Do you have recovery cover?

I was driving home last night on the A1231, when I spotted a sad looking red Triumph Spitfire 1500 stopped with its bonnet up. I went up one junction and came back to see if there was anything I could do. It turned out that spitfire that it was experiencing fuel problems and the owner had done as much as he could as the battery was going flat with the repeated attempts to start, he was now waiting for the AA. The owner was pleased that someone had stopped, and said I was the first person to stop in the hour and half that he had been there.    

Although he was waiting for the AA, sadly he had to trek from where his car was in search of someone with a phone, so that he could ring the AA and join to try and get them to help him.

So do you have recovery cover, I know mine is included in with my insurance? Do you go take a phone with you when you go out in the Triumph?

Happy motoring

Aaron

Cars For Sale in North Yorkshire

Thanks to Joe for the following tip:

I heard of two cars for sale today:-

a)    Herald Coupe
b)    Herald 13/60 convertible (1970? J-plate?)

Dales Classics,
Arrathorne,
Bedale,
North Yorkshire.

Contact: Brian Jobling  - 07730454390

Can't vouch for the condition, work needed, etc., as I didn't get chance to see them close-up, so recommend any interested party contacts Brian Jobling for further information and to book a viewing.  No prices mentioned.

Thanks Joe

Area Calendars

I'll be ordering them Tuesday, there'll be a limited quantity, those who have already ordered plus a couple of spares.
If you haven't already ordered let me know.
Cost is £5:00 each. They run for 12 months from March 1st.
I will have them to hand out at the March meeting.

Yours
Mark

Friends when you need them most!!

Just like to say a huge thank you via the club blog site to Ian and Brian for all their help today in moving most of a Dolomite.  I would not have managed without them and their help and friendship is worth "a Million pounds!!" Thanks chaps Chris Fish

Ian and Brian make sure the Dolly is tied down:
Brian makes sure it doesn't roll away :-)

Unloading the Dolly in its new home:

2011 R.A.C. Rally Report

Many thanks to Sam for the report on the R.A.C Rally and the pictures.
Enjoy Aaron

The R.A.C.Rally is based on the original event of the 60’s and 70’s, and is restricted to cars from that era.  We have followed the event now for 4 years, and in 2010 battled with 2 ft. of snow, sheet ice on the roads, and temperatures of -8 degrees.  This year was somewhat more temperate, but the entry was rather disappointing in terms of numbers, quality, and variety.  Over 60% of the cars were Escorts, which may accurately reflect the position in the 60’s and 70’s but which makes for rather monotonous spectating.  Still, there were the Saabs, Porsches, Sunbeams, and that glorious Lancia Stratos to provide some change, and even a Subaru driven by the man I did my first rally with some 40 years ago – ouch!  But not a single Triumph …….

 

Day 1

This year the event had its initial base at Duncombe Park, a stately home at Helmsley in North Yorkshire, and it was here that we headed.  We watched the cars being scrutineered, a detailed examination which is always a nervous time for competitors as without the scrutineer’s signature you can’t start the rally.  There were some fabulous pieces of engineering on view, including a couple of V-reg Escorts which looked as though they were built yesterday – and quite possibly were!  The first car started the first stage at 5.30, so in darkness, although with all that candlepower on the front you don’t need much daylight.  There were 2 stages though the woods at Duncombe Park and a further pair in Dalby Forest to complete the day’s action, and what action it was.  The official car which runs ahead of the field was a rather battered, but fully prepared, Land Rover Discovery, which was all noise and fire-spitting exhausts.  Then to the first competitors, driving at seemingly impossible speeds as the cars slid on the slippery concrete track.

Many of us would follow this event if only to see again the Stratos, a futuristic machine of the 70’s built specifically to win the World Rally Championship, and Steve Perez brings his example each year to delight us all, not only with its striking appearance but also the sound of its V6 Ferrari engine, which could be heard echoing through the woods long after the beast had disappeared from sight – awesome!

The cars visited the service area at Duncombe Park between stages, and here you can watch the crews work their magic in record time – but don’t stand too close or you’ll be hit with a flying spanner!  Suddenly Car1, the Escort last year’s winners, the Belgian crew of Stouf/Erard, appeared on the end of a towrope and looking rather worse for wear.  It had rolled in Dalby and now had damage to the front valance, wings, doors, and the roof at the rear was down.  As the mechanics descended on the car, we watched in amazement as a trolley jack was put inside, the roof jacked back into shape, and a new rear screen and seal installed, all in less that 5 mins!  At the other end things were looking more serious and the car was eventually retired with engine damage.

At the end of Day1 the Pirelli Escort of former winners Evans/Millington held a lead of just under 2 mins, from a whole host of other Escorts.

Day 2

Restarting from Duncombe Park the crews tackled another pair of stages in the Yorkshire forests followed by 2 more goes at the Duncombe Park woods, although in daylight this time, before heading back into the forests and then to Croft Circuit, which is where we went.  This was yet another opportunity to get up-close in the service area, and the 2 stages on the circuit were run in darkness, quite a challenge for a lot of crews who are more used to having trees either side instead of blackness and wide open spaces.  The Saabs were really struggling here, their puny 2-stroke motors not having nearly enough power to set decent times.  In contrast the Porsches were putting on a decent show, although ultimately outclassed by the 250 hp Escorts.  One car in trouble was the pretty Lancia Fulvia which ran with no lights at all, and could subsequently be seen with its service crew feverishly working under the bonnet.  It also disappeared from the scene, only to reappear the following day after having its radiator, alternator, and gearbox replaced – now that’s what I call enthusiasm!

After Croft the field tacked stages in Hamsterley and Shepherdshield, the first of which accounted for the Opel Ascona of Collins/Grist which had been setting some decent times.  Rally HQ also moved, to Carlisle racecourse where it would stay for the remainder of the event.

Day 3

The third day’s action was all in Scotland, with anxious eyes turned skywards as it got noticeably colder.  Indeed, the forest stages of Ae, Twiglees, and Newcasleton all had a light covering of snow, and this helped produce some surprising times, one of which was from the Lotus Cortina of former Ford works driver Bob Bean, a mere youth of 73!  We again went to the service area, this time at Heathall, an industrial estate at Dumfries, which also hosted a couple of stages in a nearby wood.  By this time in the event some crews are driving for a finish, but not all as could clearly be seen in the stage, which features a watersplash taken very enthusiastically by some, one of whom was Northallerton garage owner Charlie Taylor who would eventually finish an excellent fourth in the rally.  Again the Stratos was a treat, not the fastest car but certainly the loudest and the most tuneful.

Day 4

For the final day, 2 stages were planned in Kershope Forest, to the north of Kielder, but early-morning snow caused problems.  The Forest was badly affected, as were the approach roads, and when one became blocked by a jacknifed lorry, so delaying the event’s time schedule, the day’s competition was reduced to a single stage.  Even so, leaders Evans/Millington had to change a gearbox at the side of the road after being left with only 5^th to do the stage.  But their lead was enough anyway, and they finally won the rally by over 7 mins, with Escorts filling all but 1 of the top 10 places.

The R.A.C.Rally is named in honour of Roger Clark, one of Britain’s best-known drivers, and its return to the values of that era is extremely popular.  It is as far removed from today’s World Rally Championship as could possibly be imagined.  Add to that atmosphere the classic cars, and the ability to get close to them and their crews, and you have a truly enjoyable motor sport event.  It’s not a rally in the sense of the CT or TSSC events, which are just glorified autotests, but a true examination of the skill and tenacity of both man and machine.  For four old codgers like us it made for a fabulously-enjoyable weekend.

North East Area Christmas Party

Venue: Birtley Catholic Club,
Date: Saturday 10th December.
Time: from 7:30pm

Cost: £5.00 per head, under 18s are welcome and go free.

Tickets available at the December meeting or by prior arrangement with Mark at the door.

Directions to the venue:
the map below will allow you get directions to the venue 

View Larger Map

The Club is on the opposite side of the road to the church and has car parkin onsite, the front car park gets filled up quite quickly but there is another carpark round the back access off Orchard street . See plan below. 
Hope to see lots of you there 
Aaron   

2011 Hexham Historic Rally - 19th November 2011

Hi Folks building on the information from Sam Mark has picked this information up from one of the Triumph forums, 2011 Hexham Historic Rally its held on 19th November 2011, so if you interested in entering your going to have be quick off the mark.

Details of the rally:  

There are 2 rallys

• Hexham Historic Rally
• The John Robson Navigation Rally

Regulations are now circulating for the 2011 HEXHAM HISTORIC RALLY, 19th November 2011, the final round in this years NESCRO calendar, this unique rally, which unlike most Historic events doesn't feature any tests, offers a 120 mile route over some classic, all asphalt roads in wildest Northumberland, an area which , although unknown almost territory to many, posesses a wealth of superb terrain, everything from tight twisty lanes to flowing moorland roads, all remarkably traffic free. Navigation is extremely straightforward, Novices get an all-tulip roadbook with the option of marked maps, Expert instructions are equally straightforward, a mix of references, tulips and map symbols, no MENSA degrees required.The rally will be based in Chollerford , a stones throw from the historic Chesters Roman Fort and the world famous Hadrian's Wall, which the rally route actually crosses no fewer than 4 times! It will feature the usual format of an early evening start with a finish in time for the traditional after rally supper and awards. Entry fee, which includes tea and supper is a modest £44.50 and regulations can be downloaded from the Hexham & DMC website.

 

Good entry building up for this year's Hexham Historic, quite a variety of cars, so far we have Porsche. Lancia, Ford Cortina & Anglia, Alfa Romeo, Clan, Triumph, Mini Cooper, Wolseley, MGB, Volvo, Lotus, a Morris 10cwt Van! and a Ferrari Dino !!!

 

http://www.hexhammotorclub.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=5

 

Mark