HMC architecte britannique

[DSdriver]

16 minutes ago, somewhatfoolish said:

If you get stuck you could copy the wheeze used by Johnny Mills in "Ice Cold in Alex" and wind it backwards up the hill with the handle in reverse gear. Probably.

Works in forward gears as well, just double check the ignition is off as you wouldn't want to be running yourself over.

[wuvvum]

Fantastic!

Is this now the longest you've ever owned a car?

[HMC]

We seemed to get appreciation for not taking a typical trials car, and for how incongruous it looks when it was being eased up avery rocky and muddy  hillsides in Exmoor

[HMC]

SUCCESS!*

* We got muddy, got lost, made friends and most importantly had fun.

[lesapandre]

Memories are made of this. Some school bragging rights there 👍🤗

Herbert Austin was the son of a farmer from Little Missenden Buckinghamshire and spent 10 years working in Australia. So understood machinery needed to be tough.

Austins - right up to the mid-1950's were really tough cars. Yours is the epitome of his design approach.

Looks fantastic with a bit of mud from use too.

Fab photos.

[lesapandre]

This looks an interesting read. Not a book I've come across before.

[junkyarddog]

2 hours ago, HMC said:

We seemed to get appreciation for not taking a typical trials car, and for how incongruous it looks when it was being eased up avery rocky and muddy  hillsides in Exmoor

That looks like a load of fun.

Nice to see old stuff being used and enjoyed!

[HMC]

2 hours ago, HMC said:

We seemed to get appreciation for not taking a typical trials car, and for how incongruous it looks when it was being eased up avery rocky and muddy  hillsides in Exmoor

Re: surprising capability- we got further up the following hill than the orange bob hatted team one car ahead (in a little austin 7 with minimal bodywork)

[wuvvum]

Did you meet Cressida?

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, HMC said:

Re: surprising capability- we got further up the following hill than the orange bob hatted team one car ahead (in a little austin 7 with minimal bodywork)

Maybe down to better driving skillz? Did you win a prize for having the most passengers?

[HMC]

53 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Did you meet Cressida?

No, didnt even see the Delage. 

[HMC]

24 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Maybe down to better driving skillz? Did you win a prize for having the most passengers?

Not sure. My Russian co driver needed a visit to the local coop for some alcohol after our initial 4 hills at  Ringcombe where my technique needed people to be sedated 😂

[wuvvum]

That was just an excuse to pick up some more of that rather nice Cornish vodka...

[motorpunk]

19 hours ago, HMC said:

SUCCESS!*

* We got muddy, got lost, made friends and most importantly had fun.

Brilliant. Absolutely bloody brilliant. The kids will remember that forever. Well done. Awesome. 😎

[N Dentressangle]

Just went for a little drive up the M5 around Gloucester and spotted what must have been some of your competitors headed home on trailers.

You did it properly!

[HMC]

 

[HMC]

 

[tom13]

Great to see. Looks a brilliant time. When I did the clee hill trial there was a group of guys in this which looked right laugh as well. You going to do the lands end Trial now then?

[Peter C]

I admire your attitude to old cars and that you were not concerned about getting your very old car totally covered in mud. I cry if any of my toys as much as drive through a puddle of clean water.

Love your work, keep it up.

[HMC]

Boom.

I decided that @Steve79 ‘s  xk8 bargain grand tourer was worth owning again. Was great to meet you steve. Handover woolard captured.

[bangernomics]

Brilliant, just brilliant.

I shall now set a reminder to read in another 2 weeks where no doubt you will have ‘overlanded’ the farina to Uzbekistan.

[Steve79]

Pleasure to meet you. Thoroughly enjoying Rover75 ownership again. Whether it's enough to make me want to sell the Mondeo remains to be seen

[HMC]

The worlds slowest competition car…

from about 24 mins.

Low power but quite good traction (maybe it was the weight over the rear axle and thin tyres?)

[wuvvum]

I assume most of the cars were mechanically modified in some way?  That red fabric-bodied Austin 7 was doing about 5,000rpm at one point - there's no way a standard A7 engine would do that without bits of conrod flying around the moor.

[junkyarddog]

Will you do it again?

[HMC]

1 hour ago, wuvvum said:

I assume most of the cars were mechanically modified in some way?  That red fabric-bodied Austin 7 was doing about 5,000rpm at one point - there's no way a standard A7 engine would do that without bits of conrod flying around the moor.

I think some had been breathed on. There is a series of classes, in theory to reflect this.

class 1 /2 (based on wheelbase) then subdivisions a b c, based on level of standardness (or lack of)  the 12/4 was in 2a (long wheelbase, standard) I had to submit various photos to be given the “standard” classification - but I would imagine its not hard to sidestep things if you were being naughty.

As i was without a “support” vehicle, and was driven to and from, i was mindful of not going 11/10ths and blowing the engine up. Although apparently the flathead 5 bearing 4 is renowned for being indestructible. It sort of chugged itself up hills with the low rpm torque it has. Felt a bit like a n/a diesel so I drove it to suit its characteristics.

[HMC]

1 hour ago, junkyarddog said:

Will you do it again?

Definitely. I dont think ill do anything outside the southwest as i liked driving to and from the event (past lots of trailers!) as it feels to be in the spirit of it to my eyes. Plus I have to therefore keep it for a year 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

but in theory, yes.

Next trip is to france at easter.

[HMC]

After my co driver started on wine during a lengthly lunch break (brought on by my driving) , we i think Did about 7 of the 11 hills in between getting lost 4 times and damaging the exhaust,  and then went to our hotel for further refreshments. Hence we failed to return to post any results back at the start/ finish location….

Whoops! Botton of class! But it has whetted my appetite to make more of an effort next year.

The plucky, lumbering Austin may never trump the 3.3L Model A’s with basically a thumping twice the displacment but recon we could have been lower mid field, if we hadnt been so disorganised. But to be honest I just loved the experience. It felt very British and very pointless (literally in our case) 😂

[HMC]

Also thanks again to @grogee who kindly sent me a Jag XK8 book last autumn,  now the car is back again at HMC motors l’m re- reading it.

[grogee]

3 minutes ago, HMC said:

Also thanks again to @grogee who kindly sent me a Jag XK8 book last autumn,  now the car is back again at HMC motors l’m re- reading it.

@Cluffy is also partially to blame/thank, but you're welcome. 

I imagine you might have to breathe in a bit while attempting to pass in the lanes in an XK8