Autoshite track day.

[warren t claim]

Would there be any interest in this? The price could be quite reasonable if enough of us wanted to take part.

[autofive]

would depend whereabouts i suppose

 

have you anywhere in mind?

[Station]

It'd take a lot of organising, but I'd certainly be up for it, in some kind of driving license valid, awful car racing thing.

[warren t claim]

I don't have anywhere in mind just yet but I'd prefer it to be an exclusive shiters session with non of the usual Pistonheads bellends in Caterhams.

 

Someone did tell me that Bruntingthorpe could be rented for half a day at a reasonable cost.

[Des]

Crack out the dulux and book an oval.

[whitevanman]

I'd certainly consider joining in..if it's in the Nothern end of the Country

[Mr Lobster]

Obviously dependent on when / where, but I'd be interested.

[Cavcraft]

Oulton Park?

[seth]

Will there be a prize for slowest lap/completing the entire course in top gear/largest part that falls off/parking on the main straight for a picnic.

 

I shall also express some interest dependent on everything.

[Albert Ross]

I'd win the slowest lap thing. I'd be towing everyone else in and picking bits up... Be aware that most tracks' scrutineers won't allow you on with oil leaks.

[pogweasel]

Sounds like an excellent way to cause yourself embarassment and unnecessary financial hardship.

[OwdChina]

Crack out the dulux and book an oval.

Oh yes !

[face]

I'd be happy to sit in the back of a Allegro Vanden-Plas enjoying a cucumber sandwich, a scotch egg and a cup of warm milky tea for a few laps.

Not sure what that'll prove though

[M'coli]

Single venue rallying sites might be good to look at. I'd always imagined that an Autoshite trackday would be one where members would be allowed to try other members' cars, on a "you break it - you fix it" non-competitive type of thing, just to see what a particular car is like to drive.

[dollywobbler]

I know it's a Retro-Rides location, but the Haynes Motor Museum lets you use the track - it's tight and twisty and good fun in something hideously underpowered, as my 2CV will attest.

 

The first Retro-Rides meet was at Mallory Park. Sadly they had a bad time with the track owners I think, but the track time we enjoyed was ludicrous. No car checks, no helmets and you could go nuts on the track! I broke my gearbox but a highlight was watching some Japanese thing with silly stretch tyres lose the rubber entirely as he tried drifting it. Quite amusing to see how potter off the track on the rims...

 

Anyway, bring it on. I'm 2-0 up against Wat and his Volvo and it's about time we had another track session! (though I must try not to destroy more gearboxes...)

[Richard]

Knockhill.

[Guest]

I know it's a Retro-Rides location, but the Haynes Motor Museum lets you use the track - it's tight and twisty and good fun in something hideously underpowered, as my 2CV will attest.

 

The first Retro-Rides meet was at Mallory Park. Sadly they had a bad time with the track owners I think, but the track time we enjoyed was ludicrous. No car checks, no helmets and you could go nuts on the track! I broke my gearbox but a highlight was watching some Japanese thing with silly stretch tyres lose the rubber entirely as he tried drifting it. Quite amusing to see how potter off the track on the rims...

 

Anyway, bring it on. I'm 2-0 up against Wat and his Volvo and it's about time we had another track session! (though I must try not to destroy more gearboxes...)

 

DW never lets me forget this. The regulations at Mallory Park were mega lax. I went round with a complete mixture of tyres on my Amazon. At the time I'd had it about a month, and it had a knackered 155 /80 Barum and a 145/80 Waymaster on the back. They were of rather ancient aspect, but at least the sidewalls weren't cracked.....

 

...Which isn't what can be said for the front tyres, which were at least of the right size (165/80) but were of an advanced age. There was a Goodyear C800S (which later decoded turned out to be 37 years old) and an absolutely shagged Uniroyal Super Rallye. I'd never driven anything the age of the Amazon before so I though that was just how it handled. You can't see it on the video but from the driver's seat I could see people jumping out of the way when I took the hairpin :

 

 

I also went round with my tent, tools and a massive collection of spares all unsecured in the cabin. And with my sunroof open. And tape on most of the major seams.

 

 

I'd happily do the Haynes Motor Museum again but there was an almight hissy fit kicked up by RR when Area 52 wanted to do something similar. That said, they don't have exclusive rights to it and I'll quite happily sound anyone out from RR who decides to kick off about it. As we haven't got strong links with RR, and would be for our lot only, I can't see them complaining, but stranger things have happened.

Haynes would be a decent price if 20 or so of us went, but it's quite heavily marshalled and we wouldn't be able to do our picnic on the track.

 

Oulton Park would be a great option but it would be hideously expensive. The last time I enquired was when I had the Piazza, and it would have been £300 each for the day, which is a bit prohibitive....

 

My suggestion would be Curborough Sprint Circuit. I could get quite a few people from NSJC to come down as well, provided that was OK with the management. Off season the track is about £500 for the whole day. Split this between 20 or so people and you're pretty much free to do whatever the hell you want so long as the track isn't destroyed in the process. Hence picnics would be okay. We could bring our own timing equipment. I would be happy to organise this and get a few marshalling types together.

 

It's in the Midlands which also makes it a pretty good location for people to get to. It's a small track but not that much smaller than Haynes. I was covering a lap in the C4 in about 34 seconds dead. I could also [probably] arrange for a mobile tyre fitter to come should people start wanting to be ambitious with their driving. MrLobster could perhaps have a stand (what do you think?) and if we could get some kind of catering van arranged, we'd be sorted. We'd also need a solicitor to draw up a waiver for people to sign. No way in hell am I being held liable for someone's shed expiring on the hairpin or something.

[warren t claim]

I really can't believe the amount of abuse your Amazon will take.

 

Here's a short video of the track concerned...

 

http://www.curborough.co.uk/graphics/curbvid01.jpg

 

Opens in WMP.

[Pete-M]

If I go to a track day, it's gonna have to be within 100 miles of 'ere. Last time I went to one miles away the clutch in the car I took decided to call it a day. This, combined with my rear tyres being about 3mm balder meant that the drive home was not an enjoyable one.

 

So, Haynes is out for me.

[Timewaster]

Hmmmm. My toy is just back from the bodyshop so I'd rather not drag it down the armco.

 

How about a track day transit? I could up the powar by emptying the rubble out of it

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Knockhill.

 

Crimond.

[Mr Lobster]

My suggestion would be Curborough Sprint Circuit. I could get quite a few people from NSJC to come down as well, provided that was OK with the management. Off season the track is about £500 for the whole day. Split this between 20 or so people and you're pretty much free to do whatever the hell you want so long as the track isn't destroyed in the process. Hence picnics would be okay. We could bring our own timing equipment. I would be happy to organise this and get a few marshalling types together.

 

It's in the Midlands which also makes it a pretty good location for people to get to. It's a small track but not that much smaller than Haynes. I was covering a lap in the C4 in about 34 seconds dead. I could also [probably] arrange for a mobile tyre fitter to come should people start wanting to be ambitious with their driving. MrLobster could perhaps have a stand (what do you think?) and if we could get some kind of catering van arranged, we'd be sorted. We'd also need a solicitor to draw up a waiver for people to sign. No way in hell am I being held liable for someone's shed expiring on the hairpin or something.

 

Yep and yep!

[Guest]

I really can't believe the amount of abuse your Amazon will take.

 

Abuse?

 

Nah, it's well 'ard is my Amazon. It would rip DW's 2CV a new arsehole if God forbid they ever came into contact with one another.

 

If you look at the object on the rear shelf, you will see that's a new number plate I had made up (the old one was bodged up by the last owner and was a piece of scrap metal with the registration number painted on in a fair approximation of New Charles Wright). When I bought it off Paul from Lancing (that's in Sussex, fact fans) I promised to return it to the original owner's daughter whose father had recently passed. She was gutted when Paul sold the car on (she still regarded it as her dad's car) but was equally delighted when I sent the plate home. She sent me a card and everything, which I've still got.

 

The Amazon is having a SORN holiday at the moment because it decided enough was enough and grew a big hole in the front floorpan, presumably to stop me arseing about. It's done Mallory, Haynes and Santa Pod. Re-engined, re-bushed and fettled, it's doing the Nurburgring.

 

I think it might have been expecting an early retirement given that it was left standing for about 10 years and only driven 5 miles to and from the MOT station each year. Before that it was a field car for Reuters and regularly crossed Europe. It belonged to the head chef of the Adelphi hotel for a while before returning down South. Apparently the first owner who bought it new from a Volvo agent in Central London (YO is a London suffix) and put 30,000 miles on it in 8 months.

 

Then it ends up in the hands of a Manc shithead who kicks its arse every time it goes out. That said, it owes me a fortune, of which I'd see about half back were I to ever sell it (this will not happen). It can bloody well sing for its supper.

 

I think Curborough (if we did do it) would be early next year now. What makes you think I'd do it in the Amazon or C4 anyway?

[The Moog]

Would be up for this depending on whatever shite I have at the time..

[Guest]

I'll start asking around.

[worldofceri]

I would definitely be up for this.

 

I took the Volvo to the Nurburgring just two weeks ago. Having never driven a track before I think I now have 'the bug', despite a scary (and potentially very costly) spin just four corners into my first lap.

 

Wouldn't care what car I did it in; I'll probably have something a bit more rubbish by early next year. Should be mega fun.

[Lankytim]

Ah, the 'ring. Would anyone be up for that oneday? I took the Allegro a while ago and it was the best track day/automotive based holiday evAr!

[pogweasel]

I'd be happy to sit in the back of a Allegro Vanden-Plas enjoying a cucumber sandwich, a scotch egg and a cup of warm milky tea for a few laps.

Not sure what that'll prove though

 

I would like to join you in this. I drive like an old woman so no point in attempting to take the helm of a vehicle under track conditions...

[the barefoot chef]

I hold the lap record at Donington Park

 

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1298981687734&oid=233953840818#!/video/video.php?v=1298981687734&oid=233953840818

 

in the category; VW van driven by barefoot pillock towing a shitty trailer.

 

I suspect that the link may or may not work.

[whitevanman]

Too far South for me I suspect, I don't have a job between October and March so insufficiant funds for a trip that far south