miniman]

I can only assume that the track was damp and he had the TC turned off, gave it some beans and got a tank slapper on. I don't think the XR2 behind was involved. This is precisely why I won't go on track on these days.

[miniman]

Thought I would chuck together a quick write-up for Dolly Mixture - please let me know if there are any inaccuracies or bits you'd rather not admit to!

Castle Combe Classic & Sports Car Action Day 2009

Castle Combe on a wet and windy day is pretty bleak and hardly the perfect venue for an early start. Well, that's my excuse for only making it onto the club stand at 11:00, despite living a mere 3 minutes from the circuit. This event runs every year, and each time we have Mad Mart to thank for organising a club stand, discounted track passes and a fist full of free entry passes for display cars. My first visit, back in 2005, was short lived with arrival by flatbed on the agenda, followed by tinkering with limited success before limping home disappointed. This year I arrived under my own steam, but my worn bushes and sloppy steering rack made track time rather too risky to take on.

The club turnout this year was excellent with a mixture of track toys and daily drivers on display. My 73 Sprint (VA803) was the only yellow attendee, apart from a non-club-member with a very shiny Inca car that as I write DVLA still think is blue. I suspect Mart will forgive me for describing his French Blue track car as built for speed not for looks, and shed of the week has to go to Dave Poth's 1850 which might look a little tired but certainly didn't disgrace itself on the track. Alan (xvivalve)'s Quicksprint, John (Trackerjack)'s track car running twin Dellorto 45s and ALGIK, Daz's fabulous red Cosworth-powered beast completed the line-up.

There's always plenty of other interesting metal to peruse at these events, with a record-breaking line up of Capris celebrating Del Boy's dream car's 40th anniversary, the usual collection of MX-5s and Lotus 7s, and a beautiful Innocenti Coupe, one of only three in the country.

Sadly, the day saw a few Triumph-related failures, with Daz suffering some unpleasant turbo damage and John' choice of gasket proving costly with a trip home courtesy of the local recovery boys. We did, however, keep Dave's 1850 running by scavenging a thermostat plug from my “project” Sprint.

Several clips from the day, including Mart's lengthy tussle with a Mk 2 Jag, Daz's three pre-blowup laps, and more footage from John have made it onto YouTube – log on to the club forum at http://forum.triumphdolomite.co.uk for the links.

Thanks once again to Mart for getting us all organised and sorting out the passes, and if you fancy giving Castle Combe a try next year, keep an eye on the forum.

[xvivalve]

Its 'Alun' not 'Alan'

[trackerjack]

Finally managed to get my clips together so all aboard a swarm members car for the sometimes slow action.
I also have footage of the BMW sad demise and agree with Miniman that he just got into a fishtail as he accelerated away from quarry corner as the track was lethal, we had two spin close to us on the first lap alone.
No 1 the start of the day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeaQ9lV5fsI

The BMW scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzuOHW43qoQ

At last some speed
Sprint vs Nissan 200SX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzNogIyQCfs

A good scrap with an RS2000 which I lose as I am just not fast enough. I start by passing the supercharged Stag which was a fast car but was always in the wrong place on the track, I did like the car though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6-ImqpVmHg

Finally the poor old sprint dies in a lurid slide due to water from the engine finding the rear tyre.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWFX14QnnPY

[miniman]

Its 'Alun' not 'Alan'

Thanks Alun I will correct it!

[trackerjack]

A few observations, how nice to see "quicksprint" in the hands of ZZtop out on circuit (the last time I saw this car on track was about 2003), good on yer Alun.
By the vid stopwatch Mart was doing a 1min 30 in Jag 2 compared with my 1min32 (just before an unscheduled stop!).

Do I give up and trail Mart or get me a STR91 cam and come out fighting?

Another observation is that Mart is picking up my bad habits, like overtaking between tower and chicane

I remember on one of Marts vids you said "Jon would be past here" mmmmmmm.

Oh well a popped headgasket is not much of a problem so I shall return

Thanks for the entertainment Mart

[Mad Mart]

The Jag driver was really chucking the beast around. Bloody good, especially considering the weight & on those skinny tyres. I think as I past him on the re-match, he pulled into the pits. I spoke with him afterwards & he had an axle oil seal go, hence the smoke. We both had big grins on our faces and thanked each other for a great session or two.

I do love those Yoko 032s. As the laps went on they just seemed to get stickier & stickier giving me all the confidence I needed to chuck it into the corners.

I didn't get away scott free with troubles. When I took my left rear wheel off it was covered on the inside with oil. In fact I had to lower the back wheels on to the ground to get the wheel nuts off as, even with DaveP planting his foot on the brake, the wheel was still going round. Just as well I've got excellent front brakes. Funny, I was only saying on the forum a couple of weeks ago how long those axle oil seals had been fitted.

The 2:30 session would have been brilliant with all four of us out together, but it wasn't to be.

Jon, go get a TT10106 (equivalent) like mine, from Newman cams & come out fighting.