GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

[tim]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

i saw that is MN this morning, congratulations Carrie

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

After a quiet summer since the Classic Tracks, I was just getting ready to take Fly off the road for the winter as the tax runs out at the end of the month and we're moving house so money's a bit tight for a few months.

Then I had a last minute call to drive on the FireFly Road Rally last weekend in Wrexham. Richard (who drove Carrie to victory earlier this year) has been navigating regularly this year and had been let down at the last minute by his driver.

We spent a fraught 45 minutes scraping through scrutineering due to the scrutineer wanting us to prove the mechanical handbrake worked pray: - having run Fly with rear discs for 14 years this was the first time I'd ever been asked to do this - most scrutineers check you have cables fitted and leave it like that - but we managed it by making the cables so tight you could hardly move the car.

After this bad start, the first section got us nicely warmed up - 1/2 mile down a lane, slot left into 20 acres of grass fields and follow arrows for the next mile including a man made jump!



We dropped 3 minutes which turned out to be 5th quickest on that section which set us up well for the rest of the night. At the petrol halt we were 8th overall and 1st Semi-expert by a couple of minutes from 2nd in class.

We set off on the second half and Fly started misfiring a bit over 4000 rpm - not much fun when there are some rather steep hills around - and then I managed to flatten the exhaust cutting a hairpin a bit too tight but we still finished 9th overall and 1st in class which now means Richard has to run as an Expert!

The "no handbrake rule" in North Wales means some pics are a bit boring though!



Just got to unflatten the exhaust and investigate a crack that has appeared in the chassis at the same place and Fly should be ready for next year!

[Retromotorsport]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

And the old girl (and man) still keeps winning .. good on ya Gavin

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Just a quick update...

I was out as Course Car on the Eagle Road Rally in Newtown back in November, after welding up the chassis, changing the exhaust and fitting a new clutch, Fly ran faultlessly, except for spluttering out of a deceptively deep ford on a farm track. The next farm track I slid off into a gently sloping field, performed 5 or 6 spins before managing to get pointing the right direction and then got bogged down trying to get back onto the track - gave the 15 spectators something to do though as they pushed me up the hill

Just entered for the Bro Caron in Lampeter at the end of Feb and got an MOT booked for this weekend. In March, Fly's booked in to the bodyshop for a general tidy up and probably a respray ready for the Sprint Championship in April

[4parajon]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

What a great read that was, top drawer mate, congratulations to you and the missus

[tim]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

always a gud read this thread

[Andy Rich]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Just a quick update...

I was out as Course Car on the Eagle Road Rally in Newtown back in November, after welding up the chassis, changing the exhaust and fitting a new clutch, Fly ran faultlessly, except for spluttering out of a deceptively deep ford on a farm track.

That ford was a bit deceptive wasn't it, caught a fair few boys out I was out navigating in an orange mk2 http://www.vidmatt.co.uk/Eagle06/EagleRoadRally2006.wmv , we got water in the electrics and lost about 12mins when the car cut out but at least we made a nice splash for the camera Cracking event though

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Nearly ready for the Bro Caron now, passed MOT at the second attempt after patching the sills and floors in a few places - I've had Fly so long now its getting a bit rusty in places

I'm Car 25 out of 90 tomorrow night with Carrie on the maps as usual. Gary Davies, the winner for the last 2 years, is Car 1 in his Group 4 4 Door Mk2

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Well not one of my best events

About the first competitive junction of the night, incredibly tight hairpin slot right at Give Way (on Road Rallies you've got to Stop at all GW's so no chance of throwing it in), cut it quite tight, reversed back and the exhaust hit the road I'd just come out of , bending it rather.

Carried on as it didn't sound much louder but wouldn't rev much over 6k and by halfway it was backfiring through the manifold which had cracked under the stress, so called it a night rather than cause any PR complaints!

Gary Davies came 1st Overall for the 3rd year running with Mk2's 2nd and 3rd as well

Now just stripping Fly down ready to go into the bodyshop next weekend

[rover]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

What a cracking read that was

Having not been a TS member that long I'm still trawling through 1000's of threads and that is definately one of the better ones!

A big well done to you and your missus

Rover.

[Retromotorsport]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Dont tell me Fly still has the alternator on now the Pinto's back in ...

And well done for the event

[Andy Rich]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Well not one of my best events

About the first competitive junction of the night, incredibly tight hairpin slot right at Give Way (on Road Rallies you've got to Stop at all GW's so no chance of throwing it in), cut it quite tight, reversed back and the exhaust hit the road I'd just come out of , bending it rather.

Carried on as it didn't sound much louder but wouldn't rev much over 6k and by halfway it was backfiring through the manifold which had cracked under the stress, so called it a night rather than cause any PR complaints!

Gary Davies came 1st Overall for the 3rd year running with Mk2's 2nd and 3rd as well

Now just stripping Fly down ready to go into the bodyshop next weekend

I think most people had trouble on Silian hairpin mate, I missed the give way so we just barred it round, the DSO wasn't too pleased to say the least

I was sitting in a 205 (car 62) and unfortunately it was early doors for us when the car lunched a shaft in the first farmyard . Was a cracking skid up to there though

Your Escort wasn't sounding to healthy when I pulled over for you to pass on the way home by Daltons (Talsarn). I'm guessing you're not out on the Gremlin if the car's going into the bodyshop? Going to be interesting to see what the wizard's got in store for us

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Dont tell me Fly still has the alternator on now the Pinto's back in ...

Of course, had it on the cossie as well, just had to change the pulley

I think most people had trouble on Silian hairpin mate, I missed the give way so we just barred it round, the DSO wasn't too pleased to say the least

I was sitting in a 205 (car 62) and unfortunately it was early doors for us when the car lunched a shaft in the first farmyard . Was a cracking skid up to there though

Your Escort wasn't sounding to healthy when I pulled over for you to pass on the way home by Daltons (Talsarn). I'm guessing you're not out on the Gremlin if the car's going into the bodyshop? Going to be interesting to see what the wizard's got in store for us

I think the DSO had a go at most people - I stopped 8ft before the line to try and help get round, mashed the exhaust, did a 11 point turn and he complained that I hadn't stopped close enough to the line (you're allowed 10ft)

Had a quick look at Fly today, hole in no 4 manifold branch and large crack in no 3, no wonder it wasn't sounding healthy

No more Road Rallies for the moment, going Sprinting, maybe a couple at the end of the year though

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Discovered why Fly wouldn't rev too well after damaging the exhaust - I'd reversed into the tarmac bank so hard it had pushed the silencer forwards and bent the panhard rod, resulting in this...

Anyway, took some pics after I'd stripped Fly to a rolling shell to go to my friendly bodyshop





Always look so different in this state, but should be back in a couple of weeks looking nice and shiny again

In the meantime, a local fabricator is making me a new rather narrow axle casing, after discovering that my baby atlas was in fact only a narrow atlas I need something a few inches narrower to fit my 8" slicks

Then I'll have a few weeks to put it all back together for my first Sprint in late April

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Had a call from the bodyshop a couple of days ago to go and have a look at Fly - they'd taken the old panels off and found a few 'problems' underneath so suggested I take her back and weld everything up before the new panels go on

Picked Fly up this morning after the engine bay and surrounding areas had been sandblasted so I can see how much there is to do

The good side


A few more problems on this side - not even attached to the door pillar anymore


No wonder it was a bit drafty on night events!

And the strut tops are rusting through from underneath the repair panels, the edges of the bonnet slam panel have disintegrated and the lower front inner wings are mangled where the front panel welds on

Looks like I'll be busy tomorrow - only 5 weeks to go before the first Sprint!

Although it's been at least 12 years and countless rough events since the last set of front wings and panel were fitted so she hasn't done too bad