PeteClan

As Kate said "Sh*t, he's lucky" Won't the insurance pay out? Pete Richards

My attempt at the St Goueno Hillclimb in France a couple of years ago. Will be there again this this year. Pete Richards

Looking good to me Steve but then I'm only able to compare with my lousy mig welding. My excuse is that with a fibreglass and plywood car I don't get much practice. However, I'm reliably informed by the family the results after alcohol intake are considerably better! Pete Richards

Steve, Is there any reason why you are using what is basically a wet sump in a dry sump system. Would it not be possible to use a basic fully dry type sump. That's what I did with the Clan with the equivalent of a central channel with the shrouded pickups at each end. I had is checked by a friend at Lotus Engineering and the only mod was to have the channel slope form the centre to each end. Was a bit more difficult due to the engine being at 45 degrees but has worked well for quite some years now. Pete Richards

Definitely an H16. Firing order a good tie breaker question for a motorsport quiz but difficult to prove the answer wrong as I understand that it was always being changed. Pete Richards

Wife's watching the Olympic Parade and concert outside Buckingham Palace and just as I walked in this burly athlete with a beret came into view of the camera. Mr Sherrington I presume. Have a good time and well done to you all. Pete Richards

Just what I need as I'm fed up with leaks from the emission type choke assembly. Don't need the manifold so pm me with total cost including postage and how you would like payment. Pete Richards

I don't think you should be sorry Steve. Thanks anyway. Pete

As I don't want to get into the usual slanging match with the expert on all engines ever produced I'll just say thanks Steve for the info and continue to enjoy your birthday. Pete Richards

In order to run my original Clan in the HSCC 70's Roadsports race series I have to use twin Strmberg 15 CD carbs as opposed to the twin Webers I have used for years. I have a set I got from Jean-Claude a couple of years ago although I have had to modify them extensively to get rid of all the emissions attachments and use fixed needles. I am having trouble in finding out what fuel pressure I should run and I'm hoping that someone can come up with an answer. The engine is 998cc and should output approx 100 - 105 bhp. Pete Richards

Funny looking Mini that Jaguar! Pete Richards

Waste of time leaving more chance of rubbish getting into the engine. Best to fit a decent filter. Lots of opinions about which is best. I've used a large ITG filter to provide for both carbs for years with no problems. Also use a cold air box with a KN cone filter on the inlet with no problems. Filtration definately need on the racetrack in my opinion. Pete Richards

Me thinks a Saturday night performance in the paddock at Spa this year is called for! Pete Richards

That's not one of Lady Litchfield's. Pete Richards

Clogged egr usually a symptom of gentle driving. Cure - more use of the right foot. Pete Richards

May be able to help here. Looking at the car in question it looks like it races in the German Triumph Series. Worth checking if his last race is on 19th - 21st October at the Nuerburgring. If so I may be racing there that weekend and if so could bring it back with me so as to save some carriage. Only provisionally booked at the moment but worth checking later in the season. Pete Richards

Now that's a proper racer talking. Pete Richards

When I first saw it my thoughts were that it was a Mallock but it looked too small to me. Could possibly be a 750 Formula car as many were Mallock influenced but on a smaller scale and fitted initially with the Austin 7 engine, then the Reliant and currently a small Fiat. Pete Richards

I find fine adequate but initially with a drop of WD40. Pete Richards

Never had a problem with Lucas Sports coils in over 20 years of competition use. With 3 going the same way in 3 years I'd consider looking at the installation. Pete Richards

I have a Quaife ATB diff fitted in my Clan. Whilst this is a race car it is also road registered and unlike when I had a plate LSD fitted it is a very smooth acting device with no snatch etc. It also performs on the circuits smoothly. Would recommend to anyone. Also has a very good guarantee. Pete Richards

I was sprinting the day of the Snetterton Race at the new Lotus test track near to there and can confirm that it was dry although it did rain a little later in the day. I can also confirm that East Anglia was, and is still, in declared drought conditions. Steve, I'm surprised that as a racer you are a fan of BTCC banger racing. Considered rightly in my opinion a bad example of racing and unfortunately the style of driving on show is being copied by a number of new club drivers. Pete Richards

Sounds a very unlikely explanation in my opinion but would justify the considerable cost of the rebuild. As has been mentioned I'd expect piston damage first and then possibly the other damage to follow. From the description given I'd put the damage down to an oil feed problem probably arising initially from surge with a fraction time of zero pressure with this accelerating the wear process of the bearings. Pete Richards

You have obviously never been fully bitten by the racing bug, If you have run at the front there's no enjoyment in running mid pack. If you have tried and it's broken it;s then that you enjoy the company of fellow racers along with there commiserations. Been there and it's a bigger high from trying and suffering a failure than just driving around being non-competitive. Pete Richards

Nice circuit Andre. Hope the following comments don't upset you. If you have a shift light fitted then change to it. You appear to be hanging on far too long in the gears. In at least one corner you could gain on the approach by changing up into fourth and then gate change down into second for the actual corner. On another you coast through the first part of a double corner and allow the engine to fall off cam before changing down to third for the second section where it would be better to change to third for the first part and then accelerate through the corner and into fourth earlier on the next straight. It's also nice to be polite and let faster cars by but it's your qualifying session as well, don't compromise your efforts as it's upto them to find a way by you. Keep up the good work I know there's a lot to learn, I'm still learning after 25+ years. Pete Richards