Quote:
Originally Posted by Gerard C
As you say, engine builders…
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How very dare you! I built and used to rebuild my only pushrod engine which probably did something like 80 to 100 races over a 5 year period. After each race, I would take the head off and replace the head, inlet and exhaust gaskets, whilst after each 2nd race, I would remove the whole engine and completely rebuild it including, sometimes, new pistons - or at least new rings.
As a result, or so I would like to think, I never had a DNF and just had one non-start which was due to a badly manufacture head gasket which let go on the slowing down lap of a heat where I had easily qualified for the final. We did have a replacement, but due to the time it would have taken to complete the job would have taken too long to make the race.
Instead I went into the paddock bar at Brands Hatch and drowned my sorrows and was soon joined by Gerry Marshall who came in to celebrate having won (yet again) that race. We then had a competition, with quite a few other drivers, to see who could consume the most alcohol. In the end, only Gerry and I were left, and when we had drunk the bar dry of whisky, we decided to call it a draw.
A few days later, as I was passing where he worked, I popped in to say hello, and we discovered that neither of us had any idea of how we got home. Although I do remember having backed my trailer into the warehouse where it was stored. How I got there or then on to my home, no clue! All I know is that the next day I felt really awful, and the family doctor came in to have a look at me and advised to to take more water with my Scotch as he felt that I probably had alcohol poisoning. I became almost teetotal from that point on and haven't had an alcohol drink for coming on 30 years now.