A Day With Ride Drive In My T350C

[mr lock pick]

Just to let all TVR owners know, that I had a fantastic day with Ride Drive. I booked and attended an Advance Handling Skills & Road Driving Experience. As a Locksmith Course Instructor myself for many years, I was very impressed with my instructor Chris Hall & his presentation of his skills & knowledge, top man. Julian at Ride Drive was also extremely helpfull. Between the two of them I had a brilliant learning day and a fantastic 1 hour on the airfield.

With nitrons on she handled superbly and recorded 161mph on the 2 mile straight. What a day lads, fantastic.

Ignoring the track day aspect, if you apply the skills presented to you on the raod on a day 2 day basis it will open youe eyes to a new style of driving.

Well done to Ride Drive & of course my little Green Dragon!

161 mph. Not bad for a standard 3.6.

Next month she will be de-catted and a full tune up and service & speed 12 alloys.

[LaserTam]

I have been pondering on a Ride Drive course, so its good to read positive feedback. What track/airfield was it?

Might have to suggest it on my birthday list!

[mr lock pick]

Hi mate

It was Bruntingthorpe near Leicestershire. You will concentrate on a 2.5 hour drive up their and then let loose on track. Then you will put all your new learnt skills to the test on the way back.

I see you live in Essex, that probably means you will be with Chris Hall, once again a top bloke.

Let me know if you go for it mate or you can email me direct with you Tel.No and I will be more than happy to discuss the day with you in more detail.

Please excuse my crap spelling errors!

[Lensey]

Sounds like you had a good day, I think a day like this is well worth the money deffo have to sort one out this year.

[earlyriser]

Don't forget that in addition to it being a very worthwhile investmentRideDrive also operate a scheme with Adrian Flux insurance brokers. If you 'pass' the course Flux will gaurantee to beat your renewal by 25%. Worked for me and saved £150 - almost 1/2 the RideDrive fee - immediately

[Spoonman]

mr lock pick said:

161 mph. Not bad for a standard 3.6.

Not knocking the speed, but had you got your foot all the way down? Was that from a standing start at the bottom of the straight, or did you get a run up round the bend? I'd expect at least 170mph from a T350 at Brunters.

[JonRB]

Spoonman said:

Not knocking the speed, but had you got your foot all the way down? Was that from a standing start at the bottom of the straight, or did you get a run up round the bend? I'd expect at least 170mph from a T350 at Brunters.

Nope. At VMax on Sunday just gone my Sagaris managed only 168 mph and Bob's T350 did 166mph. I was finding the drag from my aero was the biggest problem - I was only gaining the odd mph by 3/4 of the way down the runway.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 12th March 10:23

[Spoonman]

JonRB said:

Nope. At VMax on Sunday just gone my Sagaris managed only 168 mph and Bob's T350 did 166mph. I was finding the drag from my aero was the biggest problem - I was only gaining the odd mph by 3/4 of the way down the runway.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 12th March 10:23

Ooh, that is a surprise. Had 161mph at Bruntingthorpe out of a 330bhp Sapphire (with slipping clutch), and some of the lads in modified Novas are pulling more than that now. Must get round to taking the Tamora one day.

[mr lock pick]

The 161mph was achieved by exiting bend at approx 55-60 and then flat out all the way down the straight. I then had to break which is a good thing just before a bend.

However even if the straight was longer lads I don't believe she could have gone much more if anything at all. I take it by your comments you guys were expecting more.

I personaly do not believe a standard T350c is a 175mph car. We tried to get more but it was not possible due to having to break.

How many 3.6 T350c have ever achieved a 170 or more.

Your comments may force me in buying a faster car.

[tail slide]

mr lock pick said:

I personaly do not believe a standard T350c is a 175mph car. We tried to get more but it was not possible due to having to break.

How many 3.6 T350c have ever achieved a 170 or more.

Your comments may force me in buying a faster car.

171mph verified by Road Angel, long Autobahn past Koln (Cologne).

At that rate, wind speed, tyre pressures etc have a large effect (and I don't know which way the wind was blowing!)

[Spoonman]

I've tested at Brunters many times, usually in much less capable cars. You could have taken the bottom corner considerably faster, but I'm still amazed you didn't see 170mph. I'd be gutted if my Tamora didn't manage that kind of speed at Bruntingthorpe (although I'd have to sort out the window-blowing-open problem first). Did 255km/h (on GPS) in Europe with the roof down, and it was still pulling hard.

Edited to add: not that 255km/h is especially fast, but there was so much more to come, even with the roof off, that I believe T350s will manage well over 170mph.

Edited by Spoonman on Wednesday 12th March 17:06

[mr lock pick]

Dear Mr Spoonman

I could have stated that I recorded speeds of over 170mph but I know that I didn't so I only stated the truth.

Maybe we need to purchase one of your less capable cars and perhaps have some driving lesson by yourself. Or it may be an idea to see what your TVR can achieve mate.

Let's not forget lads that there are other people and cars on track!

[mr lock pick]

Forgot to ask Tailside was 171mph recorded with a standard engine or your 4.5 mate?

[tail slide]

mr lock pick said:

Forgot to ask Tailside was 171mph recorded with a standard engine or your 4.5 mate?

Standard engine and exhaust, at about 10k miles.


Did sound like it was working hard .....

.... but did another 14k and still had little apparent wear.



Incidentally the 4.5 bottom-end has had a few setbacks, so has gone back in car this week as a 4 litre race unit with forged internals for a few months.

Edited by tail slide on Wednesday 12th March 18:53

[Spoonman]

mr lock pick said:

Dear Mr Spoonman

I could have stated that I recorded speeds of over 170mph but I know that I didn't so I only stated the truth.

Maybe we need to purchase one of your less capable cars and perhaps have some driving lesson by yourself. Or it may be an idea to see what your TVR can achieve mate.

Let's not forget lads that there are other people and cars on track!

Hey, chill out dude - only saying it's a disappointing figure to a fellow owner. Didn't mean any offence.

My performance testing at Bruntingthorpe has always been for car magazines, so the track's never been densely populated. And I'm rather aggressive when testing, so maybe won't always let off the gas for gear changes etc. I will happily take my TVR next time I'm there and report whatever speed it does or doesn't achieve.

If you want one of the less capable cars, may I recommend a knackered XJS. Much better than the Mitsubishi Starion that I abandoned at Brunters many years ago when it blew up at 125mph. Who knows, it may still be there...

[mr lock pick]

Fair reply Spoonman,

Perhaps I under-estimated your drivings skills mate!. Perhaps someone with better driving skills can exit at higher speeds and push onto the 170 mark.

Would be good to see what results you could get in your motor mate. Plus a little banter keeps us on PH. What car mags do you test for I you don't mind me asking.

[Spoonman]

No worries, mate. My driving skills are certainly nothing special - it's just that you have to be brutal, and remember the trees at Bruntingthorpe's bottom corner are a long way off the track. I've spun there several times (usually in very public moments), but only seen anyone hit them once...

Do more writing than driving these days, so haven't been to Brunters for a while (thus no top speed from the Tamora). Feel a bit self-conscious talking about work on a forum, but will happily go into detail over email if you like.

[JonRB]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't think the Sagaris could have gone more than a few mph more than the 168mph I saw even if The Stig was driving. Simply because I was aerodynamically brick-walled by 2/3 to 3/4 of the way down - it just wasn't putting on any more speed. Having said that, the Sagaris has much more aggressive aero than the T350, the latter being a much smoother and more slippery shape, so perhaps it could manage those few extra mph that my car could not.

Anyway, it's largely academic. Where else is top speed relevant other than Brunters and the German Autobahns (over which the Sword of Damocles is currently poised anyway)?

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 12th March 21:29

[tail slide]

JonRB said:

Anyway, it's largely academic. Where else is top speed relevant other than Brunters and the German Authbahns (over which the Sword of Damocles is currently poised anyway)?

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 12th March 19:44

Quite agree, but on the other hand it's good to know that that our steeds COULD do it unlike the Evo-type upstarts (with apologies to any Evo-type upstarts reading) and so 80-100mph is just an easy canter.