mikes

Nice idea - make mine a large one! Oh yes, and the sticker - but not too big though. Mike

Well, I think I will just give the 7 an extra polish 😬 😬 to gain that slight edge - or it may only compensate for carrying the extra weight of the head restraint, getting older and fatter etc. So I hope all you other Class 2 warriors aren't rushing around doing excessive things to try and gain an unfair advantage!! And yes that means you Mark - I don't know what it is yet, but I have my sources. Like the rest of you though, what makes it so good is the company at the sprints and of course the fantastic organisation of BB. I just hope I can improve on the times last year. See you all at Lydden if not before. Mike

Guy, I just hope you are going to be equally indecisive on the track as you are about your diary!! 😬 "Will I start now or won't I - just can't decide - no, no , stop the clock!!" Mike

Let's give it a go. Blimey, that could be 2 events south of Watford! You are doing us Southern boys proud I do hope it is not too scary! Mike

I am always rather pleased that I changed to 3D ignition. It does away with all that distributor stuff (it was a mystery to me that they ever worked properly in the first place!)and it gives you a whopping big spark at the right time. At the time of my rebuild at 27K miles I was also persuaded to have a new camshaft installed (same super sprint spec though) as although the old one didn't show any real signs of wear it can all happen reasonably quickly. Mike

After a rebuild (courtesy of Roger King) I had a similar sluggish starter. As Popuplights says, it may be too much static advance (that is what I was told as well, coupled with a slightly tired starter motor) and, as I had a 3D ignition system with the throttle sensor, it could be overcome by depressing the throttle fairly well open when turning over on the starter. It seems to work as well! Good luck Mike

My solution, for what it is worth, is to bolt an aluminium strip to the existing accelerator pedal (to fit behind it) which then extends the pedal towards the brake for the amount needed. The advantage is that the ali (I think I actually used some left over carpet grip things) bends to the same shape as the existing pedal, you only need to drill a couple of small holes in the existing pedal and you do not need to bend it in a way not intended. If you need to adjust the amount of overlap you can just drill new, or extend the holes in the ali. Mind you, I still have trouble getting it right when it really matters on the track! Mike

Looks good to me. I am pleased to see you managed to get one event at Lydden again for us Southern boys - and I will be interested to do it without still running the engine in this time. Hmmm, more hill climbs though - I hope you can turn the taps off like you did for Loton Park last time or they will be a bit scary *smile* Mike

Thanks for sorting that out Graham. I thought the scramble to get entries in had finished for the year!! Mike

I am not sure I fancy withering on a vine - or swallowing an exhaust come to that As Richard indicated it seems unlikely that anybody would go for class 2 with a monster of a xflow now - wouldn't they want to at least have the 1B tyres? I know I will be unable to resist buying some new things for next year but it certainly won't be a huge upgrade of my xflow - honest! Anyway, to answer Guy's question - my terminal speed on the last run was 104mph - and you are probably right about the headwind. I am pretty sure my earlier runs were around 103mph (even in the wet) but I was on fullpower much earlier round Beechers on that last run. Although the aero was a complete waste of time in trying to catch Colin - you are right about the visibility - particularly in the wet it was so much better. My other main worry now is how to keep the car to myself and prevent my Aintree support team from having a go!! Mike

OK – I had better have a say as well. As someone with a slightly modified xflow (RK Supersprint Plus spec – 109bhp at the wheels) and a fairly old chassis (both me and the 7) I was trying to keep up with Colin and Guy with their modified Ks in Class 2. It was my first full year of sprinting and the only choice I made was to go into class 2 because I am too mean to buy tyres that wear out quickly!! Of course, it was only for fun, but as the end of the season approached it got serious enough for us all to either get or think about ditching the windscreen. Didn’t look a great investment as we watched the rain pour down in the morning did it? Like most of the others I really enjoyed the company and the competition and although we often had 1 or 2 who were some way in front, the rest of us were always very close and that made it really exciting. It looks to me that Peter C has got it about right and I definitely agree with the novice, ladies thing as being a %age of the class best – really good idea. It was great to be able to be fairly competitive in a class without having to spend huge amounts. From what I saw it would be a real shame to change the class 1 structure as they had a brilliant battle – and often the times would not have looked too shabby in many other classes! Whatever we do – thanks for all your organisation Graham it was very well done. Comiserations to Dave and Kaspar after Aintree – I do hope they are back next year – just don’t let Dave in Class 2! Mike

The Royce Foundation has my vote. I suppose this is to make up for not having one of the sprints in a sensible place like the South next year then!! Mike

Yes for me as well. Mike

Graham, I may have my daughter coming up with me - for some reason she wants to see the old man doing a sprint. I haven't asked her yet if she want to think about marshalling but does she need to be a club member? She is old enough so that wouldn't be a problem. Mike

I wouldn't give up on the idea just yet. It could be that most are just too lazy to post anything, like me. As Kipper said, it is a bit of a trek for us Southern boys but even if there wasn't going to be the massed press and TV coverage, celebrities etc and the excitement of picking up of silverware (well....I can hope) I would still try and make it. Mike

You could try the 7 extension type SPA mirrors here: http://www.europaspares.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Exterior_Mirrors_35.html They are not cheap though and visibility is - well - better than nothing! I have one bolted through one of the lower windscreen fixing holes and it looks OK. It gets knocked a bit when you open the door fully, but otherwise it is no problem. Mike

Yorick, I cannot claim to be any sort of expert but I have had a 1989 1700 crossflow flow for a few years so at least I know what some of the bits are supposed to look like! I am on holiday this week so if you still want someone to give a second opinion let me know, I can get to Horndean pretty easily. As I am not at work !! I probably won't check this again until tonight but leave a message and/or email me. Mike

Many thanks from me too for organising the day, and the track day on Saturday, and to all the marshalls and helpers. I was a really good weekend for those of us lucky enought to take part. Mike

I'll have a spare helmet with me as well. Not up to F1 standard, but it is the BS spec which would pass the MSA scrutineering. I expect to use it for for a couple of passenger rides but that may just be the morning anyway. I willl be there with a G reg metallic burgandy XF , older trailer and grey Audi A4. Give me a shout if you want to borrow it. Mike

What a relief. Even in my class 2 crossflow I also found drips on the right hand side of the trailer and diff oil sprayed around. I had a horrible feeling that it might have had something to do with a very rapid 360 on the grass. I have never found this to happen before - or perhaps I just haven't noticed. As a precaution I topped up the oil and took it out for short blat - no obvious leak, but the diff housing was certainly hot. Too hot to keep a hand on it. I hope somebody is going to tell me this is normal. Mike

Graham, Brilliant , thanks for that. Given the interference you were receiving from wellwishers like myself when you were trying to input the times in the first place, I am surprised that you managed to get any of them right! Mike 😬 😬

Graham, I am gutted ☹️, I seem to have dropped to a more appropriate level in the list for Class 2! But ........ you have left out my MIRA points. What have I done to deserve such punishment? Despite this, thanks for all the hard work in putting it all together. Mike Sankey

I would also like to add my thanks to all those who made the day possible. I would especially like to thank whoever had the inspired idea of arranging the rain to have a serious effect just after my run - I must have better connections than I thought! I doubt I will be repeating my result of 2nd in class 2 in the other sprints though! Mike

I have a solid state Facet on my rebuilt 140BHP cross flow and it is OK so far. It is a fairly recent addition, replacing the mechanical one, and has only been in place for 1000 miles or so, but that has now included some track use. It was suggested to me by RK and the 7 Workshop that they appeared to be more reliable than the other type of Facets - at least you can hear it ticking before you startup! Hope this helps a bit. Mike

Thanks for the comments. I am slightly reassured. No, it didn't really have time to warm up, but I am sure it used to drop down at idle even when cold. I think the reading is up at 4-5 bar. The engine has only recently been rebuilt (by Roger King and very good too)with a high capacity oil pump, run in and rolling roaded and I think it did the usual things then. On Monday it was given a bit of a hammering at Cadwell and I noticed the unusual reading when checking it over (just as well because the alternator was about to fall off) on the following evening. Mike