Woodbridge or Other Airfields

[nick997]

Anybody taken their Radical to Woodbridge and if so was it smooth enough to prevent grounding? If not any other airfield been used?

Reason for asking - finally getting my trailer sorted in the next couple of weeks so my first outing in the SR4 is within sight. Ideally I want to go somewhere fairly quiet with lots of run off for my first outing, went to watch at Woodbridge this weekend and it seems to fit the bill but opinion was divided on how bumpy it was on the track.

Nick

[BertBert]

Nick, from talking to MSE (who do mostly airfields) they are not allowed Radicals (under not being road legal). They even said that road legal rads were not welcome either (not their rules they said).

No idea if woodbridge comes into that category.

ETA noise would also be a problem too!

Bert

Edited by BertBert on Monday 3rd March 14:10

[nick997]

Thanks Bert. I've got a quiet exhaust which should help with the noise front.

Nick

Edited by nick997 on Monday 3rd March 15:50

[khm]

have done elvington, near york - OK but bad for stones & stone chips
Richard took our SR3 to bruningthorpe last year & had a great day, planning to go back !!

[RobC]

Most air fields are rougher than a badgers arse. If you want to go somewhere safe then look at Bedford Autodrome for a first trackday.

[BertBert]

Just a thought Nick, but it's not hard to not crash! I wouldn't be too bothered about where you go. You don't really need to find an airfield.

Bert

[nick997]

BertBert said:

Just a thought Nick, but it's not hard to not crash!

Bert

Yep, spent years doing it on kart tracks.

The intention was to find somewhere with not too many cars to drive into, nothing too close to hit if I do fall off and to treat the day more as a shakedown to get used to the car before getting to a track. I know from karting experience that hacking round an airfield will soon leave me wanting a bit more but a good starting point.

Bedford is a good call but aren't they hot on noise limits there?

Nick

[RobC]

You should be ok with the SR4, I've seen SR3's with Radicals quiet exhaust run fine there. They are pretty good at getting you on track as well so if you are marginal they will do all they can.

[nick997]

Thanks Rob. Hi-jacking my own thread for a minute, can I bend your ear on exhausts. The quiet exhaust I have is totally sealed, i.e. welded up at both ends. Reading through the threads here there seems to have been two types of quiet exhausts, one going back some years that wasn't really all that quiet and one that came out a year or so ago that is very quiet, there's a complete thread on the subject somewhere. No idea which one I've got but the car dates from 2004 so possibly the older type which could still be a problem for Bedford.

But to get to the real question, the race exhaust I have has a riveted end cap which I assume I need to drill out the rivets to re-pack and then "stuff" with new wadding. What's the procedure for "stuffing"? I'm guessing that I will find a central perforated pipe inside the silencer with wadding around the perforated pipe. Do I ram as much wadding as I can inbetween pipe and expansion box or carefully try to wrap the central pipe. Or am I barking up the wrong tree completely? I can here the wadding moving if I rock the silencer back and forth so it possibly needs doing at some stage.

Thanks

Nick

[nick997]

Don't worry too much about answering the re-packing question, found loads of stuff on google on how to do this.

Nick

[tprocket]

Hi Nick,

You could try Silverstone Stowe circuit for a private test. We took our clubsport there for a two hour session
last year. Can't remember exactly how much it was but if you speak to Silverstone they will help.
If you fancy splitting it - I would come along.... I have promised my other half a run in the car that I spend
all of my time working on!

Tim

[nick997]

Hi Tim

Good to hear from you.

Yep, looking into it Stowe would be good for me. I'd not heard of that circuit before but now you mention it I remember you saying that you hired somewhere the first time you used your car. A fairly piddly little circuit by the looks of it but enough to check the car out and get to grips with it. I have a couple of mates who might be interested in sharing too. I've asked the question of Silverstone so will see what they come up with.

Have you decided if you are going to race yours this year?

Cheers

Nick

[tprocket]

Hi Nick,
Sounds good - let me know what dates/times Silverstone come back with?
I''m still having a great time on trackdays and will probably stick to them
for this year while I learn the car/circuits. The guy that I bought the car with
has bought an SR4 and has entered the Radical Clubman's Cup. I going
to help him out this year and learn the ropes.

Tim

[nick997]

Ok, will do. I'm planning to go to Snett at the end of April for the first round of the various Radical championships, hope to see you up there too.

Nick

[BertBert]

let me know how you get on booking Stowe Nick. I'll be needing somewhere to try out too fairly soon.

BErt

[RobC]

Not sure on the SR4 exhausts, on the SR3 trackday exhaust you can't see through it i.e. its not straight through. If yours is like that you'll be fine.

[nick997]

RobC said:

Not sure on the SR4 exhausts, on the SR3 trackday exhaust you can't see through it i.e. its not straight through. If yours is like that you'll be fine.

Don't kid yourself Rob, you seem to know everything about all things Radical. You're right by the way, it's a bendy job so thanks for confirming this will be quiet enough for the likes of Bedford.

Silverstone came back to ask questions on dates when we might want Stowe circuit and for how long. I've said mid April and to quote for a half day and a full day. Bert, Tim, this ok with you?

Nick

[Gezzieboy]

I'd also chip in if you are going to stowe for half a day. Let me know, can't do Tuesday 15th April though. Cheers Gary

[nick997]

Mid week, mid April for the Stowe circuit was £5600 for a full day. Seems to make sense to book a track day and keep out of others way...

Gezzie, Bert, Tim, and anyone else who fancies joining, would you like to arrange a track day somewhere and all meet up for the day?

Nick

Edited by nick997 on Thursday 6th March 12:47

[nick997]

Just had the full price list come through for all Silverstone layouts, £20k for the GP circuit if anyone's feeling flush?

Nick