Back Issue 195

Manby Lincolnshire. Comp, 5th August.

Hosted by NORC.

David was offered the use of the Teamwork' trialler for the
comp at Manby while Michael was on holiday, and Peter and Fiona
took Claire to the airport.

Preparation started a few weeks before; a major job needed
doing after the shocker turret broke at Tong. They decided to replace
both turrets and use better shockers. Peter came down from
Washington to do the job at our house and brought the new brackets
he had made to fit the shockers, Dave and Geoff helped.

The week after we took the motor to Geoff's work and fixed a
steadying bracket to the header tank, it had to be moved to
accommodate the new struts. We all had our heads under the
bonnet when we heard a whiz, bang, Crash. Peter (Geoff’s son,
Keith's future navigator) had been offered a go on a trials bike in the
garage yard, he rode 10ft then crashed into the fence before landing
on the ground, he grazed both his hands and got an ear bashing.
David calls him Evil Kenevil now.

Sunday morning, 5^th August. We set off at 5.40am. We
headed for Grimsby then the A16 to Louth and Manby. We fuelled up
both motors on the way there and arrived on site at about 8.20am.
Quickly unloaded because scrutineering was to finish at 9.00am, we
passed o.k.

Peter and Fiona arrived from their Bed and Breakfast, we all
set off to walk the course. Peter walked the first hill, I walked half way
round, but David , Fiona and Millie walked the whole course.

I was to navigate for Peter and Fiona for David. They did the
first two runs getting a little faster each time. David was having
trouble moving his feet on the pedals and knocking his knee on the
wiper switch. The drivers seat isn't set up for long legs. The motor
was running good then Peter and I were to do 2 runs. 1^st one went
fine a bit bumpy over the ruts. 2^nd run went o.k. and was faster until
we got to the tram line ruts ^ way along we hit a small ditch bounced
and the motor leapt into the air and landed on the left hand banking
drove on a few yards then rolled onto the track on it's side. We
thought it was going to go onto it's roof but it didn't (my first comp

roll). I've rolled with Keith in a trial before but it's a bit different at
speed. Peter stood waving on top of the motor it seemed like ages
before a marshal saw us. 4 other racers had queued up behind us by
now, we put the rope on ready and was towed back onto our wheels
and we were off again at top speed we turned a corner and I heard a
bang but just thought it was a rock or some flapping bodywork. We
had a look when we got back and we had only dinted the wing. Our
time was 12m50s, which was still under a maximum, not a bad time
for a roll.

It was David and Fiona's turn. They set off to the start line but
David said he heard something odd so he had a look underneath. He
saw a donut bush had broke/been squashed and thought that must
be it. So they set off but the noise got worse as they went round the
course. He stopped again and discovered he only had 2 wheel drive.
Back at the pits Peter and David checked the V2 shafts, they were
alright must be the back diff. It was. Luckily we had took a spare one
with us so dinnertime was spent doing repairs. With a new diff in
place David set off to finish the runs. Peter had hurt his arm when he
bent the steering wheel on one of the bumps. The motor was still in
one piece at the end of the day we didn't win but we didn't come last.
It was a good day in all. We didn't stop for prize giving, we loaded up
and set off back home for an early night.

Carol Mcgivern
(usually a marshal).

Matt Lee's May 2001

As we all know this year has been a bit tough on anyone who has worked
really hard on the motors over the winter with the hope of competing, so
when there was any chance of an event we were straight there.

Initially over the May Bank holiday we were going to go down to Seven
Sisters, but we were relieved to hear the we could go down to Matt Lee's
or the weekend, which is just a tad closer to us than Wales!

Sunday morning arrived with the news that dad wasn't going to enter
because he wasn't feeling well. That only left Michael driving, but after a
little persuasion from everyone we finally managed to persuade mum to
drive as well.

To start off with this wasn't a scary thought even though it was the first time
mum had raced, but after the practice laps I realised I was in for a bit of a
different ride than I usually had with dad.

We managed to be one of the first off, against Steve Booler, which did
nothing for the nerves, and as we returned to the pits all I managed to say
was "give me my dad back!". We kept on going and even though the lap
limes were getting slightly slower than the first, overall we were still beating
Michael, sorry but I just had to put that in!!!!

By the end of the day, mum was starting to get the hang of things and we
went off the bumps a little too fast. To start with we thought nothing of it
only that my neck felt at little worse for wear, but then realised we'd done
something a bit more serious when further on we nearly ended up in a ditch
at high speed. We'd managed to put a 90-degree bend into the track rod,
make the damper an interesting shape, and remould the wheel rim! So that
was the end of that race as we left the track feeling miserable back to the
pits.

After some mechanical expertise, aka Michael and Dad, we were ready to
go again although overheating was becoming quite a problem as was the
inability to get 3^rd gear.

Once we'd finished all I wanted was to have a wash, but no such chance!
Dad and Michael set to work taking the carburettors to pieces as well as
other various items which I can't put names too! And so I was the one who

got the "just sit there and press the accelerator when we tell you" job! ^
Suppose it could have been worse though...

We had a BBQ in the evening and then Vicky and I went to the karaoke
with friends Matt and Emma. (And I ended up singing, although 1 am trying
to forget that!)

Monday morning and we woke up early after a slightly better nights sleep in
Matt and Emma's caravan, than we'd had the previous night with our tent
under the barn!

Only just had a chance to wake up and were called to the line. I think the
times were slightly slower than the day before but it didn't take mum much
time to learn which foot made us go faster again!

We seemed to do so many laps and were amazed we hadn't had any major
mechanical faults since it was double entered and hadn't been used since
last November!

Towards the end of the day it was decided to have run offs worked with
handicaps.

Our first heat was against Dave Billings in his newly completed, but
somewhat dented new motor. Because of the handicaps we had the
advantage but still weren't to sure. We were going steady but on our last
lap when we were at the cross over at the same time as him we realised
we actually had a chance to win, especially since we had the shortest route
to the finish.

Well, I had though I had already seen my mum go as fast as she could but
in the last few seconds her foot never lifted off the accelerator and we
amazingly crossed the line half a second before him, so close that until
we'd gone to the pits neither of us actually knew who'd won!

Michael in the meantime had won his quarter final but lost in the semi final.

Next we were racing against our friend Paul or "Whip" as he is known to
many of us. We had a large handicap against him and had no problem
finishing before him.

This put us through to the final, David Willerton, who was racing Andy
Davis' old Wild Cat now transformed to bright orange!

We again had the advantage but unfortunately David had problems with
the fans on his motor and so stopped to prevent more damage and all we
had to do was finish to win! It was the look on his face when we passed him
that I'll long remember! We did go and pick him and navigator Nathan up
mind you when we had finished as we aren't cruel enough to make them
walk!

When we got back to the pits Matt and Dave were waiting to present us
with a trophy which would be our first but hopefully not the last!

Claire Irwin

Outlane 2 Day Trial, August Bank 2001!

I set off for Outlane with shorts on for a long drive! I found the
new track to the camp field very good. I stopped and paid my tenner to
Jean Darwent before I forgot about it. I looked at the mileage it was 6
miles. Nigel, Julie, Steven, Ryan and Dave Rodgers had already set up
camp. Ryan came over and put my tent up for me, Thank You Ryan.

Colin, van and trailer had to be towed up the track by Nigel and
his motor, we picked a spot by the side of a wall for the camp fire helter
I had to move some crusty cow s**t with my spade. We were using a
new fire basket donated by Robert, the old one had a saggy bottom and
you couldn't cook your potatoes under it.

The camp fire was started and we all started drinking, I was
eating hardboiled eggs and cooked pork steaks. There was a pile of
empty beer cans in the corner, which, over the weekend seemed to gel
substantially larger. Around midnight-ish, the landowner and his wife
turned up for a chat, he'd just been to a stag do.

I woke up at 7.30am with one ear-plug missing, I could hear a
shushing noise. I got out of my tent, and found it was the sound of tires
on tarmac driving past on the M62. The landowner went past on the road
below the field blasting his wagon horn. I turned round and saw smoke
still coming from the campfire and went over for a look. Colin and Julie
were sat there waiting for a sun-rise but it was dull so they left at about
8.15ish.

The weather was warm and no wind. The setting out teams
loaded up with sticks and set off for setting out some sections. I walked
down the track, to the trial field over the disinfectant mat. I went over to
where Colin, Kay and Rick were. They were towing some trees out of the
way so they could drive up onto the left end of the reservoir. They also
found some metal brackets stuck out of the ground, so they put some
bunting over it. I looked at my watch and found it was dinnertime. I
walked, back up the track to the camping field I was knackered.

After dinner Robert turned up, I helped him put his Tent up.
There were allsorts of tents and one very large, who even brought a
Kitchen sink and a long drainpipe. Colin was having trouble with his
motor it would not start. We tried the usual stuff. Mark Bames reset the
timing, Colin found three plugs off and a modified air filter and it ran.

Just before tea-time it was scrutineering, a two man team, (Nigel
and Steven). They did very well for the first time.

Saturday evening. We entered a Gymkhana, £3, Peter was going
to navigate for me for the weekend. Our first task was to drive along the
side of a row of buckets and throw a wet ball into each of the buckets to
core points. We had a few near misses but no points. Our next task was
o drive up a banking to a stick and stop so the stick is within 12 inches
>f the bumper. We stopped with about 3 inches to spare before it hit the
bumper, but we put the handbrake on and it rolled back on the prop
making us forfeit to the 12 inch boundary mark. Our next task was to
drive around a circle of cones, with the navigator holding onto a rope.
We managed to get half way around the circle. Other drivers seemed to
get round three or four times. Our next task was a trials section. We
walked the section and got on the start line. I was given some goggles to
wear, they were blacked out making it the navigators responsibility. I
put the lights on full beam. We did quite well with this one. We got a
three. The end bit was tricky with a terrible drivers side lean.

We all went back to the campsite, the others had started drinking
around the campfire. I was starving, so I opened three tins of food. A tin
of spuds, a tin of carrots and a tin of chunky chicken. I poured a pint, put
it on a tray and went over to the campfire. I was eating the food and said
this chunky chicken tastes just like chunky steak. Later that night Dave
and Steven cooked some potatoes, in foil, under the campfire. Getting
them out was another problem. I came up with a good idea!, use my
cranking handle!!! And it worked.
I left the camp fire at about midnight-ish.

On Sunday morning, about 6.30am. I got up and cooked my
breakfast in the back of my motor with my new super stove. After
breakfast I removed all my camping gear. I went to sign on. Joy had
arrived. I paid my £30.

Carol, David, Geoff and Peter all arrived in good time, the
weather was very good, sunny and hot (for England)! There were two
large groups of motors, our group was to start on some new land, some
fields with big trees, nearer the M62. Our first section most people got
clears. We didn't quite reach the end, I've still got the engine problem,
it will not run on right leans. Our next one, was dogging on through trees
we all did well. David told us that Andrew Darwent modified his side
step setting out this Section. Carol and David set out the next one, we
thought no problem it's basically loop. We then got told it was A
REVERSE SECTION OUCH!! We were first on. We got halfway round
then I thought we were off track but we were ok. We got a clear. Carol
said we only just missed the 12 stick by 6mm at the front. I thought all

the motors with power steering and door mirrors would have had no
problem but it caught out two 90's in our group

For the next one we were last in the group. It was zigzag through
the grass and up through a broken down wall, turn right in to stop
sliding to the right, we were to straddle a log on the left and drive down
through a wall and turn left for a hub through. Our last one in the fields
was drive down a field, turn left over a pile of loose stones and slate. -
Some had difficulty past this point, my engine said NO! and died. We all
drove back to The Old Dam for the next sections before dinner time. It
was zigzag across the track to the far gate, most of us did well. Our last
one before food time was drop off by the gate, turn right, across a ditch
and drive down through some deep, muddy ruts, then turn left down a
bank into some wet, muddy ruts, turn right and up the dam wall for a
one. We were driving out up a track out of the dam when we ran over
something solid'?! The back end banged loudly OUCH!?! Peter and I
looked round and couldn't see anything.

After dinner we were lined up ready for the off. Chris with the
blue 90in asked us if he could borrow a hat? I said club shop, he said will
they have one? Then we were off, we got to a section, it looked good
with some logs to drive over. A lot of our group had to be towed out, our
turn! We only managed to drive into the bottom: it was a right hand
leaner my engine died! Oh s**t thing I said. I cranked the engine
over......we got 20 p.s.i oil pressure and a groan but nothing else. Dave

Rodgers towed us onto level ground, my engine started, thanks Dave,
On one up hill start Nigel’s motor bounced into the 11 stick OUCH.

Sunday after tea, I was worn out so I had a sleep. Colin rattled on
my tent and said get up we are having some games. Horseshoe throwing
to a square target, blowing up a surgical glove without letting it go "bang"
then there was the tug of war Lancashire v Yorkshire. The best of three...
Lancashire won the first pull, they changed ends, Yorkshire won the
second pull, they changed ends, the final pull...... Lancashire side

ended up sat down, then Yorkshire side did the same, the marshal said
it's not over yet. Yorkshire got up, got the third. It ended up in a win for ,
the Yorkshire team.

Then we were entertained by a very good firework display.
Loads of rockets and Catherine wheels, the weather was fine but cold.
We were sat round the campfire drinking and eating baked potatoes, I
left the fire to the rest of them.

In the morning I got up at 6:30. After breakfast I got the motor
ready for Mondays bash. On our first section, our group did well. Our
turn, we got to the end, my motor leaned to the right, it ran very

strange! We nearly fell over in the s**t. Dave Pinner needed a bit of a
tow, I was careful not to pull him over as we did at another trial! Next one
we got a clear. Later on in the day I was trying right hand tilt test down a
trench and it died. Dave Rodgers was pulling me out backwards with
one or two holding my motor up, but he nearly rolled me over. Then I
heard someone say they want to see a rollover and someone was
shaking my motor. I was put back on my wheels, thank you all.

Our group was having a good time with a section, they had to run
at a bank. I put the boot down and we ran at it in second gear and it
coughed and died s**t I said. We rolled back down and had a go at it in
first gear without a run and it went up fine. We walked a long section
most of our group had to be towed out at the end, our turn. The
landowner asked me where abouts my engine was going to die? I said, I
think at the bottom of the bank. We nearly got to the end, I got off track
and hit a small tree squashing my light guard and my wing, ouch! I
backed off and we drove over a laid down tree no problem. I gave Peter
the camera and I used my spade to straighten out my near side wing. I
removed my tailgate bar to climb into the back. Julie said I thought you
were going to hit the motor with that! Good idea, so I did! On another
section my engine died...then it started in the same spot that it died in!?!
weird! Andrew said give it some revs, I said there's nothing there, I can
fart better than that.

The last section I remember was drive down a stepped bank
towards a stream, turn right with a tree at the left side. Chris's blue 90"
hit his left hand wing and stopped ouch. Our turn, we also hit the tree I
managed to keep going, my side bar on the cage works! My motor then
caught the last bit of my body capping and pulled the back panel out,
ouch! We managed to get out of the valley and got a clear! Dave Pinners
motor caught the back comer and his motor the body split in the middle
of the wheel arch BIG OUCH!
Thank you for a good holiday/weekend

The week before I had fitted Penny's carb and manifold
complete. I got to the main road o.k. got going towards Sowerby Bridge,
something was not right. I filled it up with petrol and it got a good wash
”££!!”. I set off to Nab End, I took the easy way, past our good friends house,
Philip. I didn't go past I stopped. I told Philip that it's not well. Philip said
he had found the problem with my old carb on the internet, he took the
top off a carb he had and showed me the problem. I looked at my watch,
I said I'm an hour late, I will take it home!

I set off from home (again) got to Nab End 12 minutes later. Nigel
and Steven had just arrived as well, Steven had trouble finding the
place. I tried putting my wellies on ouch! Very painful, I only had shoes,
no laces, Steven had a pair of wellies but they were the same foot. So he
only had shoes as well. Colin and Kay had been there all day, Peter and
Geoff from 12 or so. Nigel had wellies on, he got it light this week!
We/I had another problem using my best motor for moving all the sticks
about, I had two good navigators. Our first section THE POND I was
stood on bull rushes to put the sticks in when I sank and got wet feet,
YUK! Then we did THE DROP into the QUARRY twice section, Colin
drove down the banking ok. We put all the sticks in and adjusted the
180° we thought the first motor to drive it would check it out, then they
can modify it.

We then went to set one out in the other quarry, we started
putting the sticks in on the first bank we got down to one gate, we just
had to find a start. We nicked Geoff and Peter's ground rocks (We were
going to use them as a finish but Nigel said they are too rough, but he
still used them! ED), Our last one the two bankings were used for an
expert/novice trial some years ago. We were trying to walk the ground,
I tripped up and landed in a hole. Nigel and Steven said you'd better be
on your knees because only my head and shoulders were above the
ground. I was laughing. Steven tripped up and fell over, banged his
knee and ended up with his head down a hole. We asked if he was ok,
he said yes. Colin's lad was handing out biscuits. We went back to the
trailer/box and locked up. We forgot to tell Colin, Kay and Rick we were
going home and left them there.

SUNDAY morning, Joy was on time we soon got to Nab End. Nigel and
Steven were scrutineering, I was third through, it passed ok. I then went
to fit the socks, I found a 5 sock missing in one set. I put the next three
sets out and I found a spare 5 sock in the last set.
Keith 108.

I arrived at Nab End about 9:30,1 set the passenger harness
in Keith's motor and I signed on. We thought there wasn't going to
be enough marshals at first because only my Dad was there, but a
few more turned up after a while.

We set off for the first section at about 10:15, not too bad.
The first section was one of Nigel, Keith's and Steven's. The start
was across a pile of rocks (the one's me and Dad wanted to use). A
lot of people were hitting the bottom of the bulkheads as they
drove across them.

Seeing as there was no one to drive the sections on the
Saturday we had to alter some of them as we came to them on the
Sunday. This one had to be altered because there was a right hand
leaner and the person who tried it first would have rolled over if
he hadn't stopped. When we got round to driving it, we were near
the back of the queue, we managed to clear it.

Keith kept asking are we at section 8 yet, as if there was
something bad about it. When we came to this section I couldn't
see what the fuss was about, but when I came to walk it I realized
that the potholes were deeper than they looked. We set off on the
section and went down the first big hill the back end bounced a bit
and felt like it was going to go back end over front end. Then we
came to the second steep hill, the back end did the same again.
We managed to survive all the potholes and got a clear!!

When it was our turn to be first on the section, We didn't
have time to walk it properly because the marshals were shouting
at us to get going. This resulted in us getting stuck on a boulder
damaging the handbrake. It still worked though. When people
were trying to rescue us Steve was putting a rock under the back
wheel so we could gain some grip and someone shouted go so
Keith set off and nearly ripped Steve's hand off. He managed to
get it out of the way in time, I think.

Dinnertime, we got back to the motor and Auntie Carol and
Uncle Dave had turned up. They weren't marshalling that day
because they were off work the whole week so they had a lie in.

We set off after lunch and did a section, which was not too
difficult. The next one started through a little puddle, which had

frogs in it (or at least there was when we started!). We didn't do
too well on this one because we didn't have enough lock at one
point so we had to settle for 6 or 7.

Dad and rne were setting out on the Saturday we had just
finished one section and we were going to drive round the site to
find somewhere to put another section. I got in the drivers side
and started driving. I set off with the foot brake nearly to the floor
so we were going quite slow and put full right lock on and went as
far as I could. I wanted to stop so I went to put the foot brake on
fully but didn't manage it in time. If I were a split second quicker I
would have succeeded we don't have as much right lock as left
lock, therefore I wasn't able to turn enough soon enough). I went
thud into a bank and got out and the motor looked as if it were
about to topple over (where is the camera when you need it?).

On setting out another section we agreed that we should
use a stretch of water by the gate. I had walked through it with my
wellies on and Dad decided to drive through it. He got to a point
where the motor stopped because of bull rushes so he reversed a
bit. He set off forwards again to get out and he couldn't; the tires
where like slicks because the grips were full of mud.