Messages

I'm looking to rent a seat in the 24 hour race after missing 2008.

Have previously enjoyed the event in 2005/6/7 - the wet ones!

Working abroad for most of the year - currently enjoying the view of down town Tokyo - so can bring nothing to a team other than enthusiasm & money for an arrive-and-drive arrangement.

Suggestions please either via forum or to [email protected] please.

It was a deal, it was a steal & somebody has robbed me - but at least the car has found a good home for the 2008 season!

Car 54 has been run in the 2005-2007 24 hour races only.

Features a Paul Robertson-prepared engine with 24 hours running, club exhaust, Harley coil etc. - all the latest features!
Caged, belts & extinguisher all "in date".
New SLC race chassis fitted before 2007 race.
Handles superbly; engine needs rolling-road set up to properly exploit this potential.

There are a further 2 Paul Robertson prepared engines, one with 24 hours running, the other brand new & never run, plus another spare to be rebuilt.
4 spare gearboxes at the last count, 12 spare wheels & tyres (all scrubbed), spare bodywork, front arms, unused dampers, clutch, carbs .......... the list just goes on!
There are box-fulls of additional items.

It all needs to go to a good home!
Can be viewed in Aylesbury.
Nick Woodward home 01525240887, mobile 07808731160
It's a deal, it's a steal, take it all away for only £2750

Paul,

Just picked up your voice message dated 28/07/2007.
I've been in France for a month, hence the delay in contacting you.
Am off to Australia on business on Tuesday.
Happy to help if you e-mail your queries/concerns to:
[email protected]

Thanks for those words of encouragement, Pete.
I'm keen to do the event again, as is John.

As you know, I'm more challenged by time & technical incompetance than money, so need someone to help prepare the car, what's left of it.

If Nick & Pete bail out, I'm stuffed.
Pete is sadly a definite non-runner as a driver, but might be persuaded to come back as cooks helper.

Got hold of Nick tonight & plied him with beer - there's talk of yet another comeback to deal with "unfinished business", so if he's up for it, so am I.

If he's not, I'll happily buy a drive.

Following the retirement from racing of Nick Woodward & Pete Simpson, their entire racing paraphanalia has to go!

Car 54 with new SLC race chassis, Paul Robertson-prepared engine, club exhaust, Harley coil etc., all the right bits, in fact.
Will sell complete, less engine or will break if enough interest.

Spare everything, including chassis, bodyshell & panels, carbs, clutches - you name it, we probably have it!

2 unused Paul Robertson-prepared engines with club cams, NES lightened flywheels, carbs & clutch.

12 wheels & tyres, 6 unused but scrubbed, 6 scrubbed & buffed to 4mm

Paul Robertson modified front arms.

16 foot covered trailer.

Sensible offers for the lot or anything that takes your fancy to 07899 941921.

[Prediction]

Steve Panas is obviously not a man to go to the bookies with!
Contrast & compare the prediction with the reality.

Prediction
Car 54 - Pret-a-boire
Another contender out of the dark horse stable. The entry was in doubt right up to the wire but thankfully completed. Very strong driver lineup with John Diffey breaking the lap record in a race at Donington. Nick and Pete have not raced recently but can be deadly on their day. Rod Stead has brought together a definite top ten finisher. Here is an entry that could almost do anything. I would not be suprised to see them in the lead group at some stage. Predict top 10 and even a podium if the favourites have a bad day at the office.

Reality
With his lack of recent race experience, Nick proceeded to go farming on lap 6, so 30 minutes into the race, we were already 12 laps down!
More agricultural moments followed in his other sessions.
Promptly ridiculed by the rest of the team for his performance, he announced his retirement from the sport at the end of the event.

Pete was deadly on the day, as anyone who followed him to the toilets will confirm, but his driving lacked the usual sparkle.
Excelled as a sous chef & bottle washer during the event.  
Announced his retirement from the sport during the event, declining to do his final driving stint.
Is threatening to take up caravaning for a hobby.

Rod & John were surprised that on occasions the event degenerated into banger racing but thoroughly enjoyed the racing & will be back.

In summary, the team had a bad day, unlike the favourites & finished 32nd.

So, not much similarity with the prediction!

I've got a set you can use for Brands, with pleasure & I'm only about an hour away from Brands.

Call me on 07899 941921 if you want to use them so we can arrange collection.

There's an article on the Pistonheads website titled "Cheap as chips racing", encouraging readers to consider a number of series to race in.
That's the same Pistonheads that promote the Pistonfest, last seen at the 24 hour race in 2006.

They mention the following series:
Locost
Classic Touring Cars
Formula Vee
Porsche class 4
Mighty minis

We are conspicuous by our absence .......... or perhaps we're not considered to be "cheap" anymore!

Is this an accolade we should be proud of?

Get yourself a cara-trailer!

I've converted a Dastle racebox so that the front section is a caravan (beds, telly & fridge for the beers) with just enough room in the rear for a car.
Just needs a side-awning, then it'll be perfect!

Towed behind a FIAT Ulysses (as chipped by P.Sparrow himself), makes life very comfortable.
No expense of motorhome etc..

Fortunately my family show no interest in coming racing, so I've got the best of both worlds.

Steady on, Geoff.

I was only enquiring if anyone fancied a run out at Lydden as they're looking for races to run, & would welcome any class of car that can put together a 10-car grid!

If there are no takers, no problem!

I'll venture out for the 24 hour race & any other events that don't clash with work/ holidays etc..
Suspect I'll spend more time in single seaters, though, as there are more opportunities to use them.

I've got a 2CV that's been partially prepared for racing.

Stripped out, solid chassis, decent but older-style roll cage & a truely WTCC high winged meat! You'll feel like Pete Sparrow in it!

Needs electrics, suspension & engine work to complete plus the usual consumables.

Has all the thr running gear plus spare engine/gearboc/chassis & some body panels.

A bargain & a lot of hard work for £250.

Will even deliver for cost of diesel, beer & sandwiches!

Well, that looks like a grid size of 3 so far!

If we can guarantee 10 entries, they'll give us a slot at one of their events.

We don't have to do every round, but it would help!

Any more takers?

SEMSEC are looking to run additional, dare I say it, sprint races in 2007 at Lydden & Brands.

They're looking for minimum 10 car grids.

Anybody fancy racing there?

They'd be delighted to hear from us!

I'm with Andrew.

We took our 2005 car, fitted one of Mr Robertson's demon engines & promptly went 6 seconds slower with our hot-shoe driver!

Driver forgot to mention he'd hit the kerbs, done some farming around the circuit & sh*gged the steering!

Engine's help - and Paul's engine was actually really good - but without the total package working, there's less chance of being competitive.

So, by the time we've sorted out the steering & worked out why we're 50kg overweight .................. total package, as Andrew says, is what is required to be competitive.