Fieldl

Well a bit of an update then.....

Since we last posted there have been a LOT of changes. After the last track day we decided that racing truly was the way forward. So we set about getting the car prepped and ready. Well what an adventure that has been.

First of all after a minor problem with the sump we bought a trailer. We grounded the car on a speed hump and ripped the baffled sump, quick change of sump got us out on the track. Also told us the car is no longer road worthy albeit road legal.

The trailer bought different problems along with it. Between us we have a BMW M5, Maserati Spyder, Ford Focus and Fiat Punto and one had to be our tow car. You can probably guess which one won out. If nothing else we will have the fastest tow car in the paddock. I'll let Nigel tell the story here but getting a tow bar fitted was a story in its own right.

First of all we started to look at what we needed to do to enter a race series and get the car through scrutineering. The list was:
* Replace seats with FIA approved in date ones
* Fit 6pt cage as per MSA blue book
* Replace harnesses with in date FIA ones
* Install extinguisher and remote pull
* Install electric master kill switch and remote pull
* Add front tow eye as per 09 regs
* Remove sunroof cage and replace sunroof panel
* Paint inside of car
* Probably more than I can remember.....

Sounds easy doesn't it. Well the first people we spoke to wasted about two weeks of our time before we realised they were dreamers. Then we wasted a week waiting for a delivery date for a Sparco cage. Then a quick call to Protection and Performance in Lancs got a really good price for a full weld in cage with harness and door bars. So we needed to get everything else done.

First of all we got the sunroof cage out. After wasting time, money and dremel blades we bought an angle grinder. That did it we got the cage out cutting the welds melting the glue and generally pulling and bending. We slightly bent the roof panel, once it was all removed which took us all day we took the car to have a new panel fitted. The regs state that the replacement panel much be the same thicknesses as the roof so we now have a 3mm alu sunroof panel. How expensive is aluminium sheet, ouch! We've only picked the car up tonight.

This weekend we need to remove the existing seats and paint the inside of the car.
I went to Demon Tweeks yesterday and spent a small fortune on a Cobra Imola seat, TRS harness, Lifeline mechanical extinguisher and Electric kill switch. This is all being fitted next week.

One of us already has their Nat B race licence. I am having my medical tomorrow and then will do my ARDS shortly. All good fun.

Take a look in the dictionary and look up the definition of Motorsport I am sure it says "Time and money no longer exist, exciting though"

So it's probably worth mentioning which series will are looking to enter. The car will be suitable for quite a few to be honest so we are thinking of:
* CSCC Future Classics
* BARC NW Sports and Saloons
* Classic Touring Cars Pre 93 Touring Cars
* Toyo Tyres Racing Saloons

Certainly veering towards the CSCC and BARC NW series.

More to follow.

Fieldl

oh and pics to follow we will take some this weekend.

Moggy

You forgot about removing the sound deadening - we reckon it weighed around 20kgs. That took around 3-4 hrs to remove I guess.

We also flailed the wheel arches (sorry Mikey we still have your odd looking arch widening tool).

We have done a fair bit of body work repair as well whilst we have been going along.

The sunroof was an absolute biatch to remove.

There are some utter bs'ers in motorsport as well-very unprofessional "businesses" to say the least. Although both of us seem to have a good nose for smelling out the cretins.

I can't wait to race now - we are having most of the work done in the next two weeks and there is an outside chance I will be racing mid June at Oulton

The car has cost a reasonable amount of money to get it where it is. The more difficult issue is the time needed. For example tonight took us around 2 hours to move the car from the mechanics to my house.

I don't care though - 2 things have happened this year that have given me clarity of thought, go out and enjoy it which I am doing.

Moggy

Yeah, that was another list of bs'ers

Got there in the end.

It's still faster that an S2000

Fieldl

Totally forgot about the sound deadening and the whole day with a heat gun scraping black crap out of the inside. Good way of finding more rust and creating a bit more work.

We will get to a race meet one day, soon

Blurter

Blurter

OldDogmeat

Green with envy

Post up the race dates when you have them chaps

MarkB

And test dates/trackdays - now I'm back oop North it's about time I got to see you in action, last time you disappeared off with a fuel leak and I spent the day pootling round on ice.

Can also give you a bit of race advice too if you like.

Moggy

That would be great - thanks.

The NW Sports & Saloons only races at Oulton/Anglesey & Croft which is possibly the races we will be doing more of - all double headers as well.

The CSCC Future Classics are 40 minute races where you have to swap driver in the pits half way through