Not such a great weekend.....

Very quick first ramblings, more to follow from the first round the championship Updated with pics now - thanks to Rob Aslett :) :-



Well we did a few stages, we lost a spot light on Worthy Farm 1, on one of the 'don't cut' posts......

Then the rest went really well (no idea of speed or results as we never got that far...) apart from Henstridge where every thing went downhill for many many different reasons.... :(

But then on the second run of the Kings Wood stage in the dark (in reverse, so 4th time on the stage), flat in 3rd around the left / rights, all of a sudden the back comes round before I can do anything and the front of the car digs in the ditch, spins us round (in about 4ft of movement !) and leaves us stuck in the ditch, but very annoyingly it had broken the bottom of the rad :(

Really enjoyed the woods, no punctures, and generally apart from my off, the tyres (Firestone's) held up. Judging by comments at the tea halt, plenty of others have tales to tell at the end, shame we weren't there.

A BIG BIG thank you to the newby marshals who towed us out of the ditch, the out of the woods, and then about 10 miles to a pub, where we just caught them still selling Cod n' Chips :)



More Pictures - Thanks to Andy Manston of M&H Photography :-





Updated: 12th Feb. '08

Fame at last.... !

A chance for those who missed the Motors TV coverage of the Lombard 2007 rally to see the highlights of where we featured, or you might want to watch it for the Foo Fighters music :)

See the video here

Updated: 1st Feb '08

A working weekend

A full weekend has just been spent working at the Brands Hatch rally school, involving a mixture of both instructing and giving demo driving laps around the two rally stages.

Although Gordon Brown and his cronies get a fair share of the cut, the money earned all goes to further the rallying budget, with just a couple of weeks to go before the season opener in Somerset, and I can't wait.

First event of the year......

Chelmsford Motor Club (my local club) are running a Gymkhana at Woodbridge airfield and this will be a treated very much as a test session for both car and driver.

Pics, results to follow after the event - New pic added !

Update: I have been asked to test a set of tyres for a major international tyre supplier, with a view to their use on Endurance rallies in the future. Tyre test data and feedback will also follow after the event.
Since the test never happened, i will now be evaluating the tyres when i go testing in the middle of February, more details will follow after that.

Results : Well the tyre test didn't happen for a number of reasons but, it turned out the old worn Colways worked well as we took the event win ! A top days club motorsport :)

Pictures; sorry they are not that big, but better quality ones will follow.



Just after a dip in road, showing the car at full compression



Just entering the same dip, the red circle is showing the photographers stickers, a number of us run with these to show our thanks to Andy Manston who is out on most of our events snapping us.
(See http://www.mandh-photography.co.uk for more info.)

NEW Pic :) :-



This picture was taken coming out of a double 90 Right, which was very slippery due to a covering of mud (well i think it is mud !!!). On our way to a top 5 time :)

Updated; 1st Feb '08

2008 Winter Project Work

Below is a list of jobs to be done to the car before the first round of the championship 9th/10th Feb, i had better get working ! :-

- MOT - Done 2nd Jan '08
- Refit serviced front shocks (amazingly cheap only 23 Quid + vat each at Gaz ) - Done 31st Dec '07
- Sort fuel pump relay issues, and add 'hard-wired' loom Done 19th Jan '08
- Add stage / road 'map' switch
- Sort trip meter sender wiring issues - Done 4th Feb '08
- Change spark plugs, rotor arm & cap, and HT-leads - Done 5th Feb '08
- Fit new cam belt, tensioner and water pump - Done 1st March
- Complete bolt check (as per every event check)
- Deal with dent....... - Done 7th Feb '08
- Fit new front brake discs & pads - Done 4th Feb '08
- Sort Cut-off switch wiring fault.....
- Decide on new tyres and get them fitted, and repair one wheel Tyre decision made ! We'll be running with Firestone F580 6-Ply tyres. Fitted four, now just trying to scrub them in ! (4th Feb '08)
- Adjust h/brake..... again ! (Before CMC Gymkhana) Done 15th Jan '08 and tested :) But driver needs more h/brake practice.....(luckily the Gymkhana proved just that practice :) !)
- Check drive belts -Done 4th Feb '08
- Check rear brakes - Done 7th Feb '08
- Change driveshafts - Done 7th Feb '08
- Speak to TRS about harness recall, new harness buckles on order, after Autosport Show, new buckles have arrived just got to fit them. Now fitted and much better :) - Done 4th Feb '08*
- Check all levels and change engine oil and filter - Done 7th Feb '08(inspect old filter)*
- Change fuel filter - Done 5th Feb '08 (inspect old filter)*
- Check / add front bumper mounts - Done 4th Feb '08
- Remove air-con, its never really worked well, so it can go - Done 1st March
- Inspect g/box oil for signs of wear etc.... - Done 7th Feb '08
- Refit nav's map light - Done 4th Feb '08
- Check +ve voltage at spots when on full beam - Done 7th Feb '08

* = Essential Items to be done before the first round of the championship early in February, too much work and too little time means some jobs will have to wait till the SW Enduro.

Updated 5th March '08

2007 in pictures....

5th O/A and 3rd in class on the South West Endurance Rally
(Click on any pics for a bigger version)


5th O/A and 1st in class on the CMC Mid-summer Endurance Rally


Same event but later that night in the fog



Pushing too hard on the Welsh Endurance, the clutch went later in the event so our first DNF..... :( - Camera Phone Pic, sorry for quality.



Yorkshire Endurance Rally - 21st O/A and championship positions confirmed :) - Taken in Boltby Forest one of the best forests around.



Lombard Rally 2007 - Setting 2nd Fastest Stage time at Silverstone, and taking 2nd place overall at the end of day 1.


Lombard Rally 2007 - On our way to another top ten time, this time at the three counties show ground.



Lombard Rally 2007 - Being flagged away for the start of the third day by the Mayor of Llandridnod Wells, starting in 8th place overall.

2007 Review

After a very successful 2007, plans are now afoot to make 2008 even better.

The switch to the Rover 200 proved to be a good move allowing us (Dave Leadbetter - Nav) to take many good results, and to challenge for top 5 results. This was backed up by taking 3rd Driver and 2nd Navigator in the National Endurance Road Rally Championship.

This was also backed up by this years Lombard rally (with Dave Town on the maps), although the final result didn't reflect our pace we were placed 2nd overall (out of 120 starters) at the end of day 1 and lying in ~6th place overall when we retired due to a fuel pump wiring fault.

Work and and plans are in place for an even stronger attack on this years championship, plans include :-

- Testing in January to evaluate new tyres for the championship
- Review and further development work on suspension settings
- Repairing and installing back-up wiring for the fuel pump
- Full overhaul and check of the rally car all ready for the first round of the championship early in February.