GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Since the Classic Tracks I've only been out in Fly once a few weeks ago on the Tavern Gymkhana - driving round cones in a field. Everything went well and I won by about 10s. George also had a go driving Fly, having an enjoyable day to finish 10th

Tomorrow I'm out on the Neath Valley Stages with George on the notes. This year they're not using Walters Arena but going into Rhonda & Resolven Forests which should be more interesting. There's about 8 Road Rally cars entered so I'm not expecting to do that well, we're just out for a laugh

Same as last year, I've swapped the seats and harnesses from DVY, and also changed a leaking front shock and rebuilt and fitted the Quaife box I used to run. Even had time to respray the front panel which was going rusty

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Hi,

We had an enjoyable day but had a few problems on some of the tests, though Fly was running well all day

It was George's first go at a Welsh event and we started off badly, having trouble finding the marshal on Test 1 amongst the spectators and in the chaos forgot to get the codeboard countersigned, so a 2 minute penalty

Once we got onto some longer tests we were going better, beating the bogey on 3 and setting top 10 times on 3 others. A couple of the routes through sheds were tricky, one particular square right was too tight to drive round even at slow speed, so I backed out and had a run at it, got the handbrake just right and we emerged unscathed. The 2 tests near the end with the fords were good although I hit the first one a bit hard (it didn't look that deep!) and we both got wet legs but it helped cool us down as it was such a hot day I need to do some more sealant around the gearbox tunnel as that's where most of it comes from

Unfortunately one of the Tests that we beat the bogey on we forgot to drop an extra minute on the next road section so we got a make up fail and finished 29th overall

I hope to get over for a night event in the winter, not sure which one yet...

Thanks

[rhodrievans]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

how did the classic tracks go did see you down there i was out car 32 good challenging route

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

First task was to convert the standard springs into slippers

All marked out, angle grinder ready to go



One slipper spring



And fitted to Fly along with new discs and shocks - the side that snapped there was a little oil on the shock absorber shaft so that might have contributed to the problem, and the discs were going rusty round the edges so the pads weren't gripping everywhere



I'm out this Sunday on the Classic Tracks around Llandysul, looking forward to it

[mexicotait]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Thats what i was thinking ive only seen them flatten and tgen crack
Never snap like that

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

I've hit bigger holes before on whites, not sure what speed we were doing, but I've never broken a spring before, normally they flatten out over the years and then I replace them

[mexicotait]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Bloody hell thats a big hit gav

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Myotis Road Rally - Saturday 5th May 2012

Following the cancellation of the Nightmare Rally in Devon last month, George suggested we enter the Myotis Rally on Salisbury Plain despite her competing at Down Ampney on the Corinium Stages during the day, co-driving for her dad Martin Clark, but the Myotis started from Devizes which is only an hour away from Down Ampney so it looked like it would be possible

An early start on Saturday morning for all of us as I was servicing for George and Martin at Down Ampney. I had a quiet day, their MG ZR was running well, except for one puncture which cost them a minute and dropped them to 4th in class, and the event ran very smoothly, it was all over by 4pm

So a gentle drive down to Devizes via the back roads, we found a nice pub by the Kennet and Avon canal for a meal and arrived at the Noise Test just before it opened

On to the rally, we left Devizes at 11pm with a set of marked maps for the route and diagrams for 7 special tests and had a 35 min run out to Salisbury Plain. The first section was 12 miles long with 10 route checks, but we cleaned it with 5 minutes to spare despite some confusion near the end where the road on the map was blocked and a new one had been built by the military alongside it

Then it was on to the first special test, very short, around a couple of cones and a grass island, but once again there was another road not on our diagram so more confusion before we found the island and finished the test. Straight in to the next competitive section, but the marked map showed the test finishing 1/4 mile out from where we actually were so we missed the next slot and got pretty much lost on the Plain. We spotted some other competitors and realised they should have been well ahead of us so and worked out where we were, got back on track and completed the section, but dropped 10 minutes

Next there were 2 more special tests, about half a mile long run twice at 30s intervals, round a few barns and cones all on the loose, it was great fun. First time through we were slightly delayed by dust and did 1m 33s but the second time I knew where I was going and got Fly drifting nicely to set a time of 1m 26s and we caught the car in front on the finish line

The next section was about 7 miles long and after a tricky start finding the right road we got going well. On the drier bits dust was a problem as we were catching the car in front, but when he hesitated at a T junction I got very close and overtook up the next straight. About a mile later we hit a pothole rather hard and there was a loud bang from the rear left. Assuming we had a puncture I backed off slightly but we were still a minute early at the next control so I got out and had a look - no puncture but the wheel was right up in the arch and the bump stop was hard up against the chassis - the leaf spring had snapped

So we followed the route to the next control which was just before halfway, handed in our paperwork and drove slowly home

At home today, looking a bit lopsided...



Tyre rubbed the inner arch all the way home but only the edge of the tyre so I can use it again



Something missing, probably lying near a large pothole on Salisbury Plain...



Both sides off, and I've dug out some standard RS2000 springs from the workshop to turn into slippers then she can go back together



Next event is the Classic Tracks in 3 weeks

[GJH]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Forgot to add nice pictures too, the conditions do look terrible

[GJH]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Another great write up there, sounds like you really like using fly, you gona come over to Wales for any events this year?

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

A couple of pics from last weekend, courtesy Andy Manston of M&H Photography

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Bath Festival Road Rally – Sat 4th February 2012

After the cancellation of the Carpetbagger this was our first road event of the year. I hadn’t touched Fly since a 12 car in December but a few hours one evening and she was ready to go. On the Saturday afternoon it started snowing and after hearing from fellow Tavenr members Alan & Denise that it was just as bad where they live near the start of the rally, I fitted my best set of M&S tyres to the rear, picked up George and headed for the start in Frome.

There were 35 entries and we were seeded Car 13 in the Semi-Experts just behind a Saab V4. After signing on we plotted the route for the 3 forest tests and waited for the start just after 9pm. Due to the weather conditions Test 2 was cancelled and Test 3 had to be shortened as the exit road was impassable.

We reached Test 1 in thick snow and were going well until a LWR triangle halfway through where the codeboard was hidden behind a tree and we couldn’t find it (8 other crews had the same problem and 4 more had to reverse back for it), so not a good start. Test 3 went a lot better, a nice flowing forest track with no bad corners so George didn’t bother reading the map and just enjoyed the ride. We came across the stop line quite suddenly over a crest to see the Saab just pulling away, and were 3rd quickest on this one

Back at the start we were given the route for the Night Section and an hour to plot. This wasn’t quite enough as there were a lot of Map Refs, we got all but the last few sections plotted, and restarted just after 11pm. We started well cleaning the first few sections but then caught some slower cars and with a few minor wrong slots in the confusion and worsening driving conditions, we dropped the odd minute here and there.

We ended up following a 205 with a Golf and another 205 close behind, all doing about 25mph along a rather slippery bit of road when the 205 in front got a bit close to the edge, locked up and the camber took him onto the verge and into the hedge! George suggested we stop to make sure they were ok but I had no grip and was worried we’d do the same if I tried to stop. Then at the next junction, there was a loud bang as the clutch cable let go

I waited for the next few cars to go past then pushed Fly out of the way, before getting completely confused about trying to start the engine in gear, thinking the starter had packed up at the same time, but eventually figured out my mistake and we drove slowly to the next control in 1st gear. Then it was a 3 mile make up section which we had to do to remain in the rally, this time I got going in 2nd gear and parked in a layby 100yds from the control, George ran off to get our time (Alan & Denise were running this one), while I made a start changing the cable. I’ve carried a spare cable for the last 20 years but never had to change one on an event, removing the old one and routing the new one in the engine bay and onto the pedal went well, but lying on the ground in the snow trying to get the cable into the clutch fork was a right pain. Eventually with George’s help it was done and we were ready to go again. A quick look at the map and we realised we could cut out a big loop and rejoin at petrol in Wells on our correct time.

By this time of night, the skies had cleared, the moon was out and the temperature had dropped so the roads were now sheet ice in places. The organisers cut out the worst bits and the first section was on the flat with some nice straight roads, it was the quickest section all night and we cleaned it without any trouble, and the next one as well. Then it was onto the lanes around Worthy Farm, a downhill section into a Ford was very icy and we had a run at it to make sure we had enough speed to get up the other side, luckily it wasn’t that deep. Soon after we were looking for an unmarked white, recently added for the Glastonbury Festival, another Tavern crew Will & Bob Rutherford had used it before on an Enduro event so earlier showed us roughly where it was, we thought we had gone past it and were going to turn round when Will and Bob came past so we followed, but at the next entrance they turned round and went back so we did the same and found it the second time. After all this we had dropped 3min, then there was a link section around Shepton Mallet to the final 2 sections heading back towards Frome.

Queuing up for the Time Control, Bob asked if we wanted to go ahead, but they were going very well and I didn’t want to get in their way. The control was slightly uphill which caused problems first for Andrew Lees in his Nova and then Will in their Astra just trying to reach the control (both in Enduro spec cars so no LSD’s). Fly didn’t have any trouble and we left soon after Will, overtaking them at the first junction. Next there was a nice long white, plenty of grip in the mud so I was pushing on and we caught Andrew Lees at the end of it. We followed him for a bit and then came to a downhill square right, Andrew tried to use the verge to slow down but ended up bouncing down the verge and stopped just before a gate at the bottom. We had slightly more control, and got past while he recovered, and only dropped a minute on this section (only 2 cars cleaned it). The final section was probably the worst of the night, bits of snow and black ice, we dropped 3min in 2 miles just trying to keep on the road, I was driving with one hand on the wheel and one on the handbrake so I could try and steer with both ends!

Back at the finish we had breakfast while waiting for the results. As we had visited all the Main Time Controls we were classified as a finisher, 24th and last overall, on the sections we did our times would have put as about 5th, but some of the sections we missed out were Plot & Bash which we usually lose some time on.

We were glad that we continued after changing the cable as it was good experience for both of us, I don’t think I’ve ever done a rally in such bad conditions, and George still hasn’t done that many night events, although we hope to do a few more this year. Many thanks to George for navigating and helping fix Fly!

[mexicotait]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Cheers for that gav
Need some decent road tyres i think
It had pirellis on which were brilliant but didnt last long
Im planning on puttin full knobblies all round with two decent road tyres in the boot
See what happens

Oh and i had a go with the handbrake yesterday after you modded it and its brilliant

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Hi,

It depends a lot on the event - if it's mainly tarmac then some decent road tyres such as Yoko 21R's are very popular, but if there's a lot of whites / forest tracks, then worn knobblies are a good choice and work reasonably well on tarmac too (but newish knobblies on tarmac don't as the tread blocks move around too much!)

[mexicotait]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

great news gav
ive got one rally booked in in jan starting in consett in durham ending in slayley forest

what tyres do you usually run on for road rallys i have some colway gravel tyres and everyone is telling me to go on nobblies
i normally just use road tyres and have no grip at all

any advice?