Prescott Hill Climb 27th & 28th June
Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:50 am
Bit of a fraught week-end, but not a complete disaster, thanks to the help of several people!
All was going reasonably well until 3rd practice on Saturday afternoon. Warmed the tyres at the pre-start - loud bang from the rear and no forward movement......................
No nasty noises from the gearbox, did it just jump out of gear? Into first again - no go!
Several of the other guys in the class helped me to push it back to the paddock, and we found that the outer drive-shaft flange had sheared - the one that goes through the hub with the 30mm castle nut on the outside. Why it should have done that after only 24 years in competition, I don't know
As is usual in these cases, a panic phone call to Crispin was next. He didn't have one at home (!!), so he went back to Oak Tree and found one. The next call was to our daughter Kate, to divert her trip from Cornwall to the Forest of Dean via Exeter and Prescott. We stripped out the drive-shaft, and checked and cleaned the parts. Kate arrived at 9.00pm complete with flange, gaskets and split pin thoughtfully supplied by Crispin, and we tried to get it fitted. The flange was no problem, but the b........ outer cv joint was a complete sod to line up in the gloom lying under the car on the grass paddock - we gave up at about 10.30pm 
Up at 6.00 the next morning, and with fresher eyes and more patience, it eventually all went back together in time for a shower before the timed runs started.
All worked well, two low 48 sec runs, nowhere near the big audis, and 5.2 litre Westfield, but splitting the two 4.5 litre Morgans for 5th place, which I was pleased with on the day.
Very many thanks to Crispin Manners of Oak Tree Garage for getting me out of the sh1t yet again, and to Kate for giving up most of her night out (why do I think that may yet cost me?) Also many others on the day who kept me going, helped, brought coffee, held lights etc, especially fellow competitors Vincent Dubois and Geoff Twemlow. Nearly everyone in this sport will help - until the light goes green!
Back to Shelsley Walsh again in a fortnight for the Classic meeting
Cheers!
JW
All was going reasonably well until 3rd practice on Saturday afternoon. Warmed the tyres at the pre-start - loud bang from the rear and no forward movement......................
No nasty noises from the gearbox, did it just jump out of gear? Into first again - no go!Several of the other guys in the class helped me to push it back to the paddock, and we found that the outer drive-shaft flange had sheared - the one that goes through the hub with the 30mm castle nut on the outside. Why it should have done that after only 24 years in competition, I don't know
As is usual in these cases, a panic phone call to Crispin was next. He didn't have one at home (!!), so he went back to Oak Tree and found one. The next call was to our daughter Kate, to divert her trip from Cornwall to the Forest of Dean via Exeter and Prescott.
We stripped out the drive-shaft, and checked and cleaned the parts. Kate arrived at 9.00pm complete with flange, gaskets and split pin thoughtfully supplied by Crispin, and we tried to get it fitted. The flange was no problem, but the b........ outer cv joint was a complete sod to line up in the gloom lying under the car on the grass paddock - we gave up at about 10.30pm Up at 6.00 the next morning, and with fresher eyes and more patience, it eventually all went back together in time for a shower before the timed runs started.
All worked well, two low 48 sec runs, nowhere near the big audis, and 5.2 litre Westfield, but splitting the two 4.5 litre Morgans for 5th place, which I was pleased with on the day.
Very many thanks to Crispin Manners of Oak Tree Garage for getting me out of the sh1t yet again, and to Kate for giving up most of her night out (why do I think that may yet cost me?) Also many others on the day who kept me going, helped, brought coffee, held lights etc, especially fellow competitors Vincent Dubois and Geoff Twemlow. Nearly everyone in this sport will help - until the light goes green!
Back to Shelsley Walsh again in a fortnight for the Classic meeting
Cheers!
JW
