KS's hillclimbing odyssey

[KS]

I was talking with Jim at his workshop a couple of weeks ago, and he showed me some of the dry sump pumps he was using. TBH, I probably won't go down that route due to cost and weight, but improve the sump baffling with FAT's mod, in conjunction with the Accusump currently fitted.

[911hillclimber]

Video clip looks a very clean run, no drama or skids, usually = best times.
Why do you need a dry sump? Has the Accusump kicked it during the runs?

Tyre pressures cold and hot are a real pain to get right, I'm never sure mine are correct at all.

In a car 1/2 the weight of yours and 320 bhp my crossply slicks are 15 psi Rr and 13 psi Fr cold, but no idea what they are at the top. Length of hill and turns all have a bearing on temperatures.

I just keep to 15/13 cold and carry on regardless...The cold pressures go up and down depending on the weather.

Last hillclimb for me on the 23/24 Sept at Loton.

[KS]

TBH, don't really need a dry sump set-up. I just like to overthink things sometimes!

What's happening is that at Sawbench (the first right-hand open hairpin) the oil surges hard to the left, forced up the pushrod tubes into the rocker cover. Oil pressure drops from the usual 60psi to around 40psi as the rpm falls, and recovers to 50+psi up Castle Straight. Braking and turning into Martini, the final open hairpin left, sees the oil pressure drop off to 20psi, or less, as the oil hasn't had chance to fully drain back from the left hand head. The Accusump stops the pressure going any lower than that, but it's still not ideal.

These three screen grabs show the oil pressure gauge at Sawbench (top), Castle Straight (middle) and Martini (bottom). Apologies for the quality but Martini is in deep shade throughout the day. The oil pressure gauge is on the left (with temp in the middle and voltage on the right).



What's needed is to carry out the sump baffle mod that FAT Performance came up with – it's very simple and stops (or slows) the oil surge up the pushrod tubes in the first place. It's basically two 'fins' added to the stock pick-up.

[911hillclimber]

Interesting!
Looks a good mod to do and will settle the mind.

[KS]

So, all change... Unfortunately Sarah's 90-year old mum broke her femur a while back and, after an operation to pin it, was doing well. However she's now in great pain and having to go back in to have an X-ray to see if the bone has knitted. The upshot of this is that we had to cancel our planned trip to Belgium so that Sarah could take care of things. The last hillclimb of the year down west was scheduled for this past weekend, so I looked to see if I could get a last minute entry and was successful.



Tregrehan is the shortest course in the calendar at just 500 yards, but is described by most as 'challenging'. Back in June, with good weather, I'd managed to set a best time of 23.70 before retiring with broken engine mounts. As it was decidedly more cool and slightly damp, I didn't expect too much of the weekend but gave it a go anyway. First practice run was a 25.25 checking out the cold track. The startline was as slick as a slick thing, but I managed to get off the line pretty well, wheel-spinning through first gear to record a launch time of 2.69 secs, beaten only by the Audi TTs and a very rapid Lotus Elise with all the bells and whistles.

With a total of just 60 cars entered, it looked like we would get at least four timed runs in during the day, so plenty of opportunity to settle in. I'd done nothing to the car other than top up the oil and check the tyre pressures, so went to the line confident the car could deliver even if the driver couldn't. On the first 'event' run, I was pretty happy with a time of 24.41 (despite a slower launch time of 2.81), and even happier next time around with a 23.88. Launch time was a 2.71. The track slowly improved and I gained in confidence, laying down a 2.69 launch time (again!) crossing the line in 23.76 seconds. Almost there...

The fourth event run saw another 2.69 launch time and – at last – a new PB of 23.30, a whopping 0.4 off my best time in June and 0.12 better than my previous best from last year. I was over the moon, to say the least. But by now, the weather was showing signs of change and it began to spot with misty rain. A last ditch effort saw me leave the line with a 2.68 launch, but then chicken out at the first left-hander as the car decided to take matter into its own hands with a nice four-wheel slide. The result was a 24.30...

But I was as happy as Larry, ending the season with PBs at all three venues where I competed with the 914. What surprised me was the consistency of the launch times at Tregrehan: three 2.69s and a 2.68. Maybe years of drag racing has helped... Incidentally, the next class up, for cars over 2600cc, was won by a friend in his 996 with an identical 23.30, also a PB for him!

Here's a video of the 23.30. I need to take that first left-hander completely flat and get back on the power sooner on the next right...

https://youtu.be/ApuK-sWC9hw?si=hZ2oFBqnZKpLiPIw

As for my (very friendly) rival, Ian Harrison in his TVR Vixen, he managed a best launch of 2.70 and a best event time of 23.93 (twice!). So this year's honours have gone to the 914, with quicker times at each venue. Next year might be different, who knows?

[Lightweight_911]

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An excellent end to the season - well done !!

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[Nine One One]

Well done Keith you must be well and truly chuffed!

[RobFrost]

Well done Keith. I enjoyed tales of your exploits and I hope you keep it up next year.

Fingers crossed they can patch up your mother in law.

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

[911hillclimber]

Best way to finish a season, good going.
Easy to obsessed by the 64 foot time...
I'm hooked on them but alone, does not mean a winning time!

You and the car are back in one piece too, the best result!

You need to join a championship for 2024, fresh challenges.

[KS]

You need to join a championship for 2024, fresh challenges.

I'm already part of the ASWMC and Wiscombe championships, but as I can only afford to do events that don't involve overnight accommodation, or driving miles to and from venues, my options are somewhat limited.
Sadly the state pension doesn't seem to have been designed to sponsor racers! (Note to self: do the lottery or rob a bank)

TBH, I'm quite happy doing events at the four south-west venues, plus a 'treat' (Saint Gouéno, for example) as I don't have to factor in accommodation or pay for loads of fuel.
Also at present Sarah's 'weekend' comprises Friday and Saturday – getting away for a weekend is difficult as Sunday's off are an impossibility at certain times of year (she works in the horticultural industry...).

[70sThrowback]

great result well done!

[BILLY BEAN]

You need to join a championship for 2024, fresh challenges.

(Note to self: do the lottery or rob a bank)

I have some used ladies tights and an old saw off shotgun you can borrow if bank robbing is on the cards. Bootsy said the tights would look very fetching on you.

[KS]

Worried about them being described as 'used', though...

[BILLY BEAN]

Worried about them being described as 'used', though...

I think you would have a bigger worry: forgot to say they are crotch less tights.

[KS]