[Al weyman]

I have decided to enter my 3rd Gen Camaro into this event, just hope the mods I have done work OK including new head gaskets, cutting down Spohn supplied front springs and balancing car, new Eaton LSD, Moser 28 spline shafts and new bearings and seals and a Jegster Panhard bar relocater bracket! Can't be any worse than it was thats for sure oh and hopefully adjusting the shockers the right way round this time. http://beta2011.cadwellpark.co.uk/calendar.../sept/barc.aspx Will have the incar camera on as usual.

This post has been edited by Al weyman: Aug 24 2011, 01:05 PM

[Al weyman]

Oh dear my luck ran out yet again, what a bum season I am having.

Qually went well but I lost power steering almost immediatly but being a strong old lad soldiered on. The alterations I have made have absolutely transformed the car. It took me several laps to up my confidence levels as the car felt so good, I could drive far deeper into a corner before braking and then turn in and any hint of understeer could immediately be corrected with a bit of throttle. Its still early days but lots of guys came up to me and said the car just looks so much more stable through the corners and it was really hooking up on exit. I was just over a second slower than my rival in the Supra but I am sure with power steering working and a few more laps on this very demanding circuit which I could have used my SatNav around as I had forgot the layout, I would soon close that gap down. In fact we went out twice in quallifing as a Vento V6 blew its oil filter off depositing a huge oil slick on the track which I went on and got very out of shape and am sure if the car was in its old state I would have lost it but managed to save her from a visit to the barriers! I now find the car is very firm bit like a Go Kart, is this normal or should I soften up on the shocks a bit, I guess I really need a test day.

Anyhow onto the race or in my case none race! I attempted to fix the power steering in the much shortened interval and misdiagnosed the problem. There was a spit in the low pressure return hose so i though that must be the problem, I spliced a new bit of hose in topped up with fluid we were then called up so I shut the hood and lined up in the marshalling area. The power steering still didnt feel right then stopped working as we drove down to line up. I pulled on to the grid and the start marshals came over and said I am leaking oil, I said its the power steering not the engine and there is only a max of half a pint of oil in there and its probably gone now. But oh no they were having none of it and pushed me off the grid. I protested rather loudly (and bluely!) and was told to report to the clerk where I was given two points on my licence and excluded from the meeting! I mean whats the matter with some people, OK I should have shut my mouth but I knew the problem and could easy have started from the pit lane after running the engine for a few minutes till the oil stopped but no, then to go and report me to the clerk! Still I guess I was lucky not to have got fined on top of this. Thus ended my day I couldnt even enter the end of day all comers race, I must learn to keep it buttoned lol!

BTW they may have done me a favour as it transpires as i took the pump off last night and the bearing was completely shot like in hanging off which was the problem not the hose or my hasty repair so if that thing had come off at about 7000rpm it would have made a lot of mess under the hood!

Next round is Rockingham and I will take the 3rd gen there for a double header. Rockingham is the only full oval circuit in the UK and is a bit of a red herring to be honest with vast unused stands and built at great cost to the British tax payer. We will use two of the oval corners but only one at high speed then turn onto the infield section which is a bit Mickey Mouse but the one advantage for me is that its the only UK circuit with predominately left hand turns and I will have a small advantage in my left hand drive car. Mind you my rival in the Supra is also a US spec car so thats a left hooker as well!