HSCC Thruxton Easter Revival 2015

[Chigley]

Further piccies of both Cortina's.

The end of two unfortunate classic cars

[grantp]

Originally Posted by morninggents

My son, Dan Wray, was the unfortunate one that rolled in practice ....

Glad Dan's OK. Good points about the safety systems.

I assume you now have a firm favourite for next winter's project?

[grantp]

After looking at Chigley's pics .....

I have a sequence of shots of number 47 having some problems at Copse during the 2013 Silverstone Finals meeting which resulted in completely flattening the back end as it hit the armco on the inside. This looks "a bit more severe" for both LC's but I guess anything is possible in repair work if there is a will to do it.

Might take a bit of T-cut though ...

I can understand why the Amended grid for the second race indicated that 47 had been withdrawn.

[GORDON STREETER]

If anyone is interested after they have seen the aftermath of the crash and what caused it, I have an unused fully floating rear hub kit (less half shafts) in the workshop for the Ford axle that I will let go.

[morninggents]

Not allowed in App K unfortunately Gordon.

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by grantp

Glad Dan's OK. Good points about the safety systems.

I assume you now have a firm favourite for next winter's project?

Thanks for the message re Dan - a parents worst nightmare.
I think it might be this summer's project as I've been offered two replacement shells already. Also two people have suggested the body could be straightened but I personally doubt that. I must admit on the journey home I had a flight of fancy of contacting Churchill (do they still exist?) and offering them the shell to straighten in return for free publicity!

[Az]

Thanks for the update on Dan, scary incident, glad to hear he's ok. It seemed like he was having a lot of fun out there in the morning!



Such a sorry state after. Was saying to people the cage and HANS were so vital here. Again glad he's ok :-)

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Not allowed in App K unfortunately Gordon.

Yes it is a pity as you can fit discs or drum brakes to it.
Of all the years racing I have been lucky and the only halfshafts that I have had break have been next to the diff although I have seen several on other cars loose wheels.
I suppose the Tina being heavier with more grunt might be something to do with it and of course 40-50 year old halfshafts !
I was lucky that I had a relative in the aircraft industry that used to X ray and crack test spare shafts for me.
Some cars are more prone to this happening like the Tornado Talisman that Joe was driving at Goodwood last year and blow me exactly the same thing happened to another one this year at the 73 meeting to someone else, I know they use Triumph Herald shafts in those so they must be a weak spot.
Very unnerving and it would be enough to put people off racing in future if it happens to them !

[brands]

A couple of random sets, first from Saturday:

[brands]

Sorry for the background but it appears the locals are building a bronze age hill fort.

Sunday:

[Chigley]

And no caption competitions as a result of the cropping of image 13 of Brands' sets.

[zefarelly]

Glad to hear Dans ok Peter.

THe Triumph shafts are indeed frail, I've been drawing up new ones to get made, and am just detailing now.

Heavy Duty Cortina driveshafts have already been made, I sold quite a few sets a few years ago, other people have also bought/sold them, they come from the US. personally I still have std GT ones ( Lotus without bits machined off) and they've been thus far reliable.

[Mike Bell]

It was a special 'modern' Morgan shaft that snapped on me, so new uprated stuff isn't always better. MGBs with bolt-on wheels seem to be able to snap uprated ones as well, but because the hubs are different, the wire wheel cars don't suffer same fate! Small price to pay for the extra wheel weight.......

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

It was a special 'modern' Morgan shaft that snapped on me, so new uprated stuff isn't always better.

Agreed Mike, an old "work hardened" shaft that has been used on a road car for 40 years can go on and on as long as it hasn't had a serious clout in a crash, either years ago or later on the track.
It is difficult to tell just by looking at a halfshaft if it's going to be ok and any with even a slight bent flange should be scrapped, as I said I was lucky to have access to state of the art testing on the ones that I used.
Obviously the type that actually hold the wheel on are a lot more important than the ones that simply fit inside a decent separate hub.
Incidentally they should (if possible) always be used on the same side of the car as they do "wind up" and will fracture easier if reversed especially when used for racing with treble or more HP and cornering ability !

[Cookie2000]

Originally Posted by Chigley

And no caption competitions as a result of the cropping of image 13 of Brands' sets.

I made my comment on the day Ian!!