Your doing well mate, might be worth getting it checked on the rollers or if it's off the road in the winter take the engine out to a proper engine dyno
Your doing well mate, might be worth getting it checked on the rollers or if it's off the road in the winter take the engine out to a proper engine dyno
Keep her lit
Autumn trophy rally
Car didn’t need anything doing to it before this event
Been having a bit of trouble with the engine setup but haven’t had chance to carry out upgrades yet
Started at car ten with top nav Ali procter on the maps he does a lot historic and road rallying so I was pleased have him in the left hand seat
Starting in Hexham the route was to use a lot of the local lanes which I know well so was hoping for a good result
From the start out of the town slot left onto a little very slippery white to a cross roads turn right then up a section called the St. John lee which is really tight and twisty with a lot of yumps had a small overshoot but managed to spin round quick enough and arrived with time to spare
Next section was heading out further into the countryside lots of fast lanes but heavy rain and mud on the road made the conditions hard work had a huge full lock slide whilst flat in fourth where I thought I was about to end it all but came back through pure luck more than anything else
Then onto another fast section where we were having trouble catching cars most let us past no problem but one 205 wouldn’t move over and eventually we had to go four wheels on the grass to get past
Next section was very slack timed and we arrived at the next control 10 minutes early so got had a chat with the marshal and few other competitors to see how they were getting on
We were now running first on the road so knew we were going well.
Next section was very very tightly timed we were going flat out Ali was calling the bends beautifully and giving me the confidence to push on
Had one moment where we overshot a 90 right after hitting a lot of standing water
Then a big jump where we bottomed out on the sump guard with a Big Bang but no harm done
Then onto the final section lots of hairpins and a few fords one very big sideways moment taking a slot left that we only just got away with
Then final blast through another couple of hairpins and finally to the final control with a few seconds to spare
Rally buffet and chat at the finish lots of people had dropped time and I was very happy to be first overall
We were the only crew to clean it
2nd crew dropped over 5 mins so it was worth all the near misses and trying hard.
One of those nights were both sides of the car were on it and the car itself was near faultless
First proper event I’ve ever won outright so I was very very happy Ali was also pleased and we showed up a lot of higher spec cars in my little xflow powered 4 door
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Hexham and District Motorclub
Well done makes all the late nights and hard work seem worth it onwards and upwards now then keep up the good work and a great write up too
Did have one problem with the car
Went on full throttle at high revs it would occasionally misfire if I came off the throttle it would clear and rev fine
Thinking it is fuel related either fuel pressure is too low or float level isn’t right
Hexham and District Motorclub
well done luke great result good job!
Great result
GavinR
Just purchased a stage 3 head for a good price but will have to wait for house work to be finished before any more car work gets done
Having a strange problem with the car
If I go floor it it holds back unless I come off the throttle then back on again
Feels like it’s running out of fuel tried running both fuel pumps and it makes no difference
Fuel pressure is set at 2.5 psi is this enough
Not had chance to check the float level in the carbs yet either
Hexham and District Motorclub
I would think if fuel issue then you should only see the problem after a sustained wot period ? Check butterfly not going over horizontal?
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Will do cheers
Hexham and District Motorclub
New head turned up today
Looks very nice and a bit of a bargain too
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Hexham and District Motorclub
They have really maxed-out on the inlet valve size there! It would be interesting to see what the porting looks like if you strip the valvetrain down :-)
deburr the edges of those park plug holes! good job, whats the porting like? a good head is essential on an xflow, can transform or make shit of an engine
Will do mark
Will try and get some photos of the porting later
Looks nice was apparently done by Vulcan
Hexham and District Motorclub
Well what a busy weekend
Spent Friday putting knobblies on and changing a front disc that had a few big cracks in it
Then up early on sat morning to help out with the rac rally of the tests
Had a few runs round the test at eastgate just to check it was all ok
Parked up with my mate Liam’s puma
Then after stopping In Corbridge for lunch we headed to harwood forest to marshal on the Roger Albert Clark rally
What an amazing event as usual
The top two Jason Pritchard and Marty McCormack were on an unreal pace
A couple of second splitting them then nearly
3 minutes back to Matt Robinson in third
The sound of full house bdas in the forest was just amazing topped off with Steve Perez stratos and Jimmy McRae v8 firenza
The second running of the stage was in full darkness and we had about 100 spectators where we were all really well behaved and did exactly as they were asked.
All in all a brilliant nights rallying
Headed home and spent Sunday dismantling my shed ready to move to our new house
Then headed out to kielder on Monday with my dad to go watch
Unfortunately Pritchard had gone out with halfshaft failure so Marty was left to just keep it on the road to take the win
Something I was very happy about as my regular navigator Hannah’s dad John Mckillop built the car for him
We went to watch at a downhill ninety right that caught out Adrian hethrington
In his borrowed mk2
He slid off and rolled narrowly voiding a bridge
They both got out unharmed but thought there rally was over but we managed to lift the car out of the ditch and get them going again
And a mk1 snapped its throttle cable and coasted to a halt where we watching luckily I had a spare in the car that I gave them and they continued and just managed to win there class
They bought me a pint at the finish too
Great four days of rallying the best rally In The world I’d say
It returns in 2019 so get out and watch or better still go and marshal
You won’t regret it.
The rally of the tests carried on until Sunday where it was won by John Abel in his Alfa
My mates Andy Beaumont and Andy fish were doing it in there sunbeam rapier h120 but didn’t even make the first test when the engine went sick and that was game over so a bad weekend for them.
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Hexham and District Motorclub
Another road rally booked in on the 29 th of November
Shouldn’t really be doing it as I’m meant to be getting my house sorted and saving to start building a new garage
But it’s the last one of the year and should be a good route hope it doesn’t snow
Hexham and District Motorclub
Clive elliot memorial rally
Starting in Stocksfield this was to be the last road rally of the series I compete in for the year.
Conditions were bad (which I like) with ice and snow covering most of the route so with some dmack knobblies on I was hoping I’d have a good steady run to the finish.
Picked my nav Ali up and headed to the start where there were some nervous faces among the starters and news came about one of the entrants had gone off the road on an icy patch on the way to the start
They were ok but his tr7 was a bit of a mess
We were running last on the road ( they are reversed seeded so that the experts are at the back in a hope that if the novices struggle they will have people to follow)
So waited till all the other crews set off and had a steady run out to tc 1.
My dad was marshalling this and he looked a bit uneasy and told me to take it steady and stay safe.
Off on our minute down the road to the first route check which none of the experts could find yet one novice did we left it knowing we needed to push onto the next tc or we would be losing loads of time. The roads were sheet ice in places but dry in others so you had to really be on the ball I was just trying to kelp it smooth using hi gears and just nipping the hbrake to get it turned in
Caught numerous cars as the people were really struggling and they all let us past until I got to a certain competitor in an anglia who is renowned for holding people up and sure enough he wouldn’t let us past. I backed right off after he was having moments trying to brake hard for every corner and locking up instead of just letting it flow and being smooth. He eventually went locked up on a 90 right and slid straight into the hedge not doing any damage but his ego maybe took the hit!
We pushed on having a few big slides and some scary moments but didn’t feel like we were going to well.
My good mates father and son Mick and josh Davison were car in front of me so we were having a good play with them but they were struggling on the Icy roads there proton understeering where my mk2 was just drifting nicely.
I was loving it sliding all over the place but I didn’t think we were going that well.
Davidson’s missed a route check meaning they had to spin round and go back.
We then got to the next control to see that we were first on the road and hadn’t dropped anytime.
The sections get tighter and tighter towards the end so I thought we would be struggling to keep it on the pace. Round the right sections was fine I could slide the car into most things and get away with it but it’s bloody scary when you’re doing 80 mph and the car suddenly snaps sideways!!!!
We carried on with a few more moments and pushing on where we could but being sensible where we needed to.
Had a big moment where we couldn’t stop for a downhill slight right into a hairpin left so I just threw it in on the hbrake and we were sliding backwards into first and just made it into the slot with no harm done.
Last section was really tight and the marshals couldn’t stop laughing as we snakes away from the start with wheel spin in every gear
Managed to get some power down round a tight twisty moors section that I know well sliding into the bends and drifting out lovely scary downhill hair in to a Ford (which was frozen solid) then up the other side to the last tc then to the finish.
Parked in the car park and fell over on the ice 😂
We were first ones back to the pub then a few minutes later Mick and josh turned up along with the rest
Loads of people were had been off but luckily no damage or harm had been done just plenty of stories.
Mick came over and said
“If you clean that you are either fxxxing nuts or a fxxxing hero”
It was the best night event I’ve ever done
Never been so sideways and used the hbrake so much.
When the results came out we had cleaned it with only the first RC missing which we argued about but as it didn’t effect the result it stood
First overall, first expert and only one clean all night
Thanks to Ali for a superb job on the maps all night and for laughing all night long as usual.
No events planned now as I have to stop playing with cars and get my house and garage sorted so I can play with cars more easily
😂
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Hexham and District Motorclub
well done sounds like a very enjoyable night was had and no damage always a huge bonus
Great report ,,well done
Big Wing sold and gone to be a film star
nice update luke, although, serious lack of photos!!
well done on the win, epic result
Last edited by onecamohv; 05-12-2017 at 09:33.
Definitely a hero
GavinR
well my house is beginning to progress and by that I mean we are making more mess
I think we underestimated how hard it is to both be working 40+ hours a week and then coming home and working another five or so hours a night whilst living in a building site
Last weekend was spent travelling down to the Preston Road rally
My mates josh and Mick Davison were doing it and I volunteered to marshal and share the driving as it was a 300 mile trip
They had a good run finishing 15 th and 3 rd in class
Just a puncture dropping them a few seconds but they changed it in a neutral section and didn’t lose any real time
I think we were all questioning our sanity driving back on Sunday morning or rather I was everyone else was asleep
But a good event very rough in places but the format and organisation were brilliant
I might have to make the trip next year
This weekend I’m marshalling with my motor club on le jog
Meant to be the most demanding historic rally in Europe
My usual nav Ali Procter is sitting in with a guy in an ex works mini cooper s. Hoping they have a good run
Thanks to all the people for messages on here and fb means a lot
Last edited by mexicotait; 07-12-2017 at 17:34.
Hexham and District Motorclub
Well that was some weekend went marshalling on le jog
Supposedly the hardest historic rally in Europe
My mate Ali was sitting in a Porsche 911 (not a mini) with an Italian business man so he has a full expenses paid trip down to lands end starting the rally on Friday they made there way through wales up to Chester through lots of snow before heading up through Lancashire via various tests and regularities through the Pennines up to Alston where we marshalled
I saw Ali briefly and he was enjoying it but looked knackered and this was only the second day
They then carried on through the borders and onto Peebles through snow and the darkness
Started again on Monday through Scotland to eventually end up at John o groats
Some very weary looking people taking the finishers ramp
Ali had a good event was lying fourth at on point but think they had trouble as they dropped down after seeing us
Good event and very well done by the organisers for keeping it going through some of the worst weathers
Hexham and District Motorclub
Made a really good read this Mate, took me back to the eighties when I spent a number of years as a road rally navigator and chief mechanic for a lad up in Lancashire/Cumbria
At the start you mentioned that you'd converted some world cup Bilsteins to coilovers, and I'm interested to hear what that entailed ?
You can never have enough Ford toys
I didn’t do these ones they came with the car
Simple enough just grind off the spring seats and fit the coil over conversion kits
Done a few sets for people
Now it’s so hard to find decent struts to convert for reasonable money most buy new
Hope that helps
Hexham and District Motorclub
Well passed it’s mot yesterday no problems which was nice
Shame I have to use it as course car this month or I’d have waited till may when it’s tax free
Still haven’t touched the car since moving house
But hopefully might have found somewhere else to keep it so I can knock down the horrible leaking asbestos garage and build a decent one in its place
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Hexham and District Motorclub
John Robson/Hexham Historic 24/2/18
This is the major event that our motor club run and is one of the last true road rallies to run in the north east. Using the roads around Northumberland that are deserted even during the day means that we can start much earlier at 8pm.
I was course car for this and my job entailed driving Ali around as car zero making sure the marshals were in the right place and that the route was correct.
I hadn’t needed to do much to the car just a good clean and fix the indicator lense.
Even had time to give it a clean.
Had a run out for some breakfast one morning just to make sure everything was fine.
Then on the sat morning I met up with Ali and Jonathon who were Clark of the course for the event to help set up the route putting boards out and markers for time controls and cautions a few bits of the route.
We were also using shepardshield which is a stage of the rac that runs through kielder forest. We ran through here putting some boards out and checking the general condition of the forest which was very good.
Onto the night itself I turned up early with my partner Jessica who was navigating for my friend Josh and I went to help signing on and directing marshals as well as trying to get interviews with the competitors for our website and social media pages which I run.
The before I knew it it was time to go straight into the first competitive section from the start at Derwent Reservoir sailing club along the B road slot right into a yellow taking the first rc then down a very rough and slippy white and into the first tc.
As car zero we run just a ahead of the main field so we have to be on the pace to try and wake the marshals up but also to act as a bench mark for the timing and route checks.
From this white we headed north west up a very tight section with lots of sq corners in before opening up to a fast flowing section with lots of yumps. We had a bit of a moment here where I ran wide on a square right and clipped a tree with the wing mirror and ate half the bank with my front left wheel. This led to a bad vibration through the wheel and me thinking we had a puncture. It wasn’t it was just mud in the wheel which fell out quickly enough.
Onto the next tc where the marshals were in the wrong place just before the forest we had to move them and then carry on the route
By this time car 1 was closing in on us so I knew I had to be quick through the forest. Luckily I know it well and we were on the pace hitting the limiter in 5th at one point (did I say it was fast).
Then slowed for the tougher part at the end of the forest we hit a big frozen puddle which we skated over before braking through hitting the rise of the hole hard which launched us onto the bank. We landed on the exhausted which broke but managed to carry on till the end of the forest.
The exhaust was blowing but we had to keep going until the next transport section or we’d be holding up the competitors.
The exhaust the broke off completely luckily the mounts were still in place so wasn’t dragging on the ground we just couldn’t here a thing and the old xflow wasn’t pulling well.
The next tc was manned by Ali’s wife so we stopped dumped my car with her and then continued in her Ford Focus.
Almost like we planned it
We managed to continue in that and by missing the halfway halt had made a bit of a gap to competitors behind us. We had a small section of forest at the end of the rally which we had set up early and knew everyone was there which was a good job as a marshal hadn’t turned up at an tc so Ali and I had to man that.
The event had a few problems all of them down to bad luck but it still ran well and the competitors loved it. This is only the second year that we have taken over the event and we are still learning but we were proud that we managed to keep road rallying alive in the north east!
I had a long night whilst everyone else was enjoying there supper I got a lift home picked up my road car and then went to the finish to pick jess up
We then towed the mk2 home pushes it into the garage and slept all of Sunday.
I had a look that night and pulled the manifold off
Took it into work and welded it up and strengthened it as well
Ideally I’d like to replace it with a nice 4-2-1 manifold but not having any money at the moment this fits and will have to do.
I was meant to be out next Wednesday but the lovely spring weather of heavy snow has spoilt that so it’s now been pushed back till the 28th
That will be my last as it’s time to put the car away and finally get on with building my garage.
Just need to sell a kidney or my missus first!!
Luke
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Hexham and District Motorclub
Hi, Don't sell the missus and hang on to the kidney, perhaps you should sort out your MK2 spares cause it seems to me that is wear the money is, maybe I am just old but the cost of S/H parts is shocking. When your pocket money is limited it makes building a car hard going.
Definitely I’m lucky that I stocked up on spares about ten years ago even before I had the car
They have since sky rocketed
For instance I picked up a set of group one rs alloys one at a time for a total price of 15 quid
Sold them as a set of four for 600 pound
Hexham and District Motorclub
Always a challenge running Course Car - being quick enough to stay ahead of the competing crews but tidy enough to get round
If you're the only Course Car - making sure the marshals are in the right place and everything else, it's even harder
But very satisfying when an event goes well
GavinR
One of the changes I’d like to make is to have two course cars for that very reason
As well as a back up in case anything happens
Anyway car is all back in one piece now just need to do something about the wipers
The springs seem weak and so the arms aren’t clearing the screen very well
Hexham and District Motorclub
Well after saying I’d be doing no more rallying this year I got a call to drive on the next round of the Hexham series and couldn’t turn it down.
After repairing the exhaust I was going to do a small auto test just to have a play and make sure the car was all good but as the snow came down it got cancelled so my mate liam and I just went for a play I out instead
The car seemed fine but when I gave it a quick check over a couple of days before the rally I found a track rod end was very worn. Couldn’t get one from usual places in time so I tried the local motorfactors but the ones they supplied were wrong even though the part number was right 🤬
I had a good search around but couldn’t get another one in time but managed to find a serviceable one in my dads garage and fitted it did the tracking and set off for the rally.
Got there with plenty of time signed on and chatted with the regulars including my dad who was doing it with a novice nav.
We were second last on the road and josh was on the ball from the start getting the first reg 11 seconds off and the second one on a zero.
Into the standard section and we were flying the car pulling well and handling beautifully. Caught and passed a couple of cars then into not as map junction following Chris Dodds in his proton where he got the handbrake spot on and I followed him round doing the same!
We followed them along the next section and they hit a pothole on the left hard
I took to the right and hit and even bigger one!
Then 100yards down the road car cut out!!!! Pumps were still running but it felt like fuel I tried tapping the top of the carb but had to take it off finding the float needle was stuck shut
Freed it off and managed to get it started and carried on having dropped three minutes.
The next few sections were hard work. The car was die then spring back to life although after a long section we took a slot right fast and it ground to a halt fiddled with it again and managed to get the old lump going both of us getting more and more annoyed at this point. Rolled down the hill to bump start it and it cleared and seemed to drive fine with the occasional splutter.
We finished the rest of the route back on the pace. Only had one moment when the map said there was a 90 right which turned out to be a hairpin but a quick tug on the handbrake got us round in style 😂
Then small blast to the finish. For a pint and to curse our bad luck. Still we finished and had an ok result. Strange to think a few years ago I’d have taken a 4th place happily but once you are on the pace and winning it’s hard to accept not being up there.
Anyway the rally was won by Chris Dodds and his navigator Pete. They were on the pace all night and it’s about time Doddsy had a win.
Had to get a tow to start the car after it flooded in the car park but drove home fine.
The car is definitely going away now and I think it knows hence it misbehaving 😂
So expect to see more posts about garage building and getting swamped under by bricks concrete and the planning department
Luke
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Hexham and District Motorclub
nice one well done, nice write up too
Interesting reading as always, how about some pics of the interior of your car, As I assume you are running road rally rules I am curious how you manage to fit a carpet with seat rails, brake lines etc and keep it all tidy, thanks
There’s a picture on the previous page showing how the carpet fits was just trimmed around the seat rails and around the lines etc
Hexham and District Motorclub
Had a quick look over the car over the Easter weekend and pulled the carb out
Stripped off the floats which were fine and pulled the float needle out and a bit of swarf came out with it.
Unsure if this has been in there a while now and has been causing the float to stick on and off but it gave the carb a good clean out blew through all the fuel lines and found nothing
So I stripped the filter king which was clean. Also stripped the fuel pumps and cleaned the filters out. Next step is to take the tank out and make sure nothing is floating about in there.
Unsure how it got through all the filters if it came from the tank though.
But it runs fine now took it up the road and it seems fine. But it only ever does it when I’m competing
Spent the rest of the day faffing on with a calibra trying to get it to start to no avail. Gave up and just pushed it into the corner where the escort is going to live.
Stu and I then spent an hour shuffling all the other stuff in his garage around so we can fit all the cars including my escort in.
Not sure how we got them all in and even more unsure how we will get them out but that’s a problem for another day.
We then spent a few more hours on his tr7
Stripping the crashed car ready to donate its engine suspension and a few other bits onto the new car.
Interesting working on something different but no wonder they couldnt compete against the escorts everything seems heavy and complicated on them.
But was a nice way to spend a Saturday and got me out of house renovation!
Hexham and District Motorclub
Morning folks
Been quiet on here still plodding on with the house and garage build but thought I’d talk about some other things I’ve been up to. If there’s enough I might start a new thread.
Firstly in Return for storing my mk2 I’m helping my mate reshell his tr7. His original car could have been repaired but we picked up a solid running complete car for less than 1 front wing so the choice was made.
At this point we have both cars stripped the bay has been repaired in a small way on the new one an we are ready to swap the box and engine tonight.
Then I’ve also been busy marshalling and helping on the flying Scotsman vintage rally.
Brilliant event that is the highlight of the year for me. Seeing vintage Bentleys, Aston’s, mgs and various other priceless cars being used properly is just the best. The rally roughly follows the route the flying Scotsman took. It’s made up of navigation sections, regularity sections and then tests.
Two of our club members were out.
My good mate Ali Procter with his usual driver Paul Crosby were out in the rapid supercharged MG TC
This thing drives like a caterham with very little weight and grip and a good bit of power. They ended the rally in fourth place. Problems with the tripmeter plaguing their whole rally.
Also Kate and Sophie Wickham were out in their MG TC
Here’s me looking like I’m trying to leap into their car
They have both only done a few rallies so were amazed to finish 28th which in the company was very good.
Another notable performance was of william Medcalf and Andy Pullan who finished 2nd in their Bentley.
Who knew you could do handbrake turns in nearly two tons of vintage Bentley!!!!
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Last edited by mexicotait; 02-05-2018 at 08:29.
Hexham and District Motorclub
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