The crunchy 197

I’m hopeful it’s the same.
I’m getting my 200 front end in 3 weeks, so will have a definitive answer by then.
 
Forgot to update this after the last Track Baguettes trackday of the year.

Absolutely cracking day at Anglesey - really did lucky to get some dry weather. I think I've finally found the MRF's nemesis aswell.... It's the first trackday I've done on them where there's actually been some visible wear on them. Bonkers really giving the absolute hooning they had at Cadwell in the peak of summer.

Morning started off pretty damp and slippy, which wasn't helped all that much by the Peugeot which shat it's gearbox out on the fastest corner of the track. The car felt very under-steery even after quite a few warming up laps. I put this down to low track temps and just manned up a bit, taking note to nail the turn in on every corner. Get the line slightly wrong and you'd just understeer straight off the track.
Unusually for me, I actually got loads of footage from the day (Gopro was having a good day). Unfortunately I still haven't had chance to make myself a camera mount yet, so the footage is mostly pointless. I did capture this slight naughtiness from earlier in the morning where I slipped up the inside of someone refusing to let me passed.


Few of my fave pics from the day too. Really do appreciate the effort Rob goes to to get these snaps, especially given the wind speed and temperature on a normal Anglesey December day.

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Here's a small clip of Ben chasing (as per usual). Crazy how much grip the Grippers have given us throughout the turn in and corner exit. Last time we were at Anglesey, I remember it was very easy to light up the inside wheel. Now I can just point and throttle.


For the car, I'm still yet to fit my 200 front end, but hopefully I will have that repaired, painted, and fitted by the time I get to my first trackday of 2022 on Valentines.
I've really neglected the car over the last 6 months, so I need to put some time in having a bit of a look over it and refreshing the fluids. I did notice last time I had it up on the ramp that the Powerflex front arm (rear) bushes had started to cut into themselves. They're one of the older designs which they sold - they've now updated the kit with some huge washers to stop it happening. Unfortunately, tagging Powerflex in a post on Instagram didn't result in me getting a new set for free :worried:
Spherical arms look like a real nice upgrade, but the price is very hard to swallow.

Not entirely sure what 2022 will bring in terms of car mods. I'm still yet to get it mapped, and it's still running the standard manifold and cat. Gotta be a few ponies which can be released there.
I also quite fancy going full on cup racer on the front end.... I also kinda want some naughty Schrick cams. Decisions!
 
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That track looks fun, in regards to the Peugeot I never understand people who drive like that on a track, maybe a corner or two for some fun but then just get out of the way??

That second video looks sped up :thumb:
 
It’s an epic track. The shorter layout they run in the afternoon is a great laugh, and a nice change. I think I actually prefer it.

We were having a bit of a battle with a couple of E92’s for a long while. Lap after lap of them gapping the shit out of us on the straights :tearsofjoy:
 
I am planning to track my car this year but I am worried about the gearbox oil temp. Do you have any issues with oil temp and cooking the gearbox?
 
I am planning to track my car this year but I am worried about the gearbox oil temp. Do you have any issues with oil temp and cooking the gearbox?
I wouldn’t worry at all.
Obviously there’s no temp sensor, but I’ve never seen any fluid coming out of the breather (which is what usually happens when boxes overheat)

The oil which comes out of it never seems burnt either. Whether that’s because it isn’t and issue, or the oil I use, I can’t really answer.
 
Fuchs Sintopoid 75w90 I’ve been running since putting my LSD in.
I’m gonna revert back to Suntofluid 75w80 though as my gear changes are a lot stiffer now
 
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That guy deserved it, obviously thought he was in a mini race. There needs to be more blue flags on track days, and consequences for not listening to the briefings and impacting others.


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Powerflex are sending me out some Black series bushes…. Assume FOC :grin:

Hopefully they’re the updated version with the big washers
It will be, I checked when they said they'd send me new ones, they said they never send out old versions.
 
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New toy time. Been looking for a trailer for a while, and since the licence change there has been absolutely zero excuse not to get one.
I really wanted an Ifor as my old man’s had one for over 20 years, and it’s still in one piece. I bought this on the premise that it had been extensively serviced at the end of the 2019, having had the springs, brakes, cables, and wiring done. 2 bills totalling 2500 quid seemed to back up this

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Having got it home, I soon realised that the brakes were completely shagged, 2 wheel bearings were completely shagged, and the lighting circuit was also completely shagged.
A week or so of pissing about, with plenty of help from father Rowe, we got the trailer sorted for the maiden voyage.


So far as the Clio goes…. I didn’t fit the bushes because I’m lazy. I did however service the car before the trip. What’s quite worrying is I can’t remember the last time I did it (I feel like it might of been October 2019 :grimacing:)…… car still runs though, so whatever! The change back to 75w80 Sintofluid has made gear changes much better compared to the 75w90 Sintopoid which I started running after fitting the diff.

A ‘lie in’ and a spot of breakfast at the nearby Breckland Lodge got me sorted for the day to come.Strolled out into the car park to see that the trailer hasn’t gone missing in the night. Winner!

It’s only the second time I’ve done Snetterton (the first in the wet) and there was a distinct lack of grip. Took a bit of getting used to staying completely off line. The first red flag of the day meant we all had to return to the pits, at which point we went to the end and queued. This then followed a quick debrief/bollocking by one of the marshalls (himself and race control not too pleased about us being nose to tail down the pit straight)
You can see the marshall in the second pic having a word. He suggested to drive in the manner that we were, that we should sign up for a race series :oops:


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Back out on track, and a dry line started to appear for a brief moment, so taking advantage of another red flag we all pitted and switched over to the MRF’s.
I had noticed a bit of a noise returning to the garage, which I assumed to be my pads at the end of their life. Turns out it was just the arch liners final day.

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The boys went out for some more laps just before we broke for dinner and I had a bit of time checking the car over, removing the liners, setting the suspension how I like it, and fitting the semis.

After the dinner break we returned to the garages to be greeted by a lot of sideways rain and a completely overcast sky. 10 mins of iffing and we all decided to bang the wet tyres back on.

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