Aurian-Rover?

[stevie m]

I've recentley purchased some "Speedscenes" from e-bay that are 4 years old.I keep reading in the reports from Ireland about a car called an Aurian-Rover,powered by a 1.4 litre "K" series engine and belonging to a guy called Gavin Millington.I've heard of most of the other cars but not this one,so can anyone give me more details or info on this car?.Mainly,is it a home built special,or a modified circuit car and is there any photos on the web?.
Thanks in advance

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by stevie m

I've recentley purchased some "Speedscenes" from e-bay that are 4 years old.I keep reading in the reports from Ireland about a car called an Aurian-Rover,powered by a 1.4 litre "K" series engine and belonging to a guy called Gavin Millington.I've heard of most of the other cars but not this one,so can anyone give me more details or info on this car?.Mainly,is it a home built special,or a modified circuit car and is there any photos on the web?.
Thanks in advance

It is a "home built special" and when I saw it very well turned out! I thought the car was actually pictured in a Speedscene mag, I'll check & get back to you.

[stevie m]

Issue 103,page 58 Well I've been rained off work wise so I've been up in the attic this afternoon.Does anyone know if the car's still competing?can't seem to find any recent results with it mentioned.

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by stevie m

Issue 103,page 58 Well I've been rained off work wise so I've been up in the attic this afternoon.Does anyone know if the car's still competing?can't seem to find any recent results with it mentioned.

I am sure I have seen it since at Craigantlet but can't remember which year.

[will loughridge]

the last time gavin had his car out was at Garron point in hillclimb here in ireland, i think that was in 2004 , He managed to take off the back corner going through the famous rock face part of the hill, driver ok, car not !!!.
I think he tried to get it out for the last sprint of the season, less wings and afew other bits, but an oil pipe came off in practise, if i recall, and that ended that.
The car was a space frame chassis not disimilar to a jedi, but he ran with good going 1.4 8v rover engine and hewland box, in our up to 1400cc bike engined class . It was self built as far as i know.
He was in the Michael Beattie/jedi era, where michael usually dominated the class but Gavin wasnt far behind, it was usually close between them with Gavin being at the disadvantage with a heavier and less powerful car. He had the car well set up for the irish hills.
Word on the scene was he was going to come back for anouther go at us .

Hope this helps,

Will.

[hillsprint77]

The chassis originally came from GB, the Aurain name was supposed to be Welsh for gold, or something, I recall being told, and used suspension components of Formula Ford origin. The chassis was pretty standard FF1600 sort of spaceframe and a bit more substantial than a Jedi. Gavin built it to compete in the short lived 1400/ 2 valve per cylinder Libre class, and it was originally fitted with a 1400 8 valve K Series engine. When the class was scrapped he moved into the 1400 multi-valve class, as Will has mentioned with me as his main rival.

Being well out-gunned with the 8 valve engine, he then developed a 16 Valve K Series unit. Being Gavin and having his engineering background, he developed his own fuel injection system and a data logging system to boot.

His previous car was a Kingfisher Sprint !!! And before you ask it looks like a Mini Marcos and ended up as two subframes and a pile of smashed green glassfibre after an off at Cairncastle

The Aurain hasn't competed for a while as other interests have distracted the intreped pilot, and as Will has said it made a fleeting appearance at a sprint. It's a competitive enough device and could probably still win the class. And lest we forget, it actually won the 2004 ANICC Hillclimb title !!

Here's a pic

[stevie m]

Thanks for taking the time to enlighten me lads I think it's a cracking home made car and hopefully it'll be out next year,Cheers