Your experiences and advice please..

relativtortoise · 15 Mar 2006, 11:07 (Ref:1549357)

One of the mainstream glossies has offered me the opportunity to allow my car (recently completed) to be featured in a track test feature..

Anyone on the board have experience of this?

Do they pay expenses?

Concerns mainly lie with damage to car; so is it prudent to fix a rev limit? choose a short circuit?

All advice welcome prior to a definite commitment.

RT

Alan Raine · 15 Mar 2006, 11:47 (Ref:1549372)

About 20 years ago Motoring News did a track test of a range of Formula Fords, including ours. I don't remember being paid for it and we just had a Gentlemans agreement that any damage would be paid for. That's what it was like in those days! Nothing happened and we enjoyed a free day testing.

I would suggest you have a clear ageement regarding costs and damage before letting anybody out in the car, especially if it is of some value.

Al Weyman · 15 Mar 2006, 12:43 (Ref:1549414)

When I was running the ModProds we had a few of these Track Tests one by Marcos Pye of AutoSport and they hired the whole of Mallory for the day, that was excellent and the cars were treated with respect. We also had some done by Car & Car Conversion with Art Markos who was also very good.

Then an ex-Touring car driver who's name I will not mention for fear of getting sued but lets call him Lead Foot Larry took over the testing and tended to treat cars without respect for the owners investment. On one session I think he broke three of our cars from memory and ours was not an isoloated case as apparently he had a reputation for it.

Oh and you won't get paid in anyway or compensated if damaged but it is good for your sponsor so even if you do not have one maybe you can broker one for the shoot and its great fun and good to see your car and name in print.

zefarelly · 15 Mar 2006, 12:59 (Ref:1549426)

I've done a few features, one was paid expenses and free track time at MAllory ( Auto express) the classic FOrd article, whilst nice to have, was for nothing, I co-wrote the feature and didn't even get a photo, although I did get an engine tuning feature a few months later which was a nice plug!

simon drabble · 15 Mar 2006, 14:16 (Ref:1549514)

My experiences are as Zef's - its a nice document to have if and when you sell the car.
You should get at the very least some free track time and hopefully if the journo is a racer (Hales, Dron, Pye or Giordanelli come to mind but there are others) you might get some good set up advice that you have overlooked as we tend to drive around bad set up when others can see it straight away
What is your car and which mag?

relativtortoise · 15 Mar 2006, 15:00 (Ref:1549541)

It's the car according to today's Motorsport News of which Peter Brock said 'get onto it, get me in that car'

.... I hope he's not disappointed!

simon drabble · 15 Mar 2006, 15:15 (Ref:1549550)

and for the benefit of those of us who dont read Motorsprt News?

relativtortoise · 15 Mar 2006, 15:17 (Ref:1549552)

Marshall/Brock Spa Vauxhall

simon drabble · 15 Mar 2006, 15:28 (Ref:1549558)

you have Baby Bertha? or the one which is coming out with Julius' Groovy Baby series?

Dan Rear · 15 Mar 2006, 15:30 (Ref:1549561)

The Spa 24 Hrs 1977 Magnum I presume ?

relativtortoise · 15 Mar 2006, 15:41 (Ref:1549572)

Yes this is the Spa 24 car....if I use it for some rounds of Groovy Baby is not decided yet although that seems to pop up each time anyone mentions it.

It had it's maiden run after spending over a year being put back together by Gerry Johnstone and it is down to tweaks now.

Bertha is with Joe Ward.

zefarelly · 15 Mar 2006, 15:42 (Ref:1549576)

The boxy thing thats ugly even by vauxhalls standards ?

You'd never guess I'm a Ford man !

relativtortoise · 15 Mar 2006, 16:06 (Ref:1549599)

I could put some stickers on the back to give you something to look at as you follow it around...

zefarelly · 15 Mar 2006, 16:21 (Ref:1549611)

Very kind, if you put page 2 on the bonnet I can read it in my rear view mirror before I get lapped too !

Is this not the rebadged Holden that came over from Aus with Mr Brock and finished 2nd ?

relativtortoise · 15 Mar 2006, 16:41 (Ref:1549620)

It's was all Luton in origin...and not 16 valve either.

I do not know the background to Brock being offered the drive with Gerry but yes they did finish second overall and won their class.

Much of that success is attributed to Gerry 'borrowing' a set of Michelins to replace the Dunlops which were struggling in the rain. Dunlop were non too pleased but as it was their stickers on the side of the successful machine let it be.

RT

TimD · 15 Mar 2006, 19:21 (Ref:1549720)

Where's Eclectic when we need him? The Automobile did a superb piece on the restoration and driving of his Stutz a couple of years ago.

And it earned the magazine a few extra sales when Mike let me have a go on it myself as I found myself handing out copies of that month's edition to show people.

And RT - don't listen to the Dagenham Devotees around here. There's a Firenza looking down from the shelf at me demanding that I fight its corner for it.

**Peter Mallett** · 16 Mar 2006, 19:43 (Ref:1550464)

Don't let them run it unless they pay you and cover damage.

But do get it out for the GB series. I'll look forward to seeing it at Donington.

VIVA GT · 16 Mar 2006, 23:47 (Ref:1550668)

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimD

And RT - don't listen to the Dagenham Devotees around here. There's a Firenza looking down from the shelf at me demanding that I fight its corner for it.

Firenza? Now that sounds like a real car [please double check my sign in name (which could also have been Droop Snoot which would also have matched my nose!)]

simon drabble · 17 Mar 2006, 08:14 (Ref:1550848)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Don't let them run it unless they pay you and cover damage.

But do get it out for the GB series. I'll look forward to seeing it at Donington.

most have a bend it mend it attitude if not you caould ask them to pay for track indurance - but to be honest the real risk is them buzzing your engine and in my experience they are pretty gentle otherwise no one would entrust their cars to them. Remember that although our cars are priceless in our eyes these journos are testing much more valuable machinery without mishap..

Al Weyman · 17 Mar 2006, 09:57 (Ref:1550931)

Quote:

but to be honest the real risk is them buzzing your engine and in my experience they are pretty gentle

Most of them but not all unless he has mended his ways.

simon drabble · 17 Mar 2006, 10:03 (Ref:1550938)

a friend of mine lent his car to a certain TV programme and they were fairly reckless in it doing donuts and generally behaving as if it were a hot hatch rather than a car with a fantastic Le Mans history - however an amicable settlement was found were all damage was repaired at their cost

**John Turner** · 17 Mar 2006, 10:09 (Ref:1550946)

The C-type saga perhaps, Simon? If so, pleased that it was amicably resolved.

zefarelly · 17 Mar 2006, 10:09 (Ref:1550947)

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon drabble

a friend of mine lent his car to a certain TV programme and they were fairly reckless in it doing donuts and generally behaving as if it were a hot hatch rather than a car with a fantastic Le Mans history - however an amicable settlement was found were all damage was repaired at their cost

not a program that sounds like 'slop steer' and a car thats like a Coventry cat per chance

simon drabble · 17 Mar 2006, 10:15 (Ref:1550951)

Quote:

Originally Posted by zefarelly

not a program that sounds like 'slop steer' and a car thats like a Coventry cat per chance

mite be!
Yes John it was a happy ending but a solitary lesson in so much as lending to the media is fine but just do a little due diligence in finding out exactly what they want to achieve with it and who is going to drive it!
mind you when they saw the bill maybe they also realized it was a silly thing to do!!

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