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Re: GavinR's Mk2 Rally Car - FLY
Wethersfield Targa Rally - Sunday 13th July 2014
After a few hours work Sat morning, the calipers brackets were welded on, the axle refitted and I went for a test drive - Fly was going well but the handbrake was not so good, reaching the top of it's travel before enough pressure was applied
I didn't have any time left, so I loaded up and headed to my brother's in Essex. Saturday night there were big thunderstorms and heavy rain so when we arrived at the airfield, there were large puddles everywhere although it wasn't actually raining. We spent a while bleeding the rear brakes which helped but I still couldn't lock the rear wheels at speed
The event was run by Chelmsford and had a good entry of 60 cars with various quick crews out - I was hoping for a top 5 but knew the rain would help us so fitted some worn 21r's all round. Derek was down to drive Fly as well but had bought a Clio 182 off eBay on Sat morning very cheaply so decided to use that instead
There were 3 tests done 3 times in one direction and twice in other direction with minor changes in between. I was 1s off the top 2 on the first test but quickest on the next 2 and was leading by 5s after the first loop. Derek started off slowly in his new car
On the second loop, Derek was driving first and drowned out in one of the deeper puddles despite going very slowly into it. After 5 minutes she fired up and we drove back to the start as the organiser generously said we could have another go. We looked under the bonnet and there was an induction with an extra hose routing the air intake to just under the front bumper, so water had been sucked up to the filter and blocked the inlet. We disconnected most of this and drained the water out of the pipes before setting off again, this time taking to the grass to avoid the puddle. A few hundred yards later we stopped at a marshal for a signature and when Derek pulled away, something broke and we lost all drive. So not a very good day for Derek - we pushed his car out of the way and left it there until we could load it on my trailer later
Back in Fly I pulled out a few more seconds and the same again on the 3rd loop up to lunch to be leading by 30s from a double driven Clio Williams and Aron Rayner and David Lobb double driving a 1400 Corsa
We had a couple of showers in the afternoon but apart from adding petrol and swapping the tyres front to back, Fly was going well. Derek was good on the maps all day and by the finish I'd extended our lead to 48s. So another 1st Overall on a Targa Rally.
Derek was pleased to be the winning navigator but would have been happier if he'd finished in his car
The Clio Williams was 2nd and 5th, with Aron 3rd and David 4th, they were all very close
I think the handbrake problem is down to one of the brackets being not quite square, but I'm not happy with the caliper positioning (going over a small bump the bleed nipple hit the chassis rail, snapping the end off, luckily just the bit where you'd attach the bleed hose, so not a problem), do this needs sorting before my next event which is the Neath Valley Stages on 9th August...
Wethersfield Targa Rally - Sunday 13th July 2014
After a few hours work Sat morning, the calipers brackets were welded on, the axle refitted and I went for a test drive - Fly was going well but the handbrake was not so good, reaching the top of it's travel before enough pressure was applied
I didn't have any time left, so I loaded up and headed to my brother's in Essex. Saturday night there were big thunderstorms and heavy rain so when we arrived at the airfield, there were large puddles everywhere although it wasn't actually raining. We spent a while bleeding the rear brakes which helped but I still couldn't lock the rear wheels at speed
The event was run by Chelmsford and had a good entry of 60 cars with various quick crews out - I was hoping for a top 5 but knew the rain would help us so fitted some worn 21r's all round. Derek was down to drive Fly as well but had bought a Clio 182 off eBay on Sat morning very cheaply so decided to use that instead
There were 3 tests done 3 times in one direction and twice in other direction with minor changes in between. I was 1s off the top 2 on the first test but quickest on the next 2 and was leading by 5s after the first loop. Derek started off slowly in his new car
On the second loop, Derek was driving first and drowned out in one of the deeper puddles despite going very slowly into it. After 5 minutes she fired up and we drove back to the start as the organiser generously said we could have another go. We looked under the bonnet and there was an induction with an extra hose routing the air intake to just under the front bumper, so water had been sucked up to the filter and blocked the inlet. We disconnected most of this and drained the water out of the pipes before setting off again, this time taking to the grass to avoid the puddle. A few hundred yards later we stopped at a marshal for a signature and when Derek pulled away, something broke and we lost all drive. So not a very good day for Derek - we pushed his car out of the way and left it there until we could load it on my trailer later
Back in Fly I pulled out a few more seconds and the same again on the 3rd loop up to lunch to be leading by 30s from a double driven Clio Williams and Aron Rayner and David Lobb double driving a 1400 Corsa
We had a couple of showers in the afternoon but apart from adding petrol and swapping the tyres front to back, Fly was going well. Derek was good on the maps all day and by the finish I'd extended our lead to 48s. So another 1st Overall on a Targa Rally.
Derek was pleased to be the winning navigator but would have been happier if he'd finished in his car
The Clio Williams was 2nd and 5th, with Aron 3rd and David 4th, they were all very close
I think the handbrake problem is down to one of the brackets being not quite square, but I'm not happy with the caliper positioning (going over a small bump the bleed nipple hit the chassis rail, snapping the end off, luckily just the bit where you'd attach the bleed hose, so not a problem), do this needs sorting before my next event which is the Neath Valley Stages on 9th August...
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