Starting out hillclimbing and sprinting & what car
Discussion
Chaps
I was sat in the commentary box at Shelsley over the weekend wittering away, and it really occurred to me how I was talking about it and not doing anything! Therefore I have resolved to get off my arse and do some grassroots club motorsport whilst the imminent Mrs VM is sympathetic to the idea and there are no wee bambini to drain the required resources.
My plan is to get my B license and work through to get my A license over the next 12-24 months (I will run out of season before I get my self organised and in place to get 6 signatures I expect).
I am definitely doing it on a bit of a shoestring budget. So I have my eye on class B1 (A1 - when the time is right) - namely 'road-going production cars up to 2000 cc'. (I don't especially want to start out in class A2, as the bills for being competitive will be bigger as the cars start getting fairly serious, and also I just want to learn what I am doing before going mad).
I would probably stay Midlands based for the most part, so Shelsley, Prescott and Loton (costs and time), and whilst would do some sprinting to pad out the calendar, hill climbing would be the principal focus. I have no real interest in doing any circuit racing (testicular fortitude and trust issues!), so am not factoring that into any car or license considerations.
I have read through the website about getting into hill-climbing that someone has kindly set up. Budget for the car and season should become clearer in the next few weeks, but can't see it exceeding £4k - £5k including car.
I saw a lot of Mazda's over the weekend, several MX5s in the field as well as an RX8 (a car that was not and was on my radar respectively), and had a bit of an ask round.
I need to find out what would constitute a modification to take me into a 'modified' class (namely something to avoid for now)- if anyone can shed any light?
I have had a few thoughts on cars:
Mazda RX8 - 1.3 litre rotary, with an (I Believe) 1.5(?) multiplier from the MSA for being a rotary, so 1.95 litres.
Pro: Bags of power and a very usable one can be had for as little as £2000. Probably the best bhp for £ you can get. Not many on the hills, so a bit of rarity factor.
Cons: However, it is what, 1400 kg or so? Also I understand that the power lives very high in the rev range, would this be an issue for hill climbing? Also, the chap driving it I spoke to on Saturday said that he was struggling to place it in the corners as the front left is a long way away from you and not particularly visible. However I suppose this is something you would get used to.
Toyota MR2 GT - the one with 175 bhp as a Turbo would take me up a class.
Pro: Mid engine, nice handling car. So long as you get an K plate onwards the tricky back suspension has gone. M - N plate cars are the sweet spot with the most power. Easy to modify and improve power output. Usable ones can be had for sub £2000
Cons: A touch lardy and possibly a slightly iffy power to weight ratio because of it.
Mazda MX5
Pros: Light, cheap, probably the easiest to extract the available performance from, forgiving and fun handling, plenty of potential mods.
Cons: The least powerful of the 3 and whilst the performance will be easy to extract, there isn't all that much of it. seem to be a lot of them around too.
These are my thoughts as it stands, would anyone have any recommendations on any of these three, or even one I haven't thought of?
Thanks for sticking with me to the end - look forward to some replies.
I was sat in the commentary box at Shelsley over the weekend wittering away, and it really occurred to me how I was talking about it and not doing anything! Therefore I have resolved to get off my arse and do some grassroots club motorsport whilst the imminent Mrs VM is sympathetic to the idea and there are no wee bambini to drain the required resources.
My plan is to get my B license and work through to get my A license over the next 12-24 months (I will run out of season before I get my self organised and in place to get 6 signatures I expect).
I am definitely doing it on a bit of a shoestring budget. So I have my eye on class B1 (A1 - when the time is right) - namely 'road-going production cars up to 2000 cc'. (I don't especially want to start out in class A2, as the bills for being competitive will be bigger as the cars start getting fairly serious, and also I just want to learn what I am doing before going mad).
I would probably stay Midlands based for the most part, so Shelsley, Prescott and Loton (costs and time), and whilst would do some sprinting to pad out the calendar, hill climbing would be the principal focus. I have no real interest in doing any circuit racing (testicular fortitude and trust issues!), so am not factoring that into any car or license considerations.
I have read through the website about getting into hill-climbing that someone has kindly set up. Budget for the car and season should become clearer in the next few weeks, but can't see it exceeding £4k - £5k including car.
I saw a lot of Mazda's over the weekend, several MX5s in the field as well as an RX8 (a car that was not and was on my radar respectively), and had a bit of an ask round.
I need to find out what would constitute a modification to take me into a 'modified' class (namely something to avoid for now)- if anyone can shed any light?
I have had a few thoughts on cars:
Mazda RX8 - 1.3 litre rotary, with an (I Believe) 1.5(?) multiplier from the MSA for being a rotary, so 1.95 litres.
Pro: Bags of power and a very usable one can be had for as little as £2000. Probably the best bhp for £ you can get. Not many on the hills, so a bit of rarity factor.
Cons: However, it is what, 1400 kg or so? Also I understand that the power lives very high in the rev range, would this be an issue for hill climbing? Also, the chap driving it I spoke to on Saturday said that he was struggling to place it in the corners as the front left is a long way away from you and not particularly visible. However I suppose this is something you would get used to.
Toyota MR2 GT - the one with 175 bhp as a Turbo would take me up a class.
Pro: Mid engine, nice handling car. So long as you get an K plate onwards the tricky back suspension has gone. M - N plate cars are the sweet spot with the most power. Easy to modify and improve power output. Usable ones can be had for sub £2000
Cons: A touch lardy and possibly a slightly iffy power to weight ratio because of it.
Mazda MX5
Pros: Light, cheap, probably the easiest to extract the available performance from, forgiving and fun handling, plenty of potential mods.
Cons: The least powerful of the 3 and whilst the performance will be easy to extract, there isn't all that much of it. seem to be a lot of them around too.
These are my thoughts as it stands, would anyone have any recommendations on any of these three, or even one I haven't thought of?
Thanks for sticking with me to the end - look forward to some replies.
I will drop you a PM with some more detail - but to address a couple of points from above.
From the Shelsley program at the weekend:
The MX5s actually did ok in the roadgoing series production class, and the Mazda RX8 was classified in the up to 2000 cc class, not the over 2000 cc.
Either way I will send you a PM at some point today
From the Shelsley program at the weekend:
The MX5s actually did ok in the roadgoing series production class, and the Mazda RX8 was classified in the up to 2000 cc class, not the over 2000 cc.
Either way I will send you a PM at some point today
Mark A S said:
Depends on how competitive you are / want to be ? have a good look at what cars are doing well in that class and go and try a few out.
However, IMO, whatever you end up with it must be fun to drive and what floats YOUR boat or else your get peed off with it.
A 200 bhp ish MX5 would be the sort of car I would consider, my Mate Tom [ New ] has had Very good results obtaining power from them, and its RWD.
Good luck with whatever you choose, have a good read of a blue book, you can modify the cars quite a lot in the roadgoing class
Tom is a member of the MAC off the top of my head, isn't he (as am I - hence the relevance)? Never met him but I think I picked that up somewhere. I will bear the in mind. However, IMO, whatever you end up with it must be fun to drive and what floats YOUR boat or else your get peed off with it.
A 200 bhp ish MX5 would be the sort of car I would consider, my Mate Tom [ New ] has had Very good results obtaining power from them, and its RWD.
Good luck with whatever you choose, have a good read of a blue book, you can modify the cars quite a lot in the roadgoing class
Well my above chat is based on how the MAC structure things.
On the basis that Shelsley - and as its the 'home hill' I may as well go with that - tend to do 'road-going up to 2000 cc', as do Bugatti OC. HDLCC use under 1400 and 1400 to 2000 cc I believe.
Thanks for the car suggestions everyone, I have popped the Clio and Intergra onto the shortlist/spreadsheet. However, I think the Integra will involve me convincing someone to share.
Also re: the arms race. I doubt I'll try and get involved in that side of it, certainly not early doors. I want to spend the first year or so mucking around learning what to do - hence choosing the most docile class to run in!
On the basis that Shelsley - and as its the 'home hill' I may as well go with that - tend to do 'road-going up to 2000 cc', as do Bugatti OC. HDLCC use under 1400 and 1400 to 2000 cc I believe.
Thanks for the car suggestions everyone, I have popped the Clio and Intergra onto the shortlist/spreadsheet. However, I think the Integra will involve me convincing someone to share.
Also re: the arms race. I doubt I'll try and get involved in that side of it, certainly not early doors. I want to spend the first year or so mucking around learning what to do - hence choosing the most docile class to run in!
Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 5th May 15:15
Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 5th May 15:16
Cheers guys - my logic against Clio 182s is that it is the obvious choice (I can think of 3 competing off the top of my head) and on hillclimbs with packed entries something a bit different would get you more chance of an entry. Unfortunately Hondas are out of budget!
I have got a mate on board in principal, he just needs board level approval for the expenditure I think...
I have got a mate on board in principal, he just needs board level approval for the expenditure I think...
Guys - quick question around insurance.
If its a road going car, will a standard road going insurance be alright for hill climbs or sprinting (on the understanding I can't claim for any damage I do to the car competing) - or will any form of competition void the lot? In which case do I need something specialist?
If its a road going car, will a standard road going insurance be alright for hill climbs or sprinting (on the understanding I can't claim for any damage I do to the car competing) - or will any form of competition void the lot? In which case do I need something specialist?
By way of an update:
I have bought a car!
I have gone with an MR2 GT - not the obvious choice I will freely admit, but before you all throw pencils at me and ask 'why didn't you buy a Clio' - the answer is I just didn't want one. I understand that they will be a better tool for the job, but just didn't fancy it.
Decided that for my sub £2000 budget, an RX8 was too much of a bork-risk. Apparently the quoted figures on performance are optimistic, with magazines getting 0-60 times of around 7 seconds (not 6.4) and hp at the wheels being more like 190 rather than 230. The reduced advantage just didn't seem worth the potential for expensive repair bills.
Anyway - to learn what I am doing and just quietly enjoy myself at the bottom of the time sheets (and for the princely outlay of £1400) this will do me:
I have bought a car!
I have gone with an MR2 GT - not the obvious choice I will freely admit, but before you all throw pencils at me and ask 'why didn't you buy a Clio' - the answer is I just didn't want one. I understand that they will be a better tool for the job, but just didn't fancy it.
Decided that for my sub £2000 budget, an RX8 was too much of a bork-risk. Apparently the quoted figures on performance are optimistic, with magazines getting 0-60 times of around 7 seconds (not 6.4) and hp at the wheels being more like 190 rather than 230. The reduced advantage just didn't seem worth the potential for expensive repair bills.
Anyway - to learn what I am doing and just quietly enjoy myself at the bottom of the time sheets (and for the princely outlay of £1400) this will do me:
I am not 100% at the moment.
Either the 'Service Hydraulics Speed Championship' (The Midland Speed Championship to you and me), or the Midland Hillclimb Championship.
I am leaning toward the latter and doing some sprints on an ad hoc basis. Though the former may give me more options for upgrading the B license quicker.
No need to decide immediately
Either the 'Service Hydraulics Speed Championship' (The Midland Speed Championship to you and me), or the Midland Hillclimb Championship.
I am leaning toward the latter and doing some sprints on an ad hoc basis. Though the former may give me more options for upgrading the B license quicker.
No need to decide immediately
LordHaveMurci said:
Competed against one of these in my Clio 172 Cup at my 1st ever hillclimb weekend, I won on saturday, he won on sunday taking his door mirror off in the process!
Have fun, it can be addictive!
I was expecting to be cut loose a little at the back by the clio's - this is reassuring. Can possibly be fixed with the application of a little bravery.Have fun, it can be addictive!
I will be doing the Driving School at Shelsley Walsh tomorrow in it. Will be a fair old learning curve as my only time in it thus far has been a soaking journey down the motorway from Liverpool in it - yes it did try and bite me on a roundabout.
Good video Carl
Today I took the green machine to Shelsley Walsh today to take part in the driving school. 9 runs up Shelsley Walsh today - no times I am afraid.
But it all went broadly well. Rather unsurprisingly the Nanking ditch finders need to go, struggled with traction off the start and out of the slowest corner. Also the car is a bit of a fatso. So needs to go on a diet. Doing that within the rules may need imagination, but I have all winter.
It's nice and fine though. Feels fundamentally stable and planted. I see no reason to reassess my 'faster than the MX5s, a bit off the Clios' assessment.
Today I took the green machine to Shelsley Walsh today to take part in the driving school. 9 runs up Shelsley Walsh today - no times I am afraid.
But it all went broadly well. Rather unsurprisingly the Nanking ditch finders need to go, struggled with traction off the start and out of the slowest corner. Also the car is a bit of a fatso. So needs to go on a diet. Doing that within the rules may need imagination, but I have all winter.
It's nice and fine though. Feels fundamentally stable and planted. I see no reason to reassess my 'faster than the MX5s, a bit off the Clios' assessment.
Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 28th July 20:36
Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 28th July 20:38
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