Brands Britannia Race Meeting

[JohnD]

Like Hamish, everyone in motorsport will be busy this coming Bank Holiday weekend!

My event is the Brands Britannia, and my series, of course, the Swinging '60s.    The event has an unusual programme!  Sunday is mostly, but not all, practise/qualifying, with racing on the Monday.  There is as usual a wide range of series taking part, lots of classics.    The Sw.60's are split into two grids and I'm in grid 2, with two other TRiumphs, (Andrew Hall and Roy Chamberlain, TR6 and TR250) with a Capri, an MGC, a Tuscan and a Datsun in  our class (SF).  We're on the Indy Circuit with a total of 34 on the grid, including seven Minis and a 5 Litre TVR Griffith!  Should be fun!

Grid 2 has both outings in the PM, which gives you Lundunners plenty of time for a pub lunch and down to Brands!  All welcome!

John

 

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Good luck John. Take it you have the diff back!

Enjoy. Look forward to the video.

[JohnD]

It has a different diff, an original Gareth Thomas clutch LSD, that I've had in store for years but never fitted as I was so happy  with the Quaife. Used it at Anglesey and as related found it completely different, in fact I span twice and ruined a nearly worn out front wheel.

Armed with new tyres it'll be an interesting time at Brands.

I needed to fit a different rear casing to the Quaife after the damage at Silverstone, but it needs work to the pinion shaft bearings, so I'll leave it at Mike Papworth on the way to Brands.   Probably refit it this winter, unless I can't adapt to the GT LSD .  Fitting the diff is not a job done lightly!

John

[Escadrille Ecosse]

28 minutes ago, JohnD said:

Fitting the diff is not a job done lightly!

No shit Sherlock 

Deep intake of breath certainly required.

Hope the weekend is 'interesting' in a good way.

[PaulAA]

44 minutes ago, JohnD said:

an original Gareth Thomas clutch LS

Ooh, that should be fun... does it make improbable claims whilst in use or only when it locks..?

Good luck at Brands! My final degree project (in 1982) was a motor museum on the parking in front of the track. I made the site visit on the very day that Kenneth Noye didn't murder DC John Fordham by stabbing him ten times almost next door to the track. I'd never seen so many Police Rover SD1s in one place.

Paul

[PaulAA]

Just now, PaulAA said:

in 1982

... in 1985

[Escadrille Ecosse]

8 minutes ago, PaulAA said:

does it make improbable claims whilst in use or only when it locks..?

 

[JohnD]

Gosh, Paul, I hope no road rage events this weekend - the traffic is likely to be horrendous anyway.

[Hamish]

Good luck John

hope you have a great weekend. 

[egret]

I'm going to be there on the bank holiday Monday, and will be doing my best tea boy/pit dogsbody impression.

[PeteStupps]

I'm going on Monday, hopefully in time for the swinging 60's group 1 race as appetiser, then a workmate who's racing in the Magnificent 7's. Then the main course in the afternoon. I'll seek you out in the paddock @JohnD, and @egret if you see a man in a brown corduroy cap it's probably me! 

Never been to Brands before, which is silly as I live in south London. Looking forward to it.

[JohnD]

Great, Pete!  What a team!

John

[PeteStupps]

Nice day for it

 

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Lucky folks. Enjoy

[PeteStupps]

Well it was a lovely day, with lots of lovely cars and great racing all day, and I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew @egret and of seeing @JohnD again. However circumstances somehow managed to thwart our Sideways representative in a most unkind way. I know John's trekking back up north all evening so hopefully doesn't mind me saying, but he was unceremoniously disqualified after missing a black-and-orange and then black flag. Flags given a bit over-zealously I reckon (inexpert opinion) for being a bit smokey. But no more smokey than some of the other cars we'd been watching earlier. So that was a downer to end the day.

Pics to follow when I fire my laptop up later.

Pete

[egret]

Thanks @PeteStupps it was a lovely day out and great to meet some sideways-ers.  I'm just got back from a flawless drive home in my spitfire. Sadly I didn't get many photos, but here a couple of photos of my car at the start and end of the day and one of John on a flyby!

 

[Hamish]

13 hours ago, PeteStupps said:

Well it was a lovely day, with lots of lovely cars and great racing all day, and I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew @egret and of seeing @JohnD again. However circumstances somehow managed to thwart our Sideways representative in a most unkind way. I know John's trekking back up north all evening so hopefully doesn't mind me saying, but he was unceremoniously disqualified after missing a black-and-orange and then black flag. Flags given a bit over-zealously I reckon (inexpert opinion) for being a bit smokey. But no more smokey than some of the other cars we'd been watching earlier. So that was a downer to end the day.

Pics to follow when I fire my laptop up later.

Pete

John so sorry to hear about this. Must put a real downer on things. 
 

I just hope you can deal with whatever their problem was. This after all your hard work on the drive train 

[PeteStupps]

On reflection I realise it was thoughtless of me to blurt out so much detail about John's race admin; sorry @JohnD I should have left that to you. It's very easy to treat this forum as a private chat, which of course it isn't.

Here's a few photos. Firstly some paddock prep avec Egret, then some action. 

 

You can see the trace of smoke at the rear of the car in these three. John's theory was that it was tyre smoke, and it did only seem apparent on the exit from corners.

 

 

[PeteStupps]

And here's some other snaps from the day. Was a highlight to see the lesser-spotted Triumph SLR battling with a Marcos and then a Mk2 Jag. Unfortunately I paid very little attention to the massed ranks of Triumphs and other classics on show in the car parks, except for the lovely Lotus Elite and the 'interesting' Lightning McQueen ex-Triumph vehicle. 

[JohnD]

I suppose there is good and bad in every event.   The good in this one was to meet Andrew egret, and Pete (again), and to spend time with my Son & Family who live in Sarf Lunnon.

The bad was, first, road works on the M20.   From Sarf Lunnon it should be about half an hour to Brands, but taking advantage of the Bank Holiday weekend (!) the M20 Eastbound was being resurfaced.  A few signs said "Find an alternative route".   Well, thanks a bunch.     The result was a traipse through all the villages and towns on the way east, that took  THREE BLOODY HOURS on Sunday morning.    Grandson went to sleep, although he was energised by arriving at Brands.

Then, and this is entirely my own fault, my only possible excuse being having him there enjoying my favourite pass time, and by the paddock loudspeakers not working, I missed qualifying!     Or almost.   Realising that my group was out on track, I jumped in the car, set off the the assembly area and was allowed out on track - only for practise to be stopped for a car stuck in  the gravel.  I had only done one and half laps, and the Regulations say you must do three.   So a trip to apologise to the Clerk of the Course, who kindly let me go out in another group's qualifying session to get my three.    

Come Monday, and come Andrew and Pete - what a team!   I was all suited and booted at least a hour before the race, not going to be late again, but because of the Sunday debacle, I'm at the back of the grid.  The last time this happened was at Oulton earlier this year, when I was ninth reserve, but got to race at the last possible minute as others withdrew.   That was fun, as I was faster than the last few lines of the grid, and was able to overtake a dozen or so in the first lap.     But Brands operates Rolling Starts, you take a 'green flag' lap behind the safety car, with disappears into the pits as you approach the start line, and if the red lights go out, you're racing.  But somehow I wasn't.

This new (old) clutch LSD made me spin at Anglesey, it's far too stiff. Brands has a unique collection of fast and slow corners, including the dreaded Paddock Hill Bend and I was just too nervous to press on into them.   I suppose the racers equivalent of the golfers 'yips'.    Certainly everyone in the grid was walking away from me, and very quickly the leaders were lapping.    Worse, I could see that I had blue smoke from the back in left hand bends - tyre rubbing on a wheel arch??

Anyway, I pressed on, until another stranded car caused a "60" - flags signals to slow everyone down to 60kph (37mph)  so that the recovery vehicles could remove it safely.   Such a slow down means that a pitstop costs less in laps, so like many others I went in.     Andrew was there all prepared and the pitstop started well - until a marshal came over and gave the throat cutting sign!    "You've been black flagged," he said," the Clerk wants to see you."    So engine off and I traipse down that long, long pit lane to Race Control.     My smoking had led them to show me the "black'n'orange' flag meaning "You have a mechanical problem, come in!"   I didn't see it, so they showed the BLACK FLAG, that means "COME IN!"    I didn't, the Clerk was unhappy, I'm disqualified.     End of race., no argument, my apologies, Clerk.

Packing up to go home is always a chore, but with Pete and Andrew helping was soon done.  I was on the road again at 1800, but it's nearly 300 miles to Lancaster and I got home at 0130.

Quote Steve McQueen:  "Racing is Life - the rest is just waiting"    Not on weekends like this it isn't!

John

PS  My real  appreciation to Andrew egret and Pete Stubbs for their enthusiasm, help and moral support!   Many thanks, guys!  John

PPS Thanks for the pics, Pete!   Is that a whiff of the blue smoke as I leave Druids?     And yes, Triumph really missed a trick with the TR4 SLR.  No.231 in the above pics - the design is about 50 years younger than the production TR4!

 

Edited August 27, 2024 by JohnD

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Really sorry about that DQ John. Right bugger.

A bit of tyre rub on the limit isn't something you can road test out of the local streets. Should be easy to sort now you know.

Pleased though that you did get to race and had some obviously excellent support.

I suspect that getting the Quaife back and/or getting the plate diff dialed down a bit will make things a lot better. Nice to see the car running sweetly though.

Excellent photos. The SLR is a beautiful car. Haven't seen any mention of it for years so very nice to see it racing.

The owner of that red Spitfire deserves a birching.

PS. Lovely weather you had too. Beginning to float up hearabouts

Edited August 27, 2024 by Escadrille Ecosse

[PeteStupps]

32 minutes ago, JohnD said:

PPS Thanks for the pics, Pete!   Is that a whiff of the blue smoke as I leave Druids? 

You're very welcome and indeed it is John - I've sent you a PM with a video file which shows it more obviously. Does just seem to be when cornering, although the video resolution isn't brilliant. Trackside it seemed to clear as you straightened up and braked into the next bend, to reappear as you accelerated out.

12 minutes ago, Escadrille Ecosse said:

The owner of that red Spitfire deserves a birching.

Inclined to agree. @egret chatted to him more open-mindedly though, and apparently the workmanship is better than the man's taste would suggest. 

[egret]

I went to have a chat with Lightning McQueen because I spotted he's cut down his hardtop to make a targa and I wanted to see how he did it - I've plans to do that to mine.  I got the full enthusiastic build story, complete with booklet of photos off the guy!

It's a GT6 based car, built as a retirement restoration over lock down, during which time he decided to fully commit to the Lightning McQueen look.  It's pretty sorted underneath with details such as an alloy radiator grafted into a historic radiator top so it looks period, some nice ducting, two coils on a nice bracket so he has a spare ready to go, and a pretty neat solution for making the targa.  He's 'glassed in some tubes to the rear section which accept stainless pins on the roof pieces, which are then bolted down with the original fixings at the front.  The drivers panel slots into the passenger one to keep them solid.  The split roof sections fit either behind the seats (and still allow him to carry camping chairs) or the boot, and the driver's panel comes out first so he can keep his wife's hair sheltered while enjoying open top motoring himself!

So almost the polar opposite of my philosophy, focusing on show, not go, therefore not my cup of tea but there are some well thought through details and it's not, as I feared, a bag of bolts under all the show!

I try to keep an open mind on such things as I'm aware my spitfire is in the minority when compared to most of the shiny, polished chrome classic cars out there...

[Hamish]

John that’s a sad tail and demoralising. 
I hope that you can find the definitive answer to the smoke and a solution. 
And you can get you on track for a blast  

come and join us on a hill or a sprint  

 

I love the SLR TR Enterprises are making a few if you want one. 

and more here with an old banger you may recognise?

 

 

 

[JohnD]

Andrew egret has sent me links to the David Stallard website. DS is the usual pro photographer who follows the CSCC and sells excellent pics to the racers.

I can't post a copy here, but he includes a rear view of me leaving Druids, with a plume of smoke coming from the middle  of the back of the car.    Pete and Andrew both said that happened on corners and cleared on straights - this points at that damned LSD!

But "Troubles come not as single spies, but in battallions" (Hamlet).   I went to unload the car this morning, slipped in the wet and trying to grip the door to stop falling, have lacerated my hand.  Now in A&E and likely to be referred for plastic surgery.

Pity I didn't fall on my face - they could have given me a better nose too.

John