Silverstone Classic 2014

[Migge]

No Le Mans pics in 2014, no Silverstone pics either? Not fair for the nonparticipants

[Paul Blore]

Hi Migge,

Has anyone told you yet that you were voted the "Anorak of the Year" by the club committee? Karl accepted the trophy in your absence, so hopefully he can get that to you somehow.

Congratulations.

Paul

[Migge]

Wow! Is that really true Paul? If so, I'm really surprised and very honored

[kaiserbilly1]

It is true Miggie
Why are you surprised at getting the "Anorak" award

[Migge]

Thought that only members with very very knowledge to the detail and present at the event would get the "Anorak of the year" title. I have only "dangerous smattering".

[Roger King]

It's a fine line between the two, Migge, believe me.

Congrats

Roger

[Migge]

Thank you Roger

[Colin Newbold]

Race Report...

I was frankly surprised and delighted that my MGB entry to this year’s Silverstone Classic was accepted! The deal is you fill out an application form and attach to it pictures of the car plus a full copy of the Historic Technical Passport (this is the document that proves the car’s eligibility – all 28 pages of it). The application then goes before a panel of experts at the Masters Series inner sanctum who decide your fate. If accepted, they then remove a considerable sum of money from your bank account for the privilege. Not to mention the fact they prefer your race licence to be at least to Race International C status, which in my case required a full-blown 16-lead ECG stress test, so that’s another huge expense!

So I was in! All I needed was a car that wouldn’t embarrass my co-driver Wil and I. As a result of a slightly sick engine 3 weeks before the Classic, we took the view to completely rebuild. Again! My crew at Lenham Motor Company stripped the block and the head and sent them for crack testing – both checked out ok. They then preserved what they could (pistons, con-rods, crank and cylinder head) but replaced the camshaft with one that would spread the torque more evenly (the other one was knackered anyway). The rebuilt engine was set up on a rolling road about a week before the event and gave us (on paper at least) improved figures all round. Everything else on the car was thoroughly checked over and anything that wasn’t 100% was replaced.

And so to the event… A colleague had kindly lent us his modest motorhome, so that was accommodation for Nicky and I sorted. Baz Jones was already coming in his Cob with his Mum, and staying at T289R hotel, which is where I housed Wil and his wife Ana for the duration. Qualifying was late in the afternoon on the Friday, and after just two laps the water temperature began to climb. By the time I came in to hand over to Wil, the gauge was off the scale so Wil completed the session doing just enough to qualify. Even then, we weren’t last on the grid! We’d lost over 2 litres of water from the system and drove the car gingerly back to the motorhome paddock where Baz proceeded to remove the cylinder head. The gasket was blown in two places, there were even tiny signs of piston material embedded in the head. The tops of the pistons were damaged, but the considered wisdom suggested they would be ok to race, as long as we looked after the engine temperature. Karl lent us a trick rad cap (a central button allows air to be bled out of the system), and we had the rest of what we need in our spares box. It was getting dark as Baz applied the finishing touches to the overnight rebuild and we went to bed Friday night as optimistic as circumstances would allow (at this point, my biggest regret was missing the Ultimate Eagles gig!).

Saturday dawned bright and sunny once again and we replaced the fuel (Shell Nitro+ with additive) with Sunoco Leaded 105 octane (£2.49 per litre!!) which is claimed to help engines run cooler. A re-torque of the head and wheel nuts, tyre-pressure check, and we were good to go. The race was at 2:40 pm but things were running about 20-mins late. The melee that is the ‘assembly area’ was frankly a bit Mickey-Mouse but somehow we all got through into the pit lane and out onto circuit. The rolling start meant we were travelling a full lap, warming up tyres (not really necessary as the track temperature was close to 40 degrees!), checking levels, etc before being let go. Technically, no overtaking is allowed before crossing the start line but I can assure you that at least two cars went past me before they should have done!! Also, I felt we were far too spread out which is why the leading car was up with me (to lap me) by my 5th lap! Bearing in mind this was a race with several classes including Cobras, TVR Griffiths, Bizzarini/Iso-Grifos, Tigers and E-Types…there were several times when I was looking more behind me than in front! It didn’t help that I was being plagued by a rear-view mirror that kept falling down, requiring constant re-adjustment!

During the first two laps I once again watched the water temperature rising. Wil and I agreed that we would limit our revs to 6000 if this happened, so that, I can tell you folks, was incredibly frustrating, when the car is capable of revving to at least 7200 normally. Those of you watching (it was really great to have your support guys) will have seen me dicing with a yellow TR4…every bend I was right up his backside only to watch him drive off into the sunshine on the straights. I doubt whether I could have kept ahead, even if I could have got past. At half-time, I handed over to Wil, who proceeded to continue nursing the car until the chequered flag.

So where did we end up? Out of the 57 cars that started, we finished 43rd. And 7th in Class, which was not bad considering the numbers entered and an off-colour car. So it was a curate’s egg kind of feeling at the end. Delighted to have finished, especially given the troubles Friday, and privileged to have been part of the Silverstone Classic from a competitor’s point of view, rather than as a spectator. After 18 years of attending that event and sitting in grandstands watching all the cars go by, it was the realisation of quite a dream! Just shows you what’s possible if you want something badly enough. The upside is that the car’s CV can now add Silverstone Classic 2014 to Le Mans Classic (2002) and Spa 6-Hrs (2003). The downside is that we have a frustrating problem with the car that is not yet cured.

Thanks go to Lenham Motor Co for their sterling work in getting the car ready, to Baz for his spannering at the circuit, and to Wil for his sympathetic driving. Not to mention our long-suffering wives, Ana and Nicky…between them Chief Transport Officer, Chief Catering Officer and Team Manager! All hail the ‘where shift happens’ team…we’ll be back!

(Pictures and video to follow)

[Migge]

Colin,

Nobody told you it will be easy

Keep going, now you are anyway addicted.

Good luck for the next race.

Cheers
Migge

[Roger King]

I would just like to say that I trotted around all 4 of the Clubs of which I am a member at Silverstone, and the 289 Register are without doubt the most welcoming and friendly bunch of the lot. I could give details of the others, but I'd better not...

Cheers, chaps, and carry on...