Any hill climbers?

[benjj]

I've decided to jump in at the deep end and compete in the season of hill climbs at Harewood House (Yorkshire).

I've been online and seen that I need to join BARC and allocate Harewood as my 'home' course. No problem there.

I also have a car - 1990 VW Golf Mk2.

So, any hints for a beginner? Specifically:

1) Preparing the car
2) Practice / testing
3) Anything else

I want to try and compete in as many events at Harewood as I can during the season. Looks like around 10 runs.

I do NOT expect to be ultra competitive but I would like to give myself a good chance of actually competing.

So, over to the experts. Any advice on any/all of the above would be most welcome.

Cheers,

Ben

[mybrainhurts]

FWD..? Understeer..? Hills...? Hairpins...?

[JAHetfield]

Lightness, power and ability to put said power on tarmac are key.

A set of large plums is also beneficial.

[benjj]

mybrainhurts said:

FWD..? Understeer..? Hills...? Hairpins...?

Lift off oversteer

In reality though there are a lot of FWD cars - Golfs, 205s, Alfas, misc euro hatches that compete.

[benjj]

JAHetfield said:

Lightness, power and ability to put said power on tarmac are key.

A set of large plums is also beneficial.

Hmm, yes, thanks. Light and powerful already covered (plus more weight to come out). As for getting power down, I guess that is where a lot of work will have to be done. Current set up is poor and needs changing out completely I think.

As for plums, feel ok on that front!

[m8rky]

This was mine,pictured here at Longleat in the late 90,s,all it had was Koni suspension,Yokohama tyres and a baffled sump.Just make sure it is well maintaned oil tight and complies with the current safety regs,check online as it has been a few years since I competed.One mistake is people put competition brake pads in,on a hillclimb road pads are more consistent.

[benjj]

m8rky said:

This was mine,pictured here at Longleat in the late 90,s,all it had was Koni suspension,Yokohama tyres and a baffled sump.Just make sure it is well maintaned oil tight and complies with the current safety regs,check online as it has been a few years since I competed.One mistake is people put competition brake pads in,on a hillclimb road pads are more consistent.

Brilliant, thanks m8rky. Those pics are top, I was pulling some similar moves in mine at 6am this morning on the PH Yorkshire Snotter Run.

Thanks for tips, especially re brakes. The car needs a whole new suspension setup so I'll be getting new springs and shocks anyway.

Interested to hear thoughts on tyres too. Were your Yokas anything tasty or just good road tyres?

[AndyMil]

What class, be careful about removing a lot of stuff, road classes are very restrictive on what can be removed.

The wife and I marshal at Harewood, join the uphill gang at http://www.uphillracers.com , sure you'll get some very helpful advice over there, plenty of Harewood regulars on there.

Don't forget to join Yorkshire centre, then you can apply for a place on the centre members practice day(March 25th if normal procedure is followed)

I'll be sure to come and introduce myself.

Andy

Mod note: Post edited for correct site link

[m8rky]

A520,s as I recall they were a fairly sticky road tyre,there is a tyre list in the blue book (MSA regs) you will need to find out which list the championship allows.Again though as with the brakes a decent road tyre is all you will need in the roadgoing class as you do not get a chance to get any heat in to them.

[AndyMil]

Usually get 2 practice and 2 or 3 timed runs per day, dependent on entry levels, so 8 days,possibly 11(limited number of space available on MSA days, and of course Vintage doesn't include Mk2 Golfs!)

[Kinky]

A good thread here to read through

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[chrisgtx]

I've always gone to watch ( loton park) hill climbs and love to watch,I have a track day car which I could probably compete in,I'd like to have a go but bang for buck hill climbing seems an extremely expensive mode of motorsport.
Say it's £80 a pop for a day and you get four runs up the hill,that's £20 a mile,bloody expensive,saying that I'd still like to have a crack at it.

[benjj]

Thanks you to you all.

Andy - great, I'll have a look at the uphill site, cheers I also have a race/rally prepped 73 Citroen DS (see more in Members Cars section of PH) which I may give a shot in the classic group every so often if that is permitted. Just got back from 3000km European rally in it. Not super fast but we did hang on to a Cooper S through the Jura mountains!

Kinky- Will also check the other PH thread - thanks.

Chrisgtx - I know what you mean but it is so local to me that I would save £s by not travelling all over the country through the season.

Ben

Edited by benjj on Sunday 27th November 19:45

[Kinky]

Ben,

There's another PH thread of note .... but I'm struggling to find it

[RESSE]

I have been hillclimbing and sprinting for 9 years and some good advice and circuit guides can be found here:

http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/

Link to Harewood track guide:

http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/trackguides.as...

Get yourself to Shelsley Walsh and get your car up th hill - one of the best experiences of my life.

Some of the stuff I have done:

2003-2010





Had a 3rd, 2nd and 1st in class in 2011 in new car (Evo) - happy bunny (Road Going Class Over 2000cc).






Need new car for 2012.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Great crowd and good fun - do it.

PS On line renewal of MSA licenses available 01/12/2011.

Edited by RESSE on Sunday 27th November 20:15

[andyps]

Do the driving school at Harewood - a great day and you will learn a lot, as well as getting a few extra practice runs in!

[IroningMan]

It's very easy to fall into the trap of changing/removing just enough to get yourself reclassified as modified production, without doing enough to seriously influence the performance of the car.



The Modified Limited Production/Specialist Production rules allow me an unlimited capacity increase, forced induction, aero mods and slicks: all I've actually done is pull the seats and carpets out and put List 1B tyres on...

Having said which, it's still a great laugh, and I do have one class win to my name.

[velocemitch]

Ben have a look at Scammondon as an option to Harewood it's cheaper and less formal. Might give you an idea if you are going to enjoy it or not. You need a Nat B licence, Helmet overalls and gloves which comply, with MSA 's rules unless you have them already I guess.

The Golf's probably too heavy to be competitive against the 205's and such like but I'm sure you would enjoy the challenge.

[benjj]

velocemitch said:

Ben have a look at Scammondon as an option to Harewood it's cheaper and less formal. Might give you an idea if you are going to enjoy it or not. You need a Nat B licence, Helmet overalls and gloves which comply, with MSA 's rules unless you have them already I guess.

The Golf's probably too heavy to be competitive against the 205's and such like but I'm sure you would enjoy the challenge.

Hi Ian,

Yep, just waiting to get my Nat B MSA, should have it mid December.

Surprised you say that about the Golf. Golf is 910kg, 205 is 875kg so not much in it. I suspect I will be the deciding factor at 110kg!

[Dan Friel]

Make sure you're getting a 2012 licence... and wait until the "Blue Book" arrives with it before buying any safety gear. The book explains the regs and will tell you what spec is allowed. 2012 should mean nomex race suits for all competition (until now proban has been allowed for hillclimbing / sprinting), but not sure if that's been confirmed yet.