test day

[PaulW]

Reet who is up for a some pre season shakedown time?

I reckon its got to be either 09/04/10
http://www.trackdays.co.uk/book/bookEventDetails.aspx?event=3968

or

maybe this is a bit early but maybe they have one after this
http://www.trackdays.co.uk/book/bookEventDetails.aspx?event=4000

or
looking back at last years events at Barkston Heath they seam to of had one in March *these are this years dates for an idea of when they are*
http://www.javelintrackdays.co.uk/jt/index.php

Mark could you ask please if there will be one at that time as you have the contact details.

I would really like to do Olivers mount as the first race but not without testing first........times a tickin:D

Paul

[Mark D]

i'll be sending an email off on thursday so will find out dates soon. As for the javalin trackdays at barkston i dont think they use the same track, i think they use part of the main runway

[PaulW]

i thought about that as its a bit more than we usually pay but i'm sure i recognise the bit of track in the photo.

Paul

[Richard]

Yep, count me in. Anytime mid March onwards. Looking at the Javelin site it seems they run 3 circuits at the same time - Drift / Slalom / Sprint. The description of the sprint is -

"A 3/4 mile, narrow strip of extremely smooth tarmac that formed the service road for the former missile site. A real challenge with some corners that command respect and a couple of chicanes thrown in for good measure. Yes we can run a timed sprint event for your owners club etc. Just ask."

Sounds like the track we used with the RAFmsa
R

[Andy_S]

Count me in, although like Richard, I'd be happier playing from around March onwards ....... there might even be a rain free day.

Now lets just establish things. Is it a round and round track day!

[Richard]

Now lets just establish things. Is it a round and round track day!

:D

[matbmx_2007]

Im keen, Keep me up to date with the date planned and once finally decided ill get me self booked on :)

Mini should be on the road by then easily. I very much doubt that i could keep up with you guys tho. Whats the autodrome track like?

Matt

[PaulW]

Count me in, although like Richard, I'd be happier playing from around March onwards ....... there might even be a rain free day.

Now lets just establish things. Is it a round and round track day!

March would be good s o i could correct anything but on the other hand it might not be done for early March so its a tricky one:confused:

Paul

[Andy_S]

As this is a test day for Paul & Mark, then clearly the rest of us should fit in with you guys.

If things are looking really tight for you then we should arrange boy's beer trips to give you both a hand. I know for sure I can lean on stuff with a can in my hand & point at things in a helpful manner.

.......... at some point Marks Spaceframe 'chassis' needs spraying (orange?) and I think Paul & I volunteered for that.

[Allan McD]

Theres a test on Sunday 27th December at Kames I am going :D
If the snow is less than 2 feet deep.
Allan

[PaulW]

Theres a test on Sunday 27th December at Kames I am going :D
If the snow is less than 2 feet deep.
Allan

I would love to be able to have finished for 27th Dec, although snow on that day is not a worry for me:D

So who esle has some testing to do aart from me and Mr spaceframe?

Come on Richard you have been quiet of late what have you been up to?

Paul

[Andy_S]

I'm fitting a new steering rack & re-wiring stuff & new rose joints up front & new HT leads/coil & sorting the fuel pump & relocating the battery & maybe a new 'small' fuel tank & a sneaky something else, but nothing structural for a change.

A bit of a blast round a track would be fun, but mainly I'd like to see Paul & Mark take their inventions for a shakedown so that they can race (gently) at Ollies Mt.

.......... & if we're running a sweepstake, I reckon Richard might have a new engine :)

[Mark D]

.......... at some point Marks Spaceframe 'chassis' needs spraying (orange?) and I think Paul & I volunteered for that.

I was only joking about the painting BUT if you could help me out that would be FANTASTIC!!!!!! and very much appreciated (so long as you promise not to reveal my go fast secrets), i dont even mind it being orange if it fits in with the exterior design, will that make it as fast as yours andy!!!!!.

If anyone wants to have a hands on day and help put it back together once it's painted that can be arranged and i can supply a small amount of refreshments.

I'm hoping to have it ready for painting by mid Jan at the latest. I'm just waiting on my new seat to arrive so i can finish the floor. Tweeks have said i should have it around the 20th, just in time for the wife to wrap up, what a surprise that will be.

As for a test day i cant really commit at the moment, the build is still a long way off and it's all the little jobs that seem to be taking the time. The only big jobs left though are really the wiring and the gearbox rebuild

[Andy_S]

I was only joking about the painting BUT if you could help me out that would be FANTASTIC!!!!!! and very much appreciated (so long as you promise not to reveal my go fast secrets), i dont even mind it being orange if it fits in with the exterior design, will that make it as fast as yours andy!!!!!.

I'm more than happy to paint steelwork for you if you can wait until there are 4 wheels on my wagon, so I can wheel it out of the garage. Paul might have a few other bits & bob's to do for a while yet, but he's probably the better painter of the two of us so if you want everything in metal flake & Clearcoat then he's yer man. :)

Orange is indeed the fastest colour. That's why Allan has been struggling so much with his car.

[Allan McD]

I have had an Orange mini it was my first car :D It was well quick 1000cc skimmed head and an LCB must have had around 35bhp.
I painted it Orange a few days later the police stoped me as the car was registerd green :(
That was about 1980 :shock:
Allan

[Mark D]

I like the fact that allans car is all one colour, 10 different shades of it maybe, but all 1 colour!!!!!

At elvington i did however overhear Allan with a very good point, if he ends up in the tyre wall, at least he wont be crying over having scratched it.

[Richard]

Come on Richard you have been quiet of late what have you been up to?

Paul

Not a lot really, you and Mark are putting me to shame.
I have fitted a dishwasher into the garage!!

I have aquired a new Gripper lsd and fitted it into a gearbox with a higher ratio but haven't tried it in the car yet.
A fair amount of time went into rebuilding my big valve head, now its got verniers, steel spring caps and Piper sprint cams, spent ages getting the valve clearance correct by shimming the solid followers.
Next plan is to pull the Midget 1.8 engine out and replacing it with a 1.4. The 1.8 will then be fitted with forged pistons, single tang rods and new liners that Dave Andrews has sourced.
When the engine comes out I will try fitting some stronger Minispares rubber springs to the front, hopefully to alleviate the excessive body roll.
I have a couple of deadlines though, its booked in at Tony Law @ Leeds in the new year for a new exhaust manifold, I'm hoping to have long primaries joining behind the engine. However to push four 1.5" pipes under the engine is going to cause even more ground clearance probs so I am playing with pushing the engine up a little. No big bonnet bulges though;)
Also cosidering a Pipercross airbox for my throttle bodies and maybe a few ideas to reduce the body weight.
Then a have a rolling road session booked in at Emerald on the 12th March.
So hopefully ready to play mid March onwards - if Marie hasn't spent the engine budget on the new kitchen:confused:

[Andy_S]

Wow :cool:

Reckon you'll get more than yer old 130bhp with that little lot. (220 horsies at 8500 rpms ????)

[PaulW]

Not a lot really, you and Mark are putting me to shame.
I have fitted a dishwasher into the garage!!


When the engine comes out I will try fitting some stronger Minispares rubber springs to the front,
:confused:

I don't think you will get anywhere by fitting rubber springs in you engine Richard:D

If you are going to Tony Laws give me a bell.

Paul

[Richard]

Would be nice but I am aiming for a more realistic 190 @ 8000. The extra torque of the 1.8 will help though, something I noticed when I drove Mike's pickup at Barkstone.
On that subject would any body else consider swapping cars for a lap at a test day (not Allans, its a different animal) possibly with rev limit lowered;) I would love to know what the General and Stella handled like.

Paul, re Tony Law, pm me you phone number please.

[Andy_S]

On that subject would any body else consider swapping cars for a lap at a test day (not Allans, its a different animal) possibly with rev limit lowered;)

You're welcome to have a run in the General.

[PaulW]

You're very welcome to have a run in the General.


Likewise Richard

Paul

[Andy_S]

You''ll need a cushion on the seat & blocks on the pedals to drive Stella cos Paul sets his seat as if he's 6'5" tall, not 5'6" like us normal people.

[PaulW]

You''ll need a cushion on the seat & blocks on the pedals to drive Stella cos Paul sets his seat as if he's 6'5" tall, not 5'6" like us normal people.


hahar your wrong my short arse little friend:D I'm doing away with the highchair subframe assembly as it was too heavy. i'm getting some high side mounts and bolting them straight to the floor.

Paul

[Mark D]

your welcome to have a drive of rita when she is finished

[Richard]

your welcome to have a drive of rita when she is finished

I'm not worthy!
Thanks for the offer Mark but I think I'll wait till you get it sorted ;)

If you get bogged down with the electrics on your build I have a son who is handy with a soldering iron.

[Mark D]

Thanks Rich, i dont think the wiring is going to be hard just time consuming but i'll certainly bare him in mind if we do get short on time. Apart from some help with the painting the only other job i need to farm out is finding someone to change the syncros in the gearbox for me. I hate doing them with a passion.

[spNOam]

20th March is good for me, Its a test day....if car goes OK youre welcome to have a go in Helen. (Will be slower higher & heavier, 1st year development;))
Geoff

[Andy_S]

20th March is good for me, Its a test day....if car goes OK youre welcome to have a go in Helen. (Will be slower higher & heavier, 1st year development;))
Geoff

Helen, might be higher than the old General, but hopefully not heavier.

With all the fancy mods & spaceframes the other boys have conjured up, I reckon the only thing I can win next year is heaviest Sprint Mini ..... even the driver is heavier than he used to be ....... mmmmm beer!

All steel Slab Fronts Rule! (until I save up for fibre stuff from ABS ;))

[Mark D]

(until I save up for fibre stuff from ABS ;))

Ah, but we will be winning the £50 vouchers and getting his stuff cheaper

[PaulW]

ive just thought........i might need some grp bits to stard the season, WHEN i win a voucher i wont need it as ive already bought it:confused::D Does that mean i can cash it in for a 50 quid refund:D:D:D

[Andy_S]

ive just thought........i might need some grp bits to start the season, WHEN i win a voucher i wont need it as ive already bought it:confused::D Does that mean i can cash it in for a 50 quid refund:D:D:D


Nope ....... but you can sell the vouchers to me for £5 :)

OR

You might end up doing some rallycross like at Barky Heath & £50 is just right for a new front spoiler ;)

[Mark D]

I dont know how we are going to award the vouchers as they are for "best anything". I think to be fair, unless most of us agree we put our nominations in a hat and then pull one out. We can have best roll, engine blow up, effort,newcomer etc

So you may get best roll again andy, i think you pipped me to the post again on that one, as i got further round the track before mine went over. Plus mine was caused by the wind, not the just the driver being useless!!!!!, although i did do a good impression of a flid as it took flight.

[Andy_S]

I dont know how we are going to award the vouchers as they are for "best anything". I think to be fair, unless most of us agree we put our nominations in a hat and then pull one out. We can have best roll, engine blow up, effort,newcomer etc

So you may get best roll again andy, i think you pipped me to the post again on that one, as i got further round the track before mine went over. Plus mine was caused by the wind, not the just the driver being useless!!!!!, although i did do a good impression of a flid as it took flight.

........ best moment 2010 ....... hopefullyno more rolling.

I still have my roll on camera. Including swearing when he landed back on the wheels (eventually). But unlike you I didn't pass out for a free ride in the ambulance. I stayed with the old fella & even sat in him while he got towed back to the paddock.

My roll was deffo down to ... broken control arm ... erm ... puncture .... no, hydraulic failure ..... yeah you're right, crap driver.

[Mark D]

........ best moment 2010 ....... hopefullyno more rolling.

I still have my roll on camera. Including swearing when he landed back on the wheels (eventually). But unlike you I didn't pass out for a free ride in the ambulance. I stayed with the old fella & even sat in him while he got towed back to the paddock.

My roll was deffo down to ... broken control arm ... erm ... puncture .... no, hydraulic failure ..... yeah you're right, crap driver.

Yeah, and i didnt pass out to get a free ride lol. I laid on the floor to get my breath back after being sat in my seat whilst oil and petrol pissed out. As soon as i smelt the petrol and saw the oil i dumped my harness release and landed on my head on the passenger door. Then i scrambled out of the windscreen hole. Sounds comical now but i wish i had it on tape it would have looked like a silent laurel and hardy movie. The guys in the ambulance wouldnt let me out, honestly once the saint johns ambulance have got you your knackered. They wouldnt recover my car cos it was leaking oil all over the precious tarmac surface, i asked them but due to the bad weather they wanted to continue racing, The only thing i was concerned about was Melissa. 3 cars were on the track, 2 came back and they wernt her dad!!!

On the bottom of the space frame i'm going to paint "fuck off, send for Tees rescue"