Scumball rally - Scumrun rally 2009
22 April 2009, 09:55 PM
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Scumball rally - Scumrun rally 2009
Having competed in the scumball rally for the last three years and won best dressed scum for our efforts with the BTTF delorean lookalike scirocco in 2008, there was only one way to go for 2009 and that was bigger, better and more importantly faster!
The Rally itself had rebranded to "Scumrun Rally" but at its heart it was the same event, a high quality, well organised four day rally across europe, with undisclosed locations for each checkpoint and campsite.
This led the way for me to think about a car which suited our needs. With the exception of said scirocco, Our previous rally cars have all followed a similar theme. Big, white, High performance, RWD and ex-police all featured heavily amongst them. However, when I stumbled upon an ex-police Volvo T5 estate, I knew I had to have it.
These are legendary cars and have a fearsome reputation, but it was not until I bought it that I learnt that the engine was orginally out of the Audi Quattro with the addition of a 20v head. All I knew was it was big, white, ex-police, fast and 500 quid on the nose. Sold
Having stored the car up in Derby, we set about getting a theme to go with the car. The silver screen proved to be our inspiration once again and before we could say "staypuft" we were going as the Ghostbusters
It was perfect, we had a large white, estate car and that was exactly what was in the film. So a little before the rally we dusted off the car, raided homebase and set to work. Here are the results.
In the interests of safety, we decided to remove all metal from the roof build. Cable ties and plastic was our friend and the only concession being the satellite dish which was bolted directly to the roof rack and heavily cabletied over that in case it worked lose.
In addition to this, we had sponsors to satisfy. Once again we had sold advertising space on the car to raise the required £500 and had gone over that by a whole 65 pounds. The return favour was a complete sticker package. Here are the highlights.
So after that was completed, the only thing to do was hit the supermarket and load up with as much stuff wrapped in pastry as we could carry, then set off for the launch party! Unfortunately we got there just before night fell, but it was a prestigous location, namely the napoleonic fort overlooking portsmouth harbour.
The cars all assembled here and the launch got underway. Not only were we treated to a highly convincing queen tribute band, but also a full driver briefing from the organisers, ceremonial cheque handover to the charity for well in excess of £50,000, but a surprise appearence from Max Clifford!
This was a difficult one for me, I hated him with every fibre of my being, but it turns out he's a really nice chap who does a lot of work for charity and does it for nothing as well. He reminded us of the reason we were there and the good work the charity does and then wished us well for our journey.
Speaking of which, the time was moving on, we had to get going, so the rally moved as one to the Portmouth ferry port.
Soon after, we were on the ferry!
Following on from probably the worst nights sleep I've ever had, we woke at around 8 and saw a sight that made all the tiredness go away.
We were there, it was time to drive!
Well, not quite, first off the entire field was breathtested, if you failed, you didnt get a routecard! Fortunately I passed, Which is more than can be said for this chap.
The ferry disembarked and with no trouble at all from immigration, we were off!
After the initial meetup, the routecards for the day were given out, We were off to bordeaux, quite a drive from le havre, I'll think you'll agree, but we had more pressing problems as the day progressed.
These pictures show the steady self distruction of the ducting we had built into our roof build, it was dissapointing, but every stopoff for removal, we saw a corresponding increase in fuel economy, so it wasnt all bad.
The checkpoint loomed and we dashed into the carrefour and bought something. the receipt represented out checkpoint time, so after that was a short (well 250 miles) hop to the campsite. We thought we were making reasonable time, but we were shocked when we got there to dicover that out of 100 teams, we were the eighth to arrive! There are no prizes for getting there first, but it sure made us feel good!
But early arrival afforded us other luxuries, namely photographing the other teams as they arrived. This rally is all about the cars and the teams, so here are a few of our favourites.
Soon after, the rest of the field had arrived, the madness began. This guy got off to an early start, drinking so much he collapsed unconcious onto the bonnet of his car
And this was a coffin, complete with barbeque, bar and soundsystem installed!
Anyway, enough of that, before we knew it, it was the morning after.
All the drivers gathered round and we after breath testing, we got another route card. This time it was a big one. Barcelona, via a small checkpoint then, best of all, the pyreneese! We decided to convoy it with a few close personal friends.
A collective decision was made to sack off the autoroutes and do the decent thing and take the mountain passes. So after Lara G-M had filled up,
we set off for what turned out to be one of the best drives of my life.
Soon after the checkpoint, the mountains loomed into view.
We knew exactly what to do, we got off the main roads and took the windiest route in the map book.
This is what we were rewarded with, driving pleasure like we had never known.
This was just the lower foothills, as we got higher, we were rewarded with snow! After a while, we couldnt resist it, we stopped the convoy and got out for a few photos
after photos and video had been taken, we snaked up higher into the mountains. Bone dry tarmac, thin air and virgin snow was our reward.
Eventually we summited and after a border control conspicious by its lack of manpower we were in spain! A photo opportunity had to happen and the large carpark we found just off the summit offered itself handsomely.
As well as that, we also took the opportunity to write our names in the snow.
Enough dicking about, it was time to drive! the downhill was fun, with mountains soon making way for spanish plains.
It was also time for some tracking shots.
Not to mention some extreme weather. I dont know what is going on here, but it looked amazing!
And so with the destruction of our final piece of ducting,
we pushed onto barcelona. Eventually, after 12 hours driving, we make it there. Our Fiancees and girlfriends had planned something for the occasion when we were furthest south, the ceremonial downing of two bottles of "bonfire Boy" ale. here's me and dave drinking them, note the exhausted expressions and looks of herculean drunkeness.
The same thing as last night, once the driving stops, the partying starts. There is a bar and as a reward for carting half the organisational teams stuff around, we are given free beer tokens. At about half one, we find outselves in the Irish lads rally car, a former ambulance, mixing dance tunes on a laptop and getting shouted out by the campsite owners.
Eventually we come to and its morning!
the campsite is on the coast of the med, we have driven across europe in every sense of the word
Its time to drive again, but there is a concern. Despite the car being nicknamed "Terminator" by the irish lads on account of how "It absolutely will not stop" the car has developed a noticable thrumming from the nearside front which gets noticibly louder when executing right hand turns. It bears all the hallmarks of a broken front wheel bearing. There is little we can do aside from sticking to the autoroutes so we press on to the checkpoint and what a checkpoint!
The legendary millau bridge is our destination, so we set of for the French Grand Massiv. The checkpoint addresses are noticibly hazy this time round, but its difficult to miss a kilometre high bridge so we get there and purchase a postcard for our receipt time. After that, its photo time.
We arrive with loads of other entries and we all park up.
The bridge proves too much of a photo opportunity to resist, so in search of some fun, we grab a passing frenchman and get these.
It looks like fun (and it was) but with the checkpoint done, it was time to get to the campsite. this was proving difficult, with the routecard drawing a blank when entered into multiple satnavs. Not wanting to set out without a destination, eventually, someone with a high IQ, goes onto google earth, finds the campsite, gets the lat. and long. which is then broadcast around the area via CB and inputted into said satnavs.
With that small snag out the way, its time to drive! We set off and find the place easy enough, but the car is going from bad to worse. The thrum is very bad now, not just noticable and I have no confidence in the car at all. By the time we get to the campsite, I am convinced I am about to loose the front nearside wheel at anymoment, so I bit the bullet, jack the car up and assess the damage.
All four wheel bearings are rock solid. As are both trackrod ends. I am stumped and am spinning the still up in the air wheel when I notice it stop midway. I do it again and find the problem, both front discs are warped. Its not good, but at least the car is drivable and I'm not about to be put into the armco at motorway speeds when I least expect it!
At this news (despite catching davespice's finger between the wheel and the tarmac, sorry mate!) I cheer up considerably. I cheer up even more when I get to the bar and the barmen's pigeon english tells me we have three kegs of beer to get through completely free of charge! If that wasnt enough, there is also a pizza place at the end of the road. Seeing as we survived the day on oreo cookies, jaffa cakes an chewing gum, we head over and tuck in.
When we get back, the rest of the field are arriving, here is the definite highlight, someone obviously thought the pizza place was far too posh and brought their own.
When we return to the bar, the night and the arsing about is in full swing. Behold! probably the most bizarre game of tug o war ever devised!
Eventually at about 1am and a few interviews with the camera crew that, if I'm honest, I was too drunk to do, we jack it in.
This is it, the final day. We are in the central massiv and we need to get to le havre by 3.30, so the organisers have sensibly set no checkpoints, no distractions, its just a ***** out, no holds barred blast to the ferry.
With the knowledge of a healthy (well not about to bowl us into the armco at any rate) car underneath us, We set off at about 8.30 and we soon clear the massiv and the rain which seems to hang over it.
While blasting along, we find many distractions. The Windsock game is fun (first to see a windsock and call it out wins) but by far the best is waiting for insects to explode on the windscreen and taking photos of the results.
But its upon arrival at Le Havre at about 3.15, that we realise that itsnot just the bonnet that has been getting hit.
This, as well as going hard enough to drain the 70 litre tank in 225 miles when 350 would have been the norm was the closing stage of our 2009 scumrun rally. As we waited to get on the ferry, we contemplated the last four days.
It was apparant we had been through one of the best rallys of all our years of competing. Just shy of 2000 miles in 4 days was not a record, but the amazing scenery, up for it entrants and triumph in the face of seemingly certain failure had led to an immense feeling of satifaction and acheivement as we steamed away from le havre. It was draining both physically, mentally and financially, but neither would have it any other way.
Terminator did us proud as well. Once I knew the car would not let us down I stretched her legs and she responded with speed, comfort and tremendous resiliance. All I had to do was keep her in fuel and top up about a 1/5 of a litre of oil per day. For a £500 car with 141k on the clock to ask only that in 2000 miles in four days is a phenomenal testement to the cars durability.
The Rally winners turned out to be a couple of lads who drove the entire rally in a reliant robin with an 850 CC engine and a blown head gasket. They spent the entire last day hand pumping water into the radiator when it started overheating and still stopped whenever they saw someone in trouble to offer help. Truely the spirit of the scumball was with them and they were justly rewarded for their efforts. Respect is also due to The mighty worth, team chase and the Scots for winning "best dressed scum" "most raised for charity" and The Fast car "Ringpiece" award for the best arsing around.
As for Terminator, she will be on ebay shortly. Team CLSM is taking a hiatus next year due to other plans, but we shal return for 2011, bigger, better and with probably our best entry yet. Till then, take care and happy motoring.
astraboy & Davespice.
The Rally itself had rebranded to "Scumrun Rally" but at its heart it was the same event, a high quality, well organised four day rally across europe, with undisclosed locations for each checkpoint and campsite.
This led the way for me to think about a car which suited our needs. With the exception of said scirocco, Our previous rally cars have all followed a similar theme. Big, white, High performance, RWD and ex-police all featured heavily amongst them. However, when I stumbled upon an ex-police Volvo T5 estate, I knew I had to have it.
These are legendary cars and have a fearsome reputation, but it was not until I bought it that I learnt that the engine was orginally out of the Audi Quattro with the addition of a 20v head. All I knew was it was big, white, ex-police, fast and 500 quid on the nose. Sold
Having stored the car up in Derby, we set about getting a theme to go with the car. The silver screen proved to be our inspiration once again and before we could say "staypuft" we were going as the Ghostbusters
It was perfect, we had a large white, estate car and that was exactly what was in the film. So a little before the rally we dusted off the car, raided homebase and set to work. Here are the results.
In the interests of safety, we decided to remove all metal from the roof build. Cable ties and plastic was our friend and the only concession being the satellite dish which was bolted directly to the roof rack and heavily cabletied over that in case it worked lose.
In addition to this, we had sponsors to satisfy. Once again we had sold advertising space on the car to raise the required £500 and had gone over that by a whole 65 pounds. The return favour was a complete sticker package. Here are the highlights.
So after that was completed, the only thing to do was hit the supermarket and load up with as much stuff wrapped in pastry as we could carry, then set off for the launch party! Unfortunately we got there just before night fell, but it was a prestigous location, namely the napoleonic fort overlooking portsmouth harbour.
The cars all assembled here and the launch got underway. Not only were we treated to a highly convincing queen tribute band, but also a full driver briefing from the organisers, ceremonial cheque handover to the charity for well in excess of £50,000, but a surprise appearence from Max Clifford!
This was a difficult one for me, I hated him with every fibre of my being, but it turns out he's a really nice chap who does a lot of work for charity and does it for nothing as well. He reminded us of the reason we were there and the good work the charity does and then wished us well for our journey.
Speaking of which, the time was moving on, we had to get going, so the rally moved as one to the Portmouth ferry port.
Soon after, we were on the ferry!
Following on from probably the worst nights sleep I've ever had, we woke at around 8 and saw a sight that made all the tiredness go away.
We were there, it was time to drive!
Well, not quite, first off the entire field was breathtested, if you failed, you didnt get a routecard! Fortunately I passed, Which is more than can be said for this chap.
The ferry disembarked and with no trouble at all from immigration, we were off!
After the initial meetup, the routecards for the day were given out, We were off to bordeaux, quite a drive from le havre, I'll think you'll agree, but we had more pressing problems as the day progressed.
These pictures show the steady self distruction of the ducting we had built into our roof build, it was dissapointing, but every stopoff for removal, we saw a corresponding increase in fuel economy, so it wasnt all bad.
The checkpoint loomed and we dashed into the carrefour and bought something. the receipt represented out checkpoint time, so after that was a short (well 250 miles) hop to the campsite. We thought we were making reasonable time, but we were shocked when we got there to dicover that out of 100 teams, we were the eighth to arrive! There are no prizes for getting there first, but it sure made us feel good!
But early arrival afforded us other luxuries, namely photographing the other teams as they arrived. This rally is all about the cars and the teams, so here are a few of our favourites.
Soon after, the rest of the field had arrived, the madness began. This guy got off to an early start, drinking so much he collapsed unconcious onto the bonnet of his car
And this was a coffin, complete with barbeque, bar and soundsystem installed!
Anyway, enough of that, before we knew it, it was the morning after.
All the drivers gathered round and we after breath testing, we got another route card. This time it was a big one. Barcelona, via a small checkpoint then, best of all, the pyreneese! We decided to convoy it with a few close personal friends.
A collective decision was made to sack off the autoroutes and do the decent thing and take the mountain passes. So after Lara G-M had filled up,
we set off for what turned out to be one of the best drives of my life.Soon after the checkpoint, the mountains loomed into view.
We knew exactly what to do, we got off the main roads and took the windiest route in the map book.
This is what we were rewarded with, driving pleasure like we had never known.
This was just the lower foothills, as we got higher, we were rewarded with snow! After a while, we couldnt resist it, we stopped the convoy and got out for a few photos
after photos and video had been taken, we snaked up higher into the mountains. Bone dry tarmac, thin air and virgin snow was our reward.
Eventually we summited and after a border control conspicious by its lack of manpower we were in spain! A photo opportunity had to happen and the large carpark we found just off the summit offered itself handsomely.
As well as that, we also took the opportunity to write our names in the snow.
Enough dicking about, it was time to drive! the downhill was fun, with mountains soon making way for spanish plains.
It was also time for some tracking shots.
Not to mention some extreme weather. I dont know what is going on here, but it looked amazing!
And so with the destruction of our final piece of ducting,
we pushed onto barcelona. Eventually, after 12 hours driving, we make it there. Our Fiancees and girlfriends had planned something for the occasion when we were furthest south, the ceremonial downing of two bottles of "bonfire Boy" ale. here's me and dave drinking them, note the exhausted expressions and looks of herculean drunkeness.
The same thing as last night, once the driving stops, the partying starts. There is a bar and as a reward for carting half the organisational teams stuff around, we are given free beer tokens. At about half one, we find outselves in the Irish lads rally car, a former ambulance, mixing dance tunes on a laptop and getting shouted out by the campsite owners.
Eventually we come to and its morning!
the campsite is on the coast of the med, we have driven across europe in every sense of the word
Its time to drive again, but there is a concern. Despite the car being nicknamed "Terminator" by the irish lads on account of how "It absolutely will not stop" the car has developed a noticable thrumming from the nearside front which gets noticibly louder when executing right hand turns. It bears all the hallmarks of a broken front wheel bearing. There is little we can do aside from sticking to the autoroutes so we press on to the checkpoint and what a checkpoint!
The legendary millau bridge is our destination, so we set of for the French Grand Massiv. The checkpoint addresses are noticibly hazy this time round, but its difficult to miss a kilometre high bridge so we get there and purchase a postcard for our receipt time. After that, its photo time.
We arrive with loads of other entries and we all park up.
The bridge proves too much of a photo opportunity to resist, so in search of some fun, we grab a passing frenchman and get these.
It looks like fun (and it was) but with the checkpoint done, it was time to get to the campsite. this was proving difficult, with the routecard drawing a blank when entered into multiple satnavs. Not wanting to set out without a destination, eventually, someone with a high IQ, goes onto google earth, finds the campsite, gets the lat. and long. which is then broadcast around the area via CB and inputted into said satnavs.
With that small snag out the way, its time to drive! We set off and find the place easy enough, but the car is going from bad to worse. The thrum is very bad now, not just noticable and I have no confidence in the car at all. By the time we get to the campsite, I am convinced I am about to loose the front nearside wheel at anymoment, so I bit the bullet, jack the car up and assess the damage.
All four wheel bearings are rock solid. As are both trackrod ends. I am stumped and am spinning the still up in the air wheel when I notice it stop midway. I do it again and find the problem, both front discs are warped. Its not good, but at least the car is drivable and I'm not about to be put into the armco at motorway speeds when I least expect it!
At this news (despite catching davespice's finger between the wheel and the tarmac, sorry mate!) I cheer up considerably. I cheer up even more when I get to the bar and the barmen's pigeon english tells me we have three kegs of beer to get through completely free of charge! If that wasnt enough, there is also a pizza place at the end of the road. Seeing as we survived the day on oreo cookies, jaffa cakes an chewing gum, we head over and tuck in.
When we get back, the rest of the field are arriving, here is the definite highlight, someone obviously thought the pizza place was far too posh and brought their own.
When we return to the bar, the night and the arsing about is in full swing. Behold! probably the most bizarre game of tug o war ever devised!
Eventually at about 1am and a few interviews with the camera crew that, if I'm honest, I was too drunk to do, we jack it in.
This is it, the final day. We are in the central massiv and we need to get to le havre by 3.30, so the organisers have sensibly set no checkpoints, no distractions, its just a ***** out, no holds barred blast to the ferry.
With the knowledge of a healthy (well not about to bowl us into the armco at any rate) car underneath us, We set off at about 8.30 and we soon clear the massiv and the rain which seems to hang over it.
While blasting along, we find many distractions. The Windsock game is fun (first to see a windsock and call it out wins) but by far the best is waiting for insects to explode on the windscreen and taking photos of the results.
But its upon arrival at Le Havre at about 3.15, that we realise that itsnot just the bonnet that has been getting hit.
This, as well as going hard enough to drain the 70 litre tank in 225 miles when 350 would have been the norm was the closing stage of our 2009 scumrun rally. As we waited to get on the ferry, we contemplated the last four days.
It was apparant we had been through one of the best rallys of all our years of competing. Just shy of 2000 miles in 4 days was not a record, but the amazing scenery, up for it entrants and triumph in the face of seemingly certain failure had led to an immense feeling of satifaction and acheivement as we steamed away from le havre. It was draining both physically, mentally and financially, but neither would have it any other way.
Terminator did us proud as well. Once I knew the car would not let us down I stretched her legs and she responded with speed, comfort and tremendous resiliance. All I had to do was keep her in fuel and top up about a 1/5 of a litre of oil per day. For a £500 car with 141k on the clock to ask only that in 2000 miles in four days is a phenomenal testement to the cars durability.
The Rally winners turned out to be a couple of lads who drove the entire rally in a reliant robin with an 850 CC engine and a blown head gasket. They spent the entire last day hand pumping water into the radiator when it started overheating and still stopped whenever they saw someone in trouble to offer help. Truely the spirit of the scumball was with them and they were justly rewarded for their efforts. Respect is also due to The mighty worth, team chase and the Scots for winning "best dressed scum" "most raised for charity" and The Fast car "Ringpiece" award for the best arsing around.
As for Terminator, she will be on ebay shortly. Team CLSM is taking a hiatus next year due to other plans, but we shal return for 2011, bigger, better and with probably our best entry yet. Till then, take care and happy motoring.
astraboy & Davespice.
Last edited by astraboy; 23 April 2009 at 08:51 PM.
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23 April 2009, 07:47 PM
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A mate of mine was in the purple merc to the left of this pic. Can't believe the ****** didn't invite me!
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...9042009212.jpg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...9042009212.jpg
Last edited by Jerome; 23 April 2009 at 07:48 PM.
23 April 2009, 10:31 PM
#20
Sorry for spamming your thread, but here's some of my pics (in no particular order)
The Saab having it's graphics applied (with a chalk pen)
Our cockpit
The AA helping out in Spain (he was part of the scumrun, of course)
Cowmobile supra
Cowmobile crew
Fast Car Magazine crew
Saab with dropped indicator - Must remember to do clips up in the future, doh!
Fixed indicator - duck tape, lightbulb, halfords bag
Team Techno's Hit merc with broken alternator getting a charge
These two pics are from my favourite sight of the whole scumball. Some nutjob frenchman bought himself a 4wd ex army citroen 2cv and drove from Paris to Beijing and back to Paris again! It took him 3 months apparently!
Little stop in southern France where an incontinent calibra was getting it's regular fill-up of water... It used more water than petrol, and nobody knew where the hell it was going!
Saab getting fixed again after it popped the boost hoses *again*. We had to turn the boost down to wastegate pressure to keep the blimmin hoses on (from 1.45 bar to 0.7)
Saab with slightly better paintwork than ours
Robin Reliant which actually made it around and caught the ferry in time too! Amazingly, they made it even though they blew the head gasket and had to fill water up with a hand pump from within the car, ala richard hammond style!
Flame spitting ford with a rover V8 engine - sounded very nice
The Saab having it's graphics applied (with a chalk pen)
Our cockpit
The AA helping out in Spain (he was part of the scumrun, of course)
Cowmobile supra
Cowmobile crew
Fast Car Magazine crew
Saab with dropped indicator - Must remember to do clips up in the future, doh!
Fixed indicator - duck tape, lightbulb, halfords bag
Team Techno's Hit merc with broken alternator getting a charge
These two pics are from my favourite sight of the whole scumball. Some nutjob frenchman bought himself a 4wd ex army citroen 2cv and drove from Paris to Beijing and back to Paris again! It took him 3 months apparently!
Little stop in southern France where an incontinent calibra was getting it's regular fill-up of water... It used more water than petrol, and nobody knew where the hell it was going!
Saab getting fixed again after it popped the boost hoses *again*. We had to turn the boost down to wastegate pressure to keep the blimmin hoses on (from 1.45 bar to 0.7)
Saab with slightly better paintwork than ours
Robin Reliant which actually made it around and caught the ferry in time too! Amazingly, they made it even though they blew the head gasket and had to fill water up with a hand pump from within the car, ala richard hammond style!
Flame spitting ford with a rover V8 engine - sounded very nice
23 April 2009, 11:17 PM
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24 April 2009, 11:55 AM
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Did you at least get a siren like the ghostbuster's had?
YouTube - Ecto 1A lights and siren running at night.
YouTube - Ecto 1A lights and siren running at night.
22 June 2009, 10:43 PM
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car now on ebay!
Volvo 850 T5 Estate, Ex Police - Terminator! on eBay (end time 29-Jun-09 21:58:46 BST)
offers welcome,
astraboy.
Volvo 850 T5 Estate, Ex Police - Terminator! on eBay (end time 29-Jun-09 21:58:46 BST)
offers welcome,
astraboy.
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