Monday 22 August 2011

Raby Castle - 21 August 2011

Thanks to Sam Simpkins for the following report of Raby Castle, classic car show;

Now, I don’t usually do car shows – I’m still primarily interested in the motorsport side of things – but my Morgan-owning friend Allan suggested a run to the Raby Classic Car Show on 21 August.
Sam in his GT6
It’s a stunning venue, helped by a lovely summer’s day. We arrived about an hour after the gates opened, and I was surprised to be asked whether I wanted to go to the car park, or onto the show field. Well, I have my car for driving and enjoying, not for polishing, so I chickened out!
The showfield itself seemed quite small but had over 300 cars, commercials, and ‘bikes of all types. Predictably there were loads of MG’s and Moggie Minors, but only a handful of E-Types, and also some interesting American stuff, such as an Edsel. As for Triumphs, there were a few Stags and TR’s, a couple of 1300 saloons, and a solitary Vitesse, but not a single Herald, GT6, or Spitfire.
TR2

Stag Owners Club
We were wowed by a Jaguar SS, but in flawless pearlescent silver? A front end with vented discs and coilover shocks gave the lie, and the fibreglass bodywork confirmed it – hmmm.
Best car for me was this fabulous AC Aceca, the nearest thing there to a GT6 – except for mine, of course!
AC Aceca
Sam Simpkins

Sounds like a nice event to go to, I still think Sam should have parked his car on the show field though, maybe next to the Ac Aceca.
Regards
Aaron 

Tuesday 9 August 2011

August meeting

Good turnout at the August meeting, nice Vauxhall Victor estate in the car park.
One local has a 1500 engine, carbs, 3.63 diff, metal hardtop for sale.
Another is selling a Sprint engined Spit MkIV, O/D, S/S exhaust, leather interior, full test, any takers for the parts or the car get in touch via northeast@tssc.org.uk.

Brian A, Ian L, Ken F and others are all going down to Stafford. Anyone wanting to go with them, again, get in touch.


Friday 5 August 2011

Croft Nostalgia weekend 6-7 August 2011

This week is the Croft Nostalgia weekend, at Croft circuit near Darlington. 
Croft Race Circuit, Durham Tees Valley Military Vehicle Trust & Teesside Yesteryear Motor Club, invite owners of historic vehicles to another exiting weekend of motoring and military nostalgia. Held at Croft Circuit, a former WW2 RAF bomber airfield, and following on from the success of the 2010 event, this promises to be another weekend to remember. Historic motor sports on the track all weekend with the prestigious Historic Sports Car Club with cars of all types from 1950’s to 1980’s.

Ticket Prices (on the gate)
Saturday £12
Sunday £15
Weekend £22

More details and a race programme are available on http://www.croftmilitary.co.uk/

If anyone does go please can i have a report.
Cheers
Aaron

 

Wednesday 3 August 2011

2012 calendar

Time to think about the area 2012 calendar which will run from March 2012 to March 2013.
This is what last years looked like in case you don't have one!
Pictures wanted, best if they are landscape, feature something suitably Triumph, good quality and taken in HIGH RESOLUTION, at least 3MPixel, anything less doesn't lend itself well for blowing up.

Cutoff this year will be December so we can have the calendars ready for distribution at our February meeting.
They'll be on an order in advance basis this time. just need to get a printing price from the club.

Cheers
Mark

Monday 1 August 2011

Silverstone Classic 2011

Early on Friday morning I got in my car to drive to Bowes to meet Chris to drive down to Silverstone. Sadly neither of us could boast a Triumph capable of getting to Silverstone, mine has a nasty rattle on 2nd and 3rd gear and I wasn’t willing to risk it and Chris’s Gentry just will not start. Sandwiches made and car packed we headed South, meeting up with Gavin and Kevin (MK4 spitfire) and James and his brother (1500 Spitfire), in a services near Sheffield.
Arrival at Silverstone the skyline dominated by new pits which do not disappoint. We found our way to the woodlands campsite, which is a little distance from the circuit. It does pay to book the camping in advance as Gavin and James had left this to chance and ended up in a different campsite.  Camping was £35 each for the weekend but you could camp from Thursday – Sunday making it great value; the campsite facilities were really good too. 
Friday afternoon we wandered around Silverstone looking at E-Types and more E-Types and watching racing.
E-Type Traffic Jam
Saturday we were up early, alarm clock provided by a TVR Sagaris which we could have sworn was in the tent.
New TVR alarm clock
We spent most of Saturday watching more racing including Ford Mustangs, Ford  Mercurys,  MKII Jaguars and even a MK7 Jaguar trying desperately to keep up, the engine capacity ranged from 2.4Ltr to 7.5ltrs.  Next we saw cooper racing cars tear round the track and then E-Type racing. It was awesome to see the Jags race especially to think that is was there 50th birthday.
Also there was a selection of “Hot rods” and “Rat rods” some of which included a couple of Fiat 126’s from TAZ RACING with massive Chevrolet engines and big wheels specially designed to drag race .        
There were lots of car clubs ranging from Ferrari to Lotus to Mazda with Austin Seven and Bentley and Lamborghini and Porsche and Jaguar thrown in for good measure. The TSSC were there too with a stand with some nice club cars, including Chris Gumby’s Herald hatchback. Ken and Sandra and Lyndsey and partner had their MX-5s on display too.  
750cc Motor Club

750cc Motor Club

Rally Skoda

Morgan Pedel Car
Next it was in to the 50th birthday Jaguar E-Type display apparently there were upward of 1500 E-Types at Silverstone that weekend.
Later we went on to the pits, which were accessible via a short free bus ride. Standing next to the Lotus JPS F1 car has to be a highlight as well as seeing a driver try to repair his Cooper nose cone with a hammer and dolly after crashing it in to a fellow racer.
I also made a new friend, after spotting Celebrity Chef Heston Blumenthal. I may have appeared a little too enthusiastic when I asked to have a photo taken with him, but he was happy to oblige.  
Later we went to see the music and group C Racing, I’m not sure that “I’m not in love” by 10CC goes with the roar of Le Mans Jaguars, but it was good fun.
On Sunday we packed up the car and then went to watch the E-Types race again, sadly there was a crash but no-one was hurt, but there were two fairly smashed up E-Types. I guess that is ok though as they were doing what they were designed to do.
All in all a very enjoyable weekend with lots of beautiful cars, brilliant racing, great access to the pits, good camping facilities. Something I would recommend to others maybe on a none Classic Le Mans year, cost wise it works out about £85 per person for ticket and camping based on the 2 for 1 ticket deal, then you need to factor in petrol and food and spends, I would guess if you are careful you could do the whole weekend for under  £200.
Aaron