GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

[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?

[GJH]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

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

[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

[mexicotait]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Bloody hell thats a big hit gav

[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

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

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

[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

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

[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

[Paul C]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Good luck Gavin. I will be watching the results as someone i know is out in his new car and i will be interested to see how he gets on. I see The Clarkes are out in the MG as well.

Have fun.

[GavinR]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Neath Valley Stages – Saturday 11th August 2012

After competing on this event last year when it was based in Walters Arena, the roads cut up quite badly so I wasn’t sure about entering this year, but when it was announced that they were using Rhondda and Resolven Forests, I decided to have another go with George on the notes again

There were nearly 60 cars entered in the modern field and 20 historics including Juha Kankkunen / Nicky Grist in a Historic Rallysport Mk2 Escort, and Dai Llewellin / Phil Short in a Brace’s Bread Mk2 Escort. I had made a few improvements to Fly by re-fitting a Quaife Clubman box and had bought some new Forest tyres off eBay at a bargain price. We had a surprisingly high seeding at 41, and George’s brother Ed was also out in their Endurance Rally spec Rover 200 for his first ever forest event, with Tavern member Bob Rutherford on the notes

The event was based at an old factory near Resolven which meant under cover servicing and the route was 3 stages run twice giving a total of 45 stage miles and 75 road miles. The weather was lovely and sunny as we headed out to Stage 1. It was nice and smooth except for a few sections which had been regraded with large rocks providing very little grip – this caused some interesting moments as I tried to remember how to drive on gravel!

A short link section within the forest and we were on to Stage 2. This time there were large rocks for the first half and then smooth gravel for the second half, the only problem we had was when I made a comment on seeing the car in front pulled over and George forgot to turn to the page of notes! Luckily the next junction was not far away so the right place was found and we finished without further problems. After a 20 mile road section arrived at Stage 3. This one was nice and smooth throughout and we had a good run through, getting quicker as we went on.

Leaving the forest led us straight into Resolven village and back to service. There wasn’t much that needed doing to Fly although some filler / rust had fallen out of the rear arches as the tyres were a bit big Guy fitted the other 2 new tyres just because I had them but we left the fronts (which I’d used last year) as she was turning in well. Meanwhile we waited for Ed and Bob to arrive. Finally they made it, having been held up before the start of stage 2 when a car got wedged on a cattle grid. They were enjoying the event, although finding it very slippery in places.

When we left service, we were given some results for the morning stages and were surprised to be 24th Overall and 3rd in Class, and Ed and Bob were 32nd Overall and 6th in Class. On the way to stage 4 we chatted about how the morning had gone and decided there was some time to be gained on the rocky sections. We started the stage well, everything was flowing better, George was reading the notes perfectly and I was a lot more committed over the crests and through the more open corners. Even the rocky sections had got smooth lines where everyone had been through before, and we were pleased to set a time 26s quicker than Stage 1

Onto Stage 5 but this time the rocky sections had got worse, apparently they’d only been regraded a few days before so the loose rocks turned into ruts, quite deep in places and there were 6 or 7 cars parked up with mechanical problems. I was happy that Fly would survive the conditions so kept pushing on and we had a very good stage, 21s quicker than Stage 2. The final stage 6 was still smooth and we went 13s quicker. So on the afternoon loop we’d gone a whole minute quicker than in the morning! Back in service we waited for the Ed and Bob and they arrived without problems

George checked the results and was amazed to find we’d won the Road Rally Class and were 16th Overall, and even better Ed & Bob were 3rd in the Road Rally Class and 25th Overall. Many thanks to Hugh, Martin, Carrie & Guy for looking after all the cars, and George for another excellent job on the notes



We enjoyed the event sop much I might have to try a few more forests next year

[Graham]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

great write up and result as usual

[exboyracer]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

Great write-up, and congrats on the class win!

[Trev2971]

Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY

just read back through this thread ....superb fair play

good skills on the class win