Josh L

Just returned from another fabulous day driving Escorts and Imprezas at Bill Gwynne's.

Superb fun, friendly people, blinding day.

Many thanks one and all (and to my Wife for the brill Xmas pressie)

Josh

Josh L

I almost forgot to mention that I was talking to them about the very successful SIDC/Scoobynet events that Neil Micklethwaite organised there, and if there was sufficient interest we could probably negotiate a group rate for another.

Josh

MichelleWRX1994

Back to the top because it was a fantastic day when I went

Fat Boy

Good idea Josh, I spent yesterday (sunday) at Sweet Lamb with them.I've just about defrosted. What a nice family, and good at what they do as well. Paul Gwynne was saying that they had been thinking about a day at Sweet Lamb for the SN/Sidc chaps as the rally school site is a bit limited compared to SL, although I'm not sure i would miss some of the fresh air corners

[Edited by Fat Boy - 1/13/2003 10:10:23 AM]

Avi

Sounds good. I'd love to do it

MichelleWRX1994

I am devastated that they hadn't considered this earlier - meaning when I first went to BG. <sobs hysterically into a cushion>

I would love the opportunity to do SL with BG.

Still, I guess I will have to put up with driving the outback in Aus.

Fat Boy

Michelle

You've already forgotten how cold and damp West Wales can be in January. It was - 7 C the night before and everything was covered with ice, frozen waterfalls etc. Just driving there from our hotel at 8am from Aberystwth was an adventure, never mind once we went up on the top of the mountain - flat down a very narrow icy downhill road with a blind adverse camber corner in front of you and about 200 ft of fresh air on the one side woke us up nicely. I was there with a friend who is readying his grp N impreza for a return to rallying - BG are preparing it and servicing for him. So it was an extended test session for him. Pete Gwynne was there as well and he's a fast boy! Bill's reputation goes before him and Ian as well, but Pete doesn't hang about either.

Console yourself with another cold tinnie and some "slip, slap, slop".

MichelleWRX1994

That's the whole attraction of Wales.

If Wales was sunny, it wouldn't be Wales now would it? I remember when I was a lass, holidays in Wales in a caravan, rainy, cold, windy. Why, those were the days REAL weather, none of this mild crap.

I used to work in a warehouse at minus 25 degrees temp, -7 is nothing. LOL

Josh L

When Neil Micklethwaite was regularly arranging days with BG (and doing a superb job of it, I might add) he was discussing the possiblity of arranging days at Sweet Lamb, although I think it was only going to be open to drivers who'd already attended a day at Turweston (just think of the damage a novice could do at SL)

I'd be more than happy to negotiate a price with BG for either Turweston and/or Sweet Lamb if there sufficient interest. Could those who'd be up for it, please let me know.

Josh

Fat Boy

yup, either.

Forgot to say, Subaru (Prodrive?) will be up there all this week with , allegedly, their new cars and their 2 american drivers to give them some experience. Info courtesy of the SL landowner. I would imagine that it's not generally open to the public but you never know, if you are in the area....

[Edited by Fat Boy - 1/13/2003 11:04:58 AM]

D1GGY

The last time i did BG's there was talk of the Sweet lamb stage. Depends a little on cost i guess (married now ) but consider it a tentative yes josh!!

Fat Bloke was this in "The Bowl" with the series Jumps at the 'top' of the hill through a gate?? i went out with Kate Heath in her Seat ibiza there at the BRC shakedown, would love to drive a scoob there, if a little ibiza flew i would love to see what a scoob would do.

M



[Edited by D1GGY - 1/13/2003 4:51:23 PM]

Fat Boy

It was all over the mountain really, but i have to stress that this was not part of the rally school, this was a test session with a friends Grp N impreza (plus another Gr N that they also look after) that BG motorsport are running for him.edited to answer Diggy's question - the scooby was a very potent combination. Flat in fourth ( about 6.5 K ) down about a 1 in 5 icy 6 foot wide gravel hill with a cliff face on one side and a 200 ft drop on the left , round blind adverse camber bends without a lift was quite impressive..Interestingly the bilstein suspension was crap, it was too hard initially on bump and rebound ( no front end grip into corners and no traction out of them),and gave up the ghost completely after about 10 miles. Proflex was a much more confidence inspiring solution particularly once the michelins were swapped for pirellis as well.

Warm up/wake up in the bowl by the permanent sheds/portakabins etc 2 miles in from the road, then up to the top of the hill to the so called landing strip and then off on the actual tracks all around the valley.

The latter are not for beginners as the only way that they can be driven is if you ignore the very large drops off the side in many places.Most likely for SN/general public would be in the 2 wide gravel areas plus maybe a little bit of the less dangerous roads.

[Edited by Fat Boy - 1/13/2003 5:23:19 PM]

D1GGY

Yeah sounds like the place, nearly papped myself after the blind corner huge drop to the right, (in the direction we were running)enough to make you think very carefully what you are doing!!, probably best to pretend it is not there i expect.

M

mutant_matt

Josh,

I know it's not much help but if you manage to arrange another one at HQ then I'll turn up with a few people for pax rides from the instructors (like I was going to do last year...)

Ta,

Matt

Fat Boy

Diggy

there's now an embankment across the valley lower down making a loop, so you have the double pleasure of doing that particular twice on each run uphill and downhill

D1GGY

Yummy!

Iain Young

Depends greatly on when and how much Josh, (funds are a bit tight at the moment). I'd love to do the course at SL, or failing that maybe another session at Turweston (even though I've done that one twice with Neil ). A tentative yes....

Cheers,
Iain

Fuzz

I used to work in a warehouse at minus 25 degrees temp, -7 is nothing. LOL

That's called a freezer not a warehouse