Due to other commitments through the winter of 2011/12 we did not get much development on the car done, and at the start of the 2012 season it remained largely as it ended the 2011 season. After a quick spanner-check and alignment setup, some minor repairs and a wash, it was ready to compete at Fintray Hillclimb on 12/13th may. The weather had other ideas and the event was cancelled due to the condition of the farmland. Our first outing was at Doune Hillclimb in June and all went well. Our fastest run was only in the low 50's due to the weather (again!) and a new tarmac surface bleeding it's oil out with the water, yet our run was good enough to secure the Modprod Division win and full class points.
The next event at Alford Sprint showed us how capable the car was as a sprint car. In practice we went below the class record by 3 seconds, however the rain came again and the record was unachievable (again!!). Ending the day in a mid 55's (dry record 53.8s) in the damp was a great result and gave us the Modprod Division win and full class points again.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT-Uxjufubs&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=8&feature=plcp
Kames was the venue for our next outing in late June. A sprint organised by the Mitsubishi Lancer Register and part of their Sprint Series. 'Tiddles' was on form and after 4 runs, we secured the FTD award to keep the honour in Scotland - 4 years running!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqiIzQeqtoA&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=7&feature=plcp
Back to Fintray Hillclimb in early August. Saturday was damp in places, the track never getting a chance to fully dry after an overnight shower of rain. A misfire, eventually traced to an internal wiring loom fault meant we only got one clean run on the day. It was enough to secure the Modprod Division title and class win though. Sunday, dry, a bit colder. On the 3rd practice run, we went below the record, stopping the clock on a 28.19s. The misfire returned and was fixed for the final run (if only we'd cut back more of the loom the day before...). We tried too hard, the red mist descended as soon as the light went green, went wide at Combine and the hairpin to finish only a tenth of a second outside the class record. Another Modprod Division win though!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cP_QM29xYU&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=5&feature=plcp
Back to Doune in September and on the first practice the front diff decided to come apart. The first major failure in 14 events. To be fair, the new tarmac at Done was dry and grippy so a few cars snapped driveshafts and chains leaving the line. Using the Brian James trailer as a makeshift ramp, the transfer box was swapped for the spare and we got 2 dry runs in on the Saturday. It's been 2 years since we were at a dry Doune so we expected the opening run to be around the mid 47's and were surprised to stop the clock on what seemed an easy 45.85s!. Next run was within 0.1s of the record set in 2010, again it felt easy and smooth, the torque and power from the twincharged engine flexing its muscles. Unfortunately Sunday it rained (AGAIN!!!) so the record was unachievable. We left the event with a class win and a 'damp' personal best of a mid 50s run.
Video Dry run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNsLXSsMCyg&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=3&feature=plcp
That's the season over now. Much development work to be done over the winter. The master plan is to take over 100kg from the car and rebuild the engine.
Updates to follow
The next event at Alford Sprint showed us how capable the car was as a sprint car. In practice we went below the class record by 3 seconds, however the rain came again and the record was unachievable (again!!). Ending the day in a mid 55's (dry record 53.8s) in the damp was a great result and gave us the Modprod Division win and full class points again.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MT-Uxjufubs&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=8&feature=plcp
Kames was the venue for our next outing in late June. A sprint organised by the Mitsubishi Lancer Register and part of their Sprint Series. 'Tiddles' was on form and after 4 runs, we secured the FTD award to keep the honour in Scotland - 4 years running!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqiIzQeqtoA&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=7&feature=plcp
Back to Fintray Hillclimb in early August. Saturday was damp in places, the track never getting a chance to fully dry after an overnight shower of rain. A misfire, eventually traced to an internal wiring loom fault meant we only got one clean run on the day. It was enough to secure the Modprod Division title and class win though. Sunday, dry, a bit colder. On the 3rd practice run, we went below the record, stopping the clock on a 28.19s. The misfire returned and was fixed for the final run (if only we'd cut back more of the loom the day before...). We tried too hard, the red mist descended as soon as the light went green, went wide at Combine and the hairpin to finish only a tenth of a second outside the class record. Another Modprod Division win though!
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cP_QM29xYU&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=5&feature=plcp
Back to Doune in September and on the first practice the front diff decided to come apart. The first major failure in 14 events. To be fair, the new tarmac at Done was dry and grippy so a few cars snapped driveshafts and chains leaving the line. Using the Brian James trailer as a makeshift ramp, the transfer box was swapped for the spare and we got 2 dry runs in on the Saturday. It's been 2 years since we were at a dry Doune so we expected the opening run to be around the mid 47's and were surprised to stop the clock on what seemed an easy 45.85s!. Next run was within 0.1s of the record set in 2010, again it felt easy and smooth, the torque and power from the twincharged engine flexing its muscles. Unfortunately Sunday it rained (AGAIN!!!) so the record was unachievable. We left the event with a class win and a 'damp' personal best of a mid 50s run.
Video Dry run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNsLXSsMCyg&list=UUb-2LlrEb3dddOaBuoRsKUA&index=3&feature=plcp
That's the season over now. Much development work to be done over the winter. The master plan is to take over 100kg from the car and rebuild the engine.
Updates to follow
