Hampton downs Club Lotus day with video

[iwilson]

Just back from my second trip to Hampton downs. Club Lotus day this time. Most of the usual suspects were in attendance although disappointed Willy couldn't make it. Practise went well, but in typical style as we were seconds away from starting my first sprint a marshal taps on the window to tell me some idiot has just laid down a trail of oil on the racing line the entire length of the circuit, this together with the drizzle that had appeared 20 minutes before certainly raised the pulse! While a bit messy in places my best of a 1.17.4 was only 8/10's of a second off my best in practise of 1.16.6.

Kylie was up to her usual tricks, telling everyone how careful she was planning on being and then doing the complete opposite on track. Nice to see a 211 on track and the Lotus Europa special was looking very rapid till it gave out. Tony's V8 Esprit sounded fantastic and was going very well.

As promised I've cobbled together a couple of laps. My best from practise and my best after the oil went down. Video HERE

[Esprit]

Got to get a wriggle on Ian! I was into the 1:19s in a near-standard S1 on original konis.... we're sure gonna have some fun if I ever get this car of mine fixed!

[Kylie]

Brilliant day, great company wicked cars!
I made the most of a dry track before lunch, as said oil was dumped by someone afterwards so I didn't feel the need to go out on the next and got a few pics of the daring few deciding to dodge mines. Geoff found one in his v8 and spun so glad I stayed put.
The Esprit ran faultless, I tried not to rev the ring piece out of it and just tried Ray Williams techniques of keeping the foot in it a little rather than lift off carrying more speed through corners and utilize late braking (no fade - awesome ) def better..... But over shot turn 1, got too cocky! which resulted in the biggest power slide ive ever done, I honestly thought I was going to spin off for a latte in Hamilton lol!! But managed to get a feel of the true handling and guide it round massive grin far out !!!! Managed to keep Geoff's v8 in my sights and he was on stickies so I was wrapped ! What Ian is referring to I got a weeeee bit crossed up exiting the tight hair pin. Funnny!

waiting to find out if Tony I car is ok his oil light came on and some small odd noises after that. So he's getting car towed today. hope it's something small.

Will get some pics up tomorrow. Thanks for wishing me luck u know who u are

[D1GGY]

Hi Ian,

May i ask how you knew about this track day? I don't see it listed on the events page. I seem to miss a number of club lotus events and want to know what i need to do differently.

Looks like you had a good day.

cheers,

Mark

ub Lotus NZ Inc - Events and Dates
26 Jul 09 Drive and Lunch, Smales Farm to Bridge End Hotel, Warkworth Club Lotus NZ
30 Aug 09 Bruce McLaren Trust Coast to Coast Classic Drive Bruce McLaren Trust
6 Sep 09 Club Run & Barbeque to Lotus Cars NZ, Waiuku Club Lotus NZ
19/20 Sep 09 HRC Icebreaker Classic Racing, Hampton Downs Historic Racing Club
27 Sep 09 Mystery Run - Toms Wild Ride from Albany Pub car park Daimler & Lanchester
9-28 Oct 09 Drive New Zealand Classic Rally Lotus Cars NZ
11 Oct 09 TACCOC Spring Classic, Classic Racing, Hampton Downs TACCOC
24 Oct 09 Waiuku Flying 50
25 Oct 09 Concourso Euro - Waiuku
24/25 Oct 09 Waiuku British Car Day British Car Committee
1 Nov 09 Club Lotus Spring Classic, Classic Racing, Hampton Downs Club Lotus NZ
14/15 Nov 09 Whittakers Classic Racing, Manfield MG Car Club
24 Nov 09 Technical Evening - Peter Collins of Technical Rebuilds - Distributors, Fuel Pumps and Ignitions Jaguar Drivers
29 Nov 09 Classic Racing, Hampton Downs Monza
6 Dec 09 Club Lotus Breakfast in the Park Club Lotus NZ
16/17 Jan 10 Tasman Revival Classic Racing, Hampton Downs Historic Racing Club
23/24 Jan 10 The Bruce McLaren Festival International Classic Racing, Hampton Downs Historic Racing Club
30/31 Jan 10 The Bruce McLaren Festival International Classic Racing, Pukekohe Historic Racing Club
6/7 Feb 10 Tasman Revival Classic Racing, Taupo Historic Racing Club
13 Feb 10 NZ Classic Car Weekend Car Fun Run and Picnic Concours Committee
14 Feb 10 NZ Classic Car Concours d'Elegance, Ellerslie Concours Committee
20/21 Mar 10 HRC Legends of Speed, Classic Racing, Hampton Downs Historic Racing Club
27/28 Mar 10 Whangamata Beach Hop



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Edited by D1GGY on Saturday 28th November 21:08

[Fraster]

...I guess we can't complain about not getting our money's worth from Club Lotus this year. Damn! I like a good whinge!

[Esprit]

Ian, It's good to see your car handling so well... it's so much more hooked up than I've seen it before, very impressive! I can only hope mine looks as good when done!

[iwilson]

Esprit said:

Got to get a wriggle on Ian! I was into the 1:19s in a near-standard S1 on original konis.... we're sure gonna have some fun if I ever get this car of mine fixed!

Crikey you're a hard man to please George, anyway I thought your best was a 1.20.1? Racing Ray in his Porker was doing 1.16's so I figured I was doing OK esp. given the fact the only oil free run was the six laps I did in practise. I'll be expecting 1.14's and no less from you! But yes she was hooking up pretty nicely.

Diggy, the 28th was not on the calendar because it replaced the canceled sprint on the 1st of Nov.

Sorry to hear about Tony's car hope it's nothing serious. I didn't think he was going out again after the oil went down.

[D1GGY]

Thanks Ian.

M

[Esprit]

Ian,

I'm only winding you up mate

Reviewing the datalogging I was able to find couple of late laps in the 1:19s that came after I'd errantly erased the splits. I reckon the car would do 18s, but probably no more due to its lack of power.

But yeah, itching to get SEXIGE out there as we should, in all honesty be pretyt closely matched. You'll have more power and better gearing. I'll have a bit less weight and better aero... swings and roundabouts we should be able to have some really good fun out there!

As for Tony Ingram's 111R, I hope it manages to be okay, but I don't like the chances. The 'yota engines are notorious for oil surge and then ingesting themeslves. They also don't tolerate being buzzed. I fear Tony may be up for some big bills if past experiences are anything to go by.

The ironic thing is that despite the Rover K's supposed lack of reliability, I've only known of one, possibly two (if you count Yiming's head gasket) that's blown up on track in NZ. I know of three 'yota engined cars. So much for jap reliability?

[D1GGY]

Stop it, stop it, stop it I do not want to hear of such things, I have my fingers shoved firmly in my ears!

In all seriousness i would be most interested in any findings or information about each of the incidents - privately of course.

Sorry to hear of Tony's car if indeed it has problems.

Mark

[Esprit]

D1GGY said:

Stop it, stop it, stop it I do not want to hear of such things, I have my fingers shoved firmly in my ears!

In all seriousness i would be most interested in any findings or information about each of the incidents - privately of course.

Sorry to hear of Tony's car if indeed it has problems.

Mark

Mark,

I think the issues that I've heard of (ignoring any speculation about Tony's car since it may be completely fine) stem form the following:

1. Use of low octane fuel in the engine. Use only 98 in the car. The manual specifies 95 or above. In NZ, "95" is more of an average than a minimum in my experience and you'll often get a tank that'll cause knocking like hell. Use only 98 to be safe (at least a bad tank of 98 will still be >95), and if you have to use 95 in a jam, fill it with the minimum you need to get to the nearest supply of 98 and drive gently until the octane level's restored.

2. Oil pump failure. Caused by over-revving the engine, particularly buzzing on downchanges. The oil pump seems especially vulnerable to revs and care should be taken not to over-rev. Even bouncing it off the rev limiter could potentially be dangerous if done too often. Common wisdom is to change up when the shift light tells you to.

3. Oil surge. Only a problem when driving hard on track. Accusump fitment from factory shows that this is an issue on track-driven cars. The Toyota engine also seems to burn oil a bit when driven hard and the engine is more vulnerable to surge when the sump is only half-full.
Solution would be to fit an accusump, or baffles in the sump (if a kit is available). Alternatively, just make sure the oil level is completely topped off (Max) before a trackday and keep an oil can handy on the trackday to top up after every session if necessary.


I do wonder, if indeed Tony's engine has suffered any oil surge, whether this is a bit to do with Hampton Downs' sweeping nature. With all the elevation and camber changes there through some pretty high-G corners, it could mean it's a track where oil surge is a particular susceptibility.... just a thought.

[Kylie]

A few randoms from Sat mainly of the Loti lot… in no particular order. Of course loads of rare stuff out there I didnt get pics of. Was a massive meet.

[GravelBen]

Kylie said:

Any more photos of the very nice looking Esky in the background?

[Kylie]

No sorry mate

[Kylie]

Reminder:

6 Dec 09 Club Lotus Breakfast in the Park. 9.30am
Pine Harbour.

Ring Roger with numbers if your going.

[Jem Thompson]

I absolutely love that old Europa. Just the right size for me too

[Kiwi XTR2]

Excellent turnout.

The sooner they temp-seal the section where the garages are going the better !!!

[Redmist336]

Out of curiousity. What's the chirp on up gearchanges? Sounds almost like clutch slip? You not coming off the accelerator enough during upchanges?

[iwilson]

That noise is the gearbox, the syncro's can't keep up and there's a little 'crunch' on each change. Only happens on track when I'm showing the g/box no mercy.

[Kiwi Carguy]

You need a box like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSJ-HzNWJGM