Hill climbs in UK

Chitter chatter about Porsche Motorsport -race meets, hillclims etc.

Moderator: Bootsy

Post Reply
amh
DDK Newbie
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 12:18 pm
Location: London, UK/ Helsinki, Finland

Hill climbs in UK

Post by amh »

I'm building at the moment 911T hotrod and I would like to try hillclimbs with it once it is ready, so next year.
Does anyone do hill climbs from here?
I have been at Kophill hill climb and will go this year to Shere for first time.
What do you think what is the best place to start from? :dontknow:
Also do I need a race license to drive there?
911E 2.4 -73 race car
911T 2.0 -69 project
Ex. 997 2s modified with GT3 aero kit '05
Ex. W463 300GE "G-Wagon"
Ex. E46 M3
Ex. E38 740ial
Nine One One
Put a fork in me, I'm done!
Posts: 1619
Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:45 am
Location: Kernow - good old Cornwall

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by Nine One One »

911 Hillclimber will no doubt post something very shortly...................
Mick Cliff
I need to get out more!
Posts: 3277
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 7:51 am
Location: Selby

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by Mick Cliff »

As might MikeB
Merc B Class diesel
Porsche-less
Ashley James
Put a fork in me, I'm done!
Posts: 1649
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2016 3:30 pm
Location: Near Stroud, Glos. UK
Contact:

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by Ashley James »

Never done a hill but been visiting Prescott since the sixties and more recently Shelsley Walsh which is the oldest motor sport venue in the world to have been in continuous use since it began in 1905. Both are stunning locations with a wonderful atmosphere
Cortina
DDK rules my life!
Posts: 1165
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:32 pm
Location: N.Ireland

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by Cortina »

Yes , my "advice" would be to start by doing a few sprints first (to get a feel for driving the car quickly) .. then move.
You will need a competition licence (not a race one) to compete in MSA events.
Can't comment on locations , as all I have done have been in Ireland .... and style of the hills are very different !
Royal Enfield .. still in India
GL 1800 Tour DCT, for pleasure / Fantic 240 Professional - play
Rally 911 (1966) build parked for a while
Rally 928 (work started again - inc serious weight loss programe !)
.... and now another VW Up GTI owner.
amh
DDK Newbie
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 12:18 pm
Location: London, UK/ Helsinki, Finland

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by amh »

Cortina wrote:Yes , my "advice" would be to start by doing a few sprints first (to get a feel for driving the car quickly) .. then move.
You will need a competition licence (not a race one) to compete in MSA events.
Can't comment on locations , as all I have done have been in Ireland .... and style of the hills are very different !
I have done quarter mile with some other cars and driving on track with my 997.
Not sure what is different between sprint and hill climb?
What kind of prosess is getting a competition licence?
911E 2.4 -73 race car
911T 2.0 -69 project
Ex. 997 2s modified with GT3 aero kit '05
Ex. W463 300GE "G-Wagon"
Ex. E46 M3
Ex. E38 740ial
Tony
DDK slapper chatter
Posts: 476
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:59 pm
Location: East Lincs
Contact:

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by Tony »

Answers to many of your questions can be found here http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/ for a strictly Porsche series look here http://www.porscheclubmotorsport.co.uk/ ... ampionship

Any questions remaining and JWhillracer on here is the man!

Tony
User avatar
MikeB
Put a fork in me, I'm done!
Posts: 1904
Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:13 pm
Location: N. Ireland

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by MikeB »

As Tony indicates with the link above, the HSA is a good place to start.

What you need to do is check what your car is eligible for, as this can have an effect on what safety mods you need to make to the car. It is easiest if you car complies with Road Going Production categories. I note you say it is a hotrod, so say you stuck a 3.2 into it or RSR arches, that will effect which class you can enter and whether you need a MSA approved roll bar/cage installed.

It's a bit of a minefield, but either the HSA or some folk on here could give more detailed advice.
Cheers

Mike

RS Rep 3.0 on Webers
Cortina
DDK rules my life!
Posts: 1165
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:32 pm
Location: N.Ireland

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by Cortina »

amh wrote:
Cortina wrote:Yes , my "advice" would be to start by doing a few sprints first (to get a feel for driving the car quickly) .. then move.
You will need a competition licence (not a race one) to compete in MSA events.
Can't comment on locations , as all I have done have been in Ireland .... and style of the hills are very different !
I have done quarter mile with some other cars and driving on track with my 997.
Not sure what is different between sprint and hill climb?
What kind of prosess is getting a competition licence?
Sprint tracks usually have bigger run off areas (more space for any margin of error)
Licence - relatively easy , paperwork exercise usually .... depends on age / type , etc
Google , and get on to the MSA site - go from there
Royal Enfield .. still in India
GL 1800 Tour DCT, for pleasure / Fantic 240 Professional - play
Rally 911 (1966) build parked for a while
Rally 928 (work started again - inc serious weight loss programe !)
.... and now another VW Up GTI owner.
User avatar
MikeB
Put a fork in me, I'm done!
Posts: 1904
Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:13 pm
Location: N. Ireland

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by MikeB »

You will need a National B Speed license from the RAC Motor Sports Association, MSA, an approved helmet and racesuit. As Cortina says it is probably best to do a sprint or two, so you can get used to the car at competition speeds and start to find limits. In GB the hillclimbs are all on private land and as such are usually on narrow tracks, so there is less room for error. Look on the HSA site and you will find clubs who organise Speed Events ( hills & sprints) in your area and join a Club. You also need a Spill Kit ( see Demon Tweeks) and to put a Beam Splitter on the front of the car (a vertical blade that cuts the timing beam, see MSA Blue Book for the dims, free with you comp license).

It sounds a lot is hassle, but hills & sprints are good fun and full of friendly helpful folk who will guide you on your way, I've been doing them for 35 years and still enjoy them ;)
Cheers

Mike

RS Rep 3.0 on Webers
smallspeed
I used to have a life, then came DDK
Posts: 3856
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:38 pm
Location: leicester
Contact:

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by smallspeed »

As someone else said be careful and aware of the regs before you start modifying.. I didn't even think about hill climbing when I started building my car - it was built around the BMWRDC regs - now I feel like I'd enjoy doing some hillclimbs having done a "school" day at Prescott but to be honest I'm not sure my car would be any good! 275 ish bhp, 1100kg, but seam welded, full cage, lsd, over 2 litre engine, etc, etc.. Basically I'd be up against anything with four wheels :lol:
While I'd be happy just having a go I think it would be pretty depressing coming last in class by an unassailable margin every time..

It might be different with something classic like your 911 but if you do want to do some hill climbing go in eyes open regarding the regs just incase :)
jwhillracer
Me and DDK sitting in a tree! KISSING
Posts: 2618
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 5:58 pm
Location: Sunny Somerset, just above the water....

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by jwhillracer »

Sorry, I've only just picked this up.
All that has been said before is good advice. Based in Surrey, you are not going to have many local hillclimbs..........
Try to go and see two or three different venues, to get an idea of the layout, and what happens, especially if you can get to some of the smaller clubbie meetings. Bring your car, hunt out the scrutineers after they have finished the main scrutineering in the morning, and ask them to have a look over it for you. As long as they are not under pressure they will normally be happy to do it.
Have a good chat to the competitors, most are more than happy to chat about their cars and the sport.
Go to one (or more!) of the Hillclimb Schools. They are an excellent introduction to the sport. You will learn a lot of technique, and more importantly will have a chance to try the sport before you have to spend on licence, helmet, overalls, mods to the car etc.
The chances are that you will be hooked, but if you aren't, then you will have learned about our sport and moved on without having spent a lot of money on it.
Shelsley Walsh, Prescott, Gurston Down, Loton Park (?? 911hillclimber??), and Harewood all run excellent schools, I hope I haven't left anyone out!
Join one of the clubs that organises hillclimb meetings. They will have a vast amount of knowledge that most members are delighted to share.
On the Porsche side, consider entering the PCGB Speed Championship http://www.porscheclubmotorsport.co.uk/ ... ampionship
This has a selection of Hillclimbs and Sprints spread across the country at different types of venue.

I hope this helps. In the next few weeks I hope to be competing at Shelsley Walsh, Gurston Down (PCGB National Hillclimb Championship), Wiscombe Park, and Loton Park. If you can get to any of these, than please do come and have a chat.

Cheers!

JW

PS - smallspeed - our car is only 250bhp and 1000 or so kg, and has been reasonably successful over the years, so there's no reason why your car wouldn't be :albino: Come on, give it a go!
Life's a single timed run with no practice....
1970 914/6 2.4E/Webers
1970 VW Beetle project
1972 911 Hillclimber 3.2 MFI. Part of the family for 30+ years!
2006 Hymer Merc Starline 630
2000 T4 Van LPG
2000 Golf V5 Estate GT (Greyhound Transport!)
smallspeed
I used to have a life, then came DDK
Posts: 3856
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:38 pm
Location: leicester
Contact:

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by smallspeed »

jwhillracer wrote: PS - smallspeed - our car is only 250bhp and 1000 or so kg, and has been reasonably successful over the years, so there's no reason why your car wouldn't be :albino: Come on, give it a go!
I think the problem is age - the car is from 1992 so it would be in all the normal modern classes, and so >2 litre, with all the chassis mods puts it into like an over 2 litre modified class with monster-power evo's and subarus and things, or even sports libre which doesn't bear thinking about :lol:

I think its something I will have a crack at anyway (once the car is finished) but for the time being will have some fun on track days, the occasional sprint, and maybe a few more "school days" :)

Image
jwhillracer
Me and DDK sitting in a tree! KISSING
Posts: 2618
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2008 5:58 pm
Location: Sunny Somerset, just above the water....

Re: Hill climbs in UK

Post by jwhillracer »

That looks a load of fun wherever you take it! Don't worry about whatever else might possibly be in the class, what most competitors and spectators want to see is someone driving the wheels off an interesting and different car.

Look forward to seeing you out to play!

JW
Life's a single timed run with no practice....
1970 914/6 2.4E/Webers
1970 VW Beetle project
1972 911 Hillclimber 3.2 MFI. Part of the family for 30+ years!
2006 Hymer Merc Starline 630
2000 T4 Van LPG
2000 Golf V5 Estate GT (Greyhound Transport!)
Post Reply