Staverton Again
This morning, the third Sunday of the month, I again attended the A30/A35 meeting at the above. There's a small café there, The Aviator, which sells breakfast food as well as hot drinks. Turnout was poor, considering the scorching weather, with not many interesting, to my mind, cars in attendance. A few of the other punters wanted to chat about the A352, but I spent most of my time there watching the aircraft, both fixed and rotary winged, playing.
My carb. investigations had revealed that I'd replaced the dashpots 90° out and possibly overtightened. Rectifying these schoolboy errors has transformed the performance, but only over 2000rpm, beneath which the engine dies. More fiddling required :( A couple of shots: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b5ed3b6b_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5c01fe7c_b.jpg Regards, Mick p.s. Thanks Paul :) |
Hi Mick, are you going to Castle Combe racing tomorrow ? I will be in attendance and parking by the straight before camp corner
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Hi Alex, originally I was, but I'm going to London early Tuesday and have a lot to do before then. It should be good at The Combe, I was looking forward to the historic FF :(.
Regards, Mick |
Ok Mick no worries, hope you have a good time in London
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh
Yesterday I decided to fill up the A352 in anticipation of today's sortie to Stoneleigh. It was most unwilling to start and ran very poorly, refusing to idle without choke, even when up to temp. I got home, just about, let it all cool down and removed the carbs, as these were the likely culprits following the diaphragm replacement saga. On dismantling I found that the new diaphragms were already badly stretched and distorted. I suspect they're made from something incompatible with petrol - not a lot of use! I'll just have to buy two more, this time from Canley or similar, rather than Ebay cowboys. Buy cheap: Pay twice (and miss Stoneleigh) :(
Regards, Mick |
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Made it, after all
After berating myself for capitulating so feebly, I decided to go to Stoneleigh in the S4 Seven, which was of course available as a kit in period. After a blissful trip up the almost deserted Fosseway, I joined the short queue into the NAC. Cruising up and down between the club stands I spied another S4 Seven, on the Dutton Owners' Club stand. I parked behind it and the owner, whom I'd conversed with on PistonHeads, came over for a chat. He'd had his (his second) since the turn of the millennium and had paid considerably less than I in those now far off days.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...9da7c34f_b.jpg My 'phone then rang: it was Scottie of A352/XKSS fame. We met at the Tribute Owners' stand for a good chin wag where we also saw Lucky. The trade stands area was a little thinly populated, though the manufacturers' hall was heaving with the usual plethora of 'cheque book specials'. The drive home down the much busier Fosseway was enjoyable, the Lotus behaving perfectly throughout the day's 108 mile round trip total. Regards, Mick |
More Stromberg Woes
Following on from my May 5th post, I'd bought and fitted new diaphragms from Canley, which were clearly of much better quality than the ones I was discarding. Whilst giving everything a good clean, I'd noticed that I'd fitted one of the jet O rings in the wrong groove. I'd committed this schoolboy error at least three years ago and it was clearly at least partly responsible for my inability to ever get the beast to run to my satisfaction. I bought a replacement one as the guilty item was damaged, but only found time to fit it on Friday, in anticipation of this weekend's motor sport marathon.
Once everything was back together I started her and she ran beautifully, except that the throttle wouldn't return far enough for idle. Slackening the cable proved ineffective so I gave up in disgust, deciding to use the Lotus instead. Anyway, yesterday's sortie was to 'La Vie En Bleu' at Prescott. The Lotus behaving perfectly: it's a joy to drive with oodles of power and great handling. Parking at this event is in an adjacent field rather than the usual orchard as it gets very busy. From there I took this shot as the Severn Valley Railway's steam locomotive passed in the valley with much tooting. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8c12a8aa_b.jpg Wandering over the bridge to the paddock I came across this old friend. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a0a67592_b.jpg I'm not really a Ferrari fan but this engine certainly caught my eye..... https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...53067a47_b.jpg Despite the plethora of drool worthy high performance machinery, for me the cars of the event were this Panhard and a distinctly 'Moss Monaco' Austin Seven special. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...bb1e066e_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f3143572_b.jpg Regards, Mick |
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More photos from this event, some fantastic cars to see.
Early 50's Ferrari 166 Tipo Milla Miglia was owned by an elderly gent who had the car for 59 years ! He was happy to let the kids sit in it and for people to get up close. Probably the most valuable car there too, the last one similar sold for £8,000,000 ! The car also boasted the 2 litre Columbo V12 engine, an early version of what would have been in my 250 TR ! The "Beast of Turin" was in fine form and yes, the 4 pot, 23 litre engine does go all the way up to the top of the bonnet ! Several old and unrestored cars including this ex John Surtees Ferrari and a Bugatti Type 35 fresh from a 24 hour race by the looks of it. The railway in the photo by Mick is in fact the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway, they also host classic car shows, the first being on the 9th June at the station in Toddington, just down the road from Prescott. |
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I stand corrected! I believe my engine picture above is that of the Ferrari 166 Tipo Mille Miglia you mentioned. Whilst on engines, here's my picture of that of 'The Beast'. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...da2988fa_b.jpg More on this 28,353cc monster here. Regards, Mick |
This Sunday
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If I can sort out the throttle problem I'll go in the A352, otherwise the S4 Seven. Regards, Mick |
Shelsley Walsh 1.6.19
Today's sortie, again not in the A352, was to the above. Once again the Seven behaved perfectly, singing up the almost deserted A38 in glorious early morning sunshine. Parking on the front row of the grid, as usual, I found myself next to a very 60s looking Midget in Bahama Yellow. Very period.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...74bf9e56_b.jpg Once the action began, this array of old-skool metal queued for the hill :) https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...feaf1d59_b.jpg and a little later, this beast: the Chapman Mercury III. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7b8c9720_b.jpg Climbing to the top of the hill, I went through the small wood which no-one else ever seems to enter. Rook chicks are ill advised to leap unfledged from the nest over the badgers' sett....... https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c5275def_b.jpg Car of the day, for me, was this Jensen CV8. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f6851c56_b.jpg The Seven behaved perfectly again on the way back. It draws lots of positive shouted comments from children, nice to hear. I always give them the thumbs up in appreciation. Regards, Mick |
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I wonder what the mpg was like? |
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More here :) Regards, Mick |
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See it here driving through London- #BeastofTurin #FiatS76 https://t.co/DysPJtBZHx (https://twitter.com/LondonConcours/s...189469184?s=09) |
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The Napier Bentley featured here is impressive too. W12 aero engine that will wake the dead a do a burn out better than any Top Fuel dragster. I've seen this race on a number of occasions and it is quick despite its size and weight !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ua-0wSn0azs |
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Ebay A352
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Builder has a thread on the forum, I recognise the garage but can't think of the name.
Chassis, engine and interior all look to have been done to a very high standard. Still the hardest bit to do, the body. I think it would have to be dismantled to get a decent paint job, big job as it would seem to involve drilling out a lot of pop rivets. |
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