GTP_Hun at the 2011 Espírito do Caramulo Hillclimb

Right, some of you may remember the thread I made last September (by mistake in the "Cars in General" section) reporting my inaugural experience in the world of REAL motorsports. It was made in the most unlikely way you can imagine.

- Hillclimb

- Destined to classic cars

- using a Morgan Plus4

- brand new! LOL

Well, it so happens that for some events the Morgan (classic range) is considered a classic regardless of build-year.

But enough of it, I'm repeating myself and the ones that didnd't notice that thread, it's still there if you want to check it out.

LinK: GTP_Hun at the 2010 Caramulo MotorFestival (56K warning, many pics inside)

This year I had already planned to go back to the "Motorfestival" in September, but nothing else as it is not possible for me to do a "season" of any kind, only some random racing whenever possible.

But a few weeks ago a few friends talked me into doing the "warmup" hill climb for the Motorfestival that was going to be organized for this month.

And so I submitted my entry, was accepted and there I showed up, after doing the only thing I need to do to have my Morgan in "race-ready" condition ... after fitting the rollbar

This time I went up there totally alone (took the car with me, was my only companion ) so there was no one to take pictures.

I had my reference time from last September's event (1.57,0xx) and, after being more used to the car, I was confident I would improve a litle.

Also worthy of mention was the fact that this time another Morgan driver submitted an entry. Sure, it was a 4/4 (1.6 L, mine is a 2.0 L ), but it was heavily modified (suspension, carburators, engine head and camshaft, some measures of weight reduction, better tires) .... so I'd say things were even between both cars.

Anyway, and to make this short, we had 2 practise climbs, and 3 race climbs. Overall classification in the end would be the total time from the 3 race climbs (like in rallying, if we did 3 special stages)

My first practise climb was used for me to remember the track, so I did a mid 1.59. The other Morgan was 0.5 secs slower and that made me confident I would win this "private" rivalry (a good one, the driver in question was a very nice person)

Second practise climb I crushed both my previous record and my rival. I did a high 1.55,9xx while he improved to a mid 1.58.4xx Difference between us was now 2.5 seconds and all my worries with "The other Morgan" were fading away, this allowing me to concentrate on my battle against ... myself! Like in GT5 Time Trials


We get to race climbs and first one I do 1.55,761. New personal record, but small improvement. I knew I could do better. Morgan 4/4 does a very low 1.58,xxx so things were pretty much settled.


Second one I do a very sloppy, almost erratic driving. Was furious by the end, and my time was in fact a small step back: 1.55,855 (Morgan 4/4 did a 1.57,7xx so at least HE was improving while I was going backwards )

And comes third climb. My "rival" decides not to run it (therefore not being classified at all in the end) because his abnormally high engine temperature was worrying him. And there I went, free of all concern but one thing stuck in my mind. I had to improve, and I had to get a 1.54 time.


And so I did, even (marginally) better than my objective: I managed a 1.53.964 in this last (3rd) climb! As you will see, I acted, talked and expressed myself like a kid when the news was given to me!

Because I'm done with the writing, and will show you my last climb in video. Stupid me, didn't protect the microphone of the camera (being an open car, the wind erases all sound) but you'll be still able to hear the screeching of the tires.

Hope you enjoy watching it:

Nice write up and video Hun 👍

Always quite fancied doing a hillclimb, my dad, uncle and grandad all used to hillclimb at Harewood, about 5 miles away from where i grew up. It's something i need to cross off my list of things to do.

Looking at your video, with so few runs and so many corners, plenty of them blind by the looks of things, it all looks like a lot to take in and learn in such a short period of time. Must be satisfying to chip time off on every run 👍

It's a shame that the sound didn't come out too well, i bet the Morgan sounds great!

niky

Sounds like a wonderful experience... actually... sounds like a lot of wind... but still wonderful!

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LOL niky, it was great fun. I'll do my best to solve the wind-noise issue next time!

TheCracker

Nice write up and video Hun 👍

Always quite fancied doing a hillclimb, my dad, uncle and grandad all used to hillclimb at Harewood, about 5 miles away from where i grew up. It's something i need to cross off my list of things to do.

Looking at your video, with so few runs and so many corners, plenty of them blind by the looks of things, it all looks like a lot to take in and learn in such a short period of time. Must be satisfying to chip time off on every run 👍

It's a shame that the sound didn't come out too well, i bet the Morgan sounds great!

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Well, racing around a circuit is on my to-do list also and if it's there that means it'll be done (we have to look at these lists confidently ).

People tell me I take much more risks in this (no runoff areas, rails bordering a narrow track, etc) than I would in a proper circuit but in all honesty I don't really know if I would be able to cope with cars all around me. So, as it is, I think actually RACING is a lot more demanding and needs a lot more bravery - and skill - than this.

The Morgan doesn't sound bad, but it's only a modest 4 cylinder Ford 2.0 L engine, don't expect awesome sounds from it anyway


To both, thanks for your kind words

Hun200kmh

The Morgan doesn't sound bad, but it's only a modest 4 cylinder Ford 2.0 L engine, don't expect awesome sounds from it anyway

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There's nothing wrong with a 4 cylinder Ford(sourced) 2.0ltr engine

Well, no need for a new thread ... I went up there again, but this time with Sports Tyres (TOYO R888). The added amount of grip allowed me to improve my previous best - 1.53,964 - to a greatly satisfying 1.48,099. That's almost 6 full seconds, I'd say that 0,5 come from my better knowledge of the car and the track, but surely the other 5,5 are simply the result of greater grip.

Here the video, enjoy:



EDIT: niky, now the sound is still very poor, but it is definitely more than wind. Got it from an iPhone I took with me, and then mixed the sound I got from it with the footage taken from the camera. When the going gets tough ... the tough get clever

Nice one Mario(?)!

That's a huge chunk of time you managed to cut from previously 👍

How did the new tyres feel in comparison to before?

niky

Or they get a wind muffler!

That's actually not a bad idea... where'd you stick the iPhone?

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There's a pocket in my racing suit. After a two failed tries with the glove compartment one with the central console (on top of the gearbox), I did the last just sticking the phone in the pocket: Best result I got, by far

TheCracker

Nice one Mario(?)!

That's a huge chunk of time you managed to cut from previously 👍

How did the new tyres feel in comparison to before?

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Mario it is

These tyres make me feel like a noob to be honest. I learned to drive a car when I was a kid (11 years old, forest roads, mountain passes in some lost deserted area) so I have been driving cars (later bikes too) for more than 30 years, but NEVER drove anything with slicks (bar go-karts) or even high grip sports tyres.

So ... they don't, or barely, squeal. They don't 'warn' much about what's going to happen. And they glue themselves to the road, so if you want to find their limits you must put your brain in 'these are not road tyres' mode, therefore attacking corners with a speed that goes against your better judgement and your lifetime experience.

The TOYO representative in Portugal was there (they are sponsors of the Caterham trophy, they had their own climb saturday) and he was very much interested in my car and how their tyres performed on it. After a few minutes he told me that he would arrange for a test at the Portimão track so I could find the grip limit and how the tyres behaved when reaching it. He said, very reasonably, that I wouldn't be able to "understand" / test fully the tyres on a tiny narrow road surrounded by metallic barriers. We'll see, maybe I get some TOYO sponsorship in the future

Hun200kmh

The TOYO representative in Portugal was there (they are sponsors of the Caterham trophy, they had their own climb saturday) and he was very much interested in my car and how their tyres performed on it. After a few minutes he told me that he would arrange for a test at the Portimão track so I could find the grip limit and how the tyres behaved when reaching it. He said, very reasonably, that I wouldn't be able to "understand" / test fully the tyres on a tiny narrow road surrounded by metallic barriers. We'll see, maybe I get some TOYO sponsorship in the future

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That'll be great. Even if you don't get any sponsorship, a test at Portimão with the Toyo people would be invaluable for learning more about how the new tyres, and even your car, behave when you can really push it to the edge without having to worry about hitting much.

What did you do about tyre pressures? Were you recommended any settings? I'd imagine that for hillclimbs you'd have to set them quite high when 'cold' since you don't get any chance to really warm them before your run. We're constantly checking ours and re-setting them before and after every race or qualifying session since they're so sensitive to changes.

I used what the TOYO people recommended me. It was a very low value, I took note but not sure now (I still "think PSI" and nowadays everyone "talks BAR", so it confuses me). WIll tell you next week after I go get the car and change the tyres back to the "normal" ones.

That looks like a lot of fun. Beautiful car and route!

Sorry to mix this irrelevant thread with all the first page major international motorsports news, but I'm an happy man and I need to share! I am finally going to use the Morgan in a circuit, and if this is still nothing more than an enhanced track day, talks are underway about something more substantial in the near future.

But for now, I want to share this:



I'll be there.

What's better, I submitted TWO entries, and both got accepted.

So, next March 18th I will be doing:

1 - 3x30 minutes sessions around the Estoril track with the Morgan (again, because of its classic since birth status)

2 - 3x30 minutes sessions around the Estoril track with my 25-year old Yamaha FJ 1200. It'll be "her" first time in a track, if you don't count the Le Mans public road section we did almost 20 years ago (1993), and "her" first time to be presented as a classic vehicle. About this one, I gotta say two things:
a) Time flies;
b) I'm old.


It'll be a tight schedule with me jumping from one vehicle to the other and vice versa (changing what I wear also lol)

ESTORIL, here I come. Funny how it's almost when I reach my fifties that all good things, and a few old dreams ... come true. Never too late to have some fun, I guess

That's cool! Good luck to you! 👍