Hillclimb & Sprint - Special Class for Imp Based

[graham]

I've been trying to push this for years through the Imp Club and the New Davrian Register, so thought I'd try here too.
Since 1998 The Hillclimb and Sprint Assosiation have offered a separate class in their championship specifically for Imp based vehicles. There are two classes: One merged class for Road Going Imps/Variants/Imp Based Vehicles up to 1040cc, and the second class for non road going Imp powered cars.
Unfortunately, numbers are staarting to dwindle and it would be a shame to lose these classes alltogether if there is a lack of takers.
I've only done a few events this year as there has not been many entrants for this class this year.
The last one for me this year will be the Curborough Sprint at Fradley Park (between Lichfield and Derby) on Sunday 10th October. Entries in the Imp class so far are: Me (Davrian) and the idecently quick Imp of Stuart and Andrew Carney. (Gutted, I shall try my best, but I think that's another non win for me then!) It would be nice to see some spectators come and take an interest. Who knows, you could get the bug and join in next year.
Please have a look at http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk, there you will see the rage of venues in their championship.

Picture is of Stuarts Imp in the Curborough paddock last year (That's me on the far right, in the red overalls)


Cheers, hope to see you next Sunday, please come and say hello, I'd love to chat.
Graham

[intrepid]

How did it go Graham? Any pics?

[graham]

Sorry, no pics I'm afraid.
For some reason, and I don't want to tempt fate, the weather at this final event late in the year always seems to be sunny!
Camping Sat night was mild, the morning was a little dull to start but it soon brightened up with lovely sunshine all day.
During practice, the 3 of us were quite close. Stuarts Imp (pictured in first post above) was also double driven with his son Andrew. Stuart had the edge.
After practice, I was lined up behind Andrew who was to take the first competitve timed run out of the 3 of us. As he launched off the start, I thought "Oh crikey, that's the best take off he's done today, he's gained a chunk there". But then after about 40 yards, there was some tyre smoke as he came to stop.
No, the donut was ok, it was the other end of the drive shaft. The UJ had let go, and had bent the suspension arm and wrecked a shock absorber in the process.
So I ended up with a win, by being the only one left in the class.
As the saying goes: To finish first, first you have to finish.
Is that satisfying though? No, not in the slightest!
Over the winter, we think the head needs to come off, so that we can maybe measure the combustion chambers. We've desperately run out of ideas on what to look for as we're sure it's not as quick as it should be. 74mph across the finish line compared to Mark Ibbotsons Mk 5 that used to sail past last year at 80 odd +.
Anyone know the combustion chamber or Compression Ratio spec for a 1040cc Engine with a GE3 Cam?

[graham]

The HSA calander is well underway now for 2011.
I'll probably concentrate on some of the Sprints. Not sure which Hillclimbs to do, as I'm not quite so keen on those.
First one for me will probably be MIRA sprint on 14th May. (No spectators allowed at this one, I'm afraid).

Main reason for this post is that the HSA Competitors list is showing Ifan Davies in a 998 Mk 6.
Are you on here Ifan?
Don't be put off by my Davrian being a 1040, we're disapointed with its performance, so not sure where we've gone wrong (bad workman blames his tools and all that!).

Hopefuly look forward to meeting you on some of the events this year.

[Hal Mercier]

It would be interesting to see what that 1040 produces on a dyno. I used a 1040 in my Mk4 for the French Maxi Mille race series in 2002, and it seemed to be going very well while it lasted!

There were 32 entrants, and Nogaro was the first meet of the season.

My car had never been on a track before, and was running with contact breaker ignition, but still qualified 7th out of 32. I had only done about 3 laps of qualification, as a heater hose broke and I ended with coolant on the screen and had to come in. Before that incident I had spun off at the Escargot right hander, and found it hard to keep the car from spinning on fast rights.

In the race, I was slow on the end of straight right, letting two cars pass me, managed to overtake them later on the same lap, then came in as the car filled with steam due to the heater hose rupturing completely.

The roadholding problem was that oil was escaping through the scroll into the bellhousing and onto the rear left tyre....one of my other engines, which is with Ian Sykes, has a Sunbeam block with proper crank oil seal at the clutch end.

Since the Nogaro meet the car has done very little. I have done a Heath-Robinson fix on the oil mist leak, but not tried it on a racetrack since 2004 apart from some Slalom demonstrations..

[aaron aardvark]

Yes finally I have decided to join the HSA championship.
I won't get much chance to do many rounds this year (the lack of an engine being the main problem!)but hopefully should be around by June...
The car is my orange Mk6...see under car logger....
The engine is a 998 Carter in a fairly mild state of tune (estimated 80bhp) and is currently at Rodwell for new liners
This is the first foray into hillclimb and sprints for both me and the car... I've done over twenty years off road racing and have never raced on tarmac.. The car has no competition history as far as I know.
Anyway, I might just appreciate someone to hold my hand at my first outing!
Regards, Ifan.

[graham]

The engine is a 998 Carter in a fairly mild state of tune (estimated 80bhp) and is currently at Rodwell for new liners
.

As much as it absolutely pains me to admit it, 80bhp is all I've got too! And just to really twist the knife into my disapointment, that is not even at the wheels
Dad's going to go through the cam timing again, in the desperate hope we might have made a silly mistake somewhere.

Just for info Ifan: Not that it's that important, but when you do decide to enter an event, not all of them may have a separate class for the Imp powered cars. In that situation I have started to enter in the "Road Modified Kit, Replica & Spaceframed Cars up to 1700cc". It means being mixed in with Westfields, but it makes no difference regarding points for the championship. We might get away with it in the roadgoing saloons and sports class, but that class excludes "non ferrus chassis construction". Or you could enter in a "classic" class that some events have, but these usually run quite near the end of the running order of the day.
A few events, but mainly the HSA organised ones, will have a seperate class for the Imp powered cars.

I'll be more than happy to help where I can, Ifan, but I get the feeling with 20 years of other experience, you'll be just fine.

Entries I've now sent off for so far:
MIRA 14th May
Pembrey 4th and 5th June
Curborough 12 June

[aaron aardvark]

As long as I have an engine, I'm hoping to get to Pembrey too...
The way I see things working out, the hillclimb dates don't suit me very well... so it will be mainly sprints for me this year
I'm really not worried about classes or being competitive right now , I'm just itching to have a go... The car is tantalisingly close to being ready now after nearly four years of what was a "quick winter project"!
Thanks for your help... see you at Pembrey... I hope...

[graham]

As long as I have an engine, I'm hoping to get to Pembrey too...
... see you at Pembrey... I hope...

Hi Ifan
I couldn't spot any other Davrians on the enty list, so I guess things weren't quite ready in time. Never mind, hope to meet you soon somewhere.
No other Imp powered cars either, I'm afraid, so only me flying the Imp powered flag at Pembrey this weekend.

First event at MIRA had mixed feelings. Car felt really good and I enjoyed it thoroughly, but my times did not reflect how well it felt. Slower than my PB and also beaten by a G15, sorry guys! Mind you, I am stiil running list 1A tyres, so that can be my excuse, and I'm sticking to it

[aaron aardvark]

Naturally, things haven't gone as quickly and as smoothly as I hoped... however the car passed it's MOT today, so we have some progress.
I have entered Epynt on the 18th of June so hopefully this will be a nice shakedown for me and the car.
If all goes well will enter some HSA events.. probably Llandow,Shelsley, then Curborough... if I'm not already too late to get an entry!
Was hoping to get down to Pembrey for a look, however work has spoilt that plan completely.. Bah!