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.
# posted by Doug @ 8:58 AM 
