Longleat-5th July

[Andrew Fordyce]

The regs are out today for this great event, which has been re-scheduled from it's usual time in late September.

We have our own class for Saturday (Class 2-Cars of the GTD40 Car Club) so let's see a big turnout to make it worthwhile for the organisors. This event fills up super quickly ,so get your entries in ASAP.

If you haven't received your regs by email, they will be available on the club website shortly.

Look forward to seeing you there and please post to let us know who is entering.

Andrew

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Now available from from Club Website. (Competition Update in News Section)

Almost forgot.... My entry goes to the post office tomorrow....

 

[RichardH]

int that the w/e before the Classic?

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Yep! sure is.

 

[Malcolm]

If you haven't done any hill climbing or other motorsport before, this is a great venue to cut your teeth on. Lovely setting and a great hill. Also good for spectating

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

As Malclom says, this is a great event and now moved to earlier in the season, good weather is hopefully assured. (fingers crossed)

Many competitors have cut their teeth at Longleat, it was Martin Weigold's first event I believe and excluding Brighton, it was Dave Parker's too (an event that won on his first entry too).

So - if you are thinking of having a go, why not start here, if you require any advice or have specific questions, air them here or contact our competition secretary - Dave Parker (contact details on club website) or PM me. We can also provide you with the required competition membership cards that are required to compete in the name of the club.

The Woolbridge organisers are one of the best in the business - they always make us welcome and have kindly provided a class for 'Cars of the GTD40 Car Club' - so if you're itching for some fun - come along - you'll love it!!

 

[VCC56]

Nadine and myself have just sent of the entries for Longleat, looks like it will be the twin Vipers again. Fantastic event, and will be a novelty to do it in July rather than late September. Perhaps we will avoid the early morning dewy/slimy/mossy bits under the trees after the hairpin! A good mate, Peter Sharp, with an RT/10 Viper might well join our ranks, and do his very first hillclimb event then. As mentioned by Malcolm above, its a good one to start out with.

Malcolm, I noticed that you expressed a liking for the MG SV when we came and stayed with you for 'Wheels Day', why don't you book Longleat with that car, just for fun? It's a very friendly well handling car to pilot. You could always ask Glenn to double drive. If not, I'd be happy for other experienced competition members of the GTD40 club to make use of the car at this event.

 

[Malcolm]

Thanks for the offer Bjorn, very generous. However I will most likley be prepping my car to get to Le Mans Classic and back that weekend.

Worth pointing out that under the class entry the club has, and as proven by Bjorn and Nads, you don't need a 40 to do this event. Most any car would do.....

 

[Ian Anderson]

What mods need done?

Is it a full cage, external battery cut off, plumbed in fire system etc or do they make allowances for road cars?

I sak as the last time I looked it would take a load of mods to get a car over 2litres up to the hill climb requirements.

Cheers
Ian

 

Hi Guys, my entry went in the post yesterday, cannot wait to get back to longleat as i was not able to compete last year...

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

What mods need done?

Is it a full cage, external battery cut off, plumbed in fire system etc or do they make allowances for road cars?

I sak as the last time I looked it would take a load of mods to get a car over 2litres up to the hill climb requirements.

Cheers
Ian

Hi Ian -

I will check the latest Blue-book (MSA Bible) this evening and post details. I know the rule you are thinking of and it was mainly to prevent people with less experience getting into high powered competition cars without having had some experience at lesser levels of power.

There is however a bit of a get out clause in that if the car competes in a road-going class and in a road-legal condition (tyres, MOT, Tax etc) - then the engine size is not an issue. For example people who compete at Brighton in the Handicap class on a National 'B' licence. (all other classes there I believe require an 'A' licence)

We have been kindly given our OWN CLASS at Longleat - that is 'for cars of the GTD40 Car Club' - so it may be possible there in a road legal condition, it really depends upon whether they class us as Sports-Libre over 2000cc or not. For that we will check with the event organisers.

Anyway, as mentioned I'll check the blue-book this evening and post once I have the correct information to hand.

 

Hi Guys just been informed that my entry has been accepted for longleat and places are going fast.

 

[Ian Anderson]

Paul

Did you manage to get the clarification on classification of the GTD40 club requirements?

I'd like to try this stuff but don't want to adjust the car first - might happen if I get the bug!


Cheers
Ian

 

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Hi Ian

Many apologies for the delay in responding, this week has been more hectic than ever, including taking a car for SVA today - PASS! :thumbsup:

Anyway.... back to the point.

There is a rule in the 2008 Blue book (page 313 sec 20) which states:

'Any driver competing in a Racing or Sports Libre car manufactured after 1960 of more than 2000cc (or 1428cc if forced induction) must hold a Speed National 'A' (OPEN) or Race National 'A' licence [C(a)-35] Unless the car is currently licensed for use on the public highway and competes in the event in a road-legal condition.

Now - the important bit in in RED.. Which basically means that if you drive the car on the road, then you can compete in it in the relevant class on a B Licence - i.e. a novice....

I'll check with an MSA official to be sure, but that is how I read it. Of course you will need a timing strut, but just about everything else should be just fine.. Even the electrical cut out only needs to be internally operable by the driver when normally seated with seat belts secured and must also isolate any electrical fuel pumps.

The switch must also be clearly marked with on/off positions, but suitable stickers would sort that.

There are other minor requirements (minimal) and you'll obviously need suitable (approved) racesuit+helmet. I'd recommend gloves, balaclava and boots too as a minimum - if you never need them, great! but IF you ever did......

So, bottom line - whilst it was thought that competing will be more difficult due to tighter regulations, esp for larger engined vehicles, it all depends on how you're classed as an entry.

We as a club are now often given our own class - i.e. 'Cars of the GTD40 Car Club', which bascially means we can compete in what we like (within reason) as we are our own little entity at the event. Good for us and good for the event as some competitors have been 'ruffled' by having our big motor cars in their class. It also means that we won't generally be up against twin-turbo 4WD monsters (not that I'd be bothered)...

Once I've spoken with MSA official I'll post more detail.

 

[Malcolm]

Some little items scrutineers pick up on every so often.....

You need to mark your earth lead from the battery to the chassis by putting some yellow tape around it to make it stripy

If you run a wet battery, put it in a battery box or a sealed compartment, at the very least cover the terminals

Oil catch tank is required, fit to your rocker breathers, do not feed the breather tubes back inot the engine.

If you run filter kings for your fuel pressure regulators, make sure that you do not have glass fuel bowls, use ali ones

There is noise testing at these events so make sure your car is not too loud. If you can run at Goodwood then you should be ok.

A clean well prepped car will always get past scrutineers easier than dirty seemingly uncared for car.

This is not a comprehensive list, just what came to mind now.

Ian, if you want to pop down to have a look at a car I would be happy to show what I think is required and then what I think is sensible to do. I think I am just under 30 minutes from you.