THE DARK SIDE....

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Mon Sep 02, 2019 4:03 pm

THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST,WE(THE FOUR USUAL 'RALLYE SWEDEN' GUYS) HEADED OVER TO IRELAND,FOR 3 DAYS OF MOTORSPORT....

MORE TO COME....BUT,THE FIRST DAY WAS SPECTATING AT A 'SPRINT' EVENT..SOUTH OF LIMERICK.

YOU CAN TELL FROM THE SKIDMARKS,QUITE A FEW CARS ENDED UP IN THAT TREE!! :bawl:

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sat Sep 07, 2019 3:28 am

AROUND 10 YEARS AGO,WE ATTENDED THE 'GOODWOOD' FESTIVAL OF SPEED? WHICH WHILST BEING AN EXCELLENT MOTORSPORT SHOW,IS VERY BUSY BEING ONLY AN HOUR FROM LONDON.
THE CROWDS BECOME EXCESSIVE,AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE ANYTHING GOING ON,WITH THE SHEER VOLUME OF PEOPLE :huh:

SO THE ALTERNATIVE,WE FOUND WAS THE 'GOWRAN SPEED FESTIVAL' THE REPUBLIC OR IRELAND'S,BIGGEST MOTORSPORT SHOW ON THE CALENDAR.
http://www.gowranfos.com/

WE HAD TRAVELLED OVER FROM NEAR LIVERPOOL,INTO NORTH WALES(THEN FERRY,JUST OVER 3 HOURS TO DUBLIN) IN THE KLASSIKER SAAB 900I WITH 272 CAM IN THE B201 MOTOR.FROM DUBLIN,WE HEADED SOUTH TO 'KILKENNY'.

AS 'DAVE' WAS DRIVING,I BOUGHT HIM A LITTLE PRESENT,TO WARN THE 'LOCALS' OF HIS DRIVING :dunno:

WE WERE WELCOMED INTO THE 'KLASSIKER CAR SHOW' IN THE C900 :thumbsup:

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sat Sep 07, 2019 3:32 am

LOTS OF 'IRISH REGISTERED' CARS,WE NEVER GET TO SEE HERE, IN ENGLAND.

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sat Sep 07, 2019 3:34 am

AND MORE...

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sat Sep 07, 2019 3:49 am

AND MORE...

VERY RARE IN IRELAND,EVEN MORE SO IN THE WHOLE OF THE UK,MITSUBISHI LANCER TURBO,MORE INFO AND SPEC HERE....SIMILAR MODEL.

https://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph ... urbo/24509

I SEEM TO REMEMBER SEEING A 'MITSUBISHI LANCER TURBO' IN THE 'CLARION' LIVERY? MANY YEARS AGO,BUT DON'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIND AN IMAGE :dunno:

MIGHT HAVE BEEN 'PER EKLUND' ?

FRANK KELLY'S MENTAL IMMACULATE MK2 ESCORT,WITH 'MILLINGTON' ENGINE, SUPPLIED AS A 'CRATE MOTOR' IT IS RUN,FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOURS,BEFORE BEING RETURNED TO 'MILLINGTON' FOR A STRIP DOWN,INSPECTION AND REBUILD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy8w915Z1Wc

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sat Sep 07, 2019 4:32 am

SO A VERY ENJOYABLE DAY WAS HAD AT 'GOWRAN HORSE RACING TRACK' AT THE 'SPEED FESTIVAL',WITH MANY CARS OUT ON TRACK!!

BACK TO THE FARMHOUSE,FOR A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP,BEFORE WE HEADED TO THE SOUTHERN TIP OF 'EIRE' THE NEXT MORNING? :-O

https://www.rallyconnection.com/#about-us

3 OF US CHOSE TEN LAPS OF THE PURPOSE BUILT RALLY STAGE,IN THE XE RED TOP 'VAUXHALL' ,16 VALVE ENGINE MK2 ESCORT @165 BHP,WHILST 'DAVE' CHOSE THE RWD SUBARU IMPREZA 2.5 :yay:

.

ACCOMPANIED BY 'FATHER AND SON' IRISH RALLY DRIVERS,IN THE CO-DRIVING SEAT,TO GIVE INSTRUCTION :thumbsup:

HMMM,THE RALLY STAGE WAS TO BE TRAVELLED IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION,FOR THE NEXT TEN LAPS,WHILST I WAS HAMMERING THE MK2,GIVING IT THE 'BEANS' A LARGE KNOCKING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM THE REAR DIFF :ranting:

GAME OVER,I HAD 'BROKE IT' :rolleyes:

NEVER MIND SAID TOM,IN A SOFT IRISH TWANG ''THATS MOTORSPORT, I WILL GO AN GET ANOTHER CAR''.

HE HAD JUST BUILT THIS BMW E36 M3,WITH 285 BHP,AND IT HAD JUST STARTED RAINING? SO I WAS FIRST UP,AND HE ASKED ME TO BE 'CAREFUL' WITH IT?
https://youtu.be/HRFifjaphS4

:thumbsup:

MOST EXCELLENT FUN, FOR ALL OF US!

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sun Sep 15, 2019 12:25 pm

SOME PHOTOS OF THE GOLF GTI,AT THE 3 SISTERS SPEED 'SPRINT' :thumbsup:

Geoff · Postby **Geoff** » Tue Sep 24, 2019 12:48 pm

1) Nice license plate

2) That event in Ireland looks fun
3) That rally school in Ireland looks fun
4) Interesting that the Lancer was sold in the UK by the Colt Car Company using the "Colt" name. Lancers, Mirages, and Galants were sold in the US as Dodge Colts from the early '70s to the mid '90s
5) Good to see you out in the MKII Golf. Regarding stiffness of that chassis... my former co-driver had a rollcage put into an '84 900 by a guy who did a lot of cages in VWs, mainly the MKII at the time. The cage builder commented that before he puts the cage in he puts the car on jack stands and lets them sit overnight to level out. The 900 was stiffer than he was used to and it didn't level out on the jack stands.

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 4:19 am

BEEN BUSY MAKING THE VOLVO,A BIT MORE SWEDISH ? :thumbsup:

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sat Oct 26, 2019 4:32 am

WHILST THE GOLF,GTI WAS JUST A SECOND DOWN,ON THE 'BMW' MINI COOPERS TURBOCHARGED RUNNING 170 BHP? WE HAVE NOW, ESTABLISHED IT HANDLES SUPERBLY,ON MICHELIN PILOT SPORT 3 ROAD-GOING TYRES....AND THE BILSTEINS!

NEED MORE POWER NOW,FOR NEXT YEAR.....

THIS ARRIVED ON A 'PALLET' FROM IRELAND... :thumbsup:

LAST WEEK.......

DIDN'T TAKE ME LONG,TO GET THE HEAD OFF,AND CHECK EVERYTHING WAS OK? BUT NOT HAD TIME YET,TO STRIP THE BOTTOM END,WHICH IS A 2 LITRE AUDI 'BUBBLE BLOCK',FROM EARLY 'BUBBLE SHAPE' AUDI 80.....

THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT,THAT IN MY GOLF,THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CAST AROUND 12MM TALLER,FOR VW TO GET THE 2.0 LITRE CAPACITY,BY VW THEMSELVES.

THE EARLIER AUDI 'BUBBLE BLOCK',USED BIGGER BORE,BUT THE SAME 'BLOCK' HEIGHT TO ACHIEVE THIS,STRONGER 'BLOCK'....AND IT HAS 'OIL SQUIRTERS' UNDER THE PISTONS.

WILL NEED TO RUN 'STAND ALONE ECU',THROTTLE BODIES ARE FROM 'SUZUKI GSXR'.....

CURRENTLY AT 115 BHP,THE NEW 8V MOTOR,SHOULD PRODUCE OVER 160 BHP,WHEN IT'S ALL BUILT BACK UP... :thumbsup:

Geoff · Postby **Geoff** » Wed Nov 06, 2019 7:08 pm

Sweet motor! 160 hp in that should be fun. The mk1 and mk3 goofs that I used to codrive in had the diesel all engine with some tweets. Not much hp but over 300ft-lb. They would...accelerate. then once you hit 4k it was time to shift! :luke:

Have you added any lightness to the car?

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Thu Nov 07, 2019 1:37 am

MORNING GEOFF,
WELL THE GOLF IS PURPORTEDLY SAID TO WEIGH IN(V.W FIGURES) AT 1110 KG,IN ROAD-GOING TRIM,AS IT IS AT THE MOMENT?

INITIALLY,I WAS QUITE SHOCKED BY THIS FIGURE,AS THE 99 TURBO,WAS CORNER-WEIGHTED AT 1140 KG PLUS ,ME IN THE DRIVERS SEAT,AND THE LAPTOP...SO 1225 KG IN TOTAL.....AND THE 99 TURBO,IS BUILT FROM SWEDISH STEEL!! JUST SHOWS YOU HOW 'FAT' CARS HAVE GOT,OVER THE YEARS WITH 13 YEARS BETWEEN THEM? WHAT,WITH THE V.W ELECTRIC SUNROOF,WINDOWS,AIRBAG AND CENTRAL LOCKING VACCUM MOTOR,EXTRA WIRING ETC......IN THE GOLF!

THE GOLF,HAS NOTHING REMOVED SO FAR,(AFFF FIRE EXTINGUISHER ADDED)AS IT IS SUCH AN ORIGINAL 1993 MODEL YEAR(REGISTERED EARLY 1994) THAT I AM/WAS RELUCTANT TO MESS AROUND WITH IT,TOO MUCH?

ORIGINALLY,I ONLY GOT TO BUY THE 'THROTTLE BODIES'&BESPOKE INLET AND CAM,VERNIER(ALL FROM EBAY!) FROM THIS COMPETITION,ENGINE,AS IT WAS IN NORTHERN IRELAND! NOTHING A FERRY RIDE,COULDN'T FIX? BUT, I JUST COULD NOT GET HOLD OF THE GUY?
SO IT TOOK,A WEEK OR TWO,BEFORE WE ACTUALLY MADE CONTACT..........RATHER FRUSTRATING FOR ME!! AS I DIDN'T WAN'T HIM TO START SELLING,OTHER PARTS OF THE ENGINE!

ESPECIALLY,AS THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE HAD THE LATER 'CROSSFLOW' CYLINDER HEAD,WITH THE SAME PART NUMBER,AS USED BY VOLKSWAGEN IN THE 'FORMULA 3' CHAMPIONSHIPS....(REMEMBER 'SAABS' ATTEMPT AT THIS?IT WAS MENTIONED AT THE TIME,THAT BOTH TOYOTA'S AND VOLKSWAGENS 8 VALVE ENGINES,WERE FAR SUPERIOR,IN POWER AND TRACTABILITY/WEIGHT)

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/arch ... /formula-3

NOW, THIS WAS CAUSING ME SOME 'SLEEP ISSUES',TO SAY THE LEAST!!

EVENTUALLY,WE SETTLED ON A DEAL,FOR THE COMPLETE ENGINE&(REBUILT) 020 GEARBOX.....AND ANCILLIARIES,AND IT WAS DELIVERED ON A PALLETT,AS PROMISED.

THE CURRENT GEARBOX IN THE GOLF,IS GEARED FOR ECONOMY,RATHER THAN PERFORMANCE :huh:

SO, WHILST IT MAKES A GOOD 'TOURER',IT IS MISSING THE NECESSARY ACCELERATION !!

FORTUNATELY VOLKSWAGEN,HAVE AN EXTENSIVE BACK-CATALOGUE,OF RATIOS THAT WERE ALL FITTED TO 020 GEARBOX(ROD OPERATED AND CABLE CLUTCH) MK1,MK2 AND EARLY MK3 GOLF(LIKE MINE),AND I ALSO ACQUIRED A CLOSE-RATIO 'BOX LAST YEAR FROM A MK2 16V GOLF. SO THERE IS A COUPLE,OF SPARE TRANSMISSIONS ,AT LEAST!!

NOW,BEING AS I AM? IT OCCURED TO ME,THAT MAYBE? JUST MAYBE? WHOMEVER BUILT THIS V.W COMPETITION ENGINE,ORIGINALLY MAY 'JUST' HAVE PUT THE 'BUILD' OF IT,ON THE INTERNET' SOMEWHERE?

I FOUND IT,ONE NIGHT(SORRY MORNING) :huh:

AT 2AM...... :thumbsup:

http://jasonmoyleracing.createaforum.co ... -road-car/

MORE OVER,THIS GUY 'JASON MOYLE' BUILDS RACE/HILLCLIMB ENGINES,FOR MK1,MK2 AND MK3 GOLFS,AND HAS A VERY INTERESTING WEBSITE/FORUM......HE IS BASED IN THE SOUTH-WEST OF ENGLAND THOUGH,300 MILES AWAY :dunno:

SO I MADE THE TELEPHONE CALL,TO FURTHER THE 'RESEARCH' ? ALL GOOD SO FAR...... :yay:

http://www.jmrclubsport.com/jmrproducts

http://www.jmrclubsport.com/customercars

http://jasonmoyleracing.createaforum.co ... tion=forum

BUT NOW,I AM IN THE SITUATION OF.....? DO I KEEP THE GOLF ORIGINAL? OR DO I GO AND BUY,ANOTHER SHELL,STRIPPED OUT READY FOR MOTORSPORT.... :rolleyes:

MAYBE EVEN A MK1,OR MK2......

THE MK1 ALLEGEDLY CAME IN AT 810KG IN ROAD GOING TRIM,BUT THE BODYSHELL,HAS A LOT OF FLEX,COMPARED TO MK3 AND MK2,SO YOU HAVE TO ADD WEIGHT,TO STIFFEN IT :bawl:

ANYHOW,ENOUGH ABOUT V.W'S FOR NOW......

VOLVO 240 IS GETTING NEARER TO,BEING WORKED ON....

THE V40 DIESEL 1.9TD,IS NOW ON THE ROAD...... MOST EXCELLENT FRONT HEATED SEATS,FOR THE WINTER!!

ANYBODY SEEN THE FILM,OR READ THE BOOK ''A MAN CALLED OVE'' ? YOU REALLY,REALLY SHOULD....... :thumbsup:

OH? THE HONDA JAZZ? WELL,THE SEATS FOLD FLAT IN THE BACK,TO GIVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ROOM,AS A 'SUPPORT' CAR ALSO,FOR THE MOTORSPORT........

HMMMM,NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET TO THE POINT,WHERE I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE A 'SAAB' ON THE ROAD AT THE MOMENT? ALL 'WORK IN PROGRESS' :huh:

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sun Nov 10, 2019 1:58 am

OK CHAPS,THOUGHT YOU MAY ENJOY A FEW MORE PHOTOS...? BUT,FIRST A LITTLE HISTORY...

NOW,TWO YEARS AGO,YOU MAY REMEMBER WE WERE INVITED WITH THE '99 TURBO' TO A CIRCUIT, THREE HOURS SOUTH OF LIVERPOOL? THIS IN KNOWN AS 'RALLYDAY' HERE IN THE UK..... PROBABLY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST MOTORSPORT SHOWS IN EUROPE,HELD AT 'CASTLE COMBE' RACE CIRCUIT,NEAR BRISTOL,DURING AUTUMN...

THE 'CLUB' THAT INVITED US DOWN THERE,IS KNOWN AS 'RALLYING HISTORY',THE 'SECRETARY' OF WHICH,HAS A LOVELY RESTORED REPLICA OF 'STIGS' RED 96 RAC RALLY WINNING CAR(SEEN HERE,YES THATS STIG!!)).....
'STIG' GOT TO DRIVE THE 96,BUT WE RAN OUT OF TIME,FOR HIM TO DRIVE THE 99T.......WHICH INSTEAD GAVE MY 18 YEAR OLD SON,HIS 'PROMISED' INAUGRAL DRIVE ,ON A PROPER 'RALLY STAGE',IN 'DAD'S 99 TURBO,IN FRONT OF 12,000 SPECTATORS........

ALTHOUGH 'AHEM',THAT WAS ME CLIPPING A TYRE,WITH THE FRONT WING.....!!! ON STAGE 1 :dunno:

OK,SO THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE,OF HOW YOU GET TO MEET SOME REALLY INTERESTING PEOPLE,IN THE 'CLUBMAN' WORLD OF MOTORSPORT,WITH THE ADDED BENEFIT(SHOULD YOU WANT TO?) OF MEETING SOME OF YOUR 'HEROES'......

BIRDIEMANGO · Postby **BIRDIEMANGO** » Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:23 am

ON THE DAY,WE ALSO GOT TO MEET 'JARI-MATTI LATAVALA AND CO-DRIVING FOR HIM WAS (COLIN MCRAE'S OLD CO-DRIVER)NICKY GRIST,IN THE 'JUST REBUILT' TOYOTA CELICA,THAT 'NICKY' HAD BOUGHT,AND HAD RESTORED TO COMMEMORATE 'JUHA KANKKUNEN&NICKYS' SUCCESS BACK IN THE 1990'S.....

AS WE WERE CAR NO.1 OFF THE START LINE,I WAS NATURALLY A LITTLE NERVOUS,ABOUT HAVING 'LATVALA&GRIST' BEHIND US,IN THE CELICA :-O

BUT THEY DIDN'T CATCH THE 99 TURBO 'ON STAGE'...... :yay:

MAYBE THEY JUST HELD BACK,EH... :dunno:

NOW,JUST GOING OFF AT A TANGENT HERE,SOME OF THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN,BY A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE,WHOM OCCASIONALLY,VERY OCCASIONALLY :thumbsup:

ALSO BRINGS OUT THE YELLOW SONETT,SEEN HERE DOING DEMONSTRATION RUNS.....AT 'SHELSLEY WALSH' HILLCLIMB....OR THE 'ODD' TRACKDAY...

I HAVE BEEN PRIVILIGED TO DRIVE THIS FULL-ON STAGE RALLY SONETT V4,IT GOES LIKE STINK :yay: