RE: PistonHeaders in High Speed Shocker!!
Monday 17th February 2003
No one was sure who would be quickest, but only some kind of crazy cat would have bet against one of the turbocharged Stuttgart stallions- or perhaps the lightweight & powerful Blackpool bruiser taking the top mph spot.
Lunch saw a cholesterol burger or two consumed & lots of debate about fastest speeds, while a certain Jeremy C was heard to exclaim that he was sure his non functioning speedo in the TVR was causing the ECU to cut power. Hmmm....
Other discussions seemed to centre round some 993 turbo owners considering 550bhp upgrades to try and beat the greater aerodynamic advantages of the newer 996Turbos.
After lunch and a top up with Super-unleaded for most, the runs resumed in anger and the glorious sounding Ferrari topped the 150mph barrier- with 155mph, while the TVR achieved a few mph more without my svelte (ahemmm!) frame in the passenger seat- recording a gnat’s todger off the 160mph barrier with 159mph.
The later afternoon saw many PHers and porker club members playing about on the race circuit, and it allowed some of the lower powered cars to battle with the huge bhp machines, as even the Elise- which only managed 116mph on the runway, used its lightweight & manoeuvrability to its advantage and held off a 450bhp 996 for several laps.
Finest noise of the day prize was a tough choice, as it seemed to be an equal first between the operatic yowl of the de-catted Ferrari 348 and the roar of a particularly tuneful Porsche 993RS, while the rorty growl of the little 4 cylinder Lotus certainly stood out against the primarily 3.6 litre flat six powered soundtrack..
This was a great day and thanks again to Maurice & the Porsche club members for inviting us. However next time we get the chance to do this there can be no wimping out for PHer supercar owners, because remember Pistonheaders - SPEED MATTERS!
Pictures courtest of Pete Osborne
PistonHeaders in High Speed Shocker!!
A special report from our Porsche hooning corespondent Alex Sharp
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An early start on a very chilly February morning, saw a number of Pistonheaders slithering along icy & frosty roads from various parts of the country, to join lots of Porsche club members at the Bruntingthope testing ground in the Midlands, in preparation for some automotive action of the high mph and large hoonage variety.
After the majority of the Pistonheads contingent had consumed their bargain priced slap up breakfast in the Lutterworth Safeway’s - umm nice! The motley crew arrived at Bruntingthope and joined the 25 or so porkers of the Porsche club lads (& lasses).
The morning’s activities were simple- drive down the 2 mile runway as quickly as you can, pass through the speed traps- then slow down at the end without cooking your brakes, and the driver of the car with the fastest speed of the day would be hero worshipped by the rest of the group.
Non Pork
Amongst the virtual whitewash of Porsches, certain members of the Pistonheads crew appeared to have misread the entry forms on the Porsche club invite and turned up in a TVR Cerbera 4.5, BMW M coupe, & a Ferrari 348. One brave non PH’er even turned up in his standard Elise to do battle with the 400+bhp opposition.No one was sure who would be quickest, but only some kind of crazy cat would have bet against one of the turbocharged Stuttgart stallions- or perhaps the lightweight & powerful Blackpool bruiser taking the top mph spot.
160mph!
The morning saw the Porsche Turbos of both 993 & 996 varieties leap into action and record the highest speeds of over 160mph. This was certainly helped by the just above freezing air temperature- allowing the turbos to breathe freely. However, it appeared some of the Cerbera’s 420 horses may have wandered off to give kids a ride on the Blackpool pleasure beach- rather than being active under the Cerbera’s bonnet, as it recorded a high of a mere 157mph, achieved with little old me in the passenger seat acting as video camera ballast.Lunch saw a cholesterol burger or two consumed & lots of debate about fastest speeds, while a certain Jeremy C was heard to exclaim that he was sure his non functioning speedo in the TVR was causing the ECU to cut power. Hmmm....
Other discussions seemed to centre round some 993 turbo owners considering 550bhp upgrades to try and beat the greater aerodynamic advantages of the newer 996Turbos.
After lunch and a top up with Super-unleaded for most, the runs resumed in anger and the glorious sounding Ferrari topped the 150mph barrier- with 155mph, while the TVR achieved a few mph more without my svelte (ahemmm!) frame in the passenger seat- recording a gnat’s todger off the 160mph barrier with 159mph.
4WD Matters
However in comparison with the Cerbera, Daz’s 996Turbo (with X50pack) once again showed that the extra 15-20mph the 4wd porker could carry onto the runway from the preceding long 180 degree bend, must have been an advantage, as he stormed up to record the highest speed of the day at 177mph- just 1mph more than the other X50 996 Turbo.The later afternoon saw many PHers and porker club members playing about on the race circuit, and it allowed some of the lower powered cars to battle with the huge bhp machines, as even the Elise- which only managed 116mph on the runway, used its lightweight & manoeuvrability to its advantage and held off a 450bhp 996 for several laps.
Finest noise of the day prize was a tough choice, as it seemed to be an equal first between the operatic yowl of the de-catted Ferrari 348 and the roar of a particularly tuneful Porsche 993RS, while the rorty growl of the little 4 cylinder Lotus certainly stood out against the primarily 3.6 litre flat six powered soundtrack..
Next Time
Perhaps the 996 Turbo whitewash could have been different had a few more PHers have stepped into the breach. Where were the union jack waving TVR Tuscan, Ultima, or Noble owners hiding while zee Germans reigned supreme? Italian car owners too can hold there heads in shame, as not a single 355 or 360 was in appearance.This was a great day and thanks again to Maurice & the Porsche club members for inviting us. However next time we get the chance to do this there can be no wimping out for PHer supercar owners, because remember Pistonheaders - SPEED MATTERS!
Links: www.verysideways.com/live/pages/ph_bruntingthorpe.htm , www.titanic.co.uk/993/Bruntingthorpe/
Pictures courtest of Pete Osborne
Discussion
Daz- I know its not you, it was the other 996 that was having problems blitzing the Elise. 
Anyway if if had have been you I know I wouldnt have had any trouble talking you into our 650bhp conversion that you just know you are gagging to go for...
I know the 996s high speeds have tempted the 993 Turbo S guy to go & chat to 9M for a 530bhp kit...
Anyway if if had have been you I know I wouldnt have had any trouble talking you into our 650bhp conversion that you just know you are gagging to go for...
I know the 996s high speeds have tempted the 993 Turbo S guy to go & chat to 9M for a 530bhp kit...
Nice writeup, thanks!
Couple of points for clarification -
Porsche Club GB not involved in any way, in order to keep the cost down etc. Lot of muttering and gnashing of teeth from Moreton-in Marsh, in fact.
Speed traps were simple beam-breaking at a calibrated distance apart, and accurate. I parked up there for a while, saw Craig come through @ 155 on his best run - those timing guys are braver (or something) than I !
There was a headwind all day at least 5 mph. Interestingly, I did a few laps at the end, temperature was dropping, and I got a definite 5mph higher indicated. Maybe we could run the other way from a standing start out in the boonies ..
Costs were £100 per car, a couple of late entries saw us into profit, which I will distribute to two intended participants who separately had to drop out because of sudden serious illness of parents.
Bikes regularly run at BPG, timed by same crew - don't think it would be a good mix, tho'.
Next one - we'll see, but I promise it would be warmer, although that chilly sun was ideal, really!
Cheers, Maurice
Couple of points for clarification -
Porsche Club GB not involved in any way, in order to keep the cost down etc. Lot of muttering and gnashing of teeth from Moreton-in Marsh, in fact.
Speed traps were simple beam-breaking at a calibrated distance apart, and accurate. I parked up there for a while, saw Craig come through @ 155 on his best run - those timing guys are braver (or something) than I !
There was a headwind all day at least 5 mph. Interestingly, I did a few laps at the end, temperature was dropping, and I got a definite 5mph higher indicated. Maybe we could run the other way from a standing start out in the boonies ..
Costs were £100 per car, a couple of late entries saw us into profit, which I will distribute to two intended participants who separately had to drop out because of sudden serious illness of parents.
Bikes regularly run at BPG, timed by same crew - don't think it would be a good mix, tho'.
Next one - we'll see, but I promise it would be warmer, although that chilly sun was ideal, really!
Cheers, Maurice
Hi Alex, great write-up. Also Titanic site is super. Yes I was the little Lime Green Roller Scate (Elise). Totally out-guned on the straight but in the after noon I was as you say holding serious horse power off with my 1.8 Pot (125 horses). If it wasn't for the 100 yards+ I was loosing on the main staight I rekon it would have been similar lap times. No worries, great day and some serious fun. Thanks to all! Now were do I get a 400 hp up grade?
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