Discussion
the Planets aligned for me today. Following a 4 month hibernation for my Cerb, work and family pressures subsided, the roads are dry, the sun popped out and I managed to take the car out for a blast this morning. God how I've missed it! 
It's easy to forget just how devastatingly fast our cars are, as one trumped up Focus ST owner found to his cost
Let this just be the start of something good in 2011
And just for the record, it's not for sale any time soon
It's easy to forget just how devastatingly fast our cars are, as one trumped up Focus ST owner found to his cost
Let this just be the start of something good in 2011
And just for the record, it's not for sale any time soon
I had a similar drive yesterday after picking mine up from a fluid refresh,albeit in the pissing down rain!
As the back tyres gentle span through the whole of third gear on a straight piece of DC I thought "It's good to be back,bring on the summer!"
Plus a nice track day at Bedford tomorrow will be superb,regardless of the weather!
As the back tyres gentle span through the whole of third gear on a straight piece of DC I thought "It's good to be back,bring on the summer!"
Plus a nice track day at Bedford tomorrow will be superb,regardless of the weather!
don't worry - you are out sooner than me! I was supposed to head out yesterday with the East Mids TVRCC but Mrs Z burned her hand quite badly on Friday night (beware Jamie Oliver Filo pastry tart recipes!)so I had to stay at home and look after her and baby Zarking.
its March on Tuesday and I can't see me driving it before then!
its March on Tuesday and I can't see me driving it before then!
My day of reckoning was on Friday. After months of sh!te weather, satly roads, work commitments, family commitments, etc etc FINALLY got to take the Cerb out for the first time since November!
Had taken the day off work, kids were at their grandparents, arranged to go and look at (and subsequently buy) furniture with SWMBO. How to make the best of it? Go in the Cerbera.
Walking up the hill to the garage, started to get that slight butterflies feeling in the stomach and the slight surge of adrenaline..... off with the cover, unplug the Optimate, check all fluid levels, then sink into the drivers seat. This thing even smells different to "normal" cars, the whirr of the pre-oiler getting up to pressure then BRAAAAAAAMMMM! fires first time, settles into that lumpy off-even idle...... Into reverse (using 3rd, we all know about 5th don't we....), once locked garage up looked at car - God it's beautiful, quick 360 walk round the car, then down the road to pick up the missus.
Takes about 5 mins to pull away from house, as the builders wanted to know about the car.... down Eccy road to Shell to give it treat of fresh V power (WOW - when did that jump to £1.35 a bl@@dy litre??). Forgot how much attention the Cerb attracts! Get let out of my side street onto busy main road straight away, all other customers at petrol station looking over......
Ease it up to full temperature, gentle cruise up the M1, taking it easy but enjoying those lazy 5th gear bursts of effortlessly adding back the 20 mph when the car in front moves over..... forgot that effect of Moses and the Red Sea - cars just pull over for you even when hanging well back and not driving aggressively - now THAT certainly hasn't happened when driving the "normal" family cars....
Run over to East Yorkshire to pick up kids - some good open A roads, starting to take it right through the revs in 3rd with deep lunging overtakes, blasting past trundling lines of 5, 6, 7 cars in only one or two "bites" - feeling bit like a shark - gliding along at barely tickover with the "flow" then snapping into different warp speed at the blink of an eye - brilliant! Still, gotta keep it pretty sensible, otherwise invoke the wrath from the passenger seat..... Then you suddenly realise the speed differential of you "taking it easy" when coming up behind (seemingly stationary) other traffic..... oops!
Arrive fully alert, connected with the total driving experience not on autopilot, having enjoyed the trip. On way back, taking it much easier, kids fall asleep in back, we're all enveloped by the car - the seats, low position, noise, jiggly ride....
..... God I've missed driving this car, even makes a "mundane" family outing into an event!
Had taken the day off work, kids were at their grandparents, arranged to go and look at (and subsequently buy) furniture with SWMBO. How to make the best of it? Go in the Cerbera.
Walking up the hill to the garage, started to get that slight butterflies feeling in the stomach and the slight surge of adrenaline..... off with the cover, unplug the Optimate, check all fluid levels, then sink into the drivers seat. This thing even smells different to "normal" cars, the whirr of the pre-oiler getting up to pressure then BRAAAAAAAMMMM! fires first time, settles into that lumpy off-even idle...... Into reverse (using 3rd, we all know about 5th don't we....), once locked garage up looked at car - God it's beautiful, quick 360 walk round the car, then down the road to pick up the missus.
Takes about 5 mins to pull away from house, as the builders wanted to know about the car.... down Eccy road to Shell to give it treat of fresh V power (WOW - when did that jump to £1.35 a bl@@dy litre??). Forgot how much attention the Cerb attracts! Get let out of my side street onto busy main road straight away, all other customers at petrol station looking over......
Ease it up to full temperature, gentle cruise up the M1, taking it easy but enjoying those lazy 5th gear bursts of effortlessly adding back the 20 mph when the car in front moves over..... forgot that effect of Moses and the Red Sea - cars just pull over for you even when hanging well back and not driving aggressively - now THAT certainly hasn't happened when driving the "normal" family cars....
Run over to East Yorkshire to pick up kids - some good open A roads, starting to take it right through the revs in 3rd with deep lunging overtakes, blasting past trundling lines of 5, 6, 7 cars in only one or two "bites" - feeling bit like a shark - gliding along at barely tickover with the "flow" then snapping into different warp speed at the blink of an eye - brilliant! Still, gotta keep it pretty sensible, otherwise invoke the wrath from the passenger seat..... Then you suddenly realise the speed differential of you "taking it easy" when coming up behind (seemingly stationary) other traffic..... oops!
Arrive fully alert, connected with the total driving experience not on autopilot, having enjoyed the trip. On way back, taking it much easier, kids fall asleep in back, we're all enveloped by the car - the seats, low position, noise, jiggly ride....
..... God I've missed driving this car, even makes a "mundane" family outing into an event!
I only wish my day went like that.....
The alarm clock goes of at 6.45 but I've already been awake for half an hour, really excited at the prospect of the first 2011 track day in my Cerb.
I get up, clean my teeth, have a wash and run down stairs to grab my wallet and keys before heading out to the garage. Mini moved out of the way, I pop the door open and lower myself into the seat. The gorgeous interior is bathed in a cool glow from the interior lights.
I put my foot on the clutch, thumb the starter button and the AJP8 roars into life. I sit there just for a moment, grinning at the thought of a long day hooning at the Bedford Autodrome, slightly nervous about the noise test. I move the gear stick into third so I can select reverse and back out of the garage. It won't go into third or indeed any gear. Seems like the clutch cylinder has failed. Again.
So I switch the car car off, shut the garage door and hoon off with my mate in his Evo 9 instead. Gutted? You betcha
Now I need to find away to get it to the garage to find whether its the slave or master cylinder and get the wallet open!
Any recommendations on slave cylinders between these two (assuming it is that)
: http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-parts-subs...
: http://www.clever-trevor.net/part/143/raceproved-a...
Cheers!
The alarm clock goes of at 6.45 but I've already been awake for half an hour, really excited at the prospect of the first 2011 track day in my Cerb.
I get up, clean my teeth, have a wash and run down stairs to grab my wallet and keys before heading out to the garage. Mini moved out of the way, I pop the door open and lower myself into the seat. The gorgeous interior is bathed in a cool glow from the interior lights.
I put my foot on the clutch, thumb the starter button and the AJP8 roars into life. I sit there just for a moment, grinning at the thought of a long day hooning at the Bedford Autodrome, slightly nervous about the noise test. I move the gear stick into third so I can select reverse and back out of the garage. It won't go into third or indeed any gear. Seems like the clutch cylinder has failed. Again.
So I switch the car car off, shut the garage door and hoon off with my mate in his Evo 9 instead. Gutted? You betcha
Now I need to find away to get it to the garage to find whether its the slave or master cylinder and get the wallet open!
Any recommendations on slave cylinders between these two (assuming it is that)
: http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-parts-subs...
: http://www.clever-trevor.net/part/143/raceproved-a...
Cheers!
mikeinsheffield said:
My day of reckoning was on Friday....etc etc etc......
..... God I've missed driving this car, even makes a "mundane" family outing into an event!
Mike - wat a fantastic write up ! ..... God I've missed driving this car, even makes a "mundane" family outing into an event!
REALLY must get the exhaust fixed & take ours out again. Ours has been hibernating since about August
(a then very pregnant wife & now new baby mean I don't seem to have any spare time ATM)
GT4 Baz said:
I only wish my day went like that.....
The alarm clock goes of at 6.45 but I've already been awake for half an hour, really excited at the prospect of the first 2011 track day in my Cerb.
I get up, clean my teeth, have a wash and run down stairs to grab my wallet and keys before heading out to the garage. Mini moved out of the way, I pop the door open and lower myself into the seat. The gorgeous interior is bathed in a cool glow from the interior lights.
I put my foot on the clutch, thumb the starter button and the AJP8 roars into life. I sit there just for a moment, grinning at the thought of a long day hooning at the Bedford Autodrome, slightly nervous about the noise test. I move the gear stick into third so I can select reverse and back out of the garage. It won't go into third or indeed any gear. Seems like the clutch cylinder has failed. Again.
So I switch the car car off, shut the garage door and hoon off with my mate in his Evo 9 instead. Gutted? You betcha
Now I need to find away to get it to the garage to find whether its the slave or master cylinder and get the wallet open!
Any recommendations on slave cylinders between these two (assuming it is that)
: http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-parts-subs...
: http://www.clever-trevor.net/part/143/raceproved-a...
Cheers!
Have you checked your fluid levels? The 2 first things I would check, is there fluid near the clutch peddle (master) or fluid leaking from the bellhousing (slave)The alarm clock goes of at 6.45 but I've already been awake for half an hour, really excited at the prospect of the first 2011 track day in my Cerb.
I get up, clean my teeth, have a wash and run down stairs to grab my wallet and keys before heading out to the garage. Mini moved out of the way, I pop the door open and lower myself into the seat. The gorgeous interior is bathed in a cool glow from the interior lights.
I put my foot on the clutch, thumb the starter button and the AJP8 roars into life. I sit there just for a moment, grinning at the thought of a long day hooning at the Bedford Autodrome, slightly nervous about the noise test. I move the gear stick into third so I can select reverse and back out of the garage. It won't go into third or indeed any gear. Seems like the clutch cylinder has failed. Again.
So I switch the car car off, shut the garage door and hoon off with my mate in his Evo 9 instead. Gutted? You betcha
Now I need to find away to get it to the garage to find whether its the slave or master cylinder and get the wallet open!
Any recommendations on slave cylinders between these two (assuming it is that)
: http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-parts-subs...
: http://www.clever-trevor.net/part/143/raceproved-a...
Cheers!
Failing that a master cylinder is a quick simple change... Save you some £££ down a garage?
Well, can't hope to keep pace with the literary genius of "Mike The Bard" but Saturday was the day I took her off the Axle Stands after a two-week job of trying to mount the new silencers (that I'd originally put on last July) correctly. In the end I had to settle for function over form (Now looks like I've run over a Robot [Bury me in a y-shaped coffin] Prostitue). Also did the oil change. Start up was smoooooooth, no strange clunky noises. Gear selection was slick. A few manouvers to get her out of the garage and up the ramp. Absolute death quiet in betweeen changes until she starts to warm. Everything quiet, unbumpy, engineered slickness. Gorgeous weather and sun, low in the sky, slices through the woods lining the roads. Good condition roads now starting to bite in the corners and the feel of my own body rolling in the seat (Must get a multi-point harness). Response out of 2nd and 3rd gear bends starting to sound as sweet as the deceleration burbles going into them. Just pure mechanically empathic physics.
Gloooooooooorius.
I'm so lucky.
Gloooooooooorius.
I'm so lucky.
Mr Cerbera said:
Well, can't hope to keep pace with the literary genius of "Mike The Bard" but Saturday was the day I took her off the Axle Stands after a two-week job of trying to mount the new silencers (that I'd originally put on last July) correctly. In the end I had to settle for function over form (Now looks like I've run over a Robot [Bury me in a y-shaped coffin] Prostitue). Also did the oil change. Start up was smoooooooth, no strange clunky noises. Gear selection was slick. A few manouvers to get her out of the garage and up the ramp. Absolute death quiet in betweeen changes until she starts to warm. Everything quiet, unbumpy, engineered slickness. Gorgeous weather and sun, low in the sky, slices through the woods lining the roads. Good condition roads now starting to bite in the corners and the feel of my own body rolling in the seat (Must get a multi-point harness). Response out of 2nd and 3rd gear bends starting to sound as sweet as the deceleration burbles going into them. Just pure mechanically empathic physics.
Gloooooooooorius.
I'm so lucky.
Get a CG lock! They make a world of difference but are better than harnesses as you can lean forward at junctions.Gloooooooooorius.
I'm so lucky.
Mr Cerbera said:
I don't quite understand how they work, from their video clips, Mark, but I feel that it's my (diminutive) upper body that gets thrown around ??
Well they hold your waist still and your upper body should be fairly still as you are holding onto the wheel, or at least you should be They are not very expensive and are at least worth a go. I have one in my other car as well and would not be without one, especially on slippery leather seats.
markh1 said:
Well they hold your waist still and your upper body should be fairly still as you are holding onto the wheel, or at least you should be
They are not very expensive and are at least worth a go. I have one in my other car as well and would not be without one, especially on slippery leather seats.
OK, Ta for the Info They are not very expensive and are at least worth a go. I have one in my other car as well and would not be without one, especially on slippery leather seats.
Aghhh all this talk of driving in a Cerb is making me VERY jealous, mine still has most of the rear end being powder coated and im changing all the back end bushes for pollys, all 4 drive shaft gaiters replaced, new handbrake cable, drop link service etc etc (will be worth it in the end I know)....
And today was gorgeous! Had to make do with my 2ltr TD rover
Bring on April when she will all be done and I have a few months in the UK before Afghan!
And today was gorgeous! Had to make do with my 2ltr TD rover
Bring on April when she will all be done and I have a few months in the UK before Afghan!
brakedust said:
Aghhh all this talk of driving in a Cerb is making me VERY jealous, mine still has most of the rear end being powder coated and im changing all the back end bushes for pollys, all 4 drive shaft gaiters replaced, new handbrake cable, drop link service etc etc (will be worth it in the end I know)....
And today was gorgeous! Had to make do with my 2ltr TD rover
Bring on April when she will all be done and I have a few months in the UK before Afghan!
Bud im jealous that mine is not in bits,thats where the real fun is.She will soon be haemorrhaging parts if i run true to form though.And today was gorgeous! Had to make do with my 2ltr TD rover
Bring on April when she will all be done and I have a few months in the UK before Afghan!
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