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3 Jun 2017, 16:57 (Ref:3738357) | #2076 | ||
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Way back the good Dr E offered his body moulds for my car. Only problem was the length of the car would not fit into the garage and it would have added a year to the car's build to get the body and mount it to the Lola.
It would be great to see the Black Ghia out again. Today was practice day at Shelsley Walsh, and the sun shone all day thought the morning run was on a slightly slippy track, but took it carefully, it is practice after all. The run was drama-free and netted a nice 32.96/22.3 start. PB is 32.06. Just the 2 of us again in the class, and Nigel's V8 ran a strong 35.05 in his heavy NG V8. Second run was far more determined, but I felt I cruised up the hill, no drama, felt smooth, everything sounded strong as so it was! A PB of 31.92 / 2.19. Chuffed with that to say the least. Nigel went better too, 34.79. I hope to deliver again tomorrow for the race day, but to win, you first have to finish! |
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4 Jun 2017, 18:06 (Ref:3738656) | #2077 | ||
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Sunday, and a different weather system saw light rain before our first timed runs, but the sun and breeze seemed to dry the track.
A respected Porsche competitor told me the hill was fine, so went for it (unusual for me) Cracking run which gave the same time as my best practice run to the 1/00 of a second, 31.91/2.24 start. Second run was much the same conditions, but I felt I had done enough to secure the class so eased a bit. We are racing at loton Park next weekend, so needed to be careful! 32.76/ 2.22 So, a good Class Win and a PB also. Long way to go to get that trophy and there is an ominous oil patch on the trailer bed after the tow home... Will see what THAT is tomorrow. |
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4 Jun 2017, 22:05 (Ref:3738694) | #2078 | ||
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10 Jun 2017, 16:20 (Ref:3739991) | #2079 | ||
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The last of the Championship rounds before the summer break this weekend at my favorite hiil, Loton Park, close to the Welsh boarders by Welshpool.
Saturday, practice only but the chance of 3 runs, 4 in the Class. First run and it poured, real Welsh Rain, which can penetrate anything known to man, let alone me in the Lola t 492! Zero grip on the 3 year old slicks so did a 81.4/ 3.38 second run, slowest in class. Sean from McClurg Motorsport will laugh seeing that! Second run was with the track wet but trying, but a bit quicker at 72.37/2.9, slowest in Class... I made the start in 2nd gear which was quite good. Worth the try. Third run was a dry hill so off we went, got to get some speed! Result was 57.5/ 2.13 which included a real problem selecting 2nd after the start in 1st, had this before but it cost a lot of time. However, 2nd in class, the NG V8 ran 60.99 and the road spec Ferrari clocked 62.20. However, Allan ran 54.13/ 2.03 and was 1 second off his pb.... He fitted fresh slicks today too! Sunday is forecast to be better so I need to do a good run in the morning as rain expected in the afternoon. My pb is 56.79/ 2.12 so close to a pb if I'm lucky. Have to say the engine ran a bit 'off-song' today and that stalled 1st to 2nd shift will mean some summer tinkering is required. Save me getting bored or doing the garden. (I wish) |
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11 Jun 2017, 17:02 (Ref:3740297) | #2080 | ||
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Sunday, and the plan was to get 2nd in class as I would NEVER beat the Evo Mini ever, so I was pleased to get to the track to brilliant weather. Forecast was dry until 1 or 3.00pm, so the first run had to count.
Got in the car, all strapped in ready, engine running and called to come to the start line with my class Mates, except...no gloves. Could not find the bloody things at all so panic set in until the paddock marshal borrowed a set from another competitor and I just made it to the start line in time by seconds. To the start, still buzzing and set off hard and angry. Do you think I could get a clean 1st to 2nd? no, so after some repeated attempts from neutral got going with a heap of time to make up this twisting and fast 1 mile long hill. Came up to Keepers hot in second and went for 3rd read to clime Cedar Straight. Went from 2nd to 1st which is not good for this 6400 red line engine, but caught the 'buzz' and got third a treat. Hit the awkward Cedar Straight and dived hard into the 90 left, Fallow. Got out of there with a chirp from the slightly understeering front tyres and up to the blind 80 deg right that is Museum corner, and the car squirmed all over the place (it felt like) hit nothing, settled going dead-ahead (nothing to do with me, just a good car with an ace set-up) and went for the finishing line as hard as I could. Wheew, an exciting run. Got a stonking 56.91/ 2.29 and just 3 and a bit seconds behind the EVO Mini and well ahead of Nigel in the NG V8. The Ferrari was a no-show today. So, a 2nd in class and just 0.12 secs off my PB with a big operator-error in the middle of it. The rain missed us and yet another gear shift issue gave me a 57.79. Not a bad weekend of hill climbing, and all will be silent for over 8 weeks unless I can get into a few Clubbies in between. Season going well so far, on plan. Spanners crossed I'll get there! Car is going on show at the glorious Chateau Impney hill climb on 8 July. Might see some of you there! Allen's EVO Mini, formidable. http://www.irishnews.com/picturesarc...98d24ec8c0.jpg |
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15 Jul 2017, 20:38 (Ref:3751524) | #2081 | ||
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The little Lola was on display at the Club's stand at the Chateax and glorious weather gathered a lot of people to this venue, and we had our fair share too on the stand.
I took the bodywork off the car to show the Lola naked, and this drew a lot of people, a lot of questions, a lot of boy (old and young) to sit in the car and I hope some who will come to our own hill climb venue! All the PR work is very tiring, but great fun. Today was a one-day clubbie at Loton Park, no agenda, just a bit of fun and time to try the gear change ghosts that are bugging me. Wet start, but we have just laid a whole new surface on the mile long hill and it was certainly slippy! Clocked a very cautious 71 second run as first practice, and I was not alone in a very amalgamated class of me and 3 single seaters. Second run was now quite dry, so time to push a bit harder, and clocked58.69 but a stunning 1.99 second start time to cover the first 64 feet, so just over 1G of acceleration. Managed to get second from first quite well. Rest of the run was still a bit cautious, but sound. The meeting was stopped for one hour while a wedding took place (the village church is but 200m from the start line....) and the married couple took their Morgan topless up the hill climb to much cheer and waving. Never seen that before. Race run resumed and I got stuck-in. Netted a nice 56.83 and a better start of 1.95, ballistic! pb is 56.79, so chuffed to be so close with the worry of a virgin track and fears of the unknown grip! Things will be totally quiet now until Prescott hill on the 2/3rd Sept, the last but one of the Midland Championship, the final being at Loton Park and celebrated with a hog roast! Time to enjoy watching some motorsport in the old 911, but going to watch some nostalgic Drag Racing and hot Rods tomorrow, back to the roots of my youth! |
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29 Aug 2017, 06:02 (Ref:3762523) | #2082 | ||
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At long long last the Championship 'holiday' has come to a close, and the last 2 meetings are entered.
Last but one is next weekend at Prescott. I need to get the Lola cleaned today, fuelled, and started to make sure all is well after a 2.5 month off period. The class for this meeting has changed fro the usual 2 or 3, we are joined by a full spec hillclimb sports racing car, a Pilbeam MP48 with a Millington 2.3 engine driven by an ex-British hill climb champion, Ray Rowan and Nick is back with his turbocharged Jaguare V6 engine Lotus Esprit. Nigel in his NGT V8 and Allan in his insane EVO drive train Mini make up a 5 car class. I will not be getting a class win! Might pick up 3rd or 4th. The Pilbeam was heading the class about 4 years ago with Terry in it and was really fast until a heavy shunt at Shelsley finished the car. Ray bought it to rebuild. We went to Oulton Park for the Gold Cup meeting last weekend, a great classic car event and found in the paddock a nice Lola T492, bright red and and standard as it comes, looked great. Then is slowly dawned on me the body had a lot of familiar holes... It was my old hillclimb red body I sold some years ago to make way for the lighter blue body, bit of a pleasant surprise! |
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2 Sep 2017, 17:10 (Ref:3763838) | #2083 | ||
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Saturday, and practice.
Just 2 runs today, so the first was the usual 'sighting' run as it has been 8 weeks since running the car. All went reasonably well, one duff gear change (again) but a nice 48.85 and no drama. however, the others did well too esp the 'new' Pilbeam MP43 that has been re-built and driven by Ray Rowan, ex British hill /climb Champ! He dropped in a calm 42.90! Second run was better for me, one gear change cock-up, but 47.5, a second of my pb at Prescott. The MP43 did a cool 40.82 about a second off the class record.. Found that the MP43 is powered by a mighty HART 420, but that is quite a time. So, at this point and with a crick in my neck from yesterday I am 3rd in the 5 car class. Weather tomorrow is anything from dry to wet depending on the App or the farmer you talk to! |
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3 Sep 2017, 17:23 (Ref:3764137) | #2084 | ||
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Sunday, and wet wet wet wet all day.
What a misery! I was the only car in class on dry slicks as I don't have any spare wheels or the cash for a set of wet slicks, so the track was hard work for all but I am always worried about crunching the car. First practice was 60.93.... Starting in 2nd gear was a good tactic but the start was still 3.16 secs. First race run was 58.4 / 3.14 Second race run was 56.62 / 3.09 The class was won by a country mile by Ray Rowen in the MP43 and he even made it into the Top Twelve run off @ 47.20! Awesome. Arch rival Nigel in the NG V8 beat me on Kumho road tyres by 0.6 secs, first time he has beaten me in years! So a miserable 4th in class but in one soggy piece and home in time for the Italian GP. Big clean-up and dry out tomorrow..... One more to go at Loton 22/23 Sept. |
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5 Sep 2017, 07:46 (Ref:3764662) | #2085 | ||
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This was the 'cleanest' part of the car after Prescott, second pic is after a 4 hour intensive clean of the whole car. Takes ages.
I feel like a steam train man with an oily rag and oil can lubing everything after the wash down. |
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24 Sep 2017, 17:53 (Ref:3769615) | #2086 | ||
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Last hill climb of the season at my favourite track, Loton Park in Shropshire this weekend. Practice on Sat morning was wet, so a bit slow at 65.8 but so was everyone else.
Second Practice on a drying track gave 58.3 / 2.06 start so much better, and the third practice on a warm dry track much much better at 56.38 which bettered my pb of 56.79 Fearing I had peaked-in-practice, not in common for me, Sunday dawned cold but dry overnight so boded well. There were 5 in our amalgamated class of under and over 2 litres, Libre class. Allan in the demon Mini was sure to be first, always is as long as he finishes, but I was in for a second in class, first in Championship class. Just had to get the job done. The car was running really well with few if any Operator Errors...a first! First race run on a dry and cold track netted a stout 56.36 /2.01 start. Second run was sublime and netted a remarkable for me 55.69 / 1.95 start! That is a full 1.1 second improvement in the PB set last year. So, at the end of this year I have won the Championship Class and set a really good pb @ 55.69 and a start of 1.95 sec. No fluffed gear changes (I know why), the car in one solid piece. Plans for Xmas are to pull the engine, fix the irritating oil weep and maybe some warmer cams to pep things up a touch. If I get a permission, a new set of tyres, but these 4 year old slicks are doing well! A great season with this Lola Porsche with a few highs and lows but this is club motorsport. As ever, my thanks to a fabulous chassis set up by Sean at McClurg Motorsport, the car is a delight to drive thanks to his skills. |
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24 Sep 2017, 20:06 (Ref:3769624) | #2087 | ||
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Well done Graham, very well done.
Great to see you at Spa, and would have really liked to speak more. It was all rather hectic. Bravo. |
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"If you would do great things, first set your sails to the wind" |
24 Sep 2017, 21:48 (Ref:3769640) | #2088 | ||
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Yes, you had your hands full!
Sat and Sunday were brilliant weather too! Typical. Sure to bump into each other again. Thanks for the kind words, has been a very good year with the Lola. |
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25 Sep 2017, 15:31 (Ref:3769761) | #2089 | |
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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Well done in winning the class Graham. You've had a good year!!
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25 Sep 2017, 19:00 (Ref:3769792) | #2090 | ||
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It's those narrower wheels and tyres what's done it! (as well as your excellent driving, I'm sure).
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25 Sep 2017, 22:02 (Ref:3769820) | #2091 | ||
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There has only been 2 in the class and Nigel's NG is far too heavy to be competitive.
He is talking about not doing it next year but another player I know well in a good car is joining the small Libre over 2 litre class, so my chances could be slim. However, I have won the class for the 2nd year running and was 2nd in class the year before. My intent is to get my name engraved on the splendid trophy every year I have this little car. I am now getting confident to push it (I'm worried about bending it all the time) and the last weekend showed it has far more speed to come from it yet. That will be the aim for 2018. My new class mate will have a mid engine 400+bhp but in a 750 Kg car. He is very experienced and very confident, but also older than me! Thank you all for the kind words, a Good Year totally. I am always encouraged by just how many people still follow this story of mine. 7 years of blood sweat, mystery and confusion and now the relative calm of reaping the success of all the toil. Never thought it would be 450,000 hits and still growing. |
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3 Nov 2017, 15:33 (Ref:3778369) | #2092 | ||
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Been irritated by a small oil leak this year on the 3.2 in the Lola, so decided to get it out to investigate deeper. Fear it is a leak between the cam carrier and the heads, if so, cams out and all that palaver.
Should fit some 964 cams back in. Hope it is simpler than that! No pics, just more Picture host problems! Last edited by 911thillclimber; 3 Nov 2017 at 15:44. |
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3 Nov 2017, 16:38 (Ref:3778379) | #2093 | |
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Good luck!! It's been a good year for reliability hasn't it?
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3 Nov 2017, 16:54 (Ref:3778385) | #2094 | ||
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I'm fairly sure you enjoy working on it at least as much if not more than driving it. Thank goodness you had an excuse to take it apart and fettle it over the winter - or you'd have had to invent one!
Pics please... |
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3 Nov 2017, 17:49 (Ref:3778393) | #2095 | ||
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Yes, 100% reliable but for these small smelly leaks.
Irritates me, winter is almost here, so some tinkering to do! One side of the engine looks ok, I can see where that side is leaking, but the other side looks more sinister. Will strip the bad side and re-build once the gaskets arrive. Pictures? I've love to post some if only Postimages would work!! |
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3 Nov 2017, 23:35 (Ref:3778435) | #2096 | ||
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4 Nov 2017, 09:38 (Ref:3778500) | #2097 | ||
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What picture?
But by the way, I do think that it's jolly gracious of Mrs Hillclimber to let you share the utility room to extract the engine with the red hoist, and put up with you getting oil stains on the beautifully tiled floor. |
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5 Nov 2017, 08:50 (Ref:3778758) | #2098 | ||
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Excuse ME, that is MY garage space!
She has to rent the washing machine space off me, the cost is a coffee (most) times I'm in there. The tile floor was a real investment over the forever lifting garage floor paint. After a near forensic examination of the bad side I cannot see a source of the oil weep in the depths of the cam housing to cylinder heads so I think the source is oil passing past the cam cover retaining bolts. I have found an oil weeping rock shaft so that needs fixing. 911 engines are notoriously difficult to re-build leak/weep free, just so many joints, or non at all , no cylinder head gaskets, just good machining and finish. |
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24 Nov 2017, 17:22 (Ref:3782657) | #2099 | ||
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To my surprise it is all back together on time!
Having pulled the drive train, took all the rear suspension off and cleaned the lot, re-sprayed satin black the chassis (no damage or cracks found). All the suspension is sound as a pound just a bit grubby in the nooks and crannies. Never sure is rose joints should be lubricated by a drop of engine oil or simply 'washed' with WD40 after a wet race? All joints are smooth and tight, so refitted with fresh fasteners and new nylocs. Most of the nuts have been disturbed more that 5 times, so should all be changed. Took the engine apart a little, mystified by the slight oil weep but suspect it is from the lower cam covers, so replaced them and cleaned everything, including a re-spray for the fan. I had a close call with a few scrutineers this year and last who wanted the spinning fan guarded. I was going to buy and fit a colander in nice polished stainless steel like a hemi-sphere over the fan...Resisted the temptation. A touch of H&S in the paddock! Found a stripping thread in one of the half shaft drive flanges, so bought and fitted a helicoil, M8. First time I've used one in nearly 50 years of engineering. Bolted the lot back together yesterday, looks nice and clean for 2018. Next job in the spring will be to freshen the seat material. It keeps peeling off at the edges. A deep clean before the season opens will be needed. Just might have a new set of slicks, mine have done 4 seasons now. Last weekend I went to stroke my huge ego and collected my Class win trophy for the Midland hill Climb championship and also 'Fastest Sports Libre over 2000cc' from the Bugatti Owners club who run Prescott hillclimb. The latter is a fab trophy, originated in 1936 and carries some great names in the world of hillclimbing, so proud to have mine on it now. There will be a few serious cars running in my class in'18, esp Geoff in his Saker, so I am savouring these trophies while I can. |
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24 Nov 2017, 19:19 (Ref:3782678) | #2100 | ||
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Re the Rose joints. If they've got PTFE liners then just keep them clean - a spray of WD40 won't do any harm but there's no need to do anything more.
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