Bell's Banter 2021 - Page 116

andy97 · 19 Oct 2021, 13:11 (Ref:4079098)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Having spent Friday pondering on the loss of Mike, the age thing has bitten again this weekend. My race-partner messaged me (I was away at an AROC Board meeting and conference) to say that checking the car before our race at Silverstone GP circuit next weekend, he'd found a leaking caliper, but couldn't find a replacement, so we'd have to withdraw the entry. Being with a bunch of Alfa specialists I did some networking and we tracked down a caliper (at a price) - so I advised my mate - stressing I didn't want to miss the chance to compete on this layout.

This morning, rather as I expected, he's told me that he's decided not to spend the money (which I'd told him I'd pay

) as a much cheaper alternative would be available in a week or so.....and he was thinking of selling the car and really didn't want to risk crashing or blowing the car up on one last race. I've felt all year that he was working up to this - he'll be 73 on New Year's Eve and he seems to be feeling that its time to stop, but its been a difficult decision for him.

I'm about 15 months behind him, and would be happy to keep going for a while, but can't afford to run a race car on my own, so I may have to consider something like Sprints and Hillclimbs instead.....

Time to take stock, for sure.

Sorry to hear all that, Richard, although understand the age thing.
People ask me when I am going to retire (I am only 58, for god sake) and I usually answer, “when I decide to stop playing with cars”; can’t really afford to do one without the other!
Anyway, I know the chap that races my old 924S in CSCC Future Classics and he may be up for sharing in he future, if you want me to put it to him. I know it’s not an Alfa but at least it has a transaxle (and handles very well).

Lancsbreaker · 19 Oct 2021, 19:51 (Ref:4079145)

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGDavid

Richard if he really is serious then I'd dare to offer myself as a stand-in. Racing an Alfa has been on my bucket list for many years and I still very much regret not going ahead with Brunswick at the 'Ring 24 back in the noughties before it became too professional.

Thanks, David. The car is his and he implied he needed to sell it, but I've no idea what he'd want for it - but I know I couldn't afford to buy it and run it on my own. I might have to sell off some of my projects (which I should do, anyway

) and see what I can afford. I don't want to give up, yet, if I can help it....I keep looking at that meme about you don't give up racing because you grow old, you grow old because you give up racing....

Lancsbreaker · 19 Oct 2021, 19:57 (Ref:4079146)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy97

Sorry to hear all that, Richard, although understand the age thing.
People ask me when I am going to retire (I am only 58, for god sake) and I usually answer, “when I decide to stop playing with cars”; can’t really afford to do one without the other!
Anyway, I know the chap that races my old 924S in CSCC Future Classics and he may be up for sharing in he future, if you want me to put it to him. I know it’s not an Alfa but at least it has a transaxle (and handles very well).

If he were interested, I certainly could be. The 944 was fun, but the 924s weren't much slower on a tighter circuit. The alternative is to either buy Steve's car and seek a partner (see above

), or maybe find a cheap 156/147 and have a play in the ARCA series.....tho I do like CSCC....

Decisions, decisions!

andy97 · 19 Oct 2021, 20:07 (Ref:4079148)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

If he were interested, I certainly could be. The 944 was fun, but the 924s weren't much slower on a tighter circuit. The alternative is to either buy Steve's car and seek a partner (see above

), or maybe find a cheap 156/147 and have a play in the ARCA series.....tho I do like CSCC....

Decisions, decisions!

I will see if he is interested for next season.

delta · 19 Oct 2021, 20:44 (Ref:4079155)

58 a meer boy .Keep going Andy .

delta · 19 Oct 2021, 20:46 (Ref:4079156)

BTW Richard . Can you contact me please . I have a question about an Alfa . Thanks .?

andy97 · 19 Oct 2021, 20:52 (Ref:4079158)

Quote:

Originally Posted by delta

58 a meer boy .Keep going Andy .

Ha ha yes, not quite historic yet but i dont enjoy my work so early retirement is tempting….but not with expensive hobbies.

That said i did feel old the other day when i discovered that an old school classmate had just had a hip replacement!

andy97 · 19 Oct 2021, 20:56 (Ref:4079159)

Changing the subject completely, i have just realised that there was a young chap who used to post on here a fair bit (apologies, i cant remember his user name) but didnt he have a Kart test with Midgetman?
Not heard from him recently, and istr he had some struggles, anyone caught up with him or have i not been paying attention?

bauble · 19 Oct 2021, 21:17 (Ref:4079165)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy97

Changing the subject completely, i have just realised that there was a young chap who used to post on here a fair bit (apologies, i cant remember his user name) but didnt he have a Kart test with Midgetman?
Not heard from him recently, and istr he had some struggles, anyone caught up with him or have i not been paying attention?

Let sleeping dogs .........

E.B · 19 Oct 2021, 21:29 (Ref:4079169)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy97

Changing the subject completely, i have just realised that there was a young chap who used to post on here a fair bit (apologies, i cant remember his user name) but didnt he have a Kart test with Midgetman?
Not heard from him recently, and istr he had some struggles, anyone caught up with him or have i not been paying attention?

That would be Willmaz.... I remember him posting a few months ago saying jokingly we could no longer call him "Young" Will as he was now I think 19. I have seen him here in the last month or so but certainly not so regularly as he used to be. Nice lad and certainly passionate and knowledgeable about his cars. Hope all is well with him. Just checking and he was last active here at Tenths September 21st.

andy97 · 19 Oct 2021, 21:33 (Ref:4079171)

Just hope he is ok

Lancsbreaker · 20 Oct 2021, 01:10 (Ref:4079193)

Quote:

Originally Posted by delta

BTW Richard . Can you contact me please . I have a question about an Alfa . Thanks .?

MGDavid messaged me and I've replied

delta · 20 Oct 2021, 06:27 (Ref:4079200)

Thanks Richard .

justracing · 20 Oct 2021, 06:44 (Ref:4079201)

I bump in to Will at Brands occasionally, like me he's a regular spectator there. He was telling me how wet it was at the Sillystone classic.

S griffin · 20 Oct 2021, 07:52 (Ref:4079208)

Nice to know Will is still keeping in touch with the sport. BTW I thought the Silverstone classic was quite good from what I saw on the TV and deserves all the plaudits it gets year on year. Of course the rain was not ideal, but then who can control that? It adds to the challenge anyways

**Peter Mallett** · 20 Oct 2021, 07:58 (Ref:4079213)

Quote:

Originally Posted by S griffin

Of course the rain was not ideal, but then who can control that? It adds to the challenge anyways

On the other hand it is nice to have a sunny sillystone but then again wet races are challenging so it depends entirely on the weather.

John Elwin · 20 Oct 2021, 08:13 (Ref:4079215)

There has been some chatter on here of late regarding scam 'phone calls, emails etc.

I received a somewhat disturbing email last night claiming to be from the Ministry of the Interior (the heading was very convincing), a long diatribe stating that I was being charged with sexual assault of a minor. To say the least, that was a bit scary even though I knew it could not be true! I would imagine that for something of that nature one would get a knock on the door, not an email.

However, I did a search on the signatory name on the email - a Colonel Louis Pauty. Top of the results list was a site set-up for people to report scams etc, & lo & behold, the Colonel's name popped up several times on a variety of government scams.

The next problem was to get rid of the email. There was an attachment, which I did not open, that was so big that it filled my mail box but I managed to delete it.

What sick minds some people must have.

Tel 911S · 20 Oct 2021, 09:50 (Ref:4079221)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy97

Ha ha yes, not quite historic yet but i dont enjoy my work so early retirement is tempting….but not with expensive hobbies.

That said i did feel old the other day when i discovered that an old school classmate had just had a hip replacement!

Now you have got me worried about feeling old .
Earlier this year my Granddaughter had a hip replacement .
But I will keep thinking it was because she does a lot of horse riding .

grantp · 20 Oct 2021, 19:48 (Ref:4079275)

There seem to be some recently added Historic racing videos of club racing films in the 60s on YouTube.

This one was somewhat interesting. BRSCC review of 1964.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxWl1JnM0cs

I suspect that many others will be equally engaging.

S griffin · 20 Oct 2021, 20:46 (Ref:4079277)

Nice to see how racing really was in that era. Amazing to see how long the BRSCC club has been going on for. And also the fact those same circuits are still in existence today. Definitely an era that deserves a lot of focus

Paul D · 20 Oct 2021, 20:47 (Ref:4079278)

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy97

Ha ha yes, not quite historic yet but i dont enjoy my work so early retirement is tempting….but not with expensive hobbies.

That said i did feel old the other day when i discovered that an old school classmate had just had a hip replacement!

I, like you Andy, am also a mere 58 - and I'm convinced I'm just getting going!

For sure, motivation does get harder to come by as the years go by, and it is a lot of hassle preparing for an event and doing all the stuff that has to be done (assuming you are, like me, someone who does it all themselves) for what, at the end of the day, all boils down to maybe about an hour's total driving time. Seen in those terms, it's easy to see how an outsider may think we're all bonkers!

But then I say to myself: what else am I going to do? My better half is convinced racing is the only thing that keeps me from becoming a total sad b*****d... and what worries me is, she may be right.

And as she said there's no way she's putting up with life as the partner of a sad b*****d, then I have no choice but to continue and press on regardless. So with any luck, I'll be at it for a while yet...

S griffin · 20 Oct 2021, 20:50 (Ref:4079279)

The thing is you can dip in and out of events anytime. It’s not a weekly thing and you can stick to your own country when racing historics. Can see why you guys enjoy it

Keep going guys, it’s all worth it in the end. I’m sure the missus has a point. It’s better for her to watch you doing it instead of hearing you talk about it!

**chunterer** · 20 Oct 2021, 21:22 (Ref:4079288)

It's true, anything can happen, but then maybe it won't. You can never be sure.
Who can tell? Maybe in 2022 the order will change although that's not to say otherwise.

Mike Crow · 20 Oct 2021, 22:01 (Ref:4079294)

Quote:

Originally Posted by grantp

There seem to be some recently added Historic racing videos of club racing films in the 60s on YouTube.

This one was somewhat interesting. BRSCC review of 1964.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxWl1JnM0cs

I suspect that many others will be equally engaging.

Two GTOs at Combe! Be a dream now…..

bauble · 20 Oct 2021, 22:03 (Ref:4079295)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chunterer

It's true, anything can happen, but then maybe it won't. You can never be sure.
Who can tell? Maybe in 2022 the order will change although that's not to say otherwise.

How true those words are, even today.

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