Piers300

I am writing to you to let you know that I will be resigning from the position of East Kent AR at the end of December 2024. Anyone interested in taking on the role, please contact me for a chat about what is involved. Once I finish, unless someone becomes the AR, there will be no more local East Kent club emails or potentially meetings, until an AR is found. I took on the role in March 2022 after our previous AR Gary Hooton moved to Lancashire and we were without an AR for some considerable time. I did say I would only do it for a year or until someone volunteered to do the job. No one has offered to take it on and time is up. I will be 73 this month and it needs a younger person to really make a go of it. Having originally started the East Kent meeting back in April 1988, I had a personal interest in seeing that the area meeting continued and thrived and I would like to thank all the regulars who have supported the meetings and the odd event I organised. I intend to still be a Club member for the foreseeable future and will retain my 7 for a bit longer, but the writing is on the wall. I had my first Seven 39 years ago and it will be a sad day for me when it all comes to an end. Regards Piers

So far, there are only four of us attending. Please let me know if you are coming, otherwise the writing is on the wall for future meetings. Piers

After the pub’s holiday shutdown in September, we are back at The Ringlestone Inn for our October 10th meeting from 7:00 pm onwards. The address is, Ringlestone Road, Nr Harrietsham, Kent, ME17 1NX The food chosen for our October meeting is chicken curry, rice and poppordoms. Please email me at: eastkent@caterhamlotus7.club with your number of meals needed. Please do NOT reply to the sender of this message , as I will not get your response as it goes to Admin. It must be to the east kent email above. One thing up for discussion is our Annual Christmas Bash meeting on the 12th December. Do you want me to invite a guest(s). Last year we invited GP Sevens, but they were away delivering a car to France, but expressed an interest in coming next year in 2024. I have not yet contacted them. Finally, do you want me to do another 7 themed quiz. I promise I will make it much easier than the last one. If you are not coming to this month’s meeting, I would still like your feedback sent to my email above. Piers

Thank you Paul and Stuart. - very helpful. The belt has been ordered from Redline, so I will have a crack at it next week. Piers

My alternator drive belt (31213) has delaminated and has a whip like section coming away from the belt causing a speed related clack clack clack noise. Luckily, last night I realised all was not well, so the 7 was not used to attend the monthly club meeting. I need to have a good look to make sure that no damage has been done to the pipe work by the rather long piece of delaminated belt. So this morning, I got under the car in my pit to find that two hoses pass through the centre of the belt when installed. This means that something has to be undone, so the pipes/hoses can pass through the centre of the belt, when the new one is fitted. Is there an easy way to do this and what should be undone/disconnected. Piers

The BBC forecast of light rain for this evening was a bit of an understatement, as we had torrential rain, plus thunder and lightning. Thank you to Gary, Paul, Andrew, John, Julian and Patrica and Imelda for braving the rather inclement weather. The food we all had was excellent, good steaks, tacos and burgers. Piers

Just a quick reminder that tonight’s meeting is at The Stag in Challock from 6:00 pm onwards. I don’t know if we will be allowed to park in the back garden due to the recent level of rain. If the cones are blocking the entrance to the garden, then we are in the large car park. The Ringlestone is shut for holidays but we return there for the October meeting. Hopefully, see everyone this evening. Piers Please note that if you want to reply to me, then you have to send me an email at: eastkent@caterhamlotus7.club. Otherwise your auto reply will go to Admin and nothing will happen.

I should have added for the Haynes Museum blat from CC, please reply to me at : eastkent@caterhamlotus7.club. I do not know if my email still says reply to Admin, but please reply to my email address as above. Piers

Caterham Cars have offered their Dartford Crossing premises as a start point for a blat down to The Haynes Museum on the 28th September for the Graham Nearn Anniversary Memorial Blat. Is anyone attending from East Kent and would like to use CC’s premise as a start point, please let me know. At present, I have no other details. I am unable to attend. Please reply to me at: eastkent@caterhamlotus7.club Piers

Sale agreed and car now sold. Piers

It seems that there is a problem with the club system and any message I send to you, asks you to reply to Admin. THIS IS AN ERROR. Please reply to me at : eastkent@caterhamlotus7.club Please email me if you intend to come to the Stag, as at present, there are only three 7’s, myself , Paul and Julian. I only found out about this problem from Paul, plus Julian confirmed on Blat Chat that he was coming. I received no replies from anyone to my first message, which was a bit strange. I have emailed the club about the issue and hopefully it will be sorted soon. Hopefully see everyone on the 12th at The Stag. Piers

I have had a very poor response to this event and to date, there are only two 7’s attending (Julian and myself plus partners). If you are thinking of coming, please let me know otherwise it may be best to cancel the meeting. I’ll leave it for another week and then make the decision. Piers

Please can any interested party in the car address ALL correspondence to my brother in law , at either: His name is Crispin. Mobile: +44 (0)7789 914054 or email: feildingc@gmail.com The car is at his house which is 200+ miles from me. Piers

Thank you Andrew. The advert is now on your site. regards Piers

Ok will do. Piers

Hi Andrew, Will you put the advert onto your C20xe web site or do you want me to do it. I’ve joined your group to help Crispin sell the car, so potentially I could do it. Piers

Hello Roger, trust you are well. I can remember going up a gravelled road to enter Switzerland following you and we were both stopped by a Swiss border guard, who asked where we had come from. We said England and his reply was “ what in these cars”. They were good days. Am I correct in saying we were both driving HPC’s. Crispin’s interest lie elsewhere now, so sad that it’s time to let it go to a new owner. Piers

Hi Andrew, Yes, that’s fine. Back in the 90’s this was the car to beat and it was very well know in Club circles. I actually shared the driving with my brother in law to the Swiss International Meeting, but cannot remember the year. It was indecently fast, compared to my Super Sprint. It’s a rare beast but needs a new owner. Piers

FOR SALE: 1992 Vauxhall HPC Evolution in green with yellow nose. This car was factory built and fitted with the 235 BHP engine from new. It has approximately 38,000 miles on the clock and has had 2 owners. Dry sump, Limited slip differential, 12 Months MOT recently done, Competition roll bar, Ally Radiator, 4 pot calliper brakes. Never used in the winter but in need of some restoration. The car has not been used recently and will make a good restoration project over the winter months. 6 Point Harness, detachable steering wheel. Straight cut 5 speed gearbox (These s/c gearboxes are noisy) with long first gear. This car was well known in the club and was very successful in Club Sprints and won numerous events. It used to have registration number J8EAR, which was removed from the car some time ago, as was the registration number 9487EL in the photos. It now has a standard registration number for its date. According to the Magnificent 7 by Chris Rees (page 82), he confirms that only 20 engines of this specification were built, so it is a rare Seven. The car has been owned by its present owner since 1994 and is a well-known original HPC. Asking price £16,500 ONO. Located near Evesham. Contact Crispin Feilding on 07789 914054 or email: feildingc@gmail.com

As The Ringlestone Inn is shut for holidays in September, we will be meeting at The Stag, Canterbury Road, Challock, Ashford, TN25 4BB. Please note that it is from 6:00 pm onwards, so we get the light, as it is getting darker earlier now. I have been in contact with the pub and if the weather is good, we can park in the back garden. It would be great to know numbers attending, so if you’re coming, please let me know. There is no chosen meal, so you can choose from their menu to suit. I remember that the burger I had there on my last visit was good. Please remember to leave quietly, as the locals love to complain about the noise of cars departing. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 12th September. We are back at The Ringlestone Inn for the October meeting. regards Piers

Three 7’s attending The Manston Classic Car Meeting, being Paul, Ollie and Piers. There were two other 7’s there and we spoke to one of the owners who had been on this year’s Fish & Chip run. Piers