Masters Historic Festival Brands Hatch 23 - 25 May 2009

[terence]

Originally Posted by delta

I had a nightmare weekend with the Galaxie.Turns out there's an internal prob with the camshaft so its back to the engine builder.Everyone was just so helpful from John Gee letting me have a run out Monday morning "thanks again John" too all the marshals who helped push the stricken car but kept my spirits up with a lot great banter "thanks again".I was parked way down the bottom of the paddock but had a constant flow of well wishers hoping to see the Galaxie run properly.Me and Jim had a better time in the Lotus 17 with a class win and P16 overall in Gentleman Drivers. Great Fun.Thought Roger drove well,Simon H brilliant as usual although needs a hair cut and a shave.Thanks for your help Terrance and Simon D i keep giving you the thumbs up but you seem to have a blank look on your face.Thought the Masters team did well although Ive now been banned from the Masters tent as mechanics are not aloud to have lunch in there any more.

I'm sure that can be resolved Iain.You being a Driver as well as looking after everyone else must count for something! I had wondered about the possibility of the Cam,but why does it only play up after a handfull of laps,be interested to know what the engine builders find.The 17 seemed to by going very well on Sunday though!.I think the blank look from Simon could have had something to do with the Cigar he had on Iain.

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by jonbryant

you couldn't get nicer guys ...

JB

you always say the right things. JB you smoothy

It was a nasty one, I'm just glad it turned out well enough. Started out as just one of those simple spins into the gravel, but the energy got translated upwards. The first impact on the roof removed that, the screen & the doors, leaving only a roll bar to protect the driver when it landed upside down.

Spectator, in an incident like that, one extinguisher would be the standard initial response, the other guy to check the driver is then not slowed by carrying 15 kilos of metal & stuff at the end of his arm.

[snowen250]

I had a great weekend. both on the Saturday and the Monday, we left about 45 min into the Gentlemans race so missed the Elan incident, was it raining at the time as it looked a bit evil. Glad the driver is ok and i too really enjoyed the foreign 911s.
Elite you did seem very busy under the bonnet of the Galaxie when i dropped by, if it was you, taking off the carb?
All in all fantastic day on monday really enjoyed all of it, especially the race for the coopers, not my usual thing but they were great.
But highlight for me was finally seeing an Alfa 33/3 run in anger, i did wonder if he was going to just pootle around in it, but nah, he went for it
Nice pics as always jon, dont know how many you took but i heard the old man mention somthing around the 750 mark.....
One comment though, were they short of marshalls for this event? they looked a bit sparse at my spot at Druids? But they still did a great job as always.
Simon

[Mike Bell]

Great weekend! Peter, I have posted my thanks (to them) on Marshals thread and would like to repeat them here. Shame the slowing down lap doesn't go round the whole circuit so could thank them all personally! Also thanks to the Masters team, Organisers and Officials for running the event so smoothly. Ian, sorry to read your comment about hospitality, one which I also heard elsewhere. I would like to think that the requirement for 'smart, casual & clean' has been mis-interpreted. Like yourself, as a mechanic on my own car and friends but also a driver who pays entry fees I will continue using the hospitality tent, but will of course respect the above requirement before entering!

The best race I was able to watch was the Morgan Tucker Trophy, closely but cleanly fought by a great bunch of people. Pole was close between Richard Plant and James Paterson's +8s, with Richard just getting the nod. Next were the Plus 4s of Malcolm Paul, Dion Kremer, Adrian van der Kroft and James Bellinger, followed by Simon Orebi-Gann's gorgeous SLR trusted on this occasion to Rick Bourne. Chris Acklam was next up in his 'borrowed' Plus 4 and finding it a bit underpowered after his +8!

James P was happy to be on the outside for the start, but completely fluffed it and dropped to 3rd briefly behind Adrian vdK, while James Bellinger got a flier and was tucked in behind Malcolm P in 5th. The race than split into 3 superb battles for 1st, 3rd and 5th. After his poor start James P got onto Richard's tail and soon took the lead, only to relinquish it again after going wide at Graham Hill bend. The two then ran nose to tail for a while with James getting alongside on occasions, finally re-passing 4 minutes from the end with an impressive drive round the outside at Paddock. The fight for 3rd was between Adrian and James B's Plus 4s, the two cars usually side by side entering the pit straight, with Adrian seeming to have enough power to get ahead for Paddock. Finally James B managed to find a way past and keep it until the race end. 5th place was contested by Malcolm Paul, Jack Bellinger (+8) Dion Kremer and Rick Bourne- the SLR's owner in the grandstand with hands over eyes as the 4 cars ran nose to tail and changing places every now and then just to add to the nerves. Final order was Paul, Bellinger, Bourne and Kremer, with Chris Acklam coming home best of the rest in 9th. A good race to watch, made more special by the presence of Chris Lawrence at the podium as the trophys were presented. Yes, it was his Monica in the paddock.

Hopefully later I'll report on how the Touring 70s got on!

[Peter Mallett]

Thanks Mike, look forward to your from the cockpit report.

[jellison]

Here you go:-













I have some video of the Big Bangers (well Rogers M1a really! A very lucky guy!) Qualifying.
Was drooling over this in the pits, under Richard Dodkins awning (getting some nice bits for my toy).

Problems with my Google Uploading login - but will get this sorted.

[zac510]

What's the story behind the damage on Roger's Bizzarrini? Was that fresh this weekend?

[jellison]

Originally Posted by zac510

What's the story behind the damage on Roger's Bizzarrini? Was that fresh this weekend?

I think it must be from a recent meeting - all freshly beaten out front and back - I took my pic's just after lunch Sunday. Maybe it could have been Saturday (but was not there).

Awesome bit of kit - not seen one before and never thought that much of them - definately changed mind - amazing bit of kit and so well engineering with the Chevy SOOO far back (love the cross over Quad webber 45s - though 48's or 50's would have been more suitable).

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by terence bower

I'm sure that can be resolved Iain.You being a Driver as well as looking after everyone else must count for something! I had wondered about the possibility of the Cam,but why does it only play up after a handfull of laps,be interested to know what the engine builders find.The 17 seemed to by going very well on Sunday though!.I think the blank look from Simon could have had something to do with the Cigar he had on Iain.

Maybe it is running hydraulic lifters which have gone faulty and not working correctly once the oil thins out causing the valves not to fully open, what was the problem incidently.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Maybe it is running hydraulic lifters which have gone faulty and not working correctly once the oil thins out causing the valves not to fully open, what was the problem incidently.

In fact Al,if its running those lifters,you could have a point!.Main problem being that after a few laps ,power would drop off,it would not re-start for a while and when it did,it backfire through the carb as if it were too far advanced! Had a quick hair cut to prove it!.But I have to say that IF its running hydraulic then once the oil got hot,[possible]then the problem would arise.Sounds entirely feasible.I dont see how it could be the cam but,you never know!!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by zac510

What's the story behind the damage on Roger's Bizzarrini? Was that fresh this weekend?

The car arrived like that- I'm sure Roger will be on here and tell us the story if he wants- when he has recovered from the weekend!

[snowen250]

According to a friend of mine the damage on the Bizza was done at Spa recently.
Simon

[delta]

Sorry i missed you Simon. Just say your from 10/10ths next time.

[simon drabble]

will do! I presume you will be at Snett this weekend.... I am staying in Terry's bus so will be on campus Friday and Saturday

[Alan Morgan]

Iain's at Spa this weekend - we've got two Historic FF2000 races there. Then he's straight off to Monza...

[Nordic]

A selection of the pictures I took at the weekend


The busiest man of the weekend

Giant killer!

Going going....

Collection starts here.

A very good weekend, weather better than expected and kids had a good time as well.

[snowen250]

What happend to the windscreen in the MK2 Escort in the second race?
Simon

[johngee]

Originally Posted by snowen250

What happend to the windscreen in the MK2 Escort in the second race?
Simon

It was smashed by a stone thrown up on the second rolling up lap, Simon

[Al Weyman]

Originally Posted by terence bower

In fact Al,if its running those lifters,you could have a point!.Main problem being that after a few laps ,power would drop off,it would not re-start for a while and when it did,it backfire through the carb as if it were too far advanced! Had a quick hair cut to prove it!.But I have to say that IF its running hydraulic then once the oil got hot,[possible]then the problem would arise.Sounds entirely feasible.I dont see how it could be the cam but,you never know!!

If he is running solid lifters then maybe the lash is a mile out and when the engine gets hot the clearances close to nothing, I would be interested to know the outcome.

It was smashed by a stone thrown up on the second rolling up lap, Simon

Shades of our last meeting at Brands, a car went into the gravel at Paddock, came back out and dropped a load of gravel in the dip and about 7 or 8 cars had their screens and/or headlights smashed. I tried to get Lexan screens introduced as a result but it fell on deaf ears especially as I now need a new un as well!

[delta]

The boys have just hooked the engine out of Galaxie and we have found a split in the timming cover.Going to take cover off tomorrow so will let you know what we find before i go too Spa.

[jonbryant]

Monday's photos all done now aswell guys and gals!

http://www.snappyracers.com/album/250509Brands/

Ahem Mr Wills...




JB

[White flag man]

Thanks for a great weekend guys. Well done to all, especially Roger Wills, so many great drives in great cars (shame about the co-drivers), Simon Hatfield, especially in the Lola T292 and the Williams, Mike Lyons for his great drive in the Grand Prix Masters along with Katsu Kubota, Jackie Oliver for his entertainment in the BMW and the A35 (what black flag??!!) and Simon Stretton for his performance in the Jag.
Favourite cars of the meeting: The Bizzarini, Mercury Comet (such a nice colour), the F1 BRM (lovely to see it again), Hans Hugenboltz's GT40 (the best racing car ever), all the T70s, Tony Smith's Ferrari Dino, all the Batmobiles and certainly Shaun Lyons' fantastic Capri.
Shame about the incident in the GDs race, fortunately "Bodysnatcher", "MattFord" and Kerry were on hand to deal with it quickly. Apart from that, a top class meeting.
Hope to see quite a lot of you at Snetterton this weekend.

Thanks again.
Nick.

[delta]

Nick its a THANK YOU and all your mates.

[terence]

Originally Posted by delta

The boys have just hooked the engine out of Galaxie and we have found a split in the timming cover.Going to take cover off tomorrow so will let you know what we find before i go too Spa.

Faulty Vernier??

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by terence bower

Faulty Vernier??

is hea French Hotel proprieter?

I'd say that Galaxy needs a completely new engine from a completely new source judging by the bad Karma its had in the last year!