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Hi Mark

 

Right, but a) no one knows anything about Dolomites, least of all me .... so dont break anything .... B) You need to carry the teams spares in the back of your cavernous vehicle (plus a spare gearbox for BST! as Im not having no sleep again on the night leg .......) c) I know the fat controller at Inverness airport ..... if you show up before the end of the rally no planes will leave ...... and youll have to explain to the irate Nessies why that is ......

 

Deal ?

 

;-)

 

Tony

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Sounds like we have a deal.

 

a) No one knows anything about Dolomites, including us :D . However, I did manage to set light to it doing some fast laps of Goodwood. Well not strictly set light but there was masses of smoke coming from the rear drums where diff oil had worked its way through a duff seal. It took all my powers of persuasion to stop the resident fire chief from dousing it in foam.

 

B) Unfortunately the cavernous boot of our cavernous vehicle contains a cavernous fuel tank. I had no idea how big these full on rally items were and how difficult it is to use without a fuel gauge. But I'm sure we can come to some arrangement. Maybe I could tow our TR4 behind the car then you would have a ready supply of spares. :lol:B)

 

c) I don't know what you mean. I've never been to Inverness airport and we've always finished every rally we've ever entered. You must be thinking about my evil twin brother.

 

But seriously - Nessie was right to be seriously pissed off with us last year. We realised our mistake almost as soon as we made it - not wrong slotting, that can happen to anyone, but retiring too quickly.

 

But this year - new, faster car (hopefully in a less difficult class); 1 driver, 1 navigator; and a really cunning plan to get to the finish having done really well.

 

Can't wait.

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Sounds like a really good challenge but at: Basic Entry Fee (includes two drivers): GBP 2,250 (3029 EUR).... rather too expensive for me and that's without fuel and accomodation extras.

I have never tried any rallying but would like to give it a try sometime, but are all events this sort of cost?

 

john

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Hi Johnny,

 

I have wanted to do Le Jog for ages but couldnt afford it either.

 

Instead im taking part in Club Triumphs Round Britain Reliability Run in aid of the RNLI. 2000 miles in 48 hours from Enfield in North London to John O Groats then on to Lands End and back to Enfield.

 

The event cost us £60 per person so £120 driver + codriver and im also raising sponsorship for the RNLI.

 

Wayne

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Hi

 

We get a three for two deal on LEJOG if we enter a Marque team, so even with the evil Dolly Sprint we should get a good whack off.

 

HRCR events are normally say £100 to £120 a go for a one day thing, so worth checking out www.hrcr.co.uk ..... your local motor club will also probably run all sorts from 12 cars for £5 entry to trackdays at £100 ish, so it pays to start there. You need to join up at £30 odd, but its worth it.

 

The big classic events that attract a more select field usually cost £500 upwards for 3 days plus rallying ...... to £3 or £4k for a week ....... and more for the big 'adventure' stuff. Rich mans stuff often. However you do get what you pay for on events such as the Rally of the Tests, LEJOG, Marathon etc. .... fantastic routes, great organisation, selectif's in seriously good venues ..... all of which costs lots to organise and the guys that run them need to eat and buy shoes for their children, so i dont begrudge the fees on the occasions that I can afford them!

 

Regards

 

Tony

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John,

 

You're right; its not a cheap event by any stretch of the imagination, even with the 3 for the price of 2 deal. But it is probably the hardest historic road rally you can do, and therefore something like the pinacle of the sport. (others feel free to argue at this point.) :)

 

But what that also means is that it probably wouldn't be the right event for your first time even if money was no object. A bit like entering the Fastnet offshore race as a first sailing event. But there are lots of other events you can do that don't take so much time and money.

 

I assume that road rallying is what you're interested in, ie driving to a fixed schedule on public roads with navigation of varying degrees of complexity, but not necessarily speed related, with the occasional special test thrown in. These pretty much divide into three categories: day events; night events; and car tours. Have a look at the HRCR website and you'll see examples of the first two. Day rallies are normally over a single day; the timings are easy; the navigation varies in complexity and there's normally 5 or so tests run on private land. Worth having a look at the 100 series events that are targetted at beginners. You definitely need to find someone who's up for navigating as it can be hard if you don't "get" some of the clues. Night rallies are run in darkness over a single night. The navigation tends to be more complex and the times a bit tighter (ie you have to go faster), but great fun once you get the hang. Both of these tend to be quite cheap ie £50 ish a car.

 

Car tours are much less competitive and tend to be run over multiple days, sometimes on the continent. They are more expensive, but are much more like a holiday with classic cars, ie you do a bit of driving with some easy navigation, stop for lunch, do a bit more, stop for dinner at a nice hotel, etc. I believe the classic malts is a bit like this. The advantage with these is its more friendly to the less hard-core rallyer and probably easier to convince the signifianct other to take part, so can be taken as a summer holiday. Have a look at Continental tours.

 

So lots to do before you get stuck into the hard core, full on Le Jog type event. Jon and I do Le Jog because we spent several years doing day events and after a few years they can get a bit same-y. Also, we decided that if we were going to take 5 days a year to rally we wanted to make it full on. But that's just us.

 

Mail me if you want more info.

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Very many thanks for your info gents, most useful. Rallying of some sort certainly seems the way to go to get the most use, fun and challenge out of driving a TR..... parking in the sun (or rain) at the usual 'Classic Car Shows' this summer does seem a bit dull by comparison.

 

john

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  • 3 weeks later...

Andy and I did LEJOG as only our second event (first event was the welsh enduro - all roadbook/ tulips stuff so no comparison really).

 

We completed LEJOG, just, although we also complete the quickest rolling-restoration of a TR4 during the event. Including replacing a broken fuel pipe (metal one UNDER the car) on the start line, new alternator in the Lake district, Starter motor main cable in Carlise and the ingenious use of a pair of sock to stop the hood squeaking on the roll bar!

 

It's a great event and we finished 30th OA, but would have done better/ enjoyed more knowing what we know now about classic car rallying.

 

It's a great mental/ physical test of yourself and the friendship with your driver/ navigator! (26hrs straight on the last day is a killer)

 

Enter it, you'll enjoy it (kind of...)

 

Adey

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  • 1 month later...

Gentlemen,

 

We are too late for 2008 but we'd like to do LeJog in 2009. Any tips and advice you could give (other than don't do it) would be most welcome.

 

We'll be in the TR3A we use for hillclimbing and sprinting. The engine will be out over the winter to cure / reduce the oil leak. We'll fit a new heater (we don't have one at the moment) and some side screens (again currently nothing). Also a new anti roll bar at the front and the changes to the suspension at the rear. Engine tune, bored out, balanced and with new internals if necessary. A lightened flywheel and electronic ignition perhaps. New water pump for the motorways and alloy sump with fins for cooling complete with baffle for cornering.

 

I'd like to come across to see the event in action, any suggestions as to where a good place to view would be? I'm based in Nottingham.

 

regards kev

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Hah !!! I see that TRs will be outnumbered by big Healeys on Le JoG this year. Sweet revenge perhaps for my appalling showing on the Rally of the Tests, when my Healey (the only one on the event) and I were slow at everything - except for getting to the bar. Seriously, best of luck - just keep thinking of that sweet pint of Guinness on arrival at JoG ! Aiming to see the event at Bridgewater.

Edited by GoThatWay
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  • 2 weeks later...

Just been up to watch one of the stages on LeJog. Good entertainment on a lovely morning. Only one TR though.

Stuart.

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Hi Stuart,

 

judging by the bumps in the roof, that can only be Big Tony !

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

Oh yes! Shame he went the wrong way on the end of the test. Mind you so did a lot of others as it wasnt very clear which one of the miriad of tarmac roads on the showground to use.

Stuart.

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And we made in half way round until the ignition switch fell apart inside ......

 

Im sorry but its going to have to be a BOSCH or DURITE one that replaces it, I cant be bothered with all this tosh any more ......

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