Bell's Banter 2022

[morninggents]

Originally Posted by delta

Cortina was delivered back to its owner yesterday with along list of jobs to do.
The bump steer was the most horrendous.On compression going through Paddock bend the car would just turn left.When I told Gordon all this he just replied that that was normal.

Does it have an 'A' frame and coils or leaf springs. Sounds like the rear radius rods are locking up on compression. Need to take the springs off and see if the axle goes up and down without binding and no sideways movement (this bit is easy if coils fitted but difficult if leaf springs fitted as they provide the reason the axle doesn't move sideways!).

When I first raced my Cortina it lurched and hopped on hard cornering but eventually it got sorted thanks to suspension tweeks by Jim and Richard Evans.


Cortinas are so much fun as you can get the back out far more than with an Anglia or Escort and (usually) get it back.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Lancsbreaker

Reminds me of the first time I went rallying in Sweden, when it was commonplace to run a tab by putting your credit card in a glass held behind the bar......because the drinks were so expensive nobody could pay in cash! (and that was in the 80s...... )

Stockholm was quite cheap at the time compared to Oslo or Helsinki.

That said, in both places it was possible to find great places to eat with superb food in the "local" areas not too far from the expensive parts. It helped to be with a local who knew the area. Still twice the price of anything in the UK outside London.

Not so easy with takeaway drinks in Helsinki (or Stockholm to some extent) due to state control of the retail outlets.

Fortunately there were Duty-Free opportunities on the way in and on the way out. And a Company Credit card for the bit between them.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by delta

Cortina was delivered back to its owner yesterday with along list of jobs to do.
The bump steer was the most horrendous.On compression going through Paddock bend the car would just turn left.When I told Gordon all this he just replied that that was normal. (

If the guy that fitted the wheels on the car had anything to do with the suspension then I am not surprised it didn't handle well

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Sounds like the rear radius rods are locking up on compression. Need to take the springs off and see if the axle goes up and down without binding and no sideways movement (this bit is easy if coils fitted but difficult if leaf springs fitted as they provide the reason the axle doesn't move sideways!).

Wise man. I remember Joe having good results after a hard work and good connection with shock builders.

[delta]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Does it have an 'A' frame and coils or leaf springs. Sounds like the rear radius rods are locking up on compression. Need to take the springs off and see if the axle goes up and down without binding and no sideways movement (this bit is easy if coils fitted but difficult if leaf springs fitted as they provide the reason the axle doesn't move sideways!).

When I first raced my Cortina it lurched and hopped on hard cornering but eventually it got sorted thanks to suspension tweeks by Jim and Richard Evans.


Cortinas are so much fun as you can get the back out far more than with an Anglia or Escort and (usually) get it back.

Thanks for the info. I think the owner will now try and sell the car. I now realize how good my Escort was. Yes Gordon a right tozzer.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Did you ever try to pay everything in cash during one month? Paying with a credit card or even worse a mobile phone does not show how money goes out! I once tried to have a dedicated bank account for the race expenses but gave up presto, its a shame! May be counting is the first step to retirement after all…

I have recently sold a few odds and sods from the garage and been paid in cash - not masses, about £500. Problem is that it’s actually quite difficult to use cash these days! Even in the pub.
Wonder how those trades people who still do cash deals manage!?

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

If the guy that fitted the wheels on the car had anything to do with the suspension then I am not surprised it didn't handle well

Now now Gordon

FWIW, I don't think the radius arms on a later lotus/GT were ever right, THe early GT had none, and although I have a later axle and chassis brackets on mine the arms are on the shelf.

Most cars I've looked at over the years have had the arms, if fitted, modified

The front end is what it is, biggest issue is chassis flex.

AS PEter said, COrtinas are fun, I remember talking to Nick Stagg at Spa after he'd built a load of escorts, he said they're very good, and fast, but he was building another Cortina, because they're god fun.

[Mike Harte]

The first time I took my Anglia out for testing at Brands after just built it, I found that bump steering was taking the car from the left hand side of the track past the pits along Top Straight and right over to the right side by the time I had reached Paddock, making it impossible to take a decent line through the bend.

Luckily, Zekia Redjap had come along to see how I was getting along, and he very kindly drove back to his garage in the garden of his home on the Sidcup by-pass and brought back a pair of modified A40 front springs. We managed to change them over (I think that I had used modified Corsair springs originally) and that immediately cured the problem, and I finished the afternoon's testing without any more dramas.

Zekia was a lovely fellow, and was a great help to me with unlimited advice plus some bits and pieces which he seemed able to procure at very short notice.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

The first time I took my Anglia out for testing at Brands after just built it, I found that bump steering was taking the car from the left hand side of the track past the pits along Top Straight and right over to the right side by the time I had reached Paddock, making it impossible to take a decent line through the bend.

Luckily, Zekia Redjap had come along to see how I was getting along, and he very kindly drove back to his garage in the garden of his home on the Sidcup by-pass and brought back a pair of modified A40 front springs. We managed to change them over (I think that I had used modified Corsair springs originally) and that immediately cured the problem, and I finished the afternoon's testing without any more dramas.

Zekia was a lovely fellow, and was a great help to me with unlimited advice plus some bits and pieces which he seemed able to procure at very short notice.

There's a name from the past - I remember him racing. Is he still around?

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

There's a name from the past - I remember him racing. Is he still around?

No, John, unfortunately he passed away a couple of years ago in Cyprus where he went to live quite a long time ago. When he got there, he started a number of businesses, an engineering place, a go-kart track and a farm and there might have been other projects as well.

Along with a lot of familiar names from the past, I thoroughly enjoyed racing against them, often in very close battles - and paint and doorhandles where never exchanged, either, unlike in saloon car racing nowadays. Nor push to pass.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

No, John, unfortunately he passed away a couple of years ago in Cyprus where he went to live quite a long time ago. When he got there, he started a number of businesses, an engineering place, a go-kart track and a farm and there might have been other projects as well.

Along with a lot of familiar names from the past, I thoroughly enjoyed racing against them, often in very close battles - and paint and doorhandles where never exchanged, either, unlike in saloon car racing nowadays. Nor push to pass.

I had an idea he was a Cypriot.

Thinking of other names from the past, Mike, did you ever race against David Coleman from Norwich? Being a 'local lad' I always supported him. No idea what became of him either.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

I had an idea he was a Cypriot.

Thinking of other names from the past, Mike, did you ever race against David Coleman from Norwich? Being a 'local lad' I always supported him. No idea what became of him either.

Not a name that I recall, but that doesn't mean that I didn't as I took every opportunity to race at Snetterton whenever it didn't interfere with races in the Redex Championship as I much preferred that track to Brands where I never managed to get to grips with what used to be called Bottom Bend. Now called Graham Hill, I think.

[Lancsbreaker]

Originally Posted by andy97

I have recently sold a few odds and sods from the garage and been paid in cash - not masses, about £500. Problem is that it’s actually quite difficult to use cash these days! Even in the pub.
Wonder how those trades people who still do cash deals manage!?

My local pub happily takes cash - and my chinese chippy (am I allowed to say that these days? ) ONLY takes cash

[Lancsbreaker]

Youtube video just released "BOM at the Historic Rally Festival 2021" showing Binky actually moving under her own power......

[delta]

I still like to have some "pie and mash in my pocket".Mind you we are getting a card reader machine for the show this year as people don't have cash burning a hole in their pockets these days. BTW still no power at Delta HQ. Grrrrrrr.

[Peter Mallett]

Oddly enough I just spoke to a roofer, who will repair our flaunching for cash. Nod nod wink wink. We were lucky yesterday no noticeable damage but a few roofs in the road were damaged, hence the chance to talk to a roofer.

[Mike Harte]

Doesn't matter what age you are, you can learn new things and words every day; flaunching was a new one to me.

Talking about cash, it doesn't surprise me that many business owners are still "employing" staff under the pretext of them being self-employed, typically in the beauty and hair trade, thus avoiding paying employers' NIC and sick pay and holidays. And so they will only accept cash for their services.

[John Elwin]

Cash is the normal method of payment in this part of the world, although most petrol stations tend to be unmanned & card payment only.

My roof suffered a bit of damage yesterday, not too serious, but fortunately I happen to have a builder coming to do some work in a week or so which happens to be an insurance job - the first time I have ever claimed anything on house insurance, so I have probably already paid for it...

[Gerard C]

Not only you've already paid for it but after one or two storms insurance fees tend to increase. C'est le principe de la mutualisation vu par les compagnies, je suppose…

[The Fat Clerk]

Hail stopped play
We were having an average Bike Trackday with wind but no rain today, when from nowhere a Hail storm covered the whole circuit so much that the Marshals Posts couldn't see each other. The track and surrounds looked more like Bejing.
So a nice early, if moist finish.

n.b. A average bike day means, 30 minutes before the first Ambulance leaving the circuit for Walsgrave Hospital!

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

Hail stopped play
We were having an average Bike Trackday with wind but no rain today, when from nowhere a Hail storm covered the whole circuit so much that the Marshals Posts couldn't see each other. The track and surrounds looked more like Bejing.
So a nice early, if moist finish.

n.b. A average bike day means, 30 minutes before the first Ambulance leaving the circuit for Walsgrave Hospital!

Building up slowly to optimum lap times.

all roofs in tact at Zefarelly towers, amazingly. I do need some new workshop doors though . .'marine ply' from about 8-9 years ago has just disintegrated, apparently a batch of crap chinese stuff pre laced with little hungry worms.

I made my doors with Z farames, skinned with marine play, insulated with celutex and a 4mm ply internal liner. Interestingly the Oriental nibblers are only interested in the outer skin, so hopefully I can reskin them

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Building up slowly to optimum lap times.

all roofs in tact at Zefarelly towers, amazingly. I do need some new workshop doors though . .'marine ply' from about 8-9 years ago has just disintegrated, apparently a batch of crap chinese stuff pre laced with little hungry worms.

I made my doors with Z farames, skinned with marine play, insulated with celutex and a 4mm ply internal liner. Interestingly the Oriental nibblers are only interested in the outer skin, so hopefully I can reskin them

My wooden garage has now completely had it, but the doors are fine - want to swap??!

[Peter Mallett]

My garage needs new doors but nothing to do with storms.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

all roofs in tact at Zefarelly towers, amazingly. I do need some new workshop doors though . .'marine ply' from about 8-9 years ago has just disintegrated, apparently a batch of crap chinese stuff pre laced with little hungry worms.

You shouldn't have used all that wood that you scavenged off of Shoreham beach a few years back

[andy97]

I just need a new garage. Preferably big enough to keep 3 cars, a camper van, trailer and assorted spare wheels and “bits”.