December 2000

 

THE HILLCLIMBER

 

Newsletter of The National Hill Climb Association Ltd

 

Edited by Tony Quinn, 3 Chard Close, Nailsea, Bristol, BS48 4QA

Tel. 01275 854789  (7pm-10pm weekdays, any time at weekends)

Email.  tonypquinn@netscapeonline.co.uk

 

December 2000

 

 

Editorial

 

Now that the season is over and the engines have gone cold, we are facing the usual horrors of winter a little early this year.  To any members who have been flooded in the last month, you have my sympathy.  I recall that in 1968 or thereabouts when the River Trym in Bristol overflowed, my mother’s house had nearly two feet of water in the ground floor.  My Tiger 100, which was parked in the back lane was completely submerged.  Let’s hope that by the time you read this, the floods of late 2000 are just a memory.

 

Many thanks, yet again, to all of you who kindly sent in contributions for the Hillclimber, particularly Tigger who has excelled himself.  This begs the question, what do you want from this esteemed organ?  I will be more than pleased to receive your suggestions, from the oldest lag to the newest member.  If it’s OK as it stands we’ll continue along the same lines, but I’m conscious that it worthwhile to try out new things.  If it doesn’t work out, we can always revert.

 

May all NHCA members and families have a very enjoyable Christmas and a fast, but safe New Year,

 

Tony

 

 

Wadebridge – 15 & 16 April 2000 (a belated report with many apologies from the Editor for omitting it from earlier issues)

 

When I remembered I was the first to fall off at Wadebridge and that I would have to write this report, I thought about using the amnesia I had suffered as an excuse to not have to do it.  Unfortunately, I was sussed out before getting chance, so here I go!

 

This was my first trip to Wadebridge, so I didn’t quite know what to expect. Ian Fry and I turned up teatime, pitched the tents and disappeared up the pub. Saturday morning was cold but dry and I checked the bikes over, putting fuel in and checking tyre pressures etc.  In no time the event was under way and I uneventfully ran all 3 bikes through practice. After dinner came the timed runs.  Of these, I remember Ian taking photos and me shouting “Arse!” At him as I sped past.

 

Next thing I remember was waking up in hospital, lying in bed with Ian grinning at me.  I believe this was about 7 pm.  The previous few hours were a complete mystery (just like the mystery machine out of Scooby Doo!)  Ian kept asking me questions which I mostly got wrong.  I remember him asking me what colour my road bike was, my reply was “red & white…. Why didn’t I buy a blue one?” which seems to be a standing joke around the paddock, but is wearing a bit thin now.  Get the hint everyone?

 

A few other memories are that the thing you put on your finger for measuring your pulse looks like the back light of a Suzuki RF900 and there was something on the wall that looked like the headlamps of a Triumph Trophy!!  Anyway, the accident itself as far as I can tell was the result of a highside on Ian’s CR250.  The bike came off lightly with a broken brake lever and bent footrest, apparently I got back on the bike and rode it back before being examined by the paramedics.  The damage to myself was concussion, whiplash, amnesia, grazed shoulder and two chipped vertebrae in my neck (this obviously never knocked any sense into me as I am back in the saddle!)

 

So, my excuse for riding so poorly this year has been decided!  That and a slipping clutch at Wiscombe and Loton.  Finally thanks to everyone who helped out and see you all September 2/3rd.

 

Regards,

 

Ian   Southerton.

 

 

Wadebridge – 3 September 2000

 

As a novice I was unaware that the first person to fall off at a meeting had to write a report on the day’s events and so was unsure whether people were chuckling at my rather pathetic dismount, i.e. 40 yards from the course in nice long grass or because I would feel duty bound to write the report.

 

Lynn and I decided as it was the last weekend of the school holidays to take the kids away for one last break in the tin tent and found an excellent site in Polzeath.  Having fought with the wind and the rain to put the awning up, Pete, Vicki and Callum turned up just as it was all finished.  They then polished off my weekend’s supply of beer on the first night and then pitched for two nights without paying (which I can hardly complain about, having been a works rider all year, i.e. FOC, thanks again, Pete.

 

Going into the meeting I felt a bit more confident than usual partly because there had not been a month’s gap since the last meeting and partly because, by my standards, Withycombe ha gone well (only made possible by Dave Wills starting that b*****d CR for me on several occasions – just what he needed).  Well, confidence can be misplaced and this was one such day.  Others however did far better.

 

Paul Jeffery winning the 250s, the ever quickening Martin Palmer winning the 350s and Jamie and Glyn not quite able to match that man Mr Jeffery in the 500 class.  The 750s were just as close with Pete Short followed by Geoff and Gerald, Pete and Gerald both setting a new class record in the Top Ten.  In the 1300s Mark French was pushed all the way by the very impressive riding of Julian, who also gets the prize for the longest wheelie.

 

On the trikes Jon and Sandra won the Top Ten with Glyn and Jo not far off qualifying for the Top Ten.  And finally the sidecar class was won by the P Keates.  Stu Stobbart says he was hindered by the weight of his passenger.

 

It is now October 20th and the season (my first) has finished, so can I just say a quick thank-you to anyone who has started that lovely CR for me and the generous gesture made at Wiscombe by many.  Lastly, a big thank-you to all those who don’t ride but without who the meetings could not take place.

 

The Sensible Shorty

 

 

A few Meaningless Meandering Mumbles from the Pointless Portland Peninsular - Three reports from Tigger

 

Manor Farm – 24 September 2000 - ‘Tigger’s Majnor Truimph (In both meanings of the word!)’

 

I’ve got to write this, and I didn’t fall off. Why then have I got to write it?

 

‘Cos I probably will never get the chance again!

 

I beat Mark French! …  and I got into the top ten !

 

Having exhausted my stock of exclamation marks I’ll write a little more sensibly (just a little you understand).  Yes, I actually managed to get into the top ten and to beat Mark, of course it was Manor, where else ?   I don’t know what it is about Manor Farm, but I always seem to go well there, even on a rattly old Triumph.

 

The day started in a grey disheartening drizzle with a track that was interestingly slippery, so the times were a bit on the slow side.  This of course had absolutely nothing to do with the amounts of alcohol imbibed the previous night and there was not a hangover in sight (cough, cough!).  Leaving a nice long lunch break however gave the track time to dry as the sun poked sickly marmalade fingers though bottom dirty clouds, like a small boy’s trousers after sliding in the mud.  Oops, sorry, started waxing lyrical there!  The afternoon showered us with surprises rather than rain, as I managed to creep into the top ten (I had to say it again !), beat Mark and Andrew Bennett who’s always disgustingly fast on those old singles.

 

Then however came the real shock, in the top ten Geoff Hodges fell off!  Yep, for the second time in living memory Geoff binned it, luckily without any damage to himself (apart from a sore bum as he found out later that week).

 

It was good to see Patrick and Paul Keates in the Top Ten in an outfit, a sterling attempt for a couple that are going really well, particularly as they’ve just started.

 

Well I had fun, and I think everyone else did after the rain slouched off to annoy someone else, and the suggestions as to how we could extend the track are interesting…

 

 

 

Fairoak Farm – 1 October 2000 or ‘Dancing the Fairoak Fandango’

 

Well that’s what it always feels like to me ! Fairoak’s a strange track in that the faster you go, the less bumpy it is.

 

This year has been a little quiet on the pre-race social front, The Sidmouth Arms is usually full of noisy disreputable hillclimbers, but this year there was only four of us!  Maybe it’s a financial thing, with the cost of fuel these days it is difficult to afford to get there, let alone donate large wads of funds to the man behind the bar!

This Fairoak saw the first outing (to my knowledge) of Andy Brewer’s CX500.  CX500 I hear you shout!  Yep, strange tool it might be, but it’s the best-looking CX I’ve ever seen!  Somehow Andy has made the engine look smaller, and the lines of the bike are superb. I’m really impressed. As to how it goes of course…

 

Well we managed to avoid helicopters and ambulances and no-one was seriously broken which is an improvement of the last couple of years!

 

My lasting memory of this years Fairoak has to be my first encounter with Curly’s bus – what a magnificent wagon(!) and what a party wagon too. It’s complete with doors that go fshhhh – and open and close – I love it(!) and the damn thing does more to the gallon than my blooming van !

 

 

Hartland Quay – 8 October 2000 – The dying days of the old season, and the genesis of a new bike !

 

Hartland, cold, windy, dramatic and fun.  Well it lived up to its reputation again this year. The Saturday night was a real “and I don’t fancy the journey back neither!” with rain and wind making the decision to leave the track laying out until the Sunday morning.  A good decision too as the Sunday was good and I just got a little damp whilst setting out the finish lights.  Saturday was missing the Miss Hartland this year, but the partying carried on well after we were thrown out of the bar at 01:30.

 

I’ll leave the description of the racing to Dick and Vera – that’s their job as they managed to stuff the Buckland into the bank at the top of the straight- too much grip as it was the only dry run we had!

 

Back at Fairoak, a deal had been struck, we needed a new camshaft sprocket for Hedgehog’s Slapper and Alan Jolly had a spare engine.  Well I know, but that’s the way these things work!  Anyway Hartland saw the exchange take place as part  of that end of season swappings of bikes and stuff that goes on and we were now the owners of most of another Rotax motor.  Looking at the engine Hedgehog remarks “You know, I’ve always liked the Ducati frame and the way the old 250 handled.  I’d really like to put a Rotax motor in one of those frames.”  “Oh, OK”, I says, and wanders over to Doug Parnell, who’s fiddling with his 350 Ducati. “Doug, have you got a spare Ducati frame ?” to which Doug replied “yep, there’s a monoshocked narrowcase frame somewhere in the back of the shed, you can have that one”  So now we have the frame and engine, and there’s a tank in the shed at home.

 

The following week end we pops off to France to Visit Kevin Raymond (Ex Superbikes/What bike etc. who’s editing a great new web magazine –http://www.just-bikes.co.uk Plug, plug!).  Along with a van full of beer, wine and floorboards, we’ve got some bodywork, and a can for the exhaust when we return.  All we need now are wheels and a front end!

 

Oh, and a camshaft sprocket for Hedgehog’s slapper.

 

Talking of which and to finish this monologue, I was heartily entertained to see Hedgehog sat on the line trying to hold the Slapper still as the clutch gave out. I think she realised that maybe this was time to give up and retire when she realised that she was sat on the line, clutch fully disengaged, doing a burnout !

 

Here’s to the AGM and next season – hopefully with a Rocati, or possibly Rotacky or even a Dutax – Tax Due?

 

Tigger

 

Fact and figures

 

As well as the official NHCA web site managed by Tigger, Robin Sims provides an extremely detailed results service - www.sims703.freeserve.co.uk. Thanks go to both Robin Sims  and David Childs for the end-of-year results enclosed with this Hillclimber.

 

 

From the Deep South (West) – 2000 Cornish Hillclimb Championship Results

 

250cc

1              P Jeffery                 40pts

2              P Short                   37pts

3              M Giles                  27pts

 

350cc

1              M Palmer    41pts

2              B Wills                   37pts

3              R Sims                    34pts

 

500cc

1              P Jeffery                 47pts

2              J Mitchell 47pts

3              G Poole                  21pts

 

750cc

1              G Spiers                 46pts

2              P Short                   31pts

3              G Hodges  27pts

 

 

1300cc

1              P Moseley                32pts

2              M French    24pts

3              D Parnell                10pts

 

Sidecars

1              P Keates                                38pts

2              D Buckland                20pts

3              J Mitchell 10pts

 

Trikes

1              J Staden                 44pts

2              G Poole                  18pts

3              J Warren                10pts

 

Overall

P Jeffery                 47pts

 

 

Pit Bits

 

Rumour has it that Paul Jeffery long lost uncle was at Hartland to cheer on his nephew.  Yes folks, it seems that poor old Paul is related to JUDGE Jeffrey. Well, you can see the family resemblance, can’t you?  After years of being best mates to the Cornish riders, Judge has jumped ship to the other side of the Tamar (we always thought that he came from their side, same mentality) and is now best mates with the North Devon crew.

 

Just two weeks after Hartland, Bill and I had to take the judge up to Bideford so he could spend the day reminiscing with Paul’s father, Pete, and just to prove where Paul must have forgotten about all his deliverance days with that smooth operator from Polzeath, here’s a snippet I came across from the BSSA’s November 1997 newsletter.

 

“ON THE UP AND UP

 

A lot of hard work by sprint secretary Ian Mitchell came to fruition in October when he staged a hill climb at a new venue near Hartland Point.  The meeting produced some fine racing and a couple of casualties when Paul Jeffery fell off his father’s Velocette and suffered concussion and Shaun Williams dropped his Tribsa with serious mechanical consequences.”

 

P.S.  I didn’t know that Paul was old enough to ride Velocettes in 1977.

 

P.P.S.  When told about this new found relationship, Paul’s only comment was ‘That’s another name to add to the Christmas card list.’

 

Jamie Mitchell

 

‘I’ll huff and I’ll puff …’ Chapter 2

 

Following the piece in the July issue – and many thanks to those who sent advice – here’s an update on progress.

 

You will recall that the blown Matchless engine is a re-incarnation of something I tried in the 1980s following in the footsteps of Henry Laird and Joe Huxham who used Zoller superchargers on their Morgans for a variety of competition purposes in the mid 1930s.  If you set out to replicate such experiences, the question is where do you start?  Period literature, such as Laird’s own notes and John Bolster’s excellent article in his book ‘Specials’ on a supercharged 1100cc Blackburne V-twin in the Freikaiserwagon, suggests that the correct approach for sprint and hillclimb work is a combination of low compression and high boost.  On the other hand, the commercially available kits in the post-war years for small cars retained the standard CR and used a relatively low boost of, say, 5psi above atmospheric.  The manufacturers were at pains to term this as ‘pressure charging’ rather than supercharging, presumably to sell the product as something that required minimal modification to fit and retained overall driveability.

 

So, in 1982 when I built the 1155cc version, I opted for a CR of about 6.5:1 and a boost pressure in the region of 13psi.  It certainly seemed to have plenty of grunt and to rev well.  However, I was rather concerned about how hot the engine felt, even running on straight methanol.  Not being an engineer I have to rely on received wisdom, in this case some charts produced by Laurence Pomeroy in a 1960s tuning book by Phil Irving.  These illustrated that relative heat flow was affected by two factors, high boost and low compression ratios, in other words the Laird/Fry path.  Irving quotes his own set up for a Vincent twin in a Cooper chassis.  He used Mk 1 Rapide cams with 77 degrees of overlap, static CR of 9:1 (no less!) and a variety of sprockets driving a small Roots type blower at or above engine speed which gave between 8-10psi.  So, for my second attempt at this mysterious art form, this time with a 1296cc capacity, I thought that the blower should run a little slower at 0.83:1 instead of 0.9:1 with a higher static CR of 8:1.

 

Incidentally the camshaft remained the same.  It is a ‘special’, having about 60 degrees of overlap instead of Matchless’s original 44 degrees, in both cases split evenly around TDC.  Too little overlap and there isn’t enough time for all that lovely mixture to be pushed into the cylinder.  It’s said that too much overlap, for example using proper racing cams, results in lost boost because the mixture comes in the front door and straight out of the back!  Like everything to do with supercharging, there seems to be exceptions to the rule.  According to an interview with the man himself in the NSA magazine several years ago, Alf Hagon said he used ‘the latest speedway profile’ and that didn’t stop him being a record holder with his Hagon-JAP.  The reason may be that the loss in boost is more than compensated by the cooling effect of the mixture passing through the cylinder, thus preventing overheating.  Who knows?

 

Although the plot clearly went better at Prescott first time out than the 1155cc version – a half-second improvement and with a passenger – the pick-up/carburation was all over the place.  When, in mid-July, I was silly enough to take it to Mallory Park in an unsorted state, it was inevitable that it wouldn’t last out the day.  A piston blew.  At that point in the season it wasn’t clear whether all effort had been worth it.

 

The piston, a Harley Davidson after-market job produced by KB Silvolite in USA, had a massive hole in the crown and looked as if someone had belted it with a hammer.  Everyone who looked at it said, ‘Not strong enough, mate’.  There was a choice of buying a replacement with little confidence that it would be any better or sourcing something stronger with the attendant problems of changing clearances, compression plates and so on.  This is where modern technology comes in useful.  I contacted the manufacturers by email and provided them with a full spec. of my engine.  Their technical guru emailed straight back to say that he thought that the carburettor jet (0.180”) was too small.  He explained that the type of alloy used in these pistons (hypereutetic alloy, apparently!) will withstand lots more heat, but then suddenly crack up.  So I took the easy way out and purchased another pair.  If nothing else, Sod’s law should apply.  Having a spare piston on the shelf, I will probably never need it.

 

In the 1980s I had used a quarter inch main jet with a thicker needle.  The effective jet area was about the same as with the smaller jet and thinner needle, so I hadn’t bothered altering the carb this time around.  In went the ¼” jet and needle set-up.  As a ‘belt and braces’ the strongest available carb piston spring was purchased (18oz instead of 11¼ oz) to create more suction before the piston rises and therefore a richer mixture.

 

Unfortunately, by this time all the hill events for 2000 had been and gone.  However the Morgan club still had its ¼ mile sprint at Long Marston on 29 October, yes 29 October!  Cold, was it?  Too right.  On top of that, the forecast was for dreadful rain all weekend.  Luckily there were a few dry hours during the early part of the Sunday, together with a helpful tail wind.  At Long Marston in 1982 the best time with the 1155cc blown version was 16.32 seconds. Since then the place has changed quite a bit.  They now call it Shakespeare County Raceway and they have all sorts of fancy lights at the start line rather like a Christmas tree.

 

Bump starting, which is usually pretty easy, was impossible in the bitingly cold wind.  Even a squirt of ‘East Start’ didn’t do the trick and it needed a tow start behind the car.  Even then, severe icing was visible on the carb-to-blower manifold indicating that the mixture was probably condensing out, followed by fluffing and stalling until I worked out that the engine required sustained revving and covering with the tonneau cover to keep it warm.

 

Lining up for the first run, I hadn’t a clue what to expect.  Perhaps it would cut out when opening the throttle after changing gear as it did repeatedly at the Classic Prescott.  No, it seems OK in that area.  Instead there’s a total cutting-out at about half to three-quarters throttle, but it all chimes back in when the throttle pedal is jiggled.  First run was a bit experimental, but pleasantly quick at 15.84 seconds.  The second run produced a substantial improvement to 15.36 seconds.  I’m quite chuffed.  Slowing down at the end of the run, the ignition timing retarded badly due to a dodgy taper on the cam-to-magneto drive sprocket taper.  Then it belted down with rain so the meeting was abandoned.

 

So where do we go from here?  We try to keep the internal flywheels aligned for a start.  On checking them after the meeting they were well out of true and that’s no good for the crankcases!

 

Also, I feel that the ex-industrial Lucas V-twin magneto is being asked to do too much; some of the cutting out is probably more to do with the sparks department than the fuel mixture.  In any case, with an uneven firing order, it has an inherently weak spark on one cylinder.  The late 30s racing JAP V-twins changed from a ‘twin’ magneto to two ‘single’ magnetos.  Unfortunately, on the Matchless there isn’t enough room for two mags.  I think that a change to a coil-based ignition system is the way to go.  On his blown Brough, Noel Pope used two spark plugs per head and a couple of the current Morgan racers have tried this with apparent success.  Now I’ve had the bronze heads modified for twin plugs… 

 

The freezing carb-to-blower manifold is a problem.  Earlier in the year I tried folding copper sheet around the exhaust pipe and the manifold in the vain hope that it would warm up the latter.  I think something more sophisticated is called for.  The engine is air-cooled, so I can’t simple water-jacket it.  Perhaps it might be possible to lag the manifold with some copper pipe fed from the exhaust system?  We’ll see.

 

Tony

 

Vintage/Post Vintage and Classic Championships

 

The 2000 season saw the first double winner of these championships with Andrew Bennett taking both in (to use a phrase once much favoured by the motorcycle press) ‘grand style’.

 

Andrew comfortably retained the Vintage/PV Championship on his 600cc Norton International, but he had a hard struggle on his father’s long-stroke 350 AJS 7R to get the better of last year’s Classic champion Doug Parnell (350cc Ducati).  Andrew has the invaluable ability of being able to ‘pull something out of the bag’ if headed on the first run and had to use his talent to the full in bettering Doug.

 

One of the highlights of this season was Loton where both Doug and Andrew smashed the 350 classic record by over 2.5 seconds.  Andrew set a new record of 64.92 secs on his second run with Doug a mere 0.2 secs behind.  It is interesting that, as far as I can discover, both of these times are over 3.5 seconds quicker than the course record when I first competed there!

 

The numbers competing in both championships appear to have held up well, although we could always do with a few more regular competitors, particularly for the Vintage/PV.  This is the fifteenth season of these championships and now is probably a good time to take stock.  If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please let me know or bring them up at the AGM.

 

On a completely different tack, I recently completed a quarter mile sprint at Smeatharpe (near Fairoak Farm).  Dave Massam was secretary and tells me that the NHCA is an invited club for these events.  They are good meetings to try to set up your machine.  I wanted to see how much power the silencer was costing me.  I did the first three runs with the silenced exhaust that I currently use for hill climbs and the remainder with the straight through pipe I previously used.  Sod’s law, it went quicker with the silencer!  Funny old world, ain’t it!

 

David Childs

 

 

For sale

Honda CR250 1986.  Ready to hillclimb.  £500.  Robin Wills, tel 01392 436880

 

 

For sale

Michelin intermediates for sale brand new. Front 12/60-17", Rear 16/65-17".  These are the type used by Glyn, Paul etc. Rears £60.  May be able to get fronts if enough enquiries.  Tel. Ian Southerton on 0121 246 2947 or 07801 722646

 

Next Issue

 

Will we have enough material for an issue before the start of next season?  It’s all down to you, really.  No hill climb reports of course … unless any shrinking violets have put pen to paper but have been too shy to post it.  If so, don’t delay, put it in an envelope today.  I keep crying out for technical articles – surely some of you must lay a spanner on the bike and be able to string together a few words.

 

Tony

 

ACU ‘Clerk of the Course’ Seminar – 26/11/00

 

I recently attended an ACU ‘Clerk of the Course’ seminar at ACU House in Rugby with Dave “I’ll fix your ridge tiles before I go on holiday” Baker.  To be honest, neither of us knew what to expect.  I thought we would perhaps be lectured about track safety, where to put marshals, cones etc.

 

When we arrived we were mainly confronted by road racers, with a few drag and sprint people attending.  Upon settling in, we were given a short lecture on different aspects of the ACU handbook. This included the various roles of stewards, timekeepers, secretaries etc. and other information such as how to act after accidents, giving fines, race regulations etc.  A large number were mostly areas found in road racing but many still applied to hill climbing.  (Fortunately for us, the same people are usually found at our meetings so problems are seldom encountered).

 

Next, we were split into small groups and given various scenarios to resolve such as ‘what if an outfit crosses the line without its passenger?  Is it classed as a finish?  Whose responsibility is it to resolve the problem?  What if they protest?  How should they protest?  What is the correct thing to do?  In all cases, the book was referred to for a definitive answer.

 

This was followed by an exam (to which we await the results!) with various questions such as ‘Where are road racing grid sizes stated?  Who has the authority to stop a meeting?  What is the age limit for a hill climb?’- (physical age not mental age!)

 

After dinner, we went through the scenarios together, learning the correct way to solve unexpected problems, yet again using the ACU handbook.  Finally, we looked at the paperwork used by meeting secretaries and what was required to run an event.

 

To sum up, the seminar was only a brief insight into running meetings, but I would recommend all racers go, if not for the education then because you would perhaps understand the amount of work that goes into organising an event.  Believe me, it’s a compliment to those that put in the effort that their work goes virtually unnoticed.   There are too many names to mention, but you all know who you are.  Many thanks!

 

Ian Southerton