Fast Car Handling Course - Advice needed
Discussion
The story so far ....
MACC, my dream Jaguar C Type replica - 4.2, triple webers, 290+ bhp, 975 kg weight and manual steering - is coming on apace. Ready for August/September.
Driving experience so far. Small Euro boxes.
What is the best course to learn how to drive the C Type safely and with some brio? [Where permitted of course]
All advice gratefully received.
Edited to add: I am London based so South England courses preferred
MACC, my dream Jaguar C Type replica - 4.2, triple webers, 290+ bhp, 975 kg weight and manual steering - is coming on apace. Ready for August/September.
Driving experience so far. Small Euro boxes.
What is the best course to learn how to drive the C Type safely and with some brio? [Where permitted of course]
All advice gratefully received.
Edited to add: I am London based so South England courses preferred
Edited by Freddie von Rost on Tuesday 15th May 12:34
I recently did a limit handling course with Andrew Walsh at North Weald airfield in my Chimaera - It was excellent and good value - learning your/the car's limits in a really safe environment. See www.carlimits.com for details.
Also Don Palmer, RideDrive and others are recommended by plenty of people on here. Are you after track only stuff, or road/track?
Also Don Palmer, RideDrive and others are recommended by plenty of people on here. Are you after track only stuff, or road/track?
With respect to the above named courses/drivers, I believe that the only person you should even *think* about going out in that car with is Mark Hales.
His record in racing a car such as yours is one of the best in Europe. And his understanding of how to get the best out of such a car is unquestioned. That includes numerous wins at Goodwood, often beating ex-F1 drivers, and wins at Le Mans classic, etc.
I'm not affiliated to him in any way, I have never even done his 'Masterclass', but given the amount of time, money and effort you have no doubt put into that car you should carefully consider who you have sitting alongside you.
I have done done a day at Car Limits. It was great but you need a strong car for both the exercises you'll do, and also to cope with the surface at North Weald. I'm not sure you'll want to put your C-Type under that amount of stress. Think "The Stig driving the D-Type for the Top Gear stunt" and you get the general idea.
I have also done the Ultimate Car Control, and it's very basic - teaching you to brake in a straight line and turn in as soon as you come off the brakes, that sort of stuff. You won't learn anything about your car.
Just my 2p, hope you have fun with the car!
His record in racing a car such as yours is one of the best in Europe. And his understanding of how to get the best out of such a car is unquestioned. That includes numerous wins at Goodwood, often beating ex-F1 drivers, and wins at Le Mans classic, etc.
I'm not affiliated to him in any way, I have never even done his 'Masterclass', but given the amount of time, money and effort you have no doubt put into that car you should carefully consider who you have sitting alongside you.
I have done done a day at Car Limits. It was great but you need a strong car for both the exercises you'll do, and also to cope with the surface at North Weald. I'm not sure you'll want to put your C-Type under that amount of stress. Think "The Stig driving the D-Type for the Top Gear stunt" and you get the general idea.
I have also done the Ultimate Car Control, and it's very basic - teaching you to brake in a straight line and turn in as soon as you come off the brakes, that sort of stuff. You won't learn anything about your car.
Just my 2p, hope you have fun with the car!
GarrettMacD said:
With respect to the above named courses/drivers, I believe that the only person you should even *think* about going out in that car with is Mark Hales.
His record in racing a car such as yours is one of the best in Europe. And his understanding of how to get the best out of such a car is unquestioned. That includes numerous wins at Goodwood, often beating ex-F1 drivers, and wins at Le Mans classic, etc.
I'm not affiliated to him in any way, I have never even done his 'Masterclass', but given the amount of time, money and effort you have no doubt put into that car you should carefully consider who you have sitting alongside you.
I have done done a day at Car Limits. It was great but you need a strong car for both the exercises you'll do, and also to cope with the surface at North Weald. I'm not sure you'll want to put your C-Type under that amount of stress. Think "The Stig driving the D-Type for the Top Gear stunt" and you get the general idea.
I have also done the Ultimate Car Control, and it's very basic - teaching you to brake in a straight line and turn in as soon as you come off the brakes, that sort of stuff. You won't learn anything about your car.
Just my 2p, hope you have fun with the car!
His record in racing a car such as yours is one of the best in Europe. And his understanding of how to get the best out of such a car is unquestioned. That includes numerous wins at Goodwood, often beating ex-F1 drivers, and wins at Le Mans classic, etc.
I'm not affiliated to him in any way, I have never even done his 'Masterclass', but given the amount of time, money and effort you have no doubt put into that car you should carefully consider who you have sitting alongside you.
I have done done a day at Car Limits. It was great but you need a strong car for both the exercises you'll do, and also to cope with the surface at North Weald. I'm not sure you'll want to put your C-Type under that amount of stress. Think "The Stig driving the D-Type for the Top Gear stunt" and you get the general idea.
I have also done the Ultimate Car Control, and it's very basic - teaching you to brake in a straight line and turn in as soon as you come off the brakes, that sort of stuff. You won't learn anything about your car.
Just my 2p, hope you have fun with the car!
Thank you. Again, advice much appreciated.
Freddie,
This thread might be of interest:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=154&t=247953&i=0
...I did a day and a half with John Lyon and agree with Mark Kendrick that John is a master driver...I have not been with the others so cannot compare.
When I drove with him he was based in Market Harborough, the full day included Millbrook..at no time did I feel uncomfortable when he was driving my car and I learned a lot from him...if I wanted, and could afford, further one to one training, I would be back with him...I had no interest in joining the HPC, just wanted to 'test the boundaries' safely.
As a matter of interest - Mark Kendrick has produced one of the best Advanced Driving DVDs I have seen...it is with my current Associate so I don't have the title to hand.
BOF.
PS - Found it...www.bespokedrivertraining.co.uk/
I have no connection with either John or Mark whatsoever.
This thread might be of interest:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=154&t=247953&i=0
...I did a day and a half with John Lyon and agree with Mark Kendrick that John is a master driver...I have not been with the others so cannot compare.
When I drove with him he was based in Market Harborough, the full day included Millbrook..at no time did I feel uncomfortable when he was driving my car and I learned a lot from him...if I wanted, and could afford, further one to one training, I would be back with him...I had no interest in joining the HPC, just wanted to 'test the boundaries' safely.
As a matter of interest - Mark Kendrick has produced one of the best Advanced Driving DVDs I have seen...it is with my current Associate so I don't have the title to hand.
BOF.
PS - Found it...www.bespokedrivertraining.co.uk/
I have no connection with either John or Mark whatsoever.
Edited by BOF on Wednesday 16th May 17:57
I've driven with John Lyon, Mark Kendrick, Hugh Noblett, Andy Walsh and even StressedDave. I learned something from all of them and am sure that you would also learn lots from a visit to any of them.
With regard to learning in your pride and joy - it might be worth doing some of the courses in a less fragile car to get yourself up to speed first. Also I reckon the training you would do to cope with the odd moment on the road would be a fair bit different from full out track training so that might also affect your choice of who to use/what you want to get out of the day(s).
With regard to learning in your pride and joy - it might be worth doing some of the courses in a less fragile car to get yourself up to speed first. Also I reckon the training you would do to cope with the odd moment on the road would be a fair bit different from full out track training so that might also affect your choice of who to use/what you want to get out of the day(s).
Freddie von Rost said:
GarrettMacD said:
With respect to the above named courses/drivers, I believe that the only person you should even *think* about going out in that car with is Mark Hales.
His record in racing a car such as yours is one of the best in Europe. And his understanding of how to get the best out of such a car is unquestioned. That includes numerous wins at Goodwood, often beating ex-F1 drivers, and wins at Le Mans classic, etc.
I'm not affiliated to him in any way, I have never even done his 'Masterclass', but given the amount of time, money and effort you have no doubt put into that car you should carefully consider who you have sitting alongside you.
I have done done a day at Car Limits. It was great but you need a strong car for both the exercises you'll do, and also to cope with the surface at North Weald. I'm not sure you'll want to put your C-Type under that amount of stress. Think "The Stig driving the D-Type for the Top Gear stunt" and you get the general idea.
I have also done the Ultimate Car Control, and it's very basic - teaching you to brake in a straight line and turn in as soon as you come off the brakes, that sort of stuff. You won't learn anything about your car.
Just my 2p, hope you have fun with the car!
His record in racing a car such as yours is one of the best in Europe. And his understanding of how to get the best out of such a car is unquestioned. That includes numerous wins at Goodwood, often beating ex-F1 drivers, and wins at Le Mans classic, etc.
I'm not affiliated to him in any way, I have never even done his 'Masterclass', but given the amount of time, money and effort you have no doubt put into that car you should carefully consider who you have sitting alongside you.
I have done done a day at Car Limits. It was great but you need a strong car for both the exercises you'll do, and also to cope with the surface at North Weald. I'm not sure you'll want to put your C-Type under that amount of stress. Think "The Stig driving the D-Type for the Top Gear stunt" and you get the general idea.
I have also done the Ultimate Car Control, and it's very basic - teaching you to brake in a straight line and turn in as soon as you come off the brakes, that sort of stuff. You won't learn anything about your car.
Just my 2p, hope you have fun with the car!
Thank you. Again, advice much appreciated.
Mark Hales is a very experienced historic racer as well, with a lot of mechanical sympathy for your pride and joy. If you can get in touch with him, then he's your man. He often drives other people's priceless historics in races all over the world.
Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff