Good starter for Hill climbs
Discussion
Having Hillclimbed for many years in a variety of cars from road saloons to large single seaters, I would be happy to make suggestions, but it all kind of hinges on the actual budget coupled with how much or little work on the car you can do yourself. Whether you prefer open or closed cars is also relevant. A few years ago a friend of mine hillclimbed a bog standard Nova which was 13 years old at the time - he had a ball and it was v. cheap !!
Having a ball very cheaply apeals to my thinning wallet, I drive a 1979 Lotus Elite at the moment and this costs me deep in the purse. I really am a novice when it comes to the subject of hill climbing, and don't know the first thing about anything. I wish to be reasonably competetive, but don't see myself as class champion for the forseable future. The chosen vehicle will have to be built/maintained by me as any other way would prove economically prohibative. I am looking to compete in a sport where the little guy in his garage at home can stand a reasonable chance of having fun, without the need for 15 support vehicles, and a bank of computers supplying details of the drivers nasal hair tempreture. As for budget, I drive lorries for a living, so John Paul Getty I ain't! How much do you think would be enough? I am probably thinking less, but you've got to start somewhere, haven't you! Don't really know what sort of vehicle, I was thinking of a 1380 mini, but I've been there on the road and maybe a change would be good. I don't think the Lotus, although fun, would be up to the job and repairs are very expensive. I kind of lean towards a Lotus 7, or some derivitive of that mark, racey but I could drive to the events, therefore reducing the costs. Any input would be greatly appreciated, Simon.
If you are new to the game, then I would suggest that you campaign a 'standard' road going car, then when you get into it you can make modifications and move the car into 'Road Going Modified' (that is unless you already have a modified car to start with.
Also I can throughly recommend the Hillclimb Drivers School at Gurston Down, a good day out and a great crowd of people.
David
Also I can throughly recommend the Hillclimb Drivers School at Gurston Down, a good day out and a great crowd of people.
David
Hi simon, suggest you buy my Caterham, see Classifieds, sorry about the plug but it'll manage a 68.?? seconds up Harewood in my incapable hands. class record is 64.?? secs. You'll be around 7th out of around 14 or 15 in class. A little skill, a little work, a trip to the driving school and who knows.....
Possibly there is a Caterham there for you ! If not I would be inclined to agree with the Road car and Modified later route although it is never the most economical route to take. If you can find a car which has a proven history in Hillclimbs and is for sale, the cost of it is likely to be a fraction of what it would cost you to start with a standard car and modify it to the same spec. I competed in a Mini Cooper S for a few years in the Eighties. I still have it and have begun to sort it out with a view to airing it again this year. I was lucky to get brilliant sponsorship from one of the top Mini engine builders and ended up with their development engine which as a 1310 still with a 5 port head produced 123 bhp at the wheels. This is still going to be highly competitive. The point of this is that to buy say a Mini, Nova or Fiesta enables you to have access to masses of good kit at not a great cost as it has all been about for ages. You will see various suitable cars advertised in Motorsport News, Motoring News or Autosport. Make enquiries within the Hillclimb fraternity to find out if the car is OK. It is a very small world and most people know somebody or somebody's mate who will know the car. I will help in any way I can should you wish it. If you see something feel free to email me and I will try to find out what it is like. Despite being in Scotland, I have competed all over the country over the years and know people in most areas who will be aware of most cars in their area, or can find out. I am also the co-ordinator for the Scottish Sprint Championship and thus am in touch with most people and cars up here. If you decided the sort of thing you wanted I would be happy to dig about up here to see if anything suitable is on offer. Again, feel free to email me if you do not want to get too detailed on this site. Get started - you'll love it !!
I Have a Mini built for Hillcliming registered as a Cooper S 1275 cc, stripped interior, roll cage seats and harnesses, Engine and suspension mods. road registered for classic rallies, Tax free, Classic insurance. Driven to and from all events Hillclimbs Sprints and Rallies,totally reliable.See it on www.wobblyweb.co.uk £2500 and the cheapest entry into motorsport you will find
Nice Mini but how on earth can it be classed as a Cooper "S", as the shell is a 1980 MK3, and the engine is a 1275cc lump from an MG Metro
. That means the only original bits left are possibly the sub frames (Doubtful from a late 60's car),and the front and rear brake assemblies. As the shell has been changed and the engine replaced, how were you able to retain the registration number? I hope you sell the car but it's not for me, thanks anyway. Simon.
. That means the only original bits left are possibly the sub frames (Doubtful from a late 60's car),and the front and rear brake assemblies. As the shell has been changed and the engine replaced, how were you able to retain the registration number? I hope you sell the car but it's not for me, thanks anyway. Simon. Might I guess that as the only chassis plate on a Mini is held onto the bonnet landing panel with two rivets it is not hard to change a shells identity. I doubt if anybody in officialdom knows enough about the detail differences in Mini shells to ever realise - but then nobody ever checks anyway. You can change an engine number officially and it does not alter the age or registration of a car. There used to be (may still be) a good demand for Cooper S Reg. docs to enable fakes to be created. Of course with the Reg. doc you could then apply for the Heritage Certificate and build a car to suit. In the "must invest in a classic car but know nothing about them" days, I bet a lot of fake Cooper S's were created. At that time you could get £1000 for a mark 1 Cooper S Reg Doc. That would then make this reshelled Mini a £1500 start in motorsport - not that I would possibly condone such behaviour.
Thank you all for your input, the car I have decided to purchace is a Sylva Striker, it is powered by a 2 litre pinto with twin webbers, Street legal, not too hairy, but a whole heap off fun. I'm hoping to be ready to tackle my first hill some time toward the end of the season, maybe the begining of the next one. Maybe see you there, cheers Simon.
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