Castle Coombe 14th June

[Mad Mart]

Have fun you lot. I was going to come & spectate but don't think I can make it now.

[smithy]

A report for you guys of the doings at Combe today. A good showing, and good weather right through. I turned up too late to catch the exiting Mr Bancroft, sadly, but it was nice for me to put more names to faces, particularly Roy, Steve and Tim (He Of Quality), among many sociable others.
Many thanks are owed to Bruce for his kindness in letting Mrs Smithy co-pilot. (She was so excited about the whole thing she forgot to offer you some cash toward your track expenses as she'd intended. She sends apologies!)









You'll realise from this last shot that the shutter speed on my holiday camera ain't up to track shots... and neither are my reactions. Here's my best shot of the day. Convoy inspection from the master of the process:

[Tim Bancroft]

Even though I only did 3 sessions, I had a great time, the tussle with Bruce being real fun. Reckon he should sling the big bushed radius arms and go for the smaller type. A tidy car though and some good power.

As usual it was fun watching Mr Dandridge, a commited driver! Paul Hughes was showing some nice roll angles, but boy, what a fast car!

It was great to see Dave and Fred and of course Finn. The little white car is such a beaut, good to see that on a track. As for Fred's 2.5, Mr Picton does drive it at 10/10! Well done to James for perservering, I did'nt see it on the track, but reckon it would have been fun.

Got home in one piece, gearbox will be out on Wednesday and up to Dave's on Friday. Need it back and useable by the CT Autosolo. Still amazed by the little car, 27 years of ownership and I still love driving the thing!

We have a lead on another TD for this year, more soon!

[GT6boy]

We are so lucky 8).
Truly fabulous day. Tim and roy turned up at mine and we had a groovy trip over together. No major calamities to report: "I counted them all out, and I counted them all back".
Really good driving on the track from all parties- no quarter given, but respectfully so.
Great to see Mr & Mrs Smithy- the car always runs better with an attractive women in the passenger seat! Nice pictures too.
Car went very well all day. It really does get going above 4000rpm, wouldn't mind improving the torque below that.
Great tussle with Tim B and Best Quality Tim, and an ongoing all day spat with Steve A. Steve's driving improved all day and by the end it was nip and tuck all the way. Paul H and Keith remain uncrowned Kings of the Track, where do they get the speed from? Respect!
Fred S and Dave P shuffled between saloon and the lovely little white GT6 convertible- a very nice car that one 8) The owner then turned up and put in some scorching laps(sorry- forgot your name :B)
Great to meet up with everyone present today- it really was fantastic.
Peeter had the TR7 going well, and Mike and Tim's TR6's both sounded great.
Just chewing the fat in the sun between rounds: what a way to spend the day :)

[James]

Was a lovely day.

A bit miffed having to miss the first sessions with oil change and then noise issues - but great once on track.

Sadly the engine still needs setting up so won't go above 4.5k - still nice to learn the track. Can't wait to have another few thousand rpm to play with.

Had a great last session keeping up with Steve and Bruce - you guys were really going some.

[GT6boy]

James- those big saloons really hustle along: you did very well with it only revving to that!!! Couldn't believe the hassle you and Tim had with the sound guys, but fair play to you, you kept plugging away and got on track in the end 8).

[peeter paint]

Big thank you to Club Triumph and MG's on Track for another superb day out ;D, first time at castle coombe and well worth the 3 hour drive there and back.
Car running reasonably well but must have some more horses hidden somewhere. All other cars at least 6 years older and 1000cc less but kept whizzing bye. Need some different brake pads for next time as current cheap ones left wheels looking as black as the tyres and worn out after 600 miles :(. roll on next time :) :)

[James]

GT6boy wrote:

James- those big saloons really hustle along: you did very well with it only revving to that!!! Couldn't believe the hassle you and Tim had with the sound guys, but fair play to you, you kept plugging away and got on track in the end 8).

It's only just coming on cam properly at about 3.5 to 4...

I was ready to give up on the exhaust thing until Picton got involved - very glad he did :)

[Royboy66]

Tip Top day !  cheers to the mgot guys and everyone else involved :)

many thanks to Tim Quality! for letting me ride shotgun! 8)

Mr smifter! Top bloke !

SO sorry to see Keiths Lovely GT6 mk2 pick up some damage! hope you get it sorted
soon Keith, Respect, commited skillful driving,as usual!  (clap)

oh,  'everyone put your RIGHT Hand up ' !! .......Doh!  :B :B :B

[Royboy66]

:)

[Royboy66]

Tims German Grenade!  ;D 8) mucho grassy arse for the loan Keith!

[GT6boy]

jcarruthers wrote:

I was ready to give up on the exhaust thing until Picton got involved - very glad he did :)

Dave Picton personified the day yesterday, charming guy who couldn't do enough to help. He does this for a living, so you'd imagine he'd want a day off from it, but nothing was further from the truth. 8)
Keith's offering of the 'Jerry potato-masher' was another good case in point :).

[Chriss]

I am very sorry that I was not able to come to Coombe.  Unfortunately my mum is unwell and I am not able to leave her on her own and I never know when I am going to have to make a dash for A&E.

Looks like you all had a good day and the weather was kind.  It was good that everyone made it when there was so much work going on.

I need a volunteer to prepare a short write up for Club Torque.  As Bruce looks like he has written most of it already, Bruce, I would be very grateful if you could drop me a mail writing up the day and highlighting some of the more interesting and amusing incidents.  Thanks very much.

[GT6boy]

Chriss wrote:

I need a volunteer to prepare a short write up for Club Torque.  As Bruce looks like he has written most of it already, Bruce, I would be very grateful if you could drop me a mail writing up the day and highlighting some of the more interesting and amusing incidents.  Thanks very much.

Crazy fool!!!! ;D No problem Chris- I do run a small fee for the witness protection scheme service, for anyone wanting to maintain their reputation....
(whistle)

[Chriss]

Thanks very much Bruce. :)

[thescrapman]

smithy wrote:

You'll realise from this last shot that the shutter speed on my holiday camera ain't up to track shots... and neither are my reactions.

The camera is more than up to teh job, the foreground is perfectly in focus.

You need to pre-focus on teh track where the car will be (if the camera can do it, usually by partly pressing the button, then pan with the car as it passes and click.

If you have a "S" setting use that, or if can tell it to pretend to be ISO 400 (or higher) even better.

Practise on the passing cars outside on the road.

Cheers

Colin

[Royboy66]

GT6boy wrote:

  I do run a small fee for the witness protection scheme service, for anyone wanting to maintain their reputation....
(whistle)

Poinltess me wasting any money on that,as mine lays in Tatters since it was reavealed that I dont Actually know my Right arm from my Left! :B  erm, erm(dance)

[99176]

Great day !!  Most fun I've had for ages. Thanks to Paul for keeping me (very close) company all day. Could we try synchronised spinning next time?
Anyone know how easy it is to fit a new rear wing?? Tips very welcome. Cheers to all.

[smithy]

thescrapman wrote:

The camera is more than up to the job, the foreground is perfectly in focus.
You need to pre-focus on the track where the car will be (if the camera can do it, usually by partly pressing the button, then pan with the car as it passes and click.
If you have a "S" setting use that, or if can tell it to pretend to be ISO 400 (or higher) even better.
Practise on the passing cars outside on the road.
Cheers
Colin

Thanks Colin, wise words indeed, but too late though, I've binned the camera since there was definitely something wrong with it.
I was trying to capture a paddock shot and got this, when seconds earlier I was focussed on a bum fuel cut-out switch.

[Tim Bancroft]

Keith,

Offside or nearside, I say this as if nearside at least you will loose the grinding marks and off course being a mk2 no worries about the petrol filler as on those pesky mk3s!

Sorry to hear about the incident. Karl to be busy?

[paulsprint]

What a good good  day, nice to see everyone. This was my   first track day with no fueling problems. Car ran brilliant, even after i dropped it out of OD at 6600rpm.  Such a shame about the back wing keith, at least you had a valid excuse with your seat collapsing. all i could see in my mirror was you tank slapping up the track before finally spinning off in the grass. It came close to synchronised spinning  once or twice!!  really enjoyed our little scraps  the one time i got to overtake you and i forgot to switch the camera on!!

Highlight of the day for me was the end of the second session having just driven 15mins on the limit chasing down Keith, that  set the scene for the rest of the day really.

thanks to everyone who organised it, top days fun!!!!

[thescrapman]

This is all quite frustrating for those of us who did not go.

We have been told that Keith had a problem, and from a mention about fitting wings we can deduce he put a dent in one. But no clue as to how the dent got there.

We also know that James had a number of problems, one of which Dave Picton fixed. But not what, or how he fixed it. Something to do with noise??

We also know the car was not running very well, and later ascertained it wouldn't rev over 4.5k, but not why.

We can also deduce that Tim had a problem, but not what. Gearbox possibly?

I look forward to the write up in the mag when all these questions will be answered.. :-)

Colin

[GT6boy]

thescrapman wrote:

This is all quite frustrating for those of us who did not go.
We have been told that Keith had a problem, and from a mention about fitting wings we can deduce he put a dent in one. But no clue as to how the dent got there.
We also know that James had a number of problems, one of which Dave Picton fixed. But not what, or how he fixed it. Something to do with noise??
We also know the car was not running very well, and later ascertained it wouldn't rev over 4.5k, but not why.
We can also deduce that Tim had a problem, but not what. Gearbox possibly?
I look forward to the write up in the mag when all these questions will be answered.. :-)
Colin

Keith had a marvellous comedy moment when someone moved the horizon- either that or his seat back collapsed as he was exitting the chicane. Extremely fortunate to come away with a damaged rear wheel arch panel(and a broken seat). that was on the penultimate session.
James was still fettling the car as he arrived. He sorted all that and then found it failed the sound test. Muchos juggling of mufflers, jubilee clips etc. until finally settling on an additional exhaust box proper, which got him through the sound test.  Tim's GB was giving notice, so mindful of his drive home for a CT commitee meeting that night, he called it a day early.
Most people had minor maladies- Best Quality Tim suffered from an intermittent fuel inertia switch he'd bought from Norman Collier. Steve A had a tired rocker cover gasket which gradually got less capable of maintaining a seal, nothing a little sealant didn't put right.
Mr P's saloon had a hic-cup related to a fuel filter congealed with something from the Gulf of Mexico. Easily sorted. Finn's lovely white GT6 convertible was too fast :)! Mike Helm's TR6 was as imperious as ever- bloomin' marvellous. Tim's TR6 went without mishap, other than the brakes nearly self-imolated at the end :X. Otherwise, utterly reliable.
Peeter's TR7 V8 kept up a good turn of speed all day, from where I was- I could catch him, but overtaking was not an option....
Paul's Dolly is seriously quick- him and Keith really know how to wring the best from their cars, what a thrill to see them absolutely tanking past 8).
What a fantastic day :).

[James]

Here's my 93dB exhaust :)

(as opposed to the standard 103dB)

[thescrapman]

Is a standard Witor exhaust 103db??

Mmmmm...

I expect yours will be quieter when it is setup properly.

What rpm did you tell them was 2/3rds max??

That may have been your issue, you need to talk to Mr Helm next time, his TR6 red lines at 3000rpm apparently.... :-)

Colin