Kevin & Liz 2012

[kevp]

I have entred us both for the Gurston Down Sprint on the 21st of april.
The car is in bits at the moment, after the damage done last year at Castle Coombe. I have had the chassis strightened, but not got the suspention fitted yet.
Engine is out & gearbox been sent off for a service.
I have repaired the front body after a fashion.

Time is very tight as we are on the way to Sepang as I type this for the F1. So wont get back till easter.

I will also enter the 2 day event at Wiscombe the following weekend when I get back.
Cheers

[stylussprinter]

See you at Gurston then

[kevp]

Rob, dont forgett the headlight cover..

[stylussprinter]

Rob, dont forgett the headlight cover..

Shall I post it then or bring it to GURSTON Can't remember whether you broke the drivers side or the passengers side It's passenger side spares I've got

[kevp]

We managed to get to Gurston for our 1st event of the year, arriving about 10ish in the morning with a sorry looking car.
In previous years I have always been the 1st runner of the day, with Liz in the next batch. However luckily this year we where in the last batch. So by the time we had signed on & scutinered, with last minute preparation going on, (including suddenly changing our running order as we approached the start line). We actually managed a practice time each, so then calmed down.

The week leading up to the event was very fraught. The gearbox only arriving the end of the previous week. So at the start of the week I managed to get the gearbox & engine in. The rear axle refitted (I have replaced my bent trailing arms with a set of old spec items from Rob). But during the week I had all the plumbing/exhaust/electrics/front body to sort. Well with help from a colleague - Justin. At 9pm on friday we got to the point of starting the engine & bleeding the rad, which started to leak! I then had a call out at & got home at 1 in the morning. So pushed the car in the garage & went to bed.
Saturday & up at 6. Checked the fluids. Carried out a quick wheel alignment. The front in particular was all over the place. Obviously after my shunt & subsequent repair to the chassis, the suspension locations where very different. So loaded the car on the trailer & left home at about 9.15. Luckily its our closest event, so 45 min later, after stopping to buy Radweld we arrived at Gurston.
Thanks to Rob for checking the tyre pressures - I had complete forgot & didnt pack our gauge.

The 1st couple of runs we suffered from misfires & the throttle would not close properly, holding the revs at 3k as a minimum. My 1st run was at normal driving speeds to be cautious. I found the track very slippery even so & half went onto the grass a couple of times.
Liz had been off work unwell for nearly 2 weeks before hand. So she was glad to have made it herself & was quite happy just getting some runs in.
On our last couple of runs the throttle problem got worse & would not close at all. So I had to shut the engine off at the finish line. This made it very exiting around Karousel & Ashes – changing gear at putting full power down on the bends.

My best time was 41.25 with Liz at 47seconds. This is 2 seconds down on my previous years times (the class was won in 39.34), so I should have been in with a chance of winning.
However coming away with 3rd & having a successful day was far better than I was expecting before hand.

[stylussprinter]

Well done Kev , I'm sure you'd have gone quicker without all the rush and repairs rather late --- it's upsetting to say the least. You need calm concentration for our sport

[kevp]

This weekend (28/29 April) was a double header at Wiscombe. This is a great track especially for spectaters. But we missed the entry deadline. I have read today that the sunday runs have been cancelled due to the weather. Also Saturday was quite wet, so times where slow.

It looks like our next event will be Abington. in June. May have enough time to refit the ARB, thats still in the back of the garage.

Sorry to hear of the tragic news from Goodwood yesterday.

[MattD]

See you at Abingdon

[stylussprinter]

See both of you at Abingdon --- possibly on start line duties or some other task

[kevp]

Yes. Didn’t have time to post in advanced. This will be the 1st time Iv gone back to Abingdon since my Westfield days, some 15 years ago.

Due to very heavy rain during that day, I only completed half of the 1st course before being red flagged. The event was then cancelled as the rain just increased. That was also in the days when I had to drive the car to & from events. In fact the reason why I moved away from Westfield to the "cosier" Stylus. And I have not gone back to Abingdon since. But due to a restricted list of events this year Liz suggested we entered. And when I sent the entry form off it started to rain. And hasn’t stopped. Sorry everyone.

[stylussprinter]

Don't panick Kev ' , the forcast for Abingdon this Saturday at present is sun with shower possibility , so should be a good day

[stylussprinter]

Don't panick Kev ' , the forcast for Abingdon this Saturday at present is sun with shower possibility , so should be a good day

Just improved to saying ---- cloudy/sunny/dry , rain on Sunday

[stylussprinter]

What a day at Abingdon Windy but dry in the morning then really warmed up after lunch. Nice to see you both out in the Stylus again , didn't get to see your times on the Abingdon course where Matt and I were all day lining up cars.
She wasn't firing too well Kev ' ----- what's going on there then

[kevp]

The weather was the best we could expect. What a busy day. Driving 2 different courses.
In the morning we where on the Bentley course. With 2 practice runs & 2 timed runs each we had pretty much non stop running.

I found the course difficult to gauge at 1st. It consisted of a straight 1km run (1 lane wide) with 2 90deg kinks & hairpins to break it up. I found judging the breaking distances difficult & kept breaking way to early. However my times showed considerable improvements per run & I was starting to get amongst the other runners.

The Stylus was not running to well however. The fan belt tensioner gave up, so we had non stop screeching. In the old days you could just get a spanner out & tighten it. But now its got a fancy self adjuster, I guess the nut & bolt system just isnt technical enough anymore. Also the engine started miss-firing. The same thing happened at Gurston, but it cleared up after the 1st run. This time it just stayed. So we ran on 3 cylinders all day. I should have run off at lunch time to find replacement plugs & leads, but was just to tired & grateful for a break. Plus I didnt think of it until the day was over.

The afternoon was also non stop on the Abingdon course. This course was probably more technical, but due to the running of the engine I just coulnt get into it. Unsure of when the car would perform or not. My times for this course where down. Liz also found the day difficult & was very disappointed with her times.

Next event Castle Combe in a couple of weeks. So must get all the problems sorted & make a better showing.

Thanks to Matt & Rob for the encouragement.

[kevp]

Just got the results through.

Not as bad as I thought. The Bently course I was down on time compered to the rest in class, by about 4 seconds. This course as I have mentioned, is a straight run down a runway. So power/acceleration is everything. I have still only got a scrap 2l zetec & a few of the faster runners had 240bhp. So need more power,

The Abingdon course I was faster than a few & only 1-2 seconds of the pace. A couple of fast boys where way ahead of this. But as Rob & Matt can vouch, with only 3 cyclinders running - not a bad afternoon.

We have confirmation from Castle Combe in a couple of weeks, so looking forward to it.