Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Escort Car Club Sprints
Race day again for the Model-A, no-one sends me pictures so I haven't any to put up. The day was cold, under 10 degrees, with freezing showers. I did 2m 19sec in practice on a wet track, so the car was going well and I was expecting to better my best time of 2m 17s. But the rain came down as I went out in the first sprint, man it stings your face at 100 kmh with an open-face helmet! Nowhere to hide!
Then the engine coughed and spluttered and I pulled in to the pits, thinking water had got in to the electrics. It has turned out since that the choke butterfly valve had the two screws drop out that hold it to the shaft, falling down and choking one carb. I pulled off the manifold and found the two screws, so that was lucky. They are solidly loctited in now.
Fine summer days are good, I think!
Then the engine coughed and spluttered and I pulled in to the pits, thinking water had got in to the electrics. It has turned out since that the choke butterfly valve had the two screws drop out that hold it to the shaft, falling down and choking one carb. I pulled off the manifold and found the two screws, so that was lucky. They are solidly loctited in now.
Fine summer days are good, I think!
Friday, June 09, 2006
Last ride for an SS Jaguar (1967)
Here's the tale of our remarkable raft in the Auckland Uni raft race 1967. Seemed a shame to have it tucked away in a photo album.Tuesday, June 06, 2006
The Civil Service Motoring Association
My collection of badges is now complete with the addition of The Civil Service Motoring Association.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Taupo new long circuit
On Saturday 3rd June 'Ugly Brute' ran in the Capri Car Club sprints, using the new long track at Taupo. It's a great track, more corners than Manfeild and longer overall than Pukekohe. There were over 60 entries so had grids of 12 at a time.
The Model-A is running well now it has had the carbs tuned and a dodgy valve spring replaced. The valve spring was replaced without removing any other engine parts apart from the cover plate. Try that on a modern engine! Best time was 3m 07 unofficially (thanks Gus), so that will be the lap record for 1928 cars.
It was a bit hard to start with the temperature just under freezing and thick fog. Needed a jumper to a 4WD to get enough revs on the starter. But the sun came out and the fog lifted about 10am.
A good thing about the track is that it has lots of grass run-off areas and despite a lot of spinoffs by people pedalling too hard, there was no panel damage. The pit straight runs down past a concrete wall with happy onlookers about 3m away - interesting! I think a big safety wire fence might pop up there before long.
Will put up some pics if someone sends me some.
I had a chat to the previous owner of 'Ugly Brute' last week, he is sending up what history he has. The car was in his family when he was born in the 1960s and he learned to drive in it. It also did some beach racing at Foxton.
The Model-A is running well now it has had the carbs tuned and a dodgy valve spring replaced. The valve spring was replaced without removing any other engine parts apart from the cover plate. Try that on a modern engine! Best time was 3m 07 unofficially (thanks Gus), so that will be the lap record for 1928 cars.
It was a bit hard to start with the temperature just under freezing and thick fog. Needed a jumper to a 4WD to get enough revs on the starter. But the sun came out and the fog lifted about 10am.
A good thing about the track is that it has lots of grass run-off areas and despite a lot of spinoffs by people pedalling too hard, there was no panel damage. The pit straight runs down past a concrete wall with happy onlookers about 3m away - interesting! I think a big safety wire fence might pop up there before long.
Will put up some pics if someone sends me some.
I had a chat to the previous owner of 'Ugly Brute' last week, he is sending up what history he has. The car was in his family when he was born in the 1960s and he learned to drive in it. It also did some beach racing at Foxton.
