Opel Commodore

[H15HSV]

This is the car as it was when Jock raced it.

[Nordic]

I was never fond of Prod saloons in the 80's, thought they where dull compared the puka Grp A cars.
A pair of Opels dispute Paddock hill bend!

http://rupert8766.fotopic.net/p5271772.html


The same pair at the start, with a 3rd one in 7th

http://rupert8766.fotopic.net/p5271771.html

Different meeting and one challages who I think is G marshal into Druids.

http://rupert8766.fotopic.net/p5271775.html

[H15HSV]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

The TV unfortunately picked out the worse bits, I raced in two races (yellow Camaro) and never had a single moment of bother. Remember its a bloody tight little circuit and 25 cars funnelling down into Chessons will often mean trouble, maybe the track should have a look at the grid spacing. CSCC was probably Classic Saloon Car Club which changed its name to Classic Touring Car Racing Club (CTCRC)which was a bit confusing and unfortunate because Classic Sports Car Club grabbed the web name and I think have done well off the back of it. From what I can see the regulations for CTCRC have not changed hardly at all since they were CSCC, I converted one of my cars to their regs 12 years ago and apart from the tyres nothing has altered that I can see so not sure where you are coming from there to be honest.

Al I think the reason you did not have any moments of bother was caused by going slow. My lap times in 1991 in my Camaro were quicker than you in 2009 at Lydden (so much for progress) keep trying Al one day you will be as quick as I was.

[Al Weyman]

Why don't you get out there and show me how its done then, oh don't tell me, your too old, well I am 61 and will be competing next season at 62 and as for being too old well Les Nash is well into his 70's and still having a go so come lets have you. As it happens in both races at Lydden I got stuck in one gear after the first few laps and even so if i hadn't tried once more to get it into 2nd at the elbow and then couldnt get it back in gear I would have held 4th in the 2nd race and Lydden is not a Camaro circuit. You also obviously missed the start of my 2nd race when I went from 10th on the grid to 4th by the first corner and did'nt hit anyone or they me. BTW as for progress what has that got to do with it? More the depth of your wallet compared to mine in 91 or of course the length of your crank.

[ascona i2000]

He forgets to mention Al that he was running slicks!

[Al Weyman]

Well if he is talking about racing in CTCRC the big cars could run the far superior Hoosier, I know that for a fact as I bought a set but never competed, also even the lighter cars were on the Japanese Dunlops and as you know Dave they were far superior to the ones we get now which is why I think a lot of the old lap times are irrelevant.

[H15HSV]

As for Lydden not being a Camaro circuit I won outright in 91 I used Goodrich tyres as per the rules in pre 74 then. It certainly was not my wallet there has never been anything in there it must have been sheer driving skill.
As for racing again now no way I got robbed by the RAC and the clubs enough before and as for the Transponder suppliers what a con that was.
Al if you need the spec of my old engine which included s/h pistons and standard pink rods I would be only to pleased to provide it.

[H15HSV]

Forgot to mention never blame a component (like could not get gears) it is always down to bad preparation

[Al Weyman]

You must be a wonderful driver and I am obviously an oik that I cannot get anywhere near your times doing practically the whole race in third gear and on hard old tyres. The MSA licence is not that expensive, the club memberships are a bit of a bind but you do get something in return and I have only bought one transponder since my return in 2005 and a certian Belgium chappie (not Pioret) who posts here cut me a blinding deal for that. I can assure you the latest Dunlop Formula tyres as anyone who uses them will tell you are a pile of hard old poo. They are harder and grip worse (especially in the wet) than the Falken list 1a tyres I used to run this car on and it was faster on the Falkens. Come on get that Commadore out and pitch against my old 'maro!

[Al Weyman]

Oh come on you are talking crap now I just see your last comment, in the first race a clutch bedded in and I could not disengage after about three or four laps, it was a refurbed triple plate unit how am I meant to foresee that, the 2nd race a bolt dropped out of the gear linkage, never happened before or since one of those things. At least I beat your old car that had to run in Class G with extra ballast curtesy of having an illegal 6.2 litre engine fitted that the guy who bought it unwittingly didnt know about when he purchased it.

[Eric Falce]

Originally Posted by H15HSV

Al I think the reason you did not have any moments of bother was caused by going slow. My lap times in 1991 in my Camaro were quicker than you in 2009 at Lydden (so much for progress) keep trying Al one day you will be as quick as I was.

To quoate ' As I get older its amazing how much faster I went in my youth' .

I was testing a series one E last week,had trouble getting in and out of the thing, think back to what I did get up to with mine back in the 60s and that was nothing to do with racing, oh well.

[Al Weyman]

Took the words off my typewriter Eric, ain't that a fact. After writing off several cars and being entirely self funded and not being anything like as fit as I was plus weighing in currently at a reasonable (for me) 19 stone of course I am slower but anyhow just because you are a bit slower does'nt stop you getting damaged. As for long crank no idea how it got in there all I know is it came to my knowledge as I was advising the current owner as he tried to sort the thing out.

Anyhow how have we arrived at my driving etc. I only answered this thread in the first place in response to your question where can I race an old not so highly specced Commadore and the answer is still the same whether you like it or the club or not and that is CTCRC Pre 74's. Yes you can race it in Masters Group 1/2 go for it, it will cost far more for registration and entry and you will be pitched against anything from a Sunbeam Tiger V8 to a V12 ex-Broadspeed V12 Jag Coupe Group 2 car. My friend who runs competivily enough in pre-74's in his Avenger GT tried it at Mallory as did can couple of our front running Group 1 Capri boys and they got nowhere whatsover.