The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Very brave Mart - your hands must have been numb by the end!!

Doesn't quite convey the complete lack of grip under power (ball bearings on ice springs to mind), but the old girl does sound rather good.

That Pug 205 had passed me billowing smoke on the previous lap. The fact that it was oil mist (he had burnt through an oil pipe I found out later), only added to the fun for the rest of us.

What a bonehead to carry on - it was obvious for a least a lap prior.

I was absolutely frozen, couldn't feel my hands. Luckily Dave bought a car with a heater.

I have now booked for the CT/MGOC day in July.

I can't wait! It can't be as cold even if its as wet!

Mad Mart wrote:I was absolutely frozen, couldn't feel my hands. Luckily Dave bought a car with a heater.

That sounds familiar - I just spent all weekend in a rally car with no working heater. Although the lack of any sort of demisting was more of an issue than the cold...

Well lads here is some in car footage of ah em water and some water and oh of course some cars in the mist!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCsaH6LI9a0

Yeuch ! That doesn't look like much fun, at all

It wasn't fun Chris!

Interesting to hear on the film how much better you were getting the power down Jon. As we mused after, a combination of LSD and tyres - its no wonder that I could not catch you - I was getting frantic wheelspin in third and even fourth gear!

I think I will be talking to you about brakes too. Mine work (of course), but being able to leave the braking that much later is a definate advantage that will be even more apparent in the dry.

Funds and time permitting I will be attending to the brakes and softening the rear odf the car a bit prior to July. I am convinced that the skate board like bullet hard rear end is actually contributing to my lack of traction. It also makes breakaway, when it comes, very sudden requiring hair trigger reactions. An interesting contrast to my bog standard but polybushed Toledo 1300 that I took to the Combe last year. That car on its 155 tyres would drift beautifully and in a very controllable way (whether control was by steering or throttle).

The 16V was a nightmare by comparison. Still, the day was useful if nothing else for finding that out. Now I can proceed to take steps to set the thing up properly.

Yes Martin its clear the potential your car has and the LSD does not work BTW it needs shimming, its as you said tyres and softer rear end. Chris Birds (2Toledo's) car is a very good example of a fine handling car it sits down nicely.
One of the good things about open pit lane trackdays is going in others cars as you learn so much.
You wont be dissapointed in the brake mod if you do it Martin (see in Dolomite related).
I would like to reserve a passenger trip at the MGOT trackday with you please Martin, if you dont mind.

You're very welcome to a passenger seat Jon. I am always open to others views about the car as there is a wealth of experience from guys like you, Mart and Chris.

I can set up an Austin A40 pretty well from my race and rally days in them, but this beast is going to take a bit more fiddling to get it right!

All input welcome.

Well as I saidon the day Martin I believe in the front rock hard and the back soft as you can without it wallowing I have std rear springs on Spax wide body adjustables and the front is AVO's with 350 lb springs 9" long.

Just found this.

Great little set which demonstrates more than words ever could the carnage I had to contend with in front of me during my first session at the "Holiday on Ice" that was Quarry bend.

Keep you eyes peeled just before and after five minutes in. The 'spinning top' blue Seat Ibiza later had me off at Camp corner...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxiPXCFZ8EA

The only two decent pics I took all day in the deluge.

Here's the Tolly waiting to go out for the first session. It had just started to belt with rain. You can see the errant seat Ibiza in front. The 205 that caught fire is behind.



And this is a bit far off, but a decent action shot of Trackerjack's wife Diane, leading the gaggle out of the esses...



The red Elise following span exiting the bend about 1 sec after I clicked the shutter.

A little pearl of a film shot from the yellow liveried Saab that trackerjack referred to in his post. Apart from the rain - lots of it - its nice to see the Toledo pull away from him on the straights.

Note the Toledo going very sideways at quarry approx 2:20 mins in. Ahem.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odwjYZDam7A