GOODWOOD 26th May TWMC Sprint

[stylussprinter]

All loaded up and ready for 5-00am start in the morning , although I'm not very hopefull of a dry warm day --- all forcasts show cloud and showers morning and afternoon getting worse So it's not likely I'll match the laptime I set on 19th APRIL this year ---- they could be wrong though

[kevp]

Hi Rob.

How did you get on. A cloudy cold day, hope you didnt have rain.
Kevin

[stylussprinter]

It rained all the way down to Goodwood from 5-00am to 7-00am and carried on that way all day , raining and often torrentially so. The results show how dangerous it was , apart from getting pissed over with rain while waiting 30 mins or so to reach the startline , there was running water on every corner right where you needed to place the car . I had some '' big '' moments along the straights too , hitting running water at 100mph jogging me left/right , very scary. Several cars damaged , an ambulance called out for one guy but he was found to be ok --- not his car though. An E Type got a badly altered front end so left early. I practiced at 135 secs then first timed run at 138secs after entering Madgewick in 4th around 100mph approach speed , got through 1st and 2nd apex's only to totally lose it changing into 5th --- spun 2 or 3 times on the track then ended up spinning into the infield grass for 100 yards --- nobody following I could see so got back on track to finish at 138secs which turned out to be 0.5sec quicker than the Anglia 4age following me

So you can imagine the conditions when in April I did a 93 secs FTD was obviously a single seater on full v.soft wets but at 104secs --- his norm in the dry = 78 secs
The daft thing is that I still will get 10 points for that crap laptime though

[MattD]

It rained all the way down to Goodwood from 5-00am to 7-00am and carried on that way all day , raining and often torrentially so. The results show how dangerous it was , apart from getting pissed over with rain while waiting 30 mins or so to reach the startline , there was running water on every corner right where you needed to place the car . I had some '' big '' moments along the straights too , hitting running water at 100mph jogging me left/right , very scary. Several cars damaged , an ambulance called out for one guy but he was found to be ok --- not his car though. An E Type got a badly altered front end so left early. I practiced at 135 secs then first timed run at 138secs after entering Madgewick in 4th around 100mph approach speed , got through 1st and 2nd apex's only to totally lose it changing into 5th --- spun 2 or 3 times on the track then ended up spinning into the infield grass for 100 yards --- nobody following I could see so got back on track to finish at 138secs which turned out to be 0.5sec quicker than the Anglia 4age following me

So you can imagine the conditions when in April I did a 93 secs FTD was obviously a single seater on full v.soft wets but at 104secs --- his norm in the dry = 78 secs
The daft thing is that I still will get 10 points for that crap laptime though

Scary day out Rob .... but experience saves the day
Think I would have left it on the trailer

[stylussprinter]

I forgot to mention that after my first timed run with the ''Madgewick'' incident , I took the hint and didn't go out again
Also had issues to sort once home and cleared the silage out of the engine bay , wheels , chassis and cockpit ---- there was an aweful squeeking while waiting in the rain for my first timed run which went away before I got to the green lights 20 mins or so later. I assumed it was a water pump bearing OR if really lucky the pump and alternator belt loosening This morning I could see the problem looking at the alternator -- it was out of line which I thought was my carbon alternator bracket having a slight bend in it (been there for 3 yrs) BUT actually it was the ''inner to engine bolt'' that pivots the alternator onto an ally bracket also bolted to the ' block '. TOTALLY sheared off Then I remembered a clattering while going through FORDWATER and towards NO-NAME --- I assumed it was a stone washed into the running water going across the track from the grass (gave me a wake-up scare ) It must have been the 20mm sheared off piece of bolt hitting the tarmac and back up to the underfloor and chassis

A more minor issue was the tow strap velcro'd at the towing ring end to the underside of the valence ----- that got ripped off , velcro and all spinning through the grass at Madgewick which also made clattering noises , the ring on the end of a 15 inch strap hitting the sump/chassis etc . Needs a better solution for my next outing at CASTLE COOMBE or at least stronger wider velcro .
Shows how much waiting in line there was before arriving at the green lights --- I had practice , two laps plus one timed lap --- just filled the tank which took almost 2 gallons

[stylussprinter]

It rained all the way down to Goodwood from 5-00am to 7-00am and carried on that way all day , raining and often torrentially so. The results show how dangerous it was , apart from getting pissed over with rain while waiting 30 mins or so to reach the startline , there was running water on every corner right where you needed to place the car . I had some '' big '' moments along the straights too , hitting running water at 100mph jogging me left/right , very scary. Several cars damaged , an ambulance called out for one guy but he was found to be ok --- not his car though. An E Type got a badly altered front end so left early. I practiced at 135 secs then first timed run at 138secs after entering Madgewick in 4th around 100mph approach speed , got through 1st and 2nd apex's only to totally lose it changing into 5th --- spun 2 or 3 times on the track then ended up spinning into the infield grass for 100 yards --- nobody following I could see so got back on track to finish at 138secs which turned out to be 0.5sec quicker than the Anglia 4age following me

So you can imagine the conditions when in April I did a 93 secs FTD was obviously a single seater on full v.soft wets but at 104secs --- his norm in the dry = 78 secs
The daft thing is that I still will get 10 points for that crap laptime though

Scary day out Rob .... but experience saves the day
Think I would have left it on the trailer

Ian Catt did leave the WEALDEN EMPIRE in the trailer

[stylussprinter]

Alternator off and ally bracket removed . Sheared off bolt now drilled and removed out of the ally bracket ----- Paul Dunnell posting a replacement FOC to me by 1st class post
The door pockets had 20mm's of water in them , now soaked up with towels and fan heater drying them out. Just the chassis , wheels and uprights to be cleared of grass . Then the old velcro cut off and new stronger piece sikaflexed on for the tow strap fix .

[stylussprinter]

Replacement bolt via Paul Dunnell here now and some steel velcro ordered to secure the tow strap from flayling around -- the original plastic velcro's stood the task for 8 yrs but having had the strap pulled off and the velcro filled with grass a few times , it's not up to the job.

[stylussprinter]

I'll need a new alt/water pump drive belt having looked closely at it --- tiny pieces of metal buried into the grooves which I've hooked out but will replace for next outing. I needed to get the alternator back on so I could run the engine and make sure the lack of a water pump running for a whole lap hadn't got the engine too hot with all the imagined problems that may have caused -------- it's fine though , no screeching and good oil pressure , took it up to temp ' and switched off feeling a lot happier
The oil's been in there since April last year (around 400 miles) so that can get changed too.

[stylussprinter]

Cut up an old scrutineer failed harness to make a better front tow strap and the heavy duty velcro arrived , so that's all done now. Also fitted a soft-top popper on the strap as a belt/braces securing device --- it should stay put even if spinning off track
Changed the oil/filter with Millers Nanodrive 5w40 and finished cleaning under the chassis at the rear(lots of dried grass ) Draining the oil , now the Stylus is so low , is quite a procedure as it's just 70mm under the front bottom chassis rail -- the sump being 30mm lower again . I run the engine to temperature , switch off and use the lift race jack to raise it up about 8 inches at the front ---- then the trolley jack will go under to get it 1ft off the ground , block it with wood blocks then use the trolley jack to raise the diff ' up to the same level . THEN it's just possible to get a long spanner onto the ally sump plug .
There's no way to undo the plug at normal race jack height or get a drain tray under it either , so over an hour later new oil's in the sump .
Just the silencing to consider for Coombe Possibly another basalt re-pack