KS's hillclimbing odyssey

[Gary71]

Great story Keith, keep it coming!

[keith fellowes]

Great story Keith, really enjoying it
I did a few rallies with Richard Morgan (Moggy) in his 914 and it handled really well but just needed more power. His words ' it's just a camper engine'!
Didn't realise in hillclimbing that you can start 'in your own time' after the green light comes on.
Look forward to the next episode

[70sThrowback]

very interesting, also intrigued to see what is coming next with the engine, noting you have several of the current bits ready for sale at the swap meet.

[KS]

By now, I was starting to get the bit between my teeth and felt frustrated that my season was soon to come to an end. I could enter events elsewhere 'up country' but my decision to only compete where I could drive to the venue, compete and then drive home all in one day meant that I was restricted to courses no further away than Wiscombe in Devon, about 90 minutes from home. Locally, in addition to Castle and Werrington, there would normally be Tregrehan, which is just 15 minutes from my house. However, the pandemic and its allied restrictions put paid to any events being held there – hopefully next year will see it appearing on the calendar once again. So here we are, back at Wiscombe for the 'Five Clubs' hillclimb in September.

The day kicked off with the usual practice run, to be followed by three 'event' runs. Wiscombe can be quite slippery first thing as the overhanging trees on the upper reaches of the course prevent it from drying out. Taking it steady, I ran a 54.51 – I was a little disappointed until I realised that this was only 0.18 secs slower than my previous best in my own car. OK, that's a start…

The next two runs saw me chip away at the time, first with a 53.36 and then a 52.87. I was ecstatic and JW, who was there in his freshly rebuilt Carrera, seemed pleased for me, too. I think he could see that I was now firmly hooked on the hillclimbing lark. The final run of the day went to plan, and resulted in an even better time of 52.79 – maybe I might be able to match the time I set in JW's 914/6 by the end of the year? Maybe.



Naturally, I finished last in class, some three seconds adrift of an Audi S3 and a Toyota Yaris GR, and ten seconds behind class winner Rod Eyles in that lovely Alfa 4C of his.

Video:
https://youtu.be/iQKMellM8qk

Once again, fuel surge at Sawbench hairpin meant the engine dropped right off the cam, leading to a painfully slow start to Castle Straight up to Martini. I have plans…

[KS]

And so to the final event of the year. Once again at Wiscombe Park, this time for the Wildlife event, which was an extra slotted in after the original meeting was abandoned due to the weather conditions. The entry was full and the paddock packed, despite it clashing with the final round of the BHCC at Loton Park. It also marked the final round of the SWMC (South West Motor Clubs) championship.

The Saturday had been damp and it rained at one point, but Sunday looked more promising – again, I was only running the one day. The practice run was on a cool slightly damp course, so I took things a little easier as I didn't want to repeat the events of the previous day when one fo the front runners stuffed his car hard into the vegetation exiting the Gate (the first right-hander on the course). The outcome was a very average 55.10, not helped by my foot slipping off the clutch pedal when downshifting into second for Sawbench! Note to self: buy some new driving shoes – the soles of my current pair are worn smooth after three decades of use!

I had high hopes of getting down into the '52s', having realised that, as the car stood, I was unlikely to match the 51.98 I achieved in JW's 'six' a few months earlier. The first timed run was a 53.79, which was OK but I thought I'd done better as I'd been trying hard (or so I thought). The next run was 53.16 – better but not what I was after. Dammit.

So it was all down to the final run. It didn't get off to a great start, as I almost fouled up the shift from second to third at the bottom of the hill. I resigned myself to a poor time and when I got to the top of the hill, no time came up on the illuminated board. Dammit once again! It appeared the time hadn't registered. Then I heard the announcer say 'Car number 133, Keith Seume...'. Just then the car behind me pulled alongside. '…point five-nine'. What 'point five-nine'? 53.59? Unlikely. 54.59? Probably. 55.59? I hope not.

I had no way of knowing what time I'd done until I returned to the paddock and went to see the timing caravan. With a feeling of resignation, I asked for a printout of my times and much to my delight and amazement discovered I'd run my best time of the year: 52.59, just 0.61 sec slower than my time in JW's 'six'! Woohoo!

Video:
https://youtu.be/EFcM4ewpIc0



So, it all came right in the end, but now the planning starts for next year. I'll post some of my thoughts next time.

[KS]

Just for comparison, here's a 'side by side' of my very first timed run of the year compared to my very last, quickest run. The difference was 4.69 seconds overall...

https://youtu.be/QqlOJfG9TsU

[Ollie]

Great post Keith! Looking forward to following season 2!

[911hillclimber]

Great first year!
Keep that dream alive of closing in on that 4c.
A target to hit is a Good Thing imho esp if you can spot a car equal to yours, age, power to weight etc.
The 4C is very modern of course so much harder...and much heavier, but the driver is quite something!

It is very noticeable how much harder and decisively you are driving at the end of your first year.

I too look forward to Year 2.

[rhd racer]

Great story Keith, welcome to the club!

Oh, and we used pea shooters at those award dinners too The magician put on by the club was the best one ‘the club is paying me a lot of money to be here and if one more person shoots at me…….(enter Paul Howells with pea shooter)….Bullseye! He was not happy, but for fear of not being paid finished the gig.

Happy days

[914-6]

thought you did great Keith, and looked like you really enjoyed yourself.
Well done matey.
Cheers

Ian

[KS]

So, what have I learned this year? Well, first and foremost is that hillclimbing is fun, with a great crowd of people and courses that are generally a cut above the majority of motorsport venues. If you had to choose between taking your loved one to a windswept former airfield or the grounds of a stately home, which do you think would impress them more?

Definitely better than an old airfield!


My initial attempts at competing in the 914 highlighted a number of things. First was that I tended to be too abrupt with any steering input. I also tended to brake too early, downshift too soon and get back on the power too late. I also turned in too early… I recall an instructor at Porsche's driving centre at Silverstone casually saying to me as I wrestled with a 991GTS round the tight handling course 'I see you've got your race head on – try to relax!' Over-driving is all too easy…

At Wiscombe, JW's advice to get into second gear as soon as I could rang in my mind from day one – 914s, along with other Porsches with 'dog-leg' boxes, aren't generally blessed with the fastest change from first to second, and getting it out of the way as soon as possible made sense. Fortunately, a past owner had replaced the shift linkage bushes, so the change is better than most I've experienced.

The infamous Bunny's Leap (great name!) looks a piece of cake when you walk the course – a gentle left hander over a slight crest on one of the faster parts of the course. Problem is, it can unsettle your car (and you) and result in a nail-biting spin down the hillside. Earlier in the year I witnessed a Mini slide backwards down the grassy slope towards some very substantial-looking trees after clipping the exit to Bunny's Leap, and the image of 'what might have been' is still in my mind. However, Adrian Crawford told me it 'could be taken flat in your car' (really?) and I got braver as the season progressed. I still lift, though…

Bunny's Leap from within…


'Don't be tempted to cut the corner at Sawbench,' said JW – so why do I nearly always turn in too soon? Maybe the fact that I've seen a few too many cars overcook it and contact the bank doesn't help, but I'm getting better. Swapping to the Toyo R888Rs was a huge confidence booster – they shake your fillings on the street but grip very well through the Esses, even in the damp. Swapping the master cylinder helped, too, the harder pedal inspiring confidence to brake later and deeper into a bend. I'm also trying to educate myself not to look for the apex, but instead look 'through' the bend to where I want to go. Changing to an open-face helmet has helped, too.

Changing down far too early for Sawbench...


Overall, though, the fact that times have come down by almost five seconds show that things are improving. I still need to have more confidence to brake later and get back on the throttle earlier, but I'll get there eventually.

But what about the car? More of that next time…

[jeremyg]

Enjoying this Keith, and having come to watch you and JW at Wiscombe the location and ambience was a revelation. The climb up through the woods is really beautiful, with very close but safe spectating points. It made a great day out. Add in good burgers and real coffee, and I’m nearly signed up to be a hill climber.

[KS]

[911hillclimber]

He is truly bitten.
He is done for.
He will forever be chasing pb's.

Welcome to this wonderful club of hillclimbers.

[neilbardsley]

Are you building the engine yourself? Will you need bigger carbs?

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