My first launch with the new spec car, I think you'll agree it goes quite well.

YouTube - Subaru Impreza at Prescott Hill Climb

 

At least the mass of that 6 speed will be low down in the chassis! Apart from the syncros, 6 speeds are pretty much bomb proof

 

Some more vids from saturday,

Geoff Twemlow in his new RA mega spec ex Kenny.S car, 400bhp, ppg, ap's.. the list is endless.
View My Video

Keith Edwards in his SWB Quattro with gt45 turbo.
View My Video

 

Hmmm, 6sp costs with associated bits.... Time for a 5sp dog box Rob. spend the money once.

---john---

 

Or borrow the 6 speed and don't spend the money at all....

Correct ratios for Rob's setup means a dogbox would be a while away. But it may be something I can persuade him into doing in the future!

 

What turbo did you go with in the end?

 

John, as Paul says above he kindly offered me a 6 speed to borrow to get me out there as May is a very busy month for me on the hills. I do however agree the 5 speeder is the way to go, mainly for the 30 kgs lighter.

Paul I will definately be having short ratio dogbox at somepoint in the future and will talk to you more about it tomorrow.

 

You can't beat a Free Gearbox

 

Top secret I'm afraid!

 

Bahh Humbugg with 490 / 470 from a 2.1 it sounds like a nice one too

 

As if by magic............

A 6 speed box has appeared!

 

I got my car back on the same weighbridge I weighed it on at the end of last season. It was 1170kgs then.

I wasn't expecting a great figure as the car now has a 6 speed box in which is some 30kgs heavier than my 5 speeder.

It weighed in at 1100kgs exactly to the kilo, tha means I have removed 140kgs from an already part stripped car and added a 40kgs full weld in cage and 30kgs 6 speed box to bring me back up to 1100kgs.

I have spent no money whatsoever on the weight save just me and my brothers time.

The next stage of weight save is for next winter as this will involve quite abit of expenditure.

There is still 6 kgs of metal I'm removing from the drivers door and with a race day fuel load it should be around 1090kgs.

All this with full glass and metal doors!

Pete came over and took some pics of the finished article, it's a bit rough around the edges and the paint and body work needs some attention but the build is there and that's what matters.

Click on the images for full size.




The office...


All ready for shelsley walsh tomorrow, let's hope the weather is kind to us.

 

Good luck Rob, car looks purposeful!

 

The bank holiday meeting at Shelsley Walsh was blighted by rotten weather and I lucked out with the worst pit space in the whole event, mud that had run down from the land slide last year was brought back to life by the rain on saturday.

Things improved on saturday and light drizzle in the morning didn't settle on the track meaning only a few sections were damp for the first run, and the sun broke through for the afternoon run making conditions perfect.

I unfortunatley had a few teething problems with the car whihc meant I was considerably slower than I should have been, clutch not engaging meaning missed gears in the morning which we managed to sort but the misfire that plagued me all weekend was quite serious by my final run and I only managed a 31.55, good enough for 2nd place by a few tenths even with the merged classes, although Roger in the monster A4 who took the class win with a 31.20 had car problems of his own and had the advantage of seeing my time before he ran so I'm sure he held back to protect his engine.

Well over a second behind my PB with my old spec car and 10 mph slower through the speed trap I'm obviously dissapointed but as a marshall who saw me struggling up the finish straight said to me "with all the work you have done if the only problems are clutch adjustment and a misfire your doing alright" and he's right, new engine, fuel system, transmission, diffs, electrics the list is endless. On the positive side I set the fastest launch of the weekend with 1.82 64ft time, I was also the quickest non single seater (and quicker than a fair few single seaters) car to the new split trap at the first corner and the inner wheel spin I suffered last year in the esses was totally gone with the new diffs.

I'm out at Harewood for the first time ever next weekend and the car is off to Zen to get the misfire sorted for then.

Some pics....

Kennel bend



Roger in the 800bhp A4 who took the class win


And I thought I had problems...


The kink...

 

Looks good Rob - sure you'll have better luck at the next round

I noticed the Gurston Down Hillclimb was televised over the weekend - I think I'll sign up for the next round of their Championship - been a while since I last drove there and the car is now very, very different

 

Huge thanks to Rob for his help in sorting/advising me on the boost issues on Sunday - I am still learning after 9 years of owning Imprezas

Not the best way to start an event with no boost on your first practice run, ESCPECIALLY when you've been up since 05:00 am on a Sunday

Kept the car cool on Monday + lots of ice dropped onto the top of the intercooler. Boost issues S.O.R.T.E.D.

Personal Best of 35.35 seconds on Monday afternoon at Shelsley

Hopefully, at the "summer" events, when the track is bone dry a few more
10ths can be knocked off the time?

Great weekend and I was ahead of the main challengers in the HSA class/championship, so all in all

 

Well done mate, I had the same problem with my car in '06 when I had a TMIC.

All the scoobynetters drove well, Graham, Geoff T posted PB's. Grahams 35 in the 230bhp 30 year old porsche is very impressive indeed on a power hill.


My car showed me just what it's capable of inbetween the problems and whilst I'm frustrated I know just how fast it can be, power, grip, handling, stopping are all now very serious and I'm looking forward to getting the most out of it. I'm out at Harewood this weekend, Loton on the 17th then back to Shelsley on the 31st/1st June so I should be well on it by my return to the 'Walsh'.

 

Rob, which day you at Harewood?

 

where is graham?
you guys need to post more pics and vids

 

Both, the 'A' meeting is on the sunday but not knowing the hill and the distance being so far I entered the B meet on the saturday to try and get up to speed and make the distance travelled worth while.

 

The video from the weekend is not worth watching, hearing me shouting and swearing at the car while it misfires is not good viewing.

 

Was going to nip across and watch/help if needed, but now off down to Paul's to collect a diff.

Good luck!

 

OK mate, well if you find some time come on over.

If the diff your collecting is your new rear one you will not be dissapointed, yours, mine and Paul's are the same and bought as a deal and it is seriously good! Say goodbye to wheel spin and hello serious forward motion.

 

Cool, dont think the new one has arrived yet, so using Paul's old one, which should still give 100% more forward motion than the present one when exiting a hairpin.

Only 30 mins from Harewood, will see how saturday pans out.

 

Misfire fixed, gear problems sorted and no mater how much abuse we gave it around the industrial estate it would not play up.

The boost has been properly brought under control now and for some indication of just how quick it is now the rev limiter is at 8300rpm and when you hit it the tacho is still only showing 6500rpm, it can't keep up with the acceleration.

All ready for Harewood weekender!

 

I know I don't really have to remind you but don't forget to ring us regularly with updates

Liz

 

I made my first visit to Harewood this weekend and what an amazing hill. A long and seriously challenging track and impressive facility.

Saturday I struggled and wasn't anything like as fast as I thought I would be and drove like a bit of a *** all day trying to hit the mega fast target I had set myself. I also found out I can't thrash my 2008 car like I could last years car as it bites you in the **** and you go slow.

I won my class with a 64.41 but it was apparent to get lower in the 60's as I had hoped I would have to calm the rear of my car down and sort my driving out to suit the new hardcore spec of the car.

For sunday I dropped pressure out of the rear tyres, backed the suspension off and fitted a spoiler my dad brought along to try and calm it down when braking from speed (probably just a 'placebo' spoiler). I tried to drive more smoothly and instantly went faster posting a 63.31 and finishing a run without missing 3rd gear at least once and was heading down to the 62's/61's where I wanted to be.

Come the competetive runs I was flying but a couple of missed 3rd gear shifts later and I went slower with a 63.68. I came second to the harewood sprint school instructor and ford racing test driver who posted a 61.95, no shame in that and my time is very respectable for a first visit even though I left annoyed I didn't go faster and do a clean mistake free competetive run.

Good points the car didn't miss a beat and is just mega quick only thing
letting it down is the knackered synchro on 3rd but it can be driven around until Zen get back from TA at knockhill. We got it set up and handling well, and I got some proper problem free time in the seat with the new spec. I also set a PB 64ft launch time of 1.74 which made me nearly pass out and could well be a record at Harewood thought the Instructor dude.

Pete took some great pics, here's a few of them, click on them for bigger images.

I'm really looking forward to going back to Harewood and taking a big chunk out of my times.

I'm off to my home track of Loton next Saturday for the first time this year and well looking forward to it.

 

I remember watching the hillclimbs at Harewood as a kid in the late 70s. Looks they have done alot of work on the track.

Car looks nice and flat through the corners

 

It's a very well turned out track and facility.

The cage has added so much stiffness to the chassis and keeps things very level.

 

Rob's car (and a few others) blasting out out of Top Esse:

Shelsley's successful 2008 season opener

Richard