unlikely track day hero

Author
Discussion

guru_1071

Original Poster:

2,768 posts

240 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
mate of mine did a trackday at croft at the weekend, it was a bit of a last minuite thing and he didnt have time to fettle his historic race mini up.

he was thinking of taking his immaculate 1960 mini thats got 16000 miles on it when i nagged him that if some thing happened to it he would be gutted - it only takes a knock to devalue a rare car like that, so with this in mind he took his downton tuned morris 1300 ebay bargain.

it behaved fine, and showed a few of the midgits and sprites a clean pair of heels, he also said that it was good fun as it moved about very well.

just goes to show, a track day can be great fun with a car that cost 135 quid from ebay!




smile

Chris71

21,545 posts

248 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
£135? Bargain. smile

L100NYY

35,458 posts

249 months

Monday 18th August 2008
quotequote all
Chris71 said:
£135? Bargain. smile
eek

I want one!

rallycross

13,212 posts

243 months

Friday 22nd August 2008
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brilliant, an 1100!

lowdrag

13,025 posts

219 months

Friday 22nd August 2008
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At a Jaguar track day one of the members turned up with a very tatty chocolate brown Capri because he had problems with his E type. There was also someone there with a very well prepared lightweight E type replica and the driver in full Nomex and racing boots. The "nominally 1600cc" Crapi (no spelling maistake!) hung onto his tail for a few laps and then, on pit straight at Goodwood went past him like he was standing still. I went to see the car and the owner afterwards and found out why; under the bonnet was a 4.6 V8 Rover engine but - and a big but - is how he managed to accelerate so quickly. Might have had something to do with the Nox button on the dashboard! Talk about a Q car! I can still see the E type drivers face as the Capri whizzed past.

L100NYY

35,458 posts

249 months

Friday 22nd August 2008
quotequote all
lowdrag said:
At a Jaguar track day one of the members turned up with a very tatty chocolate brown Capri because he had problems with his E type. There was also someone there with a very well prepared lightweight E type replica and the driver in full Nomex and racing boots. The "nominally 1600cc" Crapi (no spelling maistake!) hung onto his tail for a few laps and then, on pit straight at Goodwood went past him like he was standing still. I went to see the car and the owner afterwards and found out why; under the bonnet was a 4.6 V8 Rover engine but - and a big but - is how he managed to accelerate so quickly. Might have had something to do with the Nox button on the dashboard! Talk about a Q car! I can still see the E type drivers face as the Capri whizzed past.
clapclapclap

Now that's my kind of track day car!

minimatt1967

17,197 posts

212 months

Friday 22nd August 2008
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That looks like a lot of fun!

I wonder if anyone has done a VTEC conversion into an 1100 shell... can you imagine the looks of horror!

lowdrag

13,025 posts

219 months

Saturday 23rd August 2008
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But you are all wrong about the OP anyway - it's a 1300 not 1100. Different slats in the grill give it away. Now that was powerful - 0-60 took only 13.5 secs with the push rod 1275cc unit!

Ferg

15,242 posts

263 months

Saturday 23rd August 2008
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Nice.
Had quite a lot of fun in 1100cc-1300ccs.
Great handling, but oh that rear end rot...... frown

trackcar

6,453 posts

232 months

Saturday 23rd August 2008
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lowdrag said:
At a Jaguar track day one of the members turned up with a very tatty chocolate brown Capri because he had problems with his E type. There was also someone there with a very well prepared lightweight E type replica and the driver in full Nomex and racing boots. The "nominally 1600cc" Crapi (no spelling maistake!) hung onto his tail for a few laps and then, on pit straight at Goodwood went past him like he was standing still. I went to see the car and the owner afterwards and found out why; under the bonnet was a 4.6 V8 Rover engine but - and a big but - is how he managed to accelerate so quickly. Might have had something to do with the Nox button on the dashboard! Talk about a Q car! I can still see the E type drivers face as the Capri whizzed past.
It wasn't Historic racer of considerbale talent Willie Green was it ? .. well known for upsetting the form book in his Capri smile

old64er

1,388 posts

244 months

Saturday 30th August 2008
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I have had two 1300's in the past and left a few of my more timid friends around the twisties.

i used to like making people feel seasick with the on/off/on throttle and hydralastic suspension smile
although when pressed it firmed up a fair bit until i once broke a pipe mid corner!!! now that was scary!!!


Excellent photo, made me smile.

eccles

13,789 posts

228 months

Sunday 31st August 2008
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I suspect the Downton badge was probably worth more than the car it was attached to!

L100NYY

35,458 posts

249 months

Monday 1st September 2008
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trackcar said:
lowdrag said:
At a Jaguar track day one of the members turned up with a very tatty chocolate brown Capri because he had problems with his E type. There was also someone there with a very well prepared lightweight E type replica and the driver in full Nomex and racing boots. The "nominally 1600cc" Crapi (no spelling maistake!) hung onto his tail for a few laps and then, on pit straight at Goodwood went past him like he was standing still. I went to see the car and the owner afterwards and found out why; under the bonnet was a 4.6 V8 Rover engine but - and a big but - is how he managed to accelerate so quickly. Might have had something to do with the Nox button on the dashboard! Talk about a Q car! I can still see the E type drivers face as the Capri whizzed past.
It wasn't Historic racer of considerbale talent Willie Green was it ? .. well known for upsetting the form book in his Capri smile
That was what sprung to mind here too.

Anyone know the specification of a Downton conversion on one of these?

lowdrag

13,025 posts

219 months

Monday 1st September 2008
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No, not Willie but just a chap known to us in the JDC. It surely was one of the best moments of the last few years!