WE KNOCKED NEARLY A GOOD HALF-SECOND OFF THE PRACTICE RUNS,ON THE FIRST TIMED RUN.....

THE 'START MARSHAL' HAD SOME INTERESTING COMMENT,AROUND 3 MIN 45 SECS INTO THE CAMERA FOOTAGE,JUST AFTER I HAD GIVEN THE INTERCOOLER A SHORT BLAST OF COLD WATER,TO TRY AND CHILL UNDER BONNET TEMPERATURES BEFORE THE RUN?.....I HAD FILMED,THE ACCESS ROAD DOWN, FROM THE PADDOCK,TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA,OF THE VENUE...

YOU CAN HEAR THE INTERCOOOLER WATER SPRAY PUMP,AND SEE THE YELLOW ''ILLUMINATED'' LIGHT SWITCH TO THE RIGHT OF THE STEERING WHEEL......NOTE 'COLIN MCRAE' TRIBUTE STICKER ABOVE MY HEAD

ALMOST IMMEDIATELY INTO THE FIRST RIGHT HANDER,THE REAR OF THE CAR IS BREAKING AWAY,WITH A FLICK OF OPPOSITE LOCK......

AS WE ENTER THE FINAL RIGHT HAND TIGHTENING HAIRPIN,AT AROUND 70 MPH? I ELECTED TO THROW THE CAR SIDEWAYS,TO SCRUB OFF SPEED RATHER THAN BE TOO HEAVY ON THE BRAKES? AND TRY AND CATCH IT, TO LINE UP FOR THE FINISH.......


HERE WE GO.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIKAHz3 ... e=youtu.be

THE 2ND TIMED RUN,WAS PRETTY CONSISTENT,AND FURTHERMORE ,FASTER BY ANOTHER QUARTER OF A SECOND....2ND TIMED RUN WAS 75.49 SECS!!

BY MID AFTERNOON,AFTER SOME VEHICLE CHECKING OVER? THE LAST AND FINAL 3RD RUN,WAS UNDERTAKEN....

I WAS GETTING TIRED BY THIS POINT,AND PRETTY EXHAUSTED AFTER A HECTIC WEEK,PREPARING THE CAR !! I AIN'T GETTING ANY YOUNGER....

ON PUSHING HARDER,INTO THE DOWNHILL 'S' BENDS,THE REAR STEPPED OUT,BUT I MANAGED TO COLLECT IT,AND MAKE THE MOST ......OF WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY QUICK FINAL RUN.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9G-BII ... e=youtu.be

3RD TIMED RUN 75.34 SECS,WHICH GAVE US FIFTH,FROM SIX IN CLASS,JUST PIPPING ONE OF THE NISSAN 350Z......

TO BE CONTINUED....

OK,MORNING CHAPS....

HERE WERE THE FINAL RESULTS FROM THE DAY....

THE FASTEST OF THE 3 RUNS,GIVES YOU THE OVERALL POSITION,IN CLASS...

THE NISSAN 350Z THAT CAME FIRST IN CLASS ? HOLD'S THE RECORD,AT HAREWOOD....... FOR ''ROAD MODIFIED SALOON&SPORTS OVER 2000CC-2 WHEEL DRIVE''.

SO,AFTER A DAY'S RACING UP THE HILL ? THE CAR WAS AT LEAST STILL IN ONE PIECE,ALONG WITH THE DRIVER ?

AS EARLY EVENING FELL,IT WAS TIME FOR US ALL TO RETIRE BACK TO THE ''OVERNIGHT CAMPING'' FIELD,LIGHT THE BBQ,AND ENJOY A BEER OR TWO...? SWAPPING TALES, OF THE DAYS GOINGS -ON?

THE CHAP NEXTDOOR TO ME,CAME OVER FROM HIS 'BIG' MOTORHOME,WITH THAT LOVELY 'GULF' LIVERIED PORSCHE 911......PARKED ALONGSIDE?

IN THE PADDOCK THAT DAY,HE HAD BEEN POSITIONED,ON THE INSIDE OF THE FINAL HAIRPIN,ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER CLASSIC 'RACE' CARS TAKING PART,IN THE HILLCLIMB.....?

HIS PORSCHE 911,THE ENGINE 2687CC,WEIGHING JUST 900 KG WITH OVER 210 BHP,WAS BLISTERINGLY QUICK.......INDEED HE ADMITTED,TO HOLDING IT AT AROUND 4000RPM,ON THE START LINE,THEN JUST DROPPING THE CLUTCH,AND IT JUST GOES !!! YOU CAN SEE A ROLL,OF MATERIAL UNDER HIS ARM,IN THE PHOTOGRAPH,BELOW? THAT IS 'GOLD PLATED' HEAT REFLECTIVE MATERIAL,TO GO IN THE ENGINE BAY.....!!!

I REALLY WANTED TO ASK HIM MORE ABOUT THE PORSCHE,AS HE SEEMED RATHER DISCONTENTED WITH THE 'COST' OF RUNNING THE DAMNED THING !!....BUT HE SEEMED FAR MORE INTERESTED,IN THE 99 TURBO,AND EVEN MORE SO WHEN HE DISCOVERED I HAD BUILT IT? AND THE CONNECTION WITH 'BLOMQVIST'........

IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE NOW......BUT IT IS 9 YEARS SINCE THE 99 TURBO,FIRST ROLLED OUT THE GARAGE UNDER IT'S OWN POWER,AFTER A MAMMOTH 3500 HOUR,3 YEAR BUILD....!!

AS THE SKIES DARKENED A LITTLE,THE RATTLE AND TRUNDLE OF MORE RACE CARS,RUMBLED ACROSS THE FIELD,ON TRAILERS....IN PREPARATION,FOR SUNDAY'S RACING?

EVEN MORE,EXOTIC MACHINERY,IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION,WOULD BE TAKING ON THE HILL,IN THE MORNING....

NOT,FOR ME THOUGH....I COULD ONLY AFFORD TO DO THE SATURDAY?.....AND AFTER MUCH SOUL-SEARCHING,THIS HAD BEEN THE FIRST TIME,I ACTUALLY INSURED THE SAAB 99 TURBO,IN CASE OF AN 'INCIDENT' ON THE TRACK....!!

THE INSURANCE COST MORE,THAN THE ENTRY FEE !!


NEVER MIND,I WOULD BE ABLE TO WATCH,SUNDAY'S RACING ? AND HAVE A WANDER AROUND THE 'CAR SHOW' IN THE ADJACENT FIELD, IN THE MORNING SUNSHINE,AND RELAX A LITTLE....SUNDAY MORNING?

AFTER A GOOD FEW BEERS THE NIGHT BEFORE,THE SUNDAY MORNING SUNSHINE WAS A BONUS,AS I GOT THE KETTLE ON.....LIT THE BBQ FOR BREAKFAST,AND MEANDERED AROUND SOME OF THE CARS,ARRIVING EARLY FOR,THE 'CAR SHOW'.........IN THE ADJACENT FIELD...?

SUNDAY MORNING'S HILLCLIMB REVERBERATED ACROSS THE LONG GRASS ,AS COMPETITION ENGINE'S BURST INTO LIFE, FOR PRE-EVENT SCRUTINEERING...

AS I KICKED THE MORNING DEW,FROM MY BOOT'S,THROUGH THE GRASS? I TOOK A FEW PHOTO'S OF THE MORE LUSTFUL, OF THE CAR'S ARRIVING,FOR THE 'CAR SHOW'.....?

HMMM,NO MORE SAAB'S TO SEE THEN.... ?

BUT WAIT, IS THAT A VOLVO 240 I SEE BEFORE ME.....MAYBE EVEN A 240 ESTATE/KOMBI? OVER YONDER.....?

DON'T SEE MANY OF THESE, ANYMORE? ON THE ROADS......

OH UH? IT'S GOT A 'FOR SALE' SIGN IN THE WINDOW AS WELL.....AND A TOW HITCH FITTED

I GAVE IT A GOOD LOOK OVER,AND DECIDED NAH? IT WILL BE TOO EXPENSIVE,SO TRUNDLED OFF TO BUY A COFFEE,AND WATCH THE FIRST CAR'S,DOING THE PRACTICE RUN,UP THE HILL?

COFFEE,FINISHED......

MAYBE,I SHOULD GO A TRY THAT PHONE NUMBER,IN THE WINDOW OF THE 'VOLVO'....?



FIVE MINUTES LATER,WE WERE HAVING A GOOD LOOK UNDER THE BONNET,INSIDE AND OUT,AND CHECKING OVER THE 'FULL' SERVICE HISTORY......

HMMM,NO COOLANT IN THE HEADER TANK...? BUT, CLEAN OIL ON THE DIPSTICK....

I PERSUADED THE OWNER,TO TAKE US OUT FOR A ROAD TEST ? BUT WITHIN A MILE DOWN THE ROAD,THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE HAD,SHOT INTO THE RED....

WE STOPPED AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR TWENTY MINUTES,THEN GUNNED THE ENGINE,AND RAN BACK DOWN THE ROAD IN 'FREEWHEEL',PULLING BACK INTO THE CARSHOW,AND SWITCHING IT OFF,QUICK...?

I WAS TOSSED THE KEY'S,AS I SUGGESTED WE FILL IT UP WITH SOME WATER,AND I TRY AND BLEED THE HEATER.....

30 MINUTES LATER,I WAS SAT IN THE VOLVO,ON A WARM SUMMER DAY,WITH HOT AIR,BLOWING THROUGH THE DASH VENT'S....?


I TOOK THE KEYS BACK TO THE OWNER,WE HAD WORD'S.........AND NOW,I ALSO OWN, A VOLVO 1992 240 SE ESTATE/KOMBI

SERVICE BARGE

APOLOGIES,WE ARE GOING OFF AT A TANGENT AGAIN...BUT, LIFE ALWAY'S SEEM'S TO TAKE ME THAT WAY....?

HERE, WERE SOME OF THE CAR'S COMPETING IN SUNDAYS' HILLCLIMB....

MINI'S AS WELL.....HEALEY'S TOO....

AH WELL, A PRODUCTIVE WEEKEND THEN,IN TOTAL....?

CAR/ENGINE AND DRIVER INTACT, AND ANOTHER SWEDISH AUTOMOBILE PROCURED.....


THE 99 TURBO CERTAINLY DREW QUITE A LOT OF ATTENTION,FROM SPECTATORS AND COMPETITOR'S ALIKE....?

I HOPE TO DO A FEW MORE EVENT'S THE END OF THIS YEAR,TIME AND MONEY DEPENDING,BUT WE SHALL HAVE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT....... ?

I was reading though this thinking, "That's some pretty tough competition in that class. I bet the 99 Turbo could benefit from a weight loss program(me)."

Then I saw the bit about the 240 SlowVo service barge and thought, "well if he's thinking about towing with 'The Other Swede' then it would be nice if the 99 was even lighter".

So what do class rules state about things like removing interior, etc?

MORNING GEOFF,YOU CAN REPLACE THE ORIGINAL FRONT SEATS&BELTS WITH COMPETITION ITEMS,AND REMOVE THE FLOOR CARPETS,BUT NOTHING ELSE,REAR SEATS MUST REMAIN.

BODY PANELS, MUST RESEMBLE THE ORIGINAL 'SILHOUTTE' OF THE CAR,NO DAFT SPOILERS,ONLY IF IT WAS FITTED AS PER FACTORY.

I REALLY DON'T WAN'T,TO START REPLACING THE GLASS,WITH LEXAN,OR THE BODY PANELS WITH FIBREGLASS....AS THE CAR WAS BUILT IN HOMAGE TO MR.BLOMQVIST,AND THE 'LOMBARD RAC RALLY OF 1980'. ALL THE CAR NEED'S IS THE ROLLCAGE &SUMPGUARD FITTING,TO GO FULL BLOWN 'STAGE RALLY CAR'.........

THERE ARE VERY FEW 99 TURBOS BEING RACED/RALLIED IN EUROPE,EVEN LESS WITH THE ORIGINAL B20 ENGINE. YES,IT PRESENTS A FEW ISSUES,AND WE MUST REMEMBER,MY PARTICULAR ENGINE HAS COVERED OVER 175,000 MILES ALREADY ON THE ORIGINAL PISTONS

I DO HAVE ANOTHER 2.1 99 TURBO 'B20 ENGINE' SAT HERE,WHICH WAS PULLED FROM A BADLY DAMAGED 99 TURBO MANY YEARS AGO,THAT DISSAPEARED OVER A MOUNTAINSIDE,DOWN IN WALES

I HAVE JUST HAD A 1.6MM THICK 'DE-COMPRESSION PLATE' MACHINED FROM COPPER SHEET,TO DROP THE COMPRESSION RATIO FROM 7.2 TO 1,DOWN TO 6.5 TO 1,AS PER THE ORIGINAL 'WORKS' ENGINE?

SO THE PLAN IS,TO BUILD UP THIS ENGINE,WITH A FLOWED,PORTED HEAD,SO WE CAN RUN MORE BOOST,WITH THE LOWER COMPRESSION.....AND CREATE MORE HEAT

OF COURSE TO COMBAT THIS,WE NOW NEED A CHARGECOOLER,BIGGER RADIATOR,POSSIBLY TWIN OIL COOLERS...WHICH IS ALL MORE WEIGHT

WE HAVE TO CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY,THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT,AGAINST THE POWER/TORQUE INCREASE......

ALSO,WE WILL NEED AN 'LSD' FITTING......

AFTER ME FITTING THE 'SPORT&RALLY' STRIPES TO PROJECT 'TURBO KILLER'(PICTURED BELOW) A GOOD FEW MONTHS BACK,'DAVE' INVITED ME DOWN TO HIS,THIS WEEK,TO ACTUALLY DRIVE IT

BEARING IN MIND,'TURBO KILLER' IS RUNNING AROUND THE SAME POWER OUTPUT,AS THE 'CLARION' 99 TURBO,BUT IS ON THROTTLE BODIES....AND REVS TO 8500 RPM,WITH A B201 MOTOR,AND 5 SPEED 'BOX WITH QUAIFE TORQUE_BIASED 'LSD'.

TO DRIVE IT IS MIGHTY GOOD FUN,IT DOESN'T START TO PULL,TILL AROUND 4000 RPM,THEN IT JUST WANT'S GO,AND SOME !!!!

WE HAVE ACTUALLY TRIED THE 2 CARS,AGAINST EACH OTHER,THE EXTRA TORQUE ON THE 'CLARION' 99 TURBO,ALLOWS ME..... TO TO JUST ABOUT, PULL AWAY FROM 'TURBO KILLER'.....

WE PLAN TO RUN THE TWO SAAB 99'S,NEXT YEAR AT 'HAREWOOD'......

NOT SURE IF ANY OF YOU GUY'S, HAVE READ ANY OF THIS....?

BUT ,I AM ABOUT TO START BUILDING A 'LIGHTWEIGHT' 1976 COMBI-COUPE,SPECIFICALLY AS A 'HILLCLIMB' CAR.......
http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic. ... 5&t=173412