My 'missing' Connected HRD's article!
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 09 6:14 pm
Here's what i actually wrote. The article credited to me was someone else!
If you like it i'll contribute again, if not i won't give up the day job!
The Hot Rod drags from Cornwall.
Having attended last year and ran my first ever quarter mile on a ‘real’ dragstrip , I wasn’t going to miss this year. Particularly convenient was a works event in Taunton on the Friday. This meant that I could claim legitimate mileage for the first 200 miles of the trip! My Dart looked somewhat out of place in the gentile surroundings of the country house where the event was. Needless to say I nipped of as quick as possible and headed north on the M5.
Mustang Mike and mate Russ were ahead of me and reserving parking for me.
All went smoothly in the sunshine until I hit the traffic south of Bristol. Needing petrol I scooted off at Gordano services but the traffic was static so I turned due south to Portishead. Then I saw the signs indicating that the back road to Bristol was closed. At this point I’d wasted over an hour trying to get back North. I phoned Mike and said I’d probably give up and head home. Thing is, I hate quitting, so after some clever map work I u turned and drove straight through Bristol dodging the rush hour and hit the M5 again. As i neared the last leg the sunshine gave way to heavy rain and I had an uneventful if sketchy back road run to Shakey.
On arriving, the NSRA guys said that I couldn’t register to run as I had a 1975 plate on the car. Needless to say, bedraggled wet, lonely and tired I was short on humour with them. I prevailed, removed the offending number plate and went looking for Mike.
Mike, in a fit of genius decided to baggsy a set in the pits so we could park on hard standing. I didn’t even try to pitch a tent due to torrential rain and me Mike and Russ spent the next gloomy, if humorous hour in the Dart drinking cold beers. Eventually we headed out for a few more and I slept happily in the car whilst the lads got wet feet in their tents.
Next day was misty until the sun burnt off. We signed on and queued to race and after an inordinate amount of time got to make a couple of passes. I’d been hoping for 13’s with my new 3.91 rear, but with street tyres and an open diff I just span the tyres for the first sixty feet.
Mike fared better and ran consistent mid 14’s which his car does every time. The state of the track has been much commented on so I wont add more. It didn’t stop some cars running new PBs even though there were a few scares. Guy helped me push for my next run and gave me useful words of advice, which I promptly wasted by missing a shift (well, it is on the column!) at 5,500 revs. No harm done so I parked up.
Nice chatting to Craig and Wendy (Starks) who were having a non racing weekend, Simon and Kiwi were both racing and it was nice to catch up. Hoped to see Bob In the new Coronet run, but sadly only got to see him pushed back off the line twice. A real shame considering he was working on the car both at the Nats and at Shakey every time I walked past! Although I understand that the car did run over the weekend, I just missed it.
Saturday night was uneventful, until I heard the sound of Mike retching as he drunk my spare anti freeze which had been cunningly disguised as water. Needless to say Mike gave me an impromptu lesson in health and safety.
I had asleepless night as partying Hot rodders seemed to be making the most of the warm night air!
Sunday we decided to depart, as the queues for racing were just too much. All went well until I started emitting clouds of smoke on the M5. A quick inspection pointed to an overfilled trans, which was leaking onto the exhaust. I drained off about a litre and carried on. Happily, no further problems on the long journey back to Cornwall. Mike got fed up with low speed cruising and shot of ahead. I have to say, 3.91’s are a bear on long distances, although great fun for hooning!
Overall, well worth it, but I think for racing I might just attend the low-key events and party at the bigger ones. Great to see so many excellent hot rods, rat rods, sleepers and original muscle. I thought the Mopar contingent was lower than previous events, but I could be wrong. In total, expensive, but addictive!
If you like it i'll contribute again, if not i won't give up the day job!
The Hot Rod drags from Cornwall.
Having attended last year and ran my first ever quarter mile on a ‘real’ dragstrip , I wasn’t going to miss this year. Particularly convenient was a works event in Taunton on the Friday. This meant that I could claim legitimate mileage for the first 200 miles of the trip! My Dart looked somewhat out of place in the gentile surroundings of the country house where the event was. Needless to say I nipped of as quick as possible and headed north on the M5.
Mustang Mike and mate Russ were ahead of me and reserving parking for me.
All went smoothly in the sunshine until I hit the traffic south of Bristol. Needing petrol I scooted off at Gordano services but the traffic was static so I turned due south to Portishead. Then I saw the signs indicating that the back road to Bristol was closed. At this point I’d wasted over an hour trying to get back North. I phoned Mike and said I’d probably give up and head home. Thing is, I hate quitting, so after some clever map work I u turned and drove straight through Bristol dodging the rush hour and hit the M5 again. As i neared the last leg the sunshine gave way to heavy rain and I had an uneventful if sketchy back road run to Shakey.
On arriving, the NSRA guys said that I couldn’t register to run as I had a 1975 plate on the car. Needless to say, bedraggled wet, lonely and tired I was short on humour with them. I prevailed, removed the offending number plate and went looking for Mike.
Mike, in a fit of genius decided to baggsy a set in the pits so we could park on hard standing. I didn’t even try to pitch a tent due to torrential rain and me Mike and Russ spent the next gloomy, if humorous hour in the Dart drinking cold beers. Eventually we headed out for a few more and I slept happily in the car whilst the lads got wet feet in their tents.
Next day was misty until the sun burnt off. We signed on and queued to race and after an inordinate amount of time got to make a couple of passes. I’d been hoping for 13’s with my new 3.91 rear, but with street tyres and an open diff I just span the tyres for the first sixty feet.
Mike fared better and ran consistent mid 14’s which his car does every time. The state of the track has been much commented on so I wont add more. It didn’t stop some cars running new PBs even though there were a few scares. Guy helped me push for my next run and gave me useful words of advice, which I promptly wasted by missing a shift (well, it is on the column!) at 5,500 revs. No harm done so I parked up.
Nice chatting to Craig and Wendy (Starks) who were having a non racing weekend, Simon and Kiwi were both racing and it was nice to catch up. Hoped to see Bob In the new Coronet run, but sadly only got to see him pushed back off the line twice. A real shame considering he was working on the car both at the Nats and at Shakey every time I walked past! Although I understand that the car did run over the weekend, I just missed it.
Saturday night was uneventful, until I heard the sound of Mike retching as he drunk my spare anti freeze which had been cunningly disguised as water. Needless to say Mike gave me an impromptu lesson in health and safety.
I had asleepless night as partying Hot rodders seemed to be making the most of the warm night air!
Sunday we decided to depart, as the queues for racing were just too much. All went well until I started emitting clouds of smoke on the M5. A quick inspection pointed to an overfilled trans, which was leaking onto the exhaust. I drained off about a litre and carried on. Happily, no further problems on the long journey back to Cornwall. Mike got fed up with low speed cruising and shot of ahead. I have to say, 3.91’s are a bear on long distances, although great fun for hooning!
Overall, well worth it, but I think for racing I might just attend the low-key events and party at the bigger ones. Great to see so many excellent hot rods, rat rods, sleepers and original muscle. I thought the Mopar contingent was lower than previous events, but I could be wrong. In total, expensive, but addictive!
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