usual last minute panic to:
fix exhaust
fix rear height adjustmt
free off front calliper
get it running right
find another Federal 205/50/15 tyre to raise front
fit the E28 engine mounts
In the end the new shiny stainless exhaust would not fit with the e28 engine mounts- so back to the e34 ones- plan was to fit a slightly larger tyre 205 vs 195 to raise front as the worry was that we would ground out on the bumpy Sloc
The tyre didn't arrive in time- and the rear adjust things were the wrong diameter- "top up and motor on"
and we were running well - keeping up with a 7.2 litre Jensen in the same class:
But then on the last dryish run on the Sloc Herman ground to a halt just after crossing the finishing line- I hit the rev limiter on the penultimate corner in third- which was quite a result- but this cooked the ECU
I was convinced it was the silly immobiliser thingie- until we got it recovered back to workshop and tried the old ECU
therefore I did the rest of the event- being the third day at Ramsey- in the Hartge
Lots of thrills and some spills
A GTD40 kitcar managed to spin in its own length at Governors hill taking out the wall and his radiator:
ouch!
other highlights included a real AC Cobra that managed to pip my class record (in Camaro) at Ramsey:
makes me wish I had Butch with me!
All the superfast Caterhams 300+ bhp and 500 kgs - hence called 600Rs were shaded by a spaceship Audi Quattro Pikes peak thing with 850 bhp!
But there again the Audi Monster was itself shaded by the most unbeleiveable PUMA thing- with 650 bhp cossie motor and 4wd- this thing simlpy blitzed the records for unlimited Kitcars
Just goes to show that once you get involved in moderns- there will always be something faster, better with more tech etc than you!
Lesson 1 is to stick to the Classics- and in any event only Classics may win the overall Manx Classic afterall!
Herman was a handful in the damp and bumps and slightly loose surface of the Sloc- quite handy to promote the easy oversteer and slide the back round- like many I simply hate understeer. The really quick rally Escorts were much faster than the Rally Porsches (and Big Red).
Big Red was suitably consistent- when I got into the groove my 3 timed runs at Ramsey were 90.50; 90.46 and finally 90.28
just shows that there really was not much left (pity there wasn't an index of efficiency as we would have won!)
