27-10-2023, 09:23 AM
It was always a team effort,well Ron and I.
At the time many put their cars away after a trial and dragged them out the day before.
We between us prepared ours and modified the car until we got it right and tough enough for VSCC trials.
We only retired once in six years ,with a broken rear spring,main leaf 3” before the eye but still managed to limp back to the digs using the tow rope and a block of wood to keep the axle in place.
Weakened by doing the Brooklands driving test prior to it I thought.
I replaced the tyres as soon as they’d lost their edge,most didn’t.
At the time James Diffeys Bugatti could do 41 mph in first we were told ,(he had to hold it in gear)and Richard Parsons GN was light,powerful,lots torque and no diff.
I wonder if we were only ones to come 1st and 2nd on a dual drive trial ? Scottish?
We was practicing to do one of the early Cotswolds trials/ novice trial,Ron practicing to do the “ Eight in eight”, Sprint to the car ,jump in and drive to the finish in 8 seconds when the starter housing smashed.
I’d had some stronger ones cast and by the mid evening machined one up to fit.
Tried the the car ,fine.Come to load it up and the engine wouldn’t turn.
Gave up about 10 pm and went to bed.
Had a light bulb moment about 3am,got dressed and out to the car,looked around the engine and noticed the fan pulley hard up to the casing ,the pulley had split, pulled up the taper and locked to engine somehow.Phoned my trialling partner to come over,swapped the pulley and we were off by 5 or 6 am.
I think he was the only one to do the “Party games” 8 in 8 seconds.
At the time many put their cars away after a trial and dragged them out the day before.
We between us prepared ours and modified the car until we got it right and tough enough for VSCC trials.
We only retired once in six years ,with a broken rear spring,main leaf 3” before the eye but still managed to limp back to the digs using the tow rope and a block of wood to keep the axle in place.
Weakened by doing the Brooklands driving test prior to it I thought.
I replaced the tyres as soon as they’d lost their edge,most didn’t.
At the time James Diffeys Bugatti could do 41 mph in first we were told ,(he had to hold it in gear)and Richard Parsons GN was light,powerful,lots torque and no diff.
I wonder if we were only ones to come 1st and 2nd on a dual drive trial ? Scottish?
We was practicing to do one of the early Cotswolds trials/ novice trial,Ron practicing to do the “ Eight in eight”, Sprint to the car ,jump in and drive to the finish in 8 seconds when the starter housing smashed.
I’d had some stronger ones cast and by the mid evening machined one up to fit.
Tried the the car ,fine.Come to load it up and the engine wouldn’t turn.
Gave up about 10 pm and went to bed.
Had a light bulb moment about 3am,got dressed and out to the car,looked around the engine and noticed the fan pulley hard up to the casing ,the pulley had split, pulled up the taper and locked to engine somehow.Phoned my trialling partner to come over,swapped the pulley and we were off by 5 or 6 am.
I think he was the only one to do the “Party games” 8 in 8 seconds.