Classic Thunder Build - Duracel79 - England

[Peter V.]

Nive to hear from you again Ben. Nice update of your racingtime.

[Duracel79]

Wow, nice, thanks for taking your time to give us an extensive update Ben! Good to see how the car is developing, as well as the lap times! Any plans for the car, or for racing, for the near future?

Well plans are in place to race more this year, but who knows when we will actually get the chance.

Current Plan:

March 27th/28th - Silverstone International (Live streamed)
April 24th/25th - Cadwell Park (Live Streamed)
May 31st - Donington Park
July 31st/August 1st - Brands Hatch Indy (Live Streamed)
September 18th/19th - Snetterton 300 (Live Streamed)
October 17th - Mallory Park (Live Streamed)

The Live Streams will be by 247.TV which did some for us last year. Available on Facebook and Youtube.
There will also be produced highlight show on TV afterwards.

As for improvements to that car. Not much planned at the moment, just servicing and oil/brakes replaced etc.

Future major mods are a few years away, well when I can afford new sets of very wide wheels (and tyres) to fill out the planned Group 2 arches.

[Duracel79]

Great pics and stories! Keep on driving!

Greetz,
Walter.

Especially the onboard on the English version of Nurburgring. Looks like great fun, but difficult.
Thanks for your time to write this up.

Supercool, Ben!!

Wow, nice, thanks for taking your time to give us an extensive update Ben! Good to see how the car is developing, as well as the lap times! Any plans for the car, or for racing, for the near future?

Nive to hear from you again Ben. Nice update of your racingtime.

Thanks All.

[Jeroen]

[Duracel79]

Been a little while (few years) but we have some progress,

The car is insured and has number plates:


I wound off all the camber from the front to make it not try and kill me on the road, have fitted seats without the wings so you can see in your blind spots.

Had a drive and it really surprised me, have not driven on the road since 2017 and the noise and harshness is an overload of the senses. Normally driving with a balaclava and helmet on a smooth racetrack it feels so tame, now on the road its brutal.

[Duracel79]

On the 29th we have an E9 (sharknose) meet up at Bicester heritage and I will be there in the E21 with supposedly 50 more sharknoses. The German E3 group are over hear for it. I'll try and remember to take lots of pics for you all.

[nic65]

I didn't know this 3D, I don't agree with the use of recent engines on old cars, but the realization is fantastic...great job

[Jeroen]

So good to see this lovely build back on the road again! Wishing you a great meet, looking forward to your photos! We're in the German Eifel that same weekend.

[Duracel79]

Well yesterday made me realise how much I miss the Sharknose meeting (is there going to be another one?).

Drove a round trip of 120 miles in the race car, which is interesting. Noisy and you feel every grain of bitumin let alone the bumps and potholes.
But its fun trying to get used to it again, and boy is it fast.

Octoberfest at Bicester was great with lots of sharknose content. Organised brilliantly by the BMWCCGB E3 & E9 registrars.

Some pics, hope you like them:

[Jeroen]

Oh wow, that Octoberfest was quite a gathering, thanks for sharing!

As for a Sharknose Meeting, enough good intentions, but very hard to find a proper venue that is also "weather proof" as out weather is similar to yours, prices appear to have quadrupled and it is really hard to get some sponsors to keep prices at an affordable level. Fingers crossed, but no success expected on short term.

[Manitoba]

Amazing event, thanks for sharing all those nice pictures!

Greetz,
Walter.

[Duracel79]

Oh wow, that Octoberfest was quite a gathering, thanks for sharing!

As for a Sharknose Meeting, enough good intentions, but very hard to find a proper venue that is also "weather proof" as out weather is similar to yours, prices appear to have quadrupled and it is really hard to get some sponsors to keep prices at an affordable level. Fingers crossed, but no success expected on short term.

Hi Jeroen, its a shame the stars haven't aligned yet. I may have to try and join you guys on one of the eiffel/nurberg/spa trips you guys do. What are the plans for 2025. I could steal my dad's E9 for the trip or he could come with me.

Cheers

Ben

[Jeroen]

Yeah, why not bring your dad again?! Haven't looked into the schedule for 2025 yet and no real plans for E21 outings yet, but there are a few rough ideas. And otherwise, Spa Classic is always a blast!