Take a 2019 Tea Break with Delta

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

The story at the time was that Tom Walkinshaw ran bigger engines in his Rovers, but I doubt if even he went bigger than that!

TWR was known as "Third World Racing" exploiting the "grey areas" of homologation rules.
He found that certain cars were fitted with parts including more powerful engines /different gearboxes and stronger suspensions that were sent to countries all over the world and used that knowledge to his advantage

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by E.B

Thanks Gordon... Im looking forward to some sun and 'playa play'. Yeah you are probably nearer Africa than you are to Calpe!

About 180 miles unfortunately

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

If you’d been about three or maybe four years ago you’d have seen at least one racing in Historic F1......... From memory main problem now is the special front tyre size.......

Goodyear’s unwillingness to make bespoke compound tyres suitable for the small front wheels was one of the reasons given for the P34/6 lack of competitiveness in its second year. However, I thought that Avon were making suitable tyres for their historic racing campaigns?

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by andy97

Goodyear’s unwillingness to make bespoke compound tyres suitable for the small front wheels was one of the reasons given for the P34/6 lack of competitiveness in its second year. However, I thought that Avon were making suitable tyres for their historic racing campaigns?

Maybe Avon just made a batch? Certainly none of the P34s are racing in HF1 now, so considering the interest the car creates, there must be a logical reason why not! If Avon had to specially produce the tyres, they wouldn’t have been cheap.....

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Maybe Avon just made a batch? Certainly none of the P34s are racing in HF1 now, so considering the interest the car creates, there must be a logical reason why not! If Avon had to specially produce the tyres, they wouldn’t have been cheap.....

Probably right, Mike. I do remember Avon having a P34/6 on a large stand at the Autosport Show a few (10?) years ago and were making a big thing of their ability to produce suitable tyres for it.
Maybe their marketing strategy/ budget doesnt stretch to that now!? They must still have the molds and the compound formula though?
ISTR that the Williams and the March used 4 “front tyres” on their respective rear drive trains so would not have needed bespoke tyres.
Roy Lane did ok on the hills in the March 2-4-0 and won a couple in the wet but broke diffs, i think, in the dry. The March has been recreated more recently and raced in historic F1. Presumably tyres are not a problem, see above!
As a youth i was a Tyrrell fan and loved the P34/6 but couldnt help but think that the Williams/ March concept was more logical for both traction and aero reasons.
Would love to have seen the Williams 6 wheeler race. Of course the FW08 was developed from it.
Didnt Jonathon Palmer hold the Goodwood FoS hillclimb record for quite a while, set in the Williams 6 wheeler?

[andy97]

The Williams 6 wheeler at Goodwood:

https://www.goodwood.com/grr/event-c...ows-fos-crowd/

Rear tyres do look slightly wider than the fronts, though.

[VIVA GT]

There was a Mini that raced in Modified Salooons in the early 80's that had really wide 10" wheels. At the time it was said that these were from the front of a six wheeled Tyrrell.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Willmaz223

I have and my brother.Move on from Lesson 1.Been practicing a bit in my mums car when parked up just getting more used to etc.

Update when I can.It won't all be negative I hope.

Hey Will, any more news on the driving lessons? Have you found a replacement instructor yet?

[Mike Harte]

I note that the DVSA's new rules for MOTs is that approved garages must purchase new roller brake testing equipment that is able to connect to the MOT testing service, when the are replacing old brake testers or setting up new testing centres.

The DVSA are at present investigating other pieces of equipment that could also be connected to the testing service, such as exhaust emissions.

This is all to deter fraud, etc.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I note that the DVSA's new rules for MOTs is that approved garages must purchase new roller brake testing equipment that is able to connect to the MOT testing service, when the are replacing old brake testers or setting up new testing centres.

The DVSA are at present investigating other pieces of equipment that could also be connected to the testing service, such as exhaust emissions.

This is all to deter fraud, etc.

That's right Mike, DVSA are looking to interconnect a number of pieces of equipment, both to deter fraud (heaven forbid!) but to prevent mistakes by information that is entered manually (VIN, brake & emissions readings for example) being done so unintentionally incorrectly. The upshot of this however is more expense on equipment for MOT testing stations without regulation on the minimum charge that can be made for a test.

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Hey Will, any more news on the driving lessons? Have you found a replacement instructor yet?

Yes replacement.Much better.Showed me things I wasn't even told by the previous one.Started to enjoy it a little bit.

One every Sunday at the moment.Will be going on to proper main roads next I think.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

That's right Mike, DVSA are looking to interconnect a number of pieces of equipment, both to deter fraud (heaven forbid!) but to prevent mistakes by information that is entered manually (VIN, brake & emissions readings for example) being done so unintentionally incorrectly. The upshot of this however is more expense on equipment for MOT testing stations without regulation on the minimum charge that can be made for a test.

Many garages that do MOTs are far from cash rich, so I feel sorry for them! I can see the logic, though. Not quite big brother.

Reminds me, my van is due first test....

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Willmaz223

Yes replacement.Much better.Showed me things I wasn't even told by the previous one.Started to enjoy it a little bit.

One every Sunday at the moment.Will be going on to proper main roads next I think.

Excellent news Will, sounds like your new instructor is much better. Good to hear you're enjoying it more and hope the progress continues. Let us know how you get on again soon.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Willmaz223

Yes replacement.Much better.Showed me things I wasn't even told by the previous one.Started to enjoy it a little bit.

One every Sunday at the moment.Will be going on to proper main roads next I think.

My son has just passed his test - he got on well with his instructor and I think that really helped. Once he'd had a few lessons with his instructor I took him out in the evenings to get more mileage under his belt - I think that helped too.
Whilst I wasn't teaching him to pass his test as his instructor was, time behind the wheel is useful as it means the basics (changing gear, clutch control etc) become instinctive rather than things you have to think about. In the week running up to his test we were out for a couple of hours every evening. Now he's passed we barely see him! Good luck with your lessons

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Many garages that do MOTs are far from cash rich, so I feel sorry for them! I can see the logic, though. Not quite big brother.

Reminds me, my van is due first test....

Here in the Pakistani province of Luton, I think the idea has some merit.

There is in the street an N reg Mrec. that sports four tyres that could never pass an MOT, one indeed one is completely flat, and yet still appears parked at different points along the road .. well pavement more than road. I checked the appropriate Gov. web site and found that it has an MOT not that old, and the tyres must have been on the car at the time. The MOT history shows it has had the same three 'advisories' for the last three years. Sadly you have to own the vehicle to find out where the test was done.

I pointed the condition of the tyres to a passing police constable who simply smiled and said "There is nothing we can do."

I have also advised Beds Police via their web site, but that too was a waste of time.

Of course Pakistani law is different from English Law, at least here in Luton.

Maybe test results being sent automatically to a central source is not such a bad idea, although would there be any way to check that the data sent came from the car being 'tested'? Put a nice new car on the rig run the test, and type in an N reg Merc.

[delta]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Many garages that do MOTs are far from cash rich, so I feel sorry for them! I can see the logic, though. Not quite big brother.

Reminds me, my van is due first test....

Mike . When I set up my MOT station back in the mid 80’s. It was a licence to print money . Happy days and paid for my motor racing .,

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by bauble

Here in the Pakistani province of Luton, I think the idea has some merit.

There is in the street an N reg Mrec. that sports four tyres that could never pass an MOT, one indeed one is completely flat, and yet still appears parked at different points along the road .. well pavement more than road. I checked the appropriate Gov. web site and found that it has an MOT not that old, and the tyres must have been on the car at the time. The MOT history shows it has had the same three 'advisories' for the last three years. Sadly you have to own the vehicle to find out where the test was done.

I pointed the condition of the tyres to a passing police constable who simply smiled and said "There is nothing we can do."

I have also advised Beds Police via their web site, but that too was a waste of time.

Of course Pakistani law is different from English Law, at least here in Luton.

Maybe test results being sent automatically to a central source is not such a bad idea, although would there be any way to check that the data sent came from the car being 'tested'? Put a nice new car on the rig run the test, and type in an N reg Merc.

Advise the DVSA on the number that'll be on one of your MOT certs, they probably wont be able to do much about the vehicle in question but it will flag up the test station it was done at.

As for the cost of the equipment, at the place i test at the surface of the brake rollers is worn and needs replacing, it's not just a case of putting more anti skid surface on you have to buy new rollers at £2K a side. He's recently bought a new emissions tester, £6K plus there's the constant calibration of the equipment and more and more rules coming in to make it in some cases unviable to do MOTs.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

Advise the DVSA on the number that'll be on one of your MOT certs, they probably wont be able to do much about the vehicle in question but it will flag up the test station it was done at.

As for the cost of the equipment, at the place i test at the surface of the brake rollers is worn and needs replacing, it's not just a case of putting more anti skid surface on you have to buy new rollers at £2K a side. He's recently bought a new emissions tester, £6K plus there's the constant calibration of the equipment and more and more rules coming in to make it in some cases unviable to do MOTs.

That's quite right Tim and yet although the suggested retail price of a Car MOT Test is £58.45 there is no enforcement of this enabling anyone with an MOT Licence to charge as little as they like (but then possibly re-coup their losses in the cost of 'repairs') or do like Halfords did before Christmas by practically giving an MOT test away. OK, I admit to having a vested interest in this, but there are 7 MOT Testing stations within a mile of us and everyone is discounting the cost of a test forcing us to follow suit, or miss out completely.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by delta

Mike . When I set up my MOT station back in the mid 80’s. It was a licence to print money . Happy days and paid for my motor racing .

I think times have changed.........

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Willmaz223

What a lovely car.

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

I've seen the 6 wheeler Tyrell at Brands on more than one occasion, guess that ages me more than a bit.
Good luck with the lessons Will, as Bert Mk 2 says, if you can pick up the basics from your new instructor and gain some experience privately driving alongside a family member I'm sure you'll soon become proficient. No substitute for time behind the wheel

[E.B]

Originally Posted by justracing

No substitute for time behind the wheel

This.

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by justracing

I've seen the 6 wheeler Tyrell at Brands on more than one occasion, guess that ages me more than a bit.
Good luck with the lessons Will, as Bert Mk 2 says, if you can pick up the basics from your new instructor and gain some experience privately driving alongside a family member I'm sure you'll soon become proficient. No substitute for time behind the wheel

Cheers.

[GORDON STREETER]

Regarding passing a driving test, with several cars now having electric self applying handbrakes if you pass your test in one and then buy one with a "conventional" type I think that this will cause a problem for several people

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Regarding passing a driving test, with several cars now having electric self applying handbrakes if you pass your test in one and then buy one with a "conventional" type I think that this will cause a problem for several people

Maybe like having an ‘automatic transmission only’ licence, they will create an ‘electric handbrake only’ version!

Some electric handbrakes seem ridiculously complicated, but fortunately the one on my car works exactly like a normal one, just has a switch rather than manual lever.....

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Some electric handbrakes seem ridiculously complicated, but fortunately the one on my car works exactly like a normal one, just has a switch rather than manual lever.....

Can you still do handbrake turns with it Mike?