VauxSport - Vauxhall advice and chat forum

alistairolsen · Posted: Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:01 pm Post subject:

Neil!!

possibly the worst bean counter ever when it comes to cars PMSL

NigelO · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 16

Hi chaps

After much consideration, I've decided to enter TOTB again this year - I was going to "retire" after the great battle on the handling circuit last year, but I decided I need to defend the title of best handling FWD car ;)

I've seen a tentative VauxSport entry list - is Olly not coming back for a re-match?

Just so you know (and getting the excuses ready for a defeat) my Fiat Coupe is not well - did a compression test earlier this week and got 130, 140, 145, 112, 140 - looks like I've worn the rings or bores. Having said that, its on 218,000 miles now, so its not surprising

Also, I've decided I'm going to run fully trimmed (bar a pair of bucket seats) - the work involved in stripping the car and then rebuilding it again is just too much (its a genuine daily driver - doing 25k-30k a year)

The only new mods on the car since last year are as follows:

3" exhaust
1.2 degrees camber (found after last year that it was running less than standard)
new air in the tyres

So - who am I up against this year? As always, the Coupe boys won't be challenging for honours in the straight line stuff, we just can't get the weight down (we reckon a stripped Coupe is still over 1200kg). Leighton (in the metallic red Coupe) might do well in the top speed, but probably not a challenge for Specky

Anyway - it'll be good to see you all again - feel free to pop over to the Coupe area and have a chat

Cheers

Nigel

chip · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:52 am Post subject:

Hi Nigel, I was glad to see you still on the list, sadly I dont think we have a great deal to trouble you with this year though on the handling side, Ollie isnt running this year, he has broken that car for parts and is now building a turbo one, im sure he will be back, but not quite sure when!

I guess we will have to see on the day, but at this stage if I was a betting man, I would be placing some money on you to take the handling again Im rather sad to say from a team managers point of view!

Good luck on the day mate, and no doubt I will wander over and say hi at some point.

As you say, I think the 1/4 mile stuff will go Specky's way, but it will be interesting to see how him and Leighton do on the top speed.

Shame there arent a few more of you guys to even the numbers up a bit, but im sure as always you will be making up in quality what you lack in quantity!
_________________
Under 400bhp makes baby jesus cry.
(so my boost leak at the jamsport day must have had him sobbing like rich j williams watching a chick flick)

www.totalvauxhall.co.uk

Nova - 457bhp - Mid Engine - RWD - GT35 - Autronic SM4

NigelO · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 16

Hi Chip

Its a shame that the top speed isn't run over a mile any more (it was 1.2 mile the first year I entered - made stopping a bit "eventful")

Coupes are too heavy to do well in the acceleration events, and now the top speed is only 1km, its essentially just a long drag run

However, Leighton is probably running well over 400bhp, and Coupes are very aerodynamic, so there's a chance he might split the Vaux team

Shame that Olly isn't competing - it was hugely exciting last year. I have a feeling that my slightly tired engine and greater weight may cause me some problems, and I'm sure one of the CRX boys will be quick again this year

Can't wait....

NigelO · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 16

just been over to CRX-UK and it looks like only Errol is entering this year Sad

Now clearly he's capable of challenging your boys on the quarter (he's in the mid 11's IIRC) but I don't think he's going to be up to a decent handling time

Ah well - we'll see what turns up

Anyone else wondering what this is going to go like...

B4 INVITED CAR MICHAEL GOODHAND AIXIM SUPERLUXE

I'm picturing a tiny little plastic car pulling wheelies with a Hayabusa engine in the back

chip · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:32 pm Post subject:

Yeah its a real shame we dont have Olly again.

We had another car that I picked for the team that I genuinely think could have given you a good run for your money on the handling this year (very well prepped car for handling but with 400bhp of turbo power to get him off the line and along the straights properly which was where olly struggled), but sadly he is on a naval officers training course and couldnt make it.

By next year I should hopefully have him, and also Olly back but with turbo power this time, so I reckon we'll really make you work for a good result at that point, assuming you are in it again next year that is!

As always, the team was looking awesome a couple of months ago, before people started dropping out PMSL

_________________
Under 400bhp makes baby jesus cry.
(so my boost leak at the jamsport day must have had him sobbing like rich j williams watching a chick flick)

www.totalvauxhall.co.uk

Nova - 457bhp - Mid Engine - RWD - GT35 - Autronic SM4

NigelO · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 16

If I'm lucky enough to win this year, I'll probably be back next year, although after five consecutive TOTBs, it would be nice to spectate for a year. Good advert for Turbo Dynamics though - I've used the same turbo for four events now - it hasn't been off the car once in that time.

I know what you mean about people dropping out - as soon as last year's event was over, I started to encourage people to plan for this year's event - there were half a dozen that said they would "definitely" make it, but when it came to posting a qualifying time, they just couldn't pull a sub-13 out of the hat. People just don't realise what goes into getting a car ready for this event - they seem to think that 300+ bhp is enough to guarantee them a place - after all, a quarter mile is just a case of planting the throttle and away you go, isn't it? ;)

Still, we have one new face this year - similar power levels to mine last year (around 400bhp)

Sadly, I reckon I'm now down to about 350 - 375 because of the poor compression, but it should still go round corners OK

chip · Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:04 pm Post subject:

Yes its very easy to just focus on a power figure.

Im sure even with 350-375bhp you'll still do very well on the handling, you've got driving skill on your side that most competitors dont have to be brutally honest and thats worth a lot more seconds than a few BHP is!
_________________
Under 400bhp makes baby jesus cry.
(so my boost leak at the jamsport day must have had him sobbing like rich j williams watching a chick flick)

www.totalvauxhall.co.uk

Nova - 457bhp - Mid Engine - RWD - GT35 - Autronic SM4

Chris S · Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 11:18 am Post subject:

think i mite have a lap around handling this year

chip · Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 12:26 pm Post subject:

Would be good to see how you can get on Chris Thumbs Up

_________________
Under 400bhp makes baby jesus cry.
(so my boost leak at the jamsport day must have had him sobbing like rich j williams watching a chick flick)

www.totalvauxhall.co.uk

Nova - 457bhp - Mid Engine - RWD - GT35 - Autronic SM4

NigelO · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 16

Chris S · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:21 am Post subject:

not done handling at totb yet so dnt see why i wont try it

AL · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:51 am Post subject:

There's no reason why you shouldn't do quite well Chris... other than the epic lag anyway LOL

_________________
Will be coming back to the Vaux side soon... I hope!

Jonny · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject:

chip · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:25 pm Post subject:

Well he's pretty good at getting it off the line, and thats key at TOTB as its from a standing start, not sure what he is like at bends yet but I guess we'll know in 48 hours time!
_________________
Under 400bhp makes baby jesus cry.
(so my boost leak at the jamsport day must have had him sobbing like rich j williams watching a chick flick)

www.totalvauxhall.co.uk

Nova - 457bhp - Mid Engine - RWD - GT35 - Autronic SM4

Jonny · Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 6:03 pm Post subject:

Very excitable on bends LOL

Nah he's a decent driver is mr sutton. Has to be good at something i suppose.

marsden · Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 55 1997 Vauxhall Tigra

worrying factor about him is, he favours himself to be more of a ladys man than a good driver :S Help

Jonny · Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:12 pm Post subject:

Was gutted mine gave in last night and i couldn't make it Sad

NigelO · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 16

A slightly hollow victory this year - I was really hoping for a few Vauxhalls to challenge me, but it looks like you concentrated on the straight line stuff (to very good effect, as always)

What happened to Andy Nichols? I was fully expecting him to give you boys a hard time.

I said that if I didn't win this year, I wouldn't bother competing again - looks like I may be back again next year - hopefully with a few Corsas and Novas to make it hard for me

chip · Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 9:35 am Post subject:

NigelO, the team I had picked included 2 cars that should have done very well against you, but sadly one had to drop out due to work commitments and one had an ECU failure on the day before the event, so neither were present, Im sure that they will be up for it next year.

Andy nichols had a drivetrain failure of some description and had to drop out, Errol with the CRX also dropped out with similar issues, so we ended up just fighting it out amongst ourselves in the end to decide who got 1-2-3-4 as no other serious competitors remained by then.

Not the way we wanted to win it either, so hopefully next year we'll have a little more competition on that front too!

Dont know how I managed not to bump into you all day, but congratulations on your win Big Grin

_________________
Under 400bhp makes baby jesus cry.
(so my boost leak at the jamsport day must have had him sobbing like rich j williams watching a chick flick)

www.totalvauxhall.co.uk

Nova - 457bhp - Mid Engine - RWD - GT35 - Autronic SM4