qim Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 (edited) After 40 years with my TR3A, i have finally decided to enter a classic car rally in Portugal and I know nothing at all about what's involved! My co-driver will be my 17-year-old daughter and I am pretty sure that we will get incredibly lost! As the event is in November, I thought of getting hold of old Tulip Road Maps (I think that's what they are called) in order to practice somewhere near where I live, but can't find anything online. Where should I go to get them? Next, I am not allowed to use any modern equipment but I guess I can use a non.electronic-chronometer (or do I need two, so that we can plan the next section ahead?). Which do you suggest? Thanks and wish me luck! Edited June 6, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted June 6, 2017 Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Camillo a good resource is the HRCR website. ( Historic Rally Car Register) https://www.hrcr.co.uk/cars-for-competition/ Look at the Getting started tab and you will find plenty of information. Iain Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted June 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2017 Thanks Iain What about time-keeping: just one (or two) straight forward stop watches? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quicksilver Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) Two is good but more is better 1st for general time keeping total time/distance ( start morning section 70 km/ time 120 min) 2e for leg time/ distance ( 35 km/ 50 min) 3e for short time/distance or timed section ( 5 km / 15 min) or (1.5 km/ 5 min) Marcel. Edited June 7, 2017 by Quicksilver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted June 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) Hi Marcel Should these be straight forward mechanical stop-watches? Any make in mind? Edited June 7, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quicksilver Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) Most organisations of "classic rallies" allow "modern"(digital) stopwatches. Big digit rally timer is famous brand just google for more pics. we have a nameless 3 timer and works well. 1 timer countdown and the other 2 countup something like this: www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/trip-meters-rally-computers/pitking-products-rt3-rally-triple-chronometer-timer-countdown-clock Marcel Edited June 7, 2017 by Quicksilver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted June 7, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) Thanks Marcel Looking at Roadbooks, it seems that a) I need to know distance to next turn b- time to next control (if that can be worked out) c) total time to finish for a) I need to calibrate the car's tripmeter, but as I am probably busy avoiding potholes... I guess that the ideal is to have a secondary trip meter for my co-driver. How can that be done? Is it possible to split the speedometer cable so that you get the speedo's tripmeter as usual and a secondary calibrated tripmeter with the co-driver? for b- and C) your link above solves the problem. Edited June 7, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TorontoTim Posted June 7, 2017 Report Share Posted June 7, 2017 (edited) On most rallies I only use a clock (to make sure I start sections on time, etc.) and a digital stopwatch with a "lap" capability. (I also use an accurate odometer with two readouts: one for section total and one for distance since the last speed change.) The stopwatch I start at the beginning of a regularity/timed-to-the-second section and hit "lap" st each speed change so that it simultaneously stops and restarts, ensuring that it is running from the exact moment we should be at the new speed. You could easily use a mechanical watch, but you need to be quick on the buttons to stop-reset-start when the speed changes. HOWEVER, my #1 advice is: make sure that your navigator (you can go back to calling her your daughter after the rally!) focuses on the ROUTE before anything else. As soon as you take a junction, ask her what is next. I guarantee that you'll lose more time by taking the wrong route than you will by not knowing the speed you should be going, or how close to "perfect time" you are. Rally rules: 1. stay on the road (driver's responsibility) 2. stay on the route (see above) 3. stay on time - you both work on this, but only after the first two rules. Edited June 8, 2017 by TorontoTim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted June 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 Thanks Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quicksilver Posted June 8, 2017 Report Share Posted June 8, 2017 @ rally rules Tim. 1 with a star ; The navigator is the BOSS in the car! Marcel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TorontoTim Posted June 9, 2017 Report Share Posted June 9, 2017 @ rally rules Tim. 1 with a star ; The navigator is the BOSS in the car! Marcel Don't tell Jan that!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted June 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 I tried out the accuracy of my trip meter and found that on a motorway stretch of 8 Km the meter read 8,1. I guess that this is pretty accurate and that, assuming that my co-driver, can read the trip meter from the passenger seat, all I need is a simple, fast way of multiplying the distances on the road book by 1.0125. One method would be to work it ll out in advance on a piece of paper. Another is to get a calculator that will keep the multiplier in memory, even after clearing the last calculation. Do all good calculators do that? I would appreciate comments as to the accuracy of my speedo and the best way to deal with the distances. Thanks Camilo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TorontoTim Posted June 18, 2017 Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 Hi Camilo, Assuming the regs allow electronic calculators, you should be able to hold the "factor" in the memory. Using the "stock" odo is ok, but I would expect that distances in the roadbook will be given to 1/100th of a kilometer e.g. take a left turn at 4.15km. This MAY not give you any problems, providing there aren't two junctions reasonably close together... It might be worth checking with the organisers to get their input on this (they wouldn't be giving too much away). Borrowing (or buying) a rally odo might be necessary. Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted June 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2017 Thank you Tim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted June 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2017 (edited) Hi I got hold of the Roadbook and a Control Card for last year's rally, but I wonder if you could explain a couple of things in the Control Card (ecven though it is in Portuguese...) that I can't quite understand: You'll see PEC-8 and PEC-9. What is PEC? PEC-8 is a PRH: HectometricRegularity Stage. What is that? PEC-9 refers to the table at the bottom right-hand, but it does not explain what CHSP means. Card.pdf Edited June 20, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.