Bedford Today
#124
OK, I relent. I woke up in a silly mood.
and
If you didn't fill in a form, apart from being very very naughty, you can email me with your car details, reg, and address.
Whilst on the subject, with the delays, and weather, I shot less than half what I normally do, so don't expect a big selection.
Josh
and
If you didn't fill in a form, apart from being very very naughty, you can email me with your car details, reg, and address.
Whilst on the subject, with the delays, and weather, I shot less than half what I normally do, so don't expect a big selection.
Josh
#125
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haha bloody Pete Croney drving my car!!
....I am sure I am the subject of a wind up, every time a pic is posted of my car, I am never driving!
....I am sure I am the subject of a wind up, every time a pic is posted of my car, I am never driving!
#129
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When the site was operational, the planes (big ****** of some sort) used to circle around the base at full throttle for up to 15 mins. The noise was pretty bad when I had to go there.
Even worse was the engine test tunnel nearer to Bedford.
When it closed down the locals were very pleased until Mr Palmer developed it. At one time there was talk of F1 work being done there but I think it was stopped or allowed very infrequently?
Totally forgot about the afternoon! I wondered why I kept seeing Imprezas in the area. I should have popped up to see all the cars siting around doing nothing
Saw a P1 going through Sharnbrook about 3.30 and who was visiting Milton Earnest garden centre just before that in a new WR blue STi with gold wheels?
Nick
STB Forester
Even worse was the engine test tunnel nearer to Bedford.
When it closed down the locals were very pleased until Mr Palmer developed it. At one time there was talk of F1 work being done there but I think it was stopped or allowed very infrequently?
Totally forgot about the afternoon! I wondered why I kept seeing Imprezas in the area. I should have popped up to see all the cars siting around doing nothing
Saw a P1 going through Sharnbrook about 3.30 and who was visiting Milton Earnest garden centre just before that in a new WR blue STi with gold wheels?
Nick
STB Forester
#130
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John F,Danny, Simon, Nilsey and partner.....everyone
I had really enjoyed my first driver developement day. Athough I did drive my newish STi7 Prodrive PPP very conservatively. I did manage to give a few rides to Simon, John B and his dad
Great to meet you all
Also Big thanks to SIDC Lee and Lisa
Tony
I had really enjoyed my first driver developement day. Athough I did drive my newish STi7 Prodrive PPP very conservatively. I did manage to give a few rides to Simon, John B and his dad
Great to meet you all
Also Big thanks to SIDC Lee and Lisa
Tony
#132
Thanks everyone, had a great 2nd Development Day in my PPP'd STI7.
The highlight of my day was following the 360 for several laps with my in car video running. Priceless.
...and Tony, thanks for the advice on my last session out. Got a bit scary in the wet.
Thanks again all for making it a memorable day.
Nils (WRX STI Plate)
The highlight of my day was following the 360 for several laps with my in car video running. Priceless.
...and Tony, thanks for the advice on my last session out. Got a bit scary in the wet.
Thanks again all for making it a memorable day.
Nils (WRX STI Plate)
#134
Sorry to hear about the troubles for some today. I couldn't make it in my M3...but would I have passed the sound check with my Gruppe N exhaust. Don't know is the answer.
Bedford has a fantastic setup and I only hope they sort out the noise issues before they have true enthusiasts too upset.
I don't think people can complain too much about noise regs provided they are clearly stated prior to the event and consistenly/ fairly adhered to... which did not seem to be the case today.
I could not agree more that any changes in noise level allowances should have been relayed to pre-booked customers before the event and refunds offered. Furthermore I am dissappointed/ shocked to hear that some can be cleared to drive and then black flagged a little later for subsequent failure.
And the best bit of it all...having to allow some complete stranger to drive you car for the sound test!! Two fingers to that, I am happy to let people have a go in my car.... provided I know them from Adam, think I can trust them and I like them.
Just my 2 pence worth... H
Bedford has a fantastic setup and I only hope they sort out the noise issues before they have true enthusiasts too upset.
I don't think people can complain too much about noise regs provided they are clearly stated prior to the event and consistenly/ fairly adhered to... which did not seem to be the case today.
I could not agree more that any changes in noise level allowances should have been relayed to pre-booked customers before the event and refunds offered. Furthermore I am dissappointed/ shocked to hear that some can be cleared to drive and then black flagged a little later for subsequent failure.
And the best bit of it all...having to allow some complete stranger to drive you car for the sound test!! Two fingers to that, I am happy to let people have a go in my car.... provided I know them from Adam, think I can trust them and I like them.
Just my 2 pence worth... H
#135
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John,
Thankyou for your kind words. We did work incredibly hard over the last few weeks to get the car more ready for track work. We worked so hard I have been ill for half the week leading up to the event.
To make the most of the XTR2's ground effect work we really had to get the car down to race height (2 1/2" front, 3" rear). Getting that height was very easy but there wasn't much point in just dropping the car on the poor std. dampers.
We really did think our track work was over for the year but when finding out about bedford we decided to go to work on the car. Bedford is a great place to 'find a cars place' as there are no 'real' racing curbs on any apex and a complete lack of armco apart from the back twin apex corner (never can find a nice line round that other than wide in - tight out) and the pit straight.
So, first purchase was a set of Nitron NTR coil-overs. This little stunners owe us approx £250 a corner without springs. We also had to have new cups made to sit in the rose joints as the ones supplied by westfield (specifically for nitron systems) are pants and dont fit. So that was another £100 for those.
(Yes - this is 1mm carbon fibre they are laying on - we have approx 22sq. metres of the stuff as we intend to remove all the alluminium from the space frame and replace with carbon - shedding another 20kilos - that will take the weight to 460kg - Dingy's MKii will also have a fair bit of carbon too when it returns as a 40psi fire breathing cossie monster)
No point having $#!+ hot dampers without the best springs - so we purchased a full set of Ebach Fomula 3/Formula 3000 springs and helper springs - another £480 - yikes.
Basically - one corner of our cars suspension cost more than an entire set of AVO coilovers (minus springs).
We have had some wheel problems (long story) so when we found out about bedford I had to shell out on another set of lightweight billet rims.
oops, there goes another £1000 (without tyres and that was a good deal - they should have been about £370 each).
Although we are now quite good with spanners (you tend to be when you've had them in your hands for 17 weekends in a row) we know very little about geometry and weighting setup. Our car has been at Tollbar racing for 4 days where their head man (thanks Michael) made a fantastic job of the car. Tollbar also supplied the springs above. Corner weighted our car has only 0.2kg difference from left-to-right carrying the driver - can't get much more accurate than that. Expert time costs money - in fact close to £500.
Getting Jim (Mr. Racedriver and fantastic tutor) to the day was just amazing. We have both been out in XTR2's with Jim in the past and he is a truely tallented driver. Having this man on hand for the day didn't come cheap but coaching and additional setup was important to have.
My brother (See the photo sequence in the gallary of the GT4 in the track/action photograph thread) has also been on hand for a significant amount of the build process. He was also down at bedford with us. Simon was up at 4:00am in the morning to get to Derby and help. Simon is also in love with the XTR2 and I'm pretty sure at this point in time he could drive the car better than I can. He was contemplating bringing the GT4 to bedford but he was very glad he didn't. Although the car is modified (HKS bits and bobs including race Cams etc) he would have definately passed the noise test - he would have been thrown off the track. My bro has a passion for sideways driving and it seems many folks got 'a talking to' for drifting on the day.
Martin (the guy in the Mi16 Converted Pug) was also having a great time until he got kicked off. I'm sure you will all agree that is one quick motor. Another wasted journey.
All in all a load of effort for not much reward Its always nice to see folks but I'd much rather have spent the day behind the wheel of a car which has basically been our lives for the last 4 months. I didn't go out as a passenger with anyone because that would have been just too depressing
We spent the entire journey home just cursing randomly LOL. How can you make a car that has a Catalyst, and two HUGE silencer baffle boxes less noisey ???? answers on a postcard.
Ian
[Edited by igratton - 12/1/2002 9:06:11 PM]
[Edited by igratton - 12/2/2002 8:19:41 AM]
Thankyou for your kind words. We did work incredibly hard over the last few weeks to get the car more ready for track work. We worked so hard I have been ill for half the week leading up to the event.
To make the most of the XTR2's ground effect work we really had to get the car down to race height (2 1/2" front, 3" rear). Getting that height was very easy but there wasn't much point in just dropping the car on the poor std. dampers.
We really did think our track work was over for the year but when finding out about bedford we decided to go to work on the car. Bedford is a great place to 'find a cars place' as there are no 'real' racing curbs on any apex and a complete lack of armco apart from the back twin apex corner (never can find a nice line round that other than wide in - tight out) and the pit straight.
So, first purchase was a set of Nitron NTR coil-overs. This little stunners owe us approx £250 a corner without springs. We also had to have new cups made to sit in the rose joints as the ones supplied by westfield (specifically for nitron systems) are pants and dont fit. So that was another £100 for those.
(Yes - this is 1mm carbon fibre they are laying on - we have approx 22sq. metres of the stuff as we intend to remove all the alluminium from the space frame and replace with carbon - shedding another 20kilos - that will take the weight to 460kg - Dingy's MKii will also have a fair bit of carbon too when it returns as a 40psi fire breathing cossie monster)
No point having $#!+ hot dampers without the best springs - so we purchased a full set of Ebach Fomula 3/Formula 3000 springs and helper springs - another £480 - yikes.
Basically - one corner of our cars suspension cost more than an entire set of AVO coilovers (minus springs).
We have had some wheel problems (long story) so when we found out about bedford I had to shell out on another set of lightweight billet rims.
oops, there goes another £1000 (without tyres and that was a good deal - they should have been about £370 each).
Although we are now quite good with spanners (you tend to be when you've had them in your hands for 17 weekends in a row) we know very little about geometry and weighting setup. Our car has been at Tollbar racing for 4 days where their head man (thanks Michael) made a fantastic job of the car. Tollbar also supplied the springs above. Corner weighted our car has only 0.2kg difference from left-to-right carrying the driver - can't get much more accurate than that. Expert time costs money - in fact close to £500.
Getting Jim (Mr. Racedriver and fantastic tutor) to the day was just amazing. We have both been out in XTR2's with Jim in the past and he is a truely tallented driver. Having this man on hand for the day didn't come cheap but coaching and additional setup was important to have.
My brother (See the photo sequence in the gallary of the GT4 in the track/action photograph thread) has also been on hand for a significant amount of the build process. He was also down at bedford with us. Simon was up at 4:00am in the morning to get to Derby and help. Simon is also in love with the XTR2 and I'm pretty sure at this point in time he could drive the car better than I can. He was contemplating bringing the GT4 to bedford but he was very glad he didn't. Although the car is modified (HKS bits and bobs including race Cams etc) he would have definately passed the noise test - he would have been thrown off the track. My bro has a passion for sideways driving and it seems many folks got 'a talking to' for drifting on the day.
Martin (the guy in the Mi16 Converted Pug) was also having a great time until he got kicked off. I'm sure you will all agree that is one quick motor. Another wasted journey.
All in all a load of effort for not much reward Its always nice to see folks but I'd much rather have spent the day behind the wheel of a car which has basically been our lives for the last 4 months. I didn't go out as a passenger with anyone because that would have been just too depressing
We spent the entire journey home just cursing randomly LOL. How can you make a car that has a Catalyst, and two HUGE silencer baffle boxes less noisey ???? answers on a postcard.
Ian
[Edited by igratton - 12/1/2002 9:06:11 PM]
[Edited by igratton - 12/2/2002 8:19:41 AM]
#136
Agree with Ian.
Entire journey home was punctuated with "F***ing w****rs. B*****ds" etc etc.
In fact, I'm sitting here doing the same now
Will be writing a letter to Bedford tomorrow to ask for an explanation.
Was to inconsistent to make standards on the day
Entire journey home was punctuated with "F***ing w****rs. B*****ds" etc etc.
In fact, I'm sitting here doing the same now
Will be writing a letter to Bedford tomorrow to ask for an explanation.
Was to inconsistent to make standards on the day
#138
John, sorry I missed you - I'm afraid I did leave before I started shouting... Looking forward to your vids on work's connection tomorr! [Good white balance of 5600 K on the SLOW preview this evening)
Josh do you have a pic of a Grey STi V with Cibie covers going past that Audi that went past almost everything? Trying to show off and get my dad to swap his for a Scoob
D
Josh do you have a pic of a Grey STi V with Cibie covers going past that Audi that went past almost everything? Trying to show off and get my dad to swap his for a Scoob
D
#140
Butty,
The P1 through Sharnbrook was almost certainly me. Sorry, didn't anyone to wave at, but I was following a twit in a focus which didn't help.
Diesel,
If you didn't fill in a form, could you mail me you reg and address. If you did, I'll be mailing out proofs in the next day or so.
Josh
The P1 through Sharnbrook was almost certainly me. Sorry, didn't anyone to wave at, but I was following a twit in a focus which didn't help.
Diesel,
If you didn't fill in a form, could you mail me you reg and address. If you did, I'll be mailing out proofs in the next day or so.
Josh
#141
Like I've said in other posts Matt, we stopped half a mile away from the track and couldn't hear a thing.
I'll be writing a letter to Bedford to try and clarify a few things
So, the onus is on who for refunds? Certainly won't lose £230 + other costs or be fobbed off about it. Wonder if Bedford will try and put the blame (unfairly) on SIDC.
Also agree re SIDCs efforts - after all the cr4p that went on and all the effort they put in to making it happen, it turns out like this.
Bet they wish they hadn't bothered
I'll be writing a letter to Bedford to try and clarify a few things
So, the onus is on who for refunds? Certainly won't lose £230 + other costs or be fobbed off about it. Wonder if Bedford will try and put the blame (unfairly) on SIDC.
Also agree re SIDCs efforts - after all the cr4p that went on and all the effort they put in to making it happen, it turns out like this.
Bet they wish they hadn't bothered
#142
Mucho's thanks to Hoppy, Simo, John F, Daveyboy and Jeff.
I had a great time, I missed the early noise thing so can't comment too much but I would have lent my std BB to anyone to keep noise down -ala Fatboy's P1.
Perhaps tyres NH could carry a few std BB's just in case???? It's better than going home......
F
I had a great time, I missed the early noise thing so can't comment too much but I would have lent my std BB to anyone to keep noise down -ala Fatboy's P1.
Perhaps tyres NH could carry a few std BB's just in case???? It's better than going home......
F
#143
Floyd,
That would have been a kind gesture.
I got in first with Tyres NH by running up the pit lane to see if he had one and just beat the rush, although I had to drive to Northampton and back to get it Mark said that around 20 chaps wanted to do the same thing. So sod him, I'm going to spend my next few weekends at bedford with a selection of Halford's finest standard scooby, Skyline, RX7, Evo etc back boxes in the boot. I can't decide whether to rent them by the hour or day yet ;D
That would have been a kind gesture.
I got in first with Tyres NH by running up the pit lane to see if he had one and just beat the rush, although I had to drive to Northampton and back to get it Mark said that around 20 chaps wanted to do the same thing. So sod him, I'm going to spend my next few weekends at bedford with a selection of Halford's finest standard scooby, Skyline, RX7, Evo etc back boxes in the boot. I can't decide whether to rent them by the hour or day yet ;D
#144
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Against my better judgement will have to defend Pete to some degree
The Westie is v v hard to set off - even with our clutch mods it's very grabby - your foot is supposed to be able to replicate small finger movements that the Busa clutch was designed for - ie it's tricky. And the throttle lol. To describe it as hair trigger would be equivalent to saying a Pagani Zonda is quite quick
But Pete? next time you don't need to chane up at 6.5k - is like changing up in a Scoob at 4!!
The Westie is v v hard to set off - even with our clutch mods it's very grabby - your foot is supposed to be able to replicate small finger movements that the Busa clutch was designed for - ie it's tricky. And the throttle lol. To describe it as hair trigger would be equivalent to saying a Pagani Zonda is quite quick
But Pete? next time you don't need to chane up at 6.5k - is like changing up in a Scoob at 4!!
I had to leave at lunchtime (I actually had to leave at 11, but stayed until things were back up and running at lunchtime). I thought the day was a disaster. I know that most of Palmer's staff thought the same. The weather didn't help the noise problem but we have never had these problems at a Bedford day.
I was not aware that the noise limit had been lowered, and we weren't informed of this, but within 1 hour of the circuit being open, environmental health were on the phone with 20 logged noise violations. The noise meter is linked directly to their office. Also, the direction of the wind meant that any noise was being carried to the village.
If the limit has been lowered at Bedford, I think it is the end of it for a venue, at least for modified cars. If this is the case, I hope it reverts to an active airfield and is used for training Harrier pilots!! A Harrier on hover would be a tad over 87dB.
I've read all of the posts in this thread and know how disappointed people were. I think what we needed was exhaust wrap on the noise meter.
I will be contacting Palmers today to see what has happened with the noise regs.
If you were sent home, please mail me with your details.
#146
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All in all, for me the good times outweighed the bad. Food was expensive though. Thanks to Simon for sitting in the passenger seat and giving me a few tips/encouragement - only sorry that swapping our backboxes over didn't get your P1 through the noise check Next time, I'll bring my old standard silencer 'for rent'
Only my third ever track day, but by the end of the session was finally getting the hang of powersliding through the corner just by the pits.
Mikee, you're welcome re the passenger rides - I'll have to get one with you next time...
Only my third ever track day, but by the end of the session was finally getting the hang of powersliding through the corner just by the pits.
Mikee, you're welcome re the passenger rides - I'll have to get one with you next time...
#147
My pleasure Tony. Don't forget I will be at Donington on 7th and 29th if you want me to repay the favour. Might be there on 15th as well to make up for not going round Bedford in my 'noisy' P1