Recommended Books

Title: BAJA BUGS & BUGGIES, How to prepare VW-based cars for off-road fun and racing.

Author: Jeff Hibbard


Title: MG Trials Cars

Author: Roger Thomas


Title: More Wheelspin

Author: C.A.N.May


Title: So This is Yorkshire

Author: Janet E. Kitching


Title: VW Beetle in Motorsport

Author: Peter Noad


Title: Wheelspin

Author: C.A.N. May

Forthcomming Events

Is there anyone out there that knows if either the Silverton or Chase Clouds trials will be running?

The Kyrle is on, regs arrived yesterday, but get your entries in quick as I am sure there will be a big demand with all these cancelations.

Stuart

Marshalls - an incentive !

Sorry to hear that the Torbay got cancelled/postponed due to an initial shortage of marshalls. It's been approx 3 years since I did my last stint so I'd better offer again sometime this year. Perhaps we need some incentive to ensure that we have sufficient volunteers.

Interesting to note that on some entry forms the question of previous marshalling is asked - could be used as a method of dealing with over-subscribed MCC events but a little heavy handed I think !

How about a little encouragement ? discounted entry next year to the event next year ? perhaps something that'll help someones championship contention - say being allowed to choose best 10 out of 13 events instead of 10 out of 12 (or whatever the number is!). 

Would be fair to all because anyone can offer to marshall - you never know it might then be the marshalling that gets over subscribed !

Any thoughts ?

Keith.

 

Virgin Beetle

Dear All,

              Without giving away all the cunning secret mods. that have made your particular Beetle what it is...could I please ask you to outline the common /sensible changes needed to classically trial my 1300 (AB series) engined 1969 1500 ? I have an idea of the basics but please assume that I know nothing ! I am particularly ignorant in the suspension dept. as all the literature I've seen concentrates on stiffening / lowering. 

Any replies would be much appreciated.

Chris Cates

I

Falon's RAC PCT round at Brickhill and March Hare Classic

As of today, 16 Feb. There are 39 entries for Falcon's PCT Brickhill on Sunday. So far there are 26 for the March Hare Classic which takes place on 12th March.

Falcon would love you to marshal! Drop by the Falcon page on The Classical Gas Web Site to e-mail John Parsons or Arnold Lane. Or e-mail me and I will send you their phone number.

Michael

Boats, Caravans and Motorhomes

Hi everyone,

If any of you are going to the NEC show that starts on Saturday 19th look me up. I will be working there every day except the final Sunday.

I can be found on the stand of a certain Swedish manufacturer of refrigerators in hall 2. I would be delighted to entertain triallers to some corporate hospitality! If you know me thru' trialling don't forget I look different in a suit!

Michael

10 CWT BMC Diffs

The Diff has been in the Marlin for 10 yrs now so I thought I had better take a look at it. All looks OK except a small area of pitting on the teeth of both planet gears and 1 sun gear all the teeth are effected, its in the centre of the polished wear mark covering about 10% of the mark . My spare diff has more crown wheel to pinion slack than the current. If I swap bits about should the planet and sun gears be kepted in sets. Does anyone know if new gears are available.

Cheers

Pete

 

 

Exmoor Trial

Any views on the Exmoor. We watched the first few cars at Sepscott 1 before marshalling at Lyncombe Bridge all appeared to go well and the pre event marshall pack was excellent.

Pete & Carlie 

Exmoor Trial

Simon beats Hazel using speed!

Having studied the results I don't feel I disgraced myself on 'The Clouds'. Although Murray will no doubt note the reasons for my 7th position in class and he's right I could have have done much, much better. Anyway I was beaten into said position by Simon. My times being considerably slower as I just wanted to get it right.I guess it's the gamble you take at least in some circumstances. Has anyone any thoughts on this?

Hazel

John Salter's Pictures

I, for one, would like to propose a hearty round of thanks for John Salter's efforts in providing us with a huge range of pictures of the Clouds and also for his 'Blast From the Past' compilation.

Events conspired to prevent Stuart H, the Troll and I competing in the Clouds, but John's pictures have given me a pretty vivid impression of the event, and also some good pointers to the correct line on some of the hills for next year.

Thanks John, and keep up the good work!

On a technical point, is it possible to alert Members that there are new photos in the Photo Album in the same way as with the Message Board?

I nearly missed the expansion of the Clouds photos from 40 to 70 this evening.

One last point.  The names of some of the sections that are included in trials bring smiles to the faces of some of our colleagues in the office.  Crooked Mustard, Beggar's Roost, Litton Slack to name just three. ( Is there a Straight Mustard somewhere or a Litton Tight)

What is the strangest named section that Members can bring to mind, current or past?

 

Chris

 

 

Tyres - in particular 165x15

This will mainly be of interest to Beetle & Buggy owners, and other users of 165x15 tyres. However it probably has longer term implications for many others.

Users of retread/remould 165x15 tyres will no doubt be already aware that they are difficult/impossible to obtain.

I discovered this about 18 months ago, soon after I changed from 'new' to 'remould' tyres (on cost grounds). I started to use Colway CM (tread pattern per Michelin XM). Initially I had no real problem obtaining them through my local tyre depot. However about 18 months ago I ordered a quantity and they didn't arrive. Having chased them many times via my local supplier and subsequently direct with Colway I eventually discovered the problem was lack of 'old core'. Reading between the lines Colway was diverting all the old core they could find to the production of competition tyres for the Historic Rallying crowd (more profitable!).

This sent me searching elsewhere and to start with I had no luck. Desperation was setting in so I opened a direct account through my business (Murray's) with Motorway, and became an official Motorway distibutor and commisioned a substantial quantity to be manufactured. After a couple of months they arrived. The surplus to my personal requirement were soon sold off to other users I knew of at a special preferential 'trialling' price (they of course were also having sourcing problems, so they were very happy). Consequently another batch was ordered - these took even longer to arrive, and when they did were quickly distributed. A third batch was only partially filled as the old core problem arose again.

Now the really bad news: This week I received a letter from Motorway informing they have ceased production of car tyres (but are to continue with commercial) and that production has been transferred to their sister company Colway.

[Reason: I had read in the trade press and heard through the grapevine the all of the retreading companies were coming under severe pricing pressure from cheap imported 'budget' Far Eastern new tyres......

typical retail price branded 165x15 tyre      £45

typical retail price remoulded 165x15 tyre   Â£30

typical retail price budget 165x15 tyre        Â£25

I know what Jo Punter would go for - don't you?]

A range brochure was included with the letter, but it didn't include the 165x15 size. A quick phone call to Colway revealed that this size had been deleted from their range due to non-availabilty of old core.

So thats the end of that! Someone needs to sort through those millions of old tyres in landfill sites - any volunteers?

Murray

Chat on Monday 7 February at 9 pm

Lets try a chat tonight at 9pm.

My Clouds

Another good Trial. I stated out well but after Ham Mill it became "trial by re-start" and I fell apart and didn't get off many (did I get of any?). My personal triumph was getting out of the stream bed at Mackhouse 2 to a nice cheer from Andrew Brown.

The "new" hill before Merves Swerve was a nice trip through the woods. I enjoy the green-laning.

My mate Mike Pearson had problems at the start when he found his alternator pulley was broken. I don't know if he got it going or not.

Otherwise I didn't see meny drama's. We had a puncture on Ham Mill, another on the way home and the Speedo stopped working in the woods at Highwood.

The organisation seemed pretty good apart from the chaos as us failures tried to get back down the lane at Crooked Mustard.

How was your Clouds?

 

Clee Hills Report

Michael,

Much as I regret having to do this, I cannot claim to have passengered Stuart Harrold in his Troll to a very good Clee result(as reported in Classical Gas).

I had the flu and so Staurt roped in Dick Andrews (sometime Dellow driver and quadruple Triple winner).    Perhaps that's where Stuart's inspiration for a clean sheet came from.

I understand that Dick has completed the rebuild of his Dellow (he used it to get to Haynes and Gabwell on the Exeter) and may soon be competing again.

Chris

Lets Add to the fun with Messenger

Hi everyone,

I have just signed up with Microsoft Messenger and I like it. What happens is that when you log on you can "chat" to anyone on your contact list who is logged on as well. It also notifies you if you have any Hotmail in your Inbox.

I have set mine up with the "remember my password" box checked. This logs you on when you boot your computer, but of course you have to be connected to the net to actually see if any of your contacts are there and chat to them.

If you don't want to be disturbed you just show yourself as "busy" using the status menu.

Of course you need to set up a list of contacts. It works fine using a Hotmail address. Hopefully it will be OK with ordinary (POP3) addresses as well. I have started to use my Hotmail a lot more as it's computer independant and used in conjunction with messenger lets you know when you have mail while you are surfing. I know Outlook Express can do the same but I find the Hotmail an easier thing to use if you accept you have to be connected to use it.

Why not give it a try?

Michael

Does IE4 Crash on Lee Howells Site ?

Hi Everyone,

A technical question for you. Have tried to access the Link to Lee Howells site? The Home page is OK when I access through IE5 on "the day jobs" laptop. However, when I try using the machine I use to author Classical Gas, it crashes IE4.

Does anyone else experience the same problem? If it crashes everyones IE4 we need to let Lee know as it he can fix the problem which will preobably caused by an active element in his Netscape authoring program that the folks at Microsoft don't like.

On another subject. Has anyone got an iMac? Looking at the ads it seems a great machine if you just want to surf the Net. I like PC's but all those cables at the back are a real mess in the dinning room!

Michael

 

 

Torbay Trial

Sad news, I spoke to one of the Torbay organisers last night to find out when the regs. may be out. It seems that there have been problems getting the permit and the event will not take place on the 27th. Feb. The club is trying to get another date, as yet unknown.

Stuart

Lands End photos.

I have posted a load of photos from the 1971 Land's End Trial, which I have just recovered from a shoebox under a bed, undisturbed for the past 15 years. Has anybody got an entry list from this trial? I assume it was 1971 as there is a J reg Escort competing, and after 1971 I was banished to the wilds of Scotland for five years, and from 1977 on I was competing on my XT500.

If anyone can shed any light and/or interesting stories about the competitors, I would be most grateful.

Ta, John Salter

3 WHEELER ADVICE

Firstly thanks to Michael for the welcome to the community.

I've taken part in a couple of PCT's driving my Morgan 4/4, however my intention this year is to start competing in the MCC Classics (probably beginning with the Edinburgh at the back end of the year) using my 1951 Morgan F4 threewheeler.

I've marshalled at the VSCC Derbyshire before & intend marshalling at this years Exeter to get a feel for the events.

I would appreciate any advice on the following topics:-

a. running threewheelers in this type of event.

b. getting power/torque out of the Ford E93a 1172cc sidevalve. What carbs are needed, I understand some specials run similar engines superchaged-is this a viable/worthwhile option? How available are the components/ are there any specialists still trading?

c. any other general sugggestions.

 

Yours. Richard