Sprint racer

[KevJTD]

similar line up to cadwell then tim, smashing stuff.

[rgwm]

Bit late to comment as you'll be up there, Tim, but I'll be nearby this weekend as I'm at the Imp Club weekend at Darlington, so might try to sneak into Croft to see some of the racing - quite a few Imps out in Historic saloons..

Otherwise see you at the Gold Cup.

Good luck this weekend!

[Veesix75]

A great weekend at Croft, I'll add a few words later...... A pic of the car cooling down, Not sure what Bernie was doing in the background....he must have a soft spot for alfa's..... Or maybe he was looking for a new career.

[KevJTD]

A great weekend indeed Tim, Sprint looked great on track as did a lot of stuff. You're in with some really nice racers on these bills.

Great display in the classic car areas.

The Army display got me an almost perfect number plate for the integrale, apart from mine being a 1990 and not an '86

[Veesix75]

Delayed response - what a great weekend, highly recommend it for anyone North of Nottingham next year (about 90min to 2hrs up the A1).

A link here from a chap who races a TVR, and a video link on his site from in his car and another racer in a Bertone coupe - I'm in the shot a couple of times.

http://classiccarsdriven.com/2015-croft ... a-weekend/

Qualifiying was the first time I'd been on the circuit for 14 years, and I'd set a target of a 1:50 lap in the massive 15 mins we get in practice. The track was very bumpy in places, and very fast esses at the back of the circuit, flat in 4th gear was the ambition. The chicane on the straight opposite the start finish threw the car right across the circuit (exciting though).

Pleased to say we easily did a 1:50 in qualifiying, which put me alongside a mix of cars including the TVR in the vid, the Bertone and a strange little MG. We decided to soften the shocks slightly to try and deal with the bumpy circuit.

Got a great start in race 1, or so it seemed until being pushed wide at the first corner and just about everything overtook me, however I had a great race overtaking and getting my place back by about lap 4. I then had a great race with the MG, it had a wheel in the air almost constantly. I passed him, he passed me, and I then got in front and stayed there.

Race 2, I got a fantastic start again and managed to get on the back of the faster bunch of cars for a lap or 2, but they were just too quick and by lap 4 or 5 they had pulled away. A very lonely race as none of the cars behind could catch me, but overall a great weekend and I took 3 seconds off my lap times so well pleased.

Croft is a great circuit to drive / race on - highly recomended.

[Veesix75]

So, time to get ready for the next race - Oulton Park Gold Cup next weekend.

Very strange timings, we qualify at 5pm saturday and race at 5pm sunday

just one race, but a very good grid of 25 cars.

Just some new tyres to fit (I'm trying the very latest Toyo 888R out so fingers crossed) and we will be ready to go.

If anyone is going, feel free to say hello, however the best racing is actually on Bank Hol Monday.

[Veesix75]

Not a lot to report on oulton in terms of racing action - I didn't get much!

A great event again, but very up and down for ourselves.

Qualification was 5pm Saturday - had some braking issues so not a great qualifying, went home to collect some discs sat night. Fixed that Sunday and spent all day waiting to race at 5pm Sunday.

First corner off the grid was interesting, 3 cars spun off but luckily everyone avoided each other, and I managed make up about 6 places by cascades. I was chasing a Porsche 924 on lap one ( he had done my target lap time so looking ok) when I had a snap spin at old hall at the start of lap 2.

Thought at first it was cold tyres or someone else's oil, and that the cloud of white smoke was tyre smoke (yes, dumb in hindsight but in the heat of the moment) so selected a gear and drove off.

Unfortunately it was my own oil, I pulled off after seeing continued plumes of smoke, took the bonnet off and gear oil everywhere. Clearly coming out of the big hole in the top of the gearbox!

So spare gearboxes collected and rebuild due to start......

[Kegsti66]

Oh dear ! sorry to hear that Tim.
Hope to see you and the Sprint at a meet , sorry couldn't make your first few.
Good luck with the repair, do you know what happened?
Keith.

[Veesix75]

Oops !

I don't think there was meant to be an inspection hole here......

[KevJTD]

whoops!

no wonder it got a bit smokey

[Oxfordshire driver]

Oohh, that looks nasty..
Would be interested to know what it was that was that was so desperate to get out that it decided to punch it's way out.
When will you open up the gearbox Tim?

Good luck in swapping it out / getting it repaired.

Malcolm

[Veesix75]

The culprit was a diff bolt, possibly multiple...photo to follow.

New gearbox done and fitted, old gear set put into another box and diff.

I'm due to race at Silverstone with the hscc on 17th October. Good grid and 5 Alfa's due to turn up plus a lancia beta Monte Carlo.

Fingers crossed for good weather.

[Kegsti66]

Nice one Tim, sounds a good grid!!
Good luck.

[Veesix75]

Couple of gearbox pics....5 missing bolts on the diff, one escaped, 4 fell in the bottom.

[Simonsud]

Thread lock next time !!!

[Veesix75]

Wooly hat and coat packed up alongside tools, it's going to be cold!

[Kegsti66]

Hoping to get over to watch Tim.
Good luck.
Didn't realise the Monte Carlo is owned by Mark Oldfield. Do you know if he still has a sprint? I bought some wheels off him when he was preparing it for racing.

[Veesix75]

Marks old blue Sprint is now Rodger Motherwells Orange trofeo sprint.

Hopefully see you tomorrow.

[Veesix75]

Delayed update.....qualified in the middle of the grid at Silverstone, very cold day and no heat in the rear tyres at all.

Keith was watching and said he saw a bit of white smoke on the passenger rear tyre.

Couldn't find anything rubbing, but we had fitted new tyres so thought they might have a slightly different profile and might just be touching.

Went out for the race at 5:30pm, lights on!

Got a great start, made up a couple of places by the first bend. Halfway through I noticed a small stream of smoke on hard right corners, thought it was the tyre again, however second to last lap I was in James Bond smoke screen territory so pulled off.

It was dark by the time I got towed back to the paddock, so we couldn't see anything.

Got home and noticed oil under the car, more gearbox oil......

Anyhow to cut to it the oil breather had popped out.

The new gearbox was excellent, I didn't think the old one had any issues, but the rebuilt one was miles better, smooth, precise gear change. The breather issue at Silverstone was sorted by adding a plumbed in breather......huge thank you to Tom and Phil at BLS for the rebuild and sorting the breather for me.... the Sprint was humbled in the BLS workshop, sharing it with Bryan's 33, Ted's Sud, and a beautiful Gtam replica.

I only lost one lap at Silverstone so still had a great race, and managed my fastest lap on the national circuit at 1:14 (although I was aiming for 1:13 - maybe next time!)

I was hoping to enter the HSCC Walter Hayes Trophy all comers race last Saturday but some family stuff took over, will have to wait until next year to get a 1:13.

I also managed to get myself in the HSCC magazine and a chap from Classic Cars asked me all about the sprint in the Silverstone paddock.....wonder if I will get a mention.

Car is now tucked away for winter, although the Sprint whispered in my ear that it would like to meet Kev before next season for some new cloths.

I'm in cold turkey already, the HSCC has been a great series and looking forward to 2016.

[Veesix75]

In car video from Mark Oldfield in a Lancia Beta Monte Carlo, I'm hiding behind his rear view mirror a lot of the time.

Safety car came out at the end of the first lap....see how many cars pass Mark before realising!

Listen and look for the firenza pops and flame on the grid

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=er__4wAoYe4

[KevJTD]

was actually thinking about it today mate, we must meet up for a chat to see what we can conjure up



glad the BLS built 'box is performing well, tom & phil have done probably 3 for me now and all have been faultless. it's just my own fault for selling them on every time!

[Kegsti66]

Thanks for the link Tim (Mark), shame you had to pull off as you were showing a clean set of heels.
From behind you can clearly see the smoke under the whole car can't you. From the complex we were first aware when you banked hard, loading the left side hence our first thought of tyre rub.
Have to say to others who watch the clip, the guy in the Datsun Z 260 (?) at the end, then drove home afterwards in it.
Looking forward to next season, cheers .

[Veesix75]

Some provisional dates published for the hscc next year.....something to aim for.

[rsfruitbat]

Hi.

Great to meet you today.

All the best for the season next year

rsfruitbat

[Veesix75]

Well, time flies when your having fun

The sprint is coming out of hibernation this coming Saturday for a thorough check over, although everything was good when it went away in October.

Got some new discs to fit and a bit of pipe plumbing but other than that fingers crossed.

Need to plan for some new Conrod shells, which are a pain so going to try and get sorted early doors also.

I'm hoping to race with the hscc again, need to complete a spec form for the car to run in invitation again but hopefully it will be allowed in.

I'm also planning to enter the ctcrc pre 83 at cadwell and donington.

Hscc Dates here....

http://www.hscc.org.uk/images/Chart_cal ... 016_V6.pdf


Ctcrc pre 83:

2016 Race Dates
Apr 9/10 Rockingham
May 14/15 Cadwell Park – CTCRC Festival
Jun 18/19 Donington
Jul 2/3 Thruxton
Jul 30/31 Brands Hatch
Sep 10/11 Snetterton
Oct 8/9 Silverstone (Int.)

[Veesix75]

So far so good on the post winter check over, new discs fitted, car ran fine and all looks good on the outside.

Hopefully getting the con rod shells changed next week just as a belt and braces maintenance routine, so fingers crossed all will be well when the sump comes off.

Need to buy a HANS device and get my licence renewed next. First race is getting closer !

[KevJTD]

I have permission to take over this thread for a little while from Tim, hopefully not for too long eh mate!

This afternoon we had to get the Fulvia out of my little unit as a long standing appointment needed to be kept, race dates can't be moved and certainly won't be entertained in being cancelled.

So with the help of Shrew who was there to collect and deliver the Lancia we pushed the Sprint into my unit to have a look over what was in store for the paint refresh we'd planned.

Aside from new rear arches to be fitted to replace the fibre-glass ones, a bit of repair work around the front 'screen and a repair to the drivers door frame to stop it flapping in the breeze it all looks pretty straightforward, time will tell if the initial optimism is naïve or based on how good it all looks on the surface....

[KevJTD]

With all the running around this afternoon, getting the Fulvia tucked away nearer to home and all that I hadn't had chance to do anything to the Sprint.

After getting something to eat back home it was a choice, Saturday Evening TV or pop up to the workshop to get the car up on the stands and asses things a bit more, plus unload a few tools I'd taken from the integrale working area......

First off was to cover the inside areas that need to be kept clean, dashboard and seat etc. plus the running gear, sanding cars off makes a huge mess, even grinding causes issues as the sparks stick to anything then start to rust!

Front lower spoiler will be painted body colour, easier to do it off the car and ensure decent paint coverage behind it so that was removed. Front grille and indicators off, wheels off. About it really so far.

Should have some regular updates this coming week.....

[Veesix75]

It looks at home in you lock up, but as you say best not get too comfortable. I'm sure there will be the odd additional crusty bit, but it is pretty good overall .

Small world we live in, as I was taking the sprint off the trailer a chap pulled up, did a thumbs up, came across for a chat and told me about his sprint, sud, 33 sport wagons , Gtv6 , 147 Gta and some I've forgotten .....all which he still owns.

Looking forward to seeing my Sprint after Kev's magic.

Shrew made me think about my harnesses and fhr/hans ......I might need to fit a harness bar after all...

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Tim,
Good luck with the work. I am sure the guys will do a great job.
Malcolm gave me a heads-up if you excuse the expression on seat belts complying with FHR requirements. 0-20deg recommended but your belts can descend at 45deg behind the seat. Here is the blue book extract:

All the best,
Simon