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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Topic: Might leave the BMW fold... Posted: 25-April-2005 at 03:31 |
Nick wrote:
John W wrote:
I can't chuck you the keys this time....
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Can't or won't ?
I just may be able to line you up for a couple of sneaky sessions with one of the better Croft Circuit guys.. I'll be booking one of them along with the Mini again.
..and the loyalty thing... Just one of our blokes has attended all 10 annual events including the first one back on the old rough circuit and I was thinking that we should honour him with some free tracktime.. waddaya think?
..oh, and you wont be hearing from the fire-arms division just yet.. I can still legally keep 'Gwyneth' for another few years to come. |
Good one Nick, are any of the coaches 911 experts I wonder?
It would be nice to reward that fella definitely.
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Nick
Bavarian-Board Contributor
BMWCC Area Organiser Yorks & Humber
Joined: 21-October-2002
Location: God’s own county... Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1319
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Posted: 25-April-2005 at 03:12 |
John W wrote:
I can't chuck you the keys this time....
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Can't or won't ?
I just may be able to line you up for a couple of sneaky sessions with one of the better Croft Circuit guys.. I'll be booking one of them along with the Mini again.
..and the loyalty thing... Just one of our blokes has attended all 10 annual events including the first one back on the old rough circuit and I was thinking that we should honour him with some free tracktime.. waddaya think?
..oh, and you wont be hearing from the fire-arms division just yet.. I can still legally keep 'Gwyneth' for another few years to come.
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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Posted: 24-April-2005 at 19:20 |
I had a great time at Bedford this weekend, have a look here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=173359&f=48&h =0
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Robbie Bradford
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 16-July-2004
Location: Co. Laois, Ireland.
Status: Offline
Points: 2124
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Posted: 22-April-2005 at 16:52 |
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Phil-C
Really Senior Member II
Ex E30 M3 owner...
Joined: 06-May-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 707
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Posted: 22-April-2005 at 09:16 |
Haha
It all sounds a bit involved which in turn sounds expensive!
Besides,what was it you said when you drove my car?
Was it something like "I wish I had left my suspension alone..."
Realistically as long as it's my daily driver I can't do anything with the suspension as I can't see our roads getting any better and I don't plan on doing more than a couple more trackdays this year so for what I need it should be fine.
I think I'll just get some good pads and fluid and leave it at that. Although this is me talking before the trackday.
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UweM3
Moderator Group
Joined: 11-February-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 5445
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Posted: 22-April-2005 at 08:36 |
Phil-C wrote:
Cheers Roops,
I just hope that this trackday bug doesn't bite too deep... |
HeHe, let me guess some future posts.....
How do I improve my brakes? What sticky tyres to use?
Is there an easy way to get some more power? My suspension is a little bit too soft.......
I am just guessing here
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E61 520d, slow and buzzy but my wallet likes the mpg.....
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Phil-C
Really Senior Member II
Ex E30 M3 owner...
Joined: 06-May-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 707
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Posted: 22-April-2005 at 08:31 |
Cheers Roops,
I was a bit concerned about my noisy pipe so I went there last friday to get a noise check and was about 80 something on their static test so wasn't required to do a drive-by. It is the full circuit and thankfully there's an hours slow speed familiarisation lapping before hand.
I just hope that this trackday bug doesn't bite too deep...
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lancelotII
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 24-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 853
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Posted: 22-April-2005 at 04:36 |
Phil-C wrote:
John,
Have you done Bedford (Autodrome I presume) before? I have a day booked with RMA on 14th of May and wondered if you had any words of wisdom regarding the track?
Cheers,
Phil |
Phil, if you are doing the big circuit then there is not too much to worry about. Plenty of run off but it is quite flat and featureless, so you can't see the corners until you are right on top of them. So as with most places, "gently Bentley" to start with. There is a big stop hairpin after a quick complex so your brakes will get a good workout. Finally, they are red hot on noise, so big boomy exhaust are not a good idea.
HTH
Roops
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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Posted: 21-April-2005 at 19:01 |
Nick wrote:
Hello Doc..
Have you heard of a geezer by the name of John Bussell?
He is about the best Porker instructor out there.
I could try and rustle him up for Croft if you like but it would have to go on your tab.
Nick |
Hi Nick,
I reckon you could sub the cost of the training as a reward for my unfaltering loyalty to the Croft track day. And for that thing with the gun license.....
I haven't heard of him. I'll ask the chaps at Bedford. I've had a few offers for training and lots of ideas. None of it cheap.
By the way, my car goes really well around Croft, can't wait to take you for a spin around there in the black beast!! But alas, I can't chuck you the keys this time....
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Nick
Bavarian-Board Contributor
BMWCC Area Organiser Yorks & Humber
Joined: 21-October-2002
Location: God’s own county... Yorkshire
Status: Offline
Points: 1319
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Posted: 21-April-2005 at 16:23 |
Hello Doc..
Have you heard of a geezer by the name of John Bussell?
He is about the best Porker instructor out there.
I could try and rustle him up for Croft if you like but it would have to go on your tab.
Nick
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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Posted: 21-April-2005 at 13:05 |
Phil-C wrote:
John W wrote:
...
I am off to Bedford this weekend for 2 days of fun. I'm hopefully getting some instruction there from an ex-racer called Steve Rance. The same company who organise it often use Richard Westbrook to coach. He is the current Porsche Carrera Cup champ and the best 911 driver in the UK. Later in the year I am hopefully going to get further training from Paul Howells, the Porsche Club Speed Championship winner. All of this will be 911-specific coaching, it needs to be.
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John,
Have you done Bedford (Autodrome I presume) before? I have a day booked with RMA on 14th of May and wondered if you had any words of wisdom regarding the track?
Cheers,
Phil |
Hi Phil,
Yes I meant Bedford Autodrome. I've bever been there, so I have no words of wisdom at all I'm afraid.
Have a good time when you go.
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Phil-C
Really Senior Member II
Ex E30 M3 owner...
Joined: 06-May-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 707
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Posted: 21-April-2005 at 06:01 |
John W wrote:
...
I am off to Bedford this weekend for 2 days of fun. I'm hopefully getting some instruction there from an ex-racer called Steve Rance. The same company who organise it often use Richard Westbrook to coach. He is the current Porsche Carrera Cup champ and the best 911 driver in the UK. Later in the year I am hopefully going to get further training from Paul Howells, the Porsche Club Speed Championship winner. All of this will be 911-specific coaching, it needs to be.
...
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John,
Have you done Bedford (Autodrome I presume) before? I have a day booked with RMA on 14th of May and wondered if you had any words of wisdom regarding the track?
Cheers,
Phil
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amorgan
Really Senior Member I
Joined: 08-December-2003
Location: united kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 288
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Posted: 21-April-2005 at 03:03 |
Just remembered John. His GT3 is still with Parr so will be in his second car, a 996 TT in Seal Grey. still worth a couple of laps imo
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am
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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Posted: 20-April-2005 at 14:35 |
amorgan wrote:
John W
I was at Bedford on Good friday where a lot of the GT3 guys were present. My friend Tim Chandler has a Parr Motorsport prepared GT3 RS and is nearly in my opinion as quick as Steve Rance. Ask to go out with him too to compare styles. These two guys are normally the quickest at these days I find. |
Thanks mate, I will look out for him.
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amorgan
Really Senior Member I
Joined: 08-December-2003
Location: united kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 288
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Posted: 20-April-2005 at 13:25 |
John W
I was at Bedford on Good friday where a lot of the GT3 guys were present. My friend Tim Chandler has a Parr Motorsport prepared GT3 RS and is nearly in my opinion as quick as Steve Rance. Ask to go out with him too to compare styles. These two guys are normally the quickest at these days I find.
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am
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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Posted: 19-April-2005 at 18:01 |
Jon90, Shoestring, Uwe, Roops, Rags,
The spin happened at Knickerbrook, the 2nd chicane just after the "high speed banking", you know, the one that goes right then left as opposed to left then right.
These "remarkable action shots" (!!!) show me in the second part of a tank slapper.
I was bombing down the hill towards the Knickerbrook chicane and I was braking hard. Now these old fashioned 911s have "toadstool" style pedals and I wasn't used to them. My toadstools are also fashioned out of aluminium. And my foot slipped off the pedal as a result.
I got back on the brakes as hard as I could and tried to get around the corner with too much speed. (I didn't use the escape route like I should have). The tail swung left (I didn't lift at all, I was just going to quickly) and it looked like I would hit the tyres stacked in the middle of the chicane. But when I had reached nearly 90 degrees of tail left....the tail swung very violently back to the right into the spin captured above. The animated gif above only gets the second part of the tank slapper.
Roops.....I drove around Croft the other day, I know that place really well. It took me all morning to get used to it, but then I did push the car further. I'm only talking about minor degrees of deliberately provoked over and understeer, but the car went really quickly compared to my efforts at Oulton. Only a Ferrari 360 race car overtook me. I overtook lots of (gently driven obviously) Caterhams, a modified and a sticky-tyred track-modded 968 CS driven by the owner of Strasse (awright Shoestring )
I am off to Bedford this weekend for 2 days of fun. I'm hopefully getting some instruction there from an ex-racer called Steve Rance. The same company who organise it often use Richard Westbrook to coach. He is the current Porsche Carrera Cup champ and the best 911 driver in the UK. Later in the year I am hopefully going to get further training from Paul Howells, the Porsche Club Speed Championship winner. All of this will be 911-specific coaching, it needs to be.
Nobody can deny that the 911 makes a very effective tool when driven well. Although the engine out the back is difficult to manage in the bends for the amateur, it affords extra grip, and under braking the weight goes to the front anyway. I think this must be why they win so many races.
jon90....the clutch is OK....but then it needs to be, I've just had another one put in at over a grand all in.
So finally Roops, in terms of exploiting the envelpoe, that depends on experience. I have passengered in 993 RSs before where the driver has been sideways everywhere with no crashes. Like I said, at Croft I was able to push the car deliberately into under and oversteer, but not that much as yet. I just need to learn how to drive like that, hence all the tuition. My car has 348 BHP and 300 lb/ft torque, it weighs 1270 kg, and with sticky tyres on it's really fast. I may one day soon lift the power to 400 BHP with 350 lb/ft torque and have probably the nicest 911 around (IMHO) but that will set me back more than 10 grand.....
PS....if you fancy reading more about my car's antics, I'm going to be writing a running report on my car in the back of 911 and Porsche World magazine, starting in the June issue (out in May I'm told).
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UweM3
Moderator Group
Joined: 11-February-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 5445
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Posted: 19-April-2005 at 17:59 |
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E61 520d, slow and buzzy but my wallet likes the mpg.....
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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Posted: 19-April-2005 at 17:32 |
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John W
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 01-November-2002
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 630
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Posted: 19-April-2005 at 17:31 |
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jon90
Really Senior Member II
Joined: 11-January-2003
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 653
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Posted: 19-April-2005 at 12:40 |
John is that the complex,at the end of the straight that used to be Knickerbrook(don`t know what they call it now)
Near the bit where you got lost and had to park
Glad to see you are putting the car to good use,how`s the clutch?
Tom,
Go for it mate,you only live once.
Jon
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