Event Autoshite Track Events

[The Moog]

Interesting car in line up tomorrow

[The Moog]

Interesting cars including Henry special.

[The Moog]

Awesome day as normal. Car behaved perfectly - well aside from gearbox

 

 

Posh version of cat piss tarp

 

Beautiful day

 

Look no rust - but also no run. Literally didn't even last the first time out before pissing all over the track.

 

Cooling off

 

Giffer car holding everyone up

 

Shopping cars

 

This is the heritage £613 buys you

 

This turned up at the end-sounded awesome

 

Speaking of awesome

[gm]

looks like you had a cracking day

 

dare I ask what's the story with the gearbox ?

[The Moog]

3rd to 4th on track is very crunchy.

 

Instructor today was telling me to change up as the higher gear will settle the car more.

 

On road it isn't an issue as you can wait a beat, but in the track it was not a happy gearchange.

[The Moog]

This sounded lovely

 

 

This was massively temperamental - in fact most of the caterham esq cars all seemed to have issues b

 

Look no rust (and a massive turbot engine)

[gm]

ah, it's been like that since I had the car, if it gets worse, there are plenty available second hand for not much (if you have a choice, fit one from a mk2, slightly better shift action)

 

change up earlier ? surely you need to wring every little ounce of power out of those revs. he's right of course but where's the fun in that ?

[The Moog]

ah, it's been like that since I had the car, if it gets worse, there are plenty available second hand for not much (if you have a choice, fit one from a mk2, slightly better shift action)

 

change up earlier ? surely you need to wring every little ounce of power out of those revs. he's right of course but where's the fun in that ?

I was paying for the tution so seemed silly to ignore his advice!

 

The wiggler definitely benefited from being in fourth in the approach.

 

Next tweaks are trackday tyres and fit power steering cooler (it did a little Pas wee).

[gm]

no surprise in that heat - check that one carefully before fitting as it came from the scrappies and hasn't been tested.

 

I hope this good weather lasts next week for TrackScotland on Thursday, it's been a long wait since November

[dome]

in fact most of the caterham esq cars all seemed to have issues 

 

 

 

Thank fuck it's not just mine then!

[The Moog]

Thank fuck it's not just mine then!

Most were on ITBs most had fuelling or starting issues.

 

Type R managed to empty all the wadding from the exhaust - not good with strictly enforced noise levels.

[Tickman]

Quite a mix of st

 

 and fit power steering cooler (it did a little Pas wee).

Got a spare innertube that you can clamp onto the pipes? Then you can pump it up with air and see if it holds some pressure.

[The Moog]

Quite a mix of st

 

Got a spare innertube that you can clamp onto the pipes? Then you can pump it up with air and see if it holds some pressure.

I will see what I can find.

 

 

Is it just Tickman and GM for next Thursday?

[gm]

Still three places available for tomorrow night up at Knockhill - any more for any more ?

 

http://www.trackscotland.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9158

[gm]

Two things : Knockhill is bloody difficult in the reverse direction and the cars took a bit of a beating !

 

Tickman's Clio initially gave him gyp in the form of an error code then pissed it's steering fluid onto the pit lane floor, my mazda carried on through the session but towards the end the clutch was slipping a bit. Then a lot.

 

 

This was thankfully the second last lap of the night so it held up well. Once cooled down, I made it home with no problems but money will have to be spent before the next outing.

 

Otherwise, what a great night, nice to meet Dome and Craig (who I think enjoyed being a passenger for a few enthusiastic laps) and of course Chuck (Tickmans daughter) who was sharing driving the Clio until it broke. She also came out for passenger laps and "loved the tyres squeeling on the corners"

 

Next one is at the end of May, I'd better get the spanners out on that clutch quick style

 

 

I have a couple of longer videos if anyone wants to see them but it's taken me two days to figure out how to load a one minute clip

[Tickman]

The speed really doesn't show on the video. Is that a Gopro or a copy?

 

Going the wrong way round was really difficult and I struggled most with Clarks. 

[Bucketeer]

The speed really doesn't show on the video.

I found that on all my autotesting videos.

Whilst driving I feel like I'm channelling all my inner Markku Alen but on playback it looks more like an Alan Bennett monologue.

[The Moog]

Very odd watching it the wrong way round.

 

How difficult is the clutch change?

[gm]

It is boldly claimed by this guide that the clutch can be changed at home single handed but I'm not convinced. Tickman has offered the use of his unit, expertise and moral support to get it done so I'll be ordering up the parts and planning when works for both of us.

 

https://www.miata.net/garage/clutch/index.html

 

I do have a theory that it's something leaking onto the clutch / flywheel when the car is driven hard - whether it's oil from the gearbox or engine side, I'm not sure but as the gear box needs to come off to investigate, I'll fit a new clutch anyway. I'm not planning any power upgrades so will go for a standard set up, this one looks good value from mx5parts

 

https://www.mx5parts.co.uk/clutch-motorsport-piece-mk1-25-p-3976.html

[gm]

The video was done on my GoPro hero3 which I chose as it has the facility to add an external microphone, the little mazda does sound angry with the mic hanging off the back of the car by the exhaust with the built in mic, you just get a load of wind noise.

[dollywobbler]

Midland Automobile Club has a track session booked at Curborough on 19th May. Non-members can join in apparently. £75 for the day.

https://www.midlandautomobileclub.co.uk/downloads/Track%20and%20Test%20Day%20Entry%20Form%202018%20v1.pdf 

 

I'm very, very tempted to take the Starlet along.

[worldofceri]

Linky no worky Mr Wobbles.

[worldofceri]

https://www.midlandautomobileclub.co.uk/downloads/1._Curborough_20th_May_2018_V3.pdf

 

Edit: This is a link to a Nat B event the following day. Not the right info methinks.

 

Edit #2: This should be the right one: https://www.midlandautomobileclub.co.uk/downloads/Track%20and%20Test%20Day%20Entry%20Form%202018%20v1.pdf

[The Moog]

Sadly with be autotesting* that day otherwise have been up for it.

 

 

* Subject to cars being fixed.

[dome]

It is boldly claimed by this guide that the clutch can be changed at home single handed but I'm not convinced. Tickman has offered the use of his unit, expertise and moral support to get it done so I'll be ordering up the parts and planning when works for both of us.

 

https://www.miata.net/garage/clutch/index.html

 

I do have a theory that it's something leaking onto the clutch / flywheel when the car is driven hard - whether it's oil from the gearbox or engine side, I'm not sure but as the gear box needs to come off to investigate, I'll fit a new clutch anyway. I'm not planning any power upgrades so will go for a standard set up, this one looks good value from mx5parts

 

https://www.mx5parts.co.uk/clutch-motorsport-piece-mk1-25-p-3976.html

Let me know when this is happening, happy to help if I'm free.

[gm]

that would be excellent - I shall bring plenty of Jaffa cakes

[gm]

Is anyone coming along to TrackScotland tonight ? I'll be interested to see if (when) my clutch trouble reappears, the mazda is driving just fine at the minute. There's an empty passenger seat if anyone is feeling brave / silly ?

[gm]

Well, you missed a treat tonight - cracking sunshine, decent driving standards, a good mix of cars and the little mazda racked up an impressive 70+ laps - I did have to stop and change the front brake pads half way through the evening (not totally worn out but very glazed, made for a fun job when everything was too hot to touch, even with gloves on)

 

no clutch trouble at all this time round, odd but I'm certainly not complaining. I did notice a bit of oil leaking out of the gearbox turret just at the end of the session but that is an easy fix. I love that little car, it takes so much abuse but keeps on going.

 

Fastest lap tonight 68:84

 

 

 

[Tickman]

Excellent news the clutch behaved. The brakes must have felt bad to justify a pit stop change.

[gm]

I'd checked them in advance and knew they were getting low so wasn't suprised when they went to shite in the first hour.

 

I replaced the worn out mintex track pads with part worn road brembos and reckon the braking improved, I was definitely braking later and harder after the swap. such good fun, I was thinking of maybe selling the Mazda but that's not going to happen