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I dont think you NEED a high torque starter. If the orignal has lasted almost 20 years, just replace like for like...

Evening team. Than you again for the lovely comments. We got up today to pouring rain and it was half hood time for most of the day as we drove through terrible rain most of the day. I had 10 hours driving with about 7 in the rain. The rest was beautiful sunshine. We left our lodgings which are brilliant for Westfield type owners. Big drive off the road well out of harms way and a drying room in the house with washer and dryer which you are free to use so can easily wash and dry clothes and cloths etc. Breakfast was at 7.30 but the owners leave everything in the fridge and you can make your own breakfast with the things if you want to be away earlier. We set of for the quiraing which is a mountainous area that starred in the film Prometheus and land that time forgot. I was expecting to see dinosaurs. Imagine a volcano crater that a massive giant takes chunks out of with higgledy piggledy teeth to one side of the crater and then spits them out again.....well that's what you have got and you drive up the inside on a steep road with hairpin bends. BRILLIANT and god knows what it looks like when not raining. It was something out of a science fiction film and you must go see it. We left Skye and headed up north.. Don't forget to fill up with petrol in Portree before you leave and they only take credit cards if spending over £15.00 and we headed north on a route suggested by Higgy and it was a fantastic road. At one point we were at the top of a massive valley with a long twisty road going down with a loch at the bottom. I have some pictures and I did not know if to go down really slow or really fast. One of my lights stopped working on my way up north and I called into a garage and the man repaired it free of charge. How brilliant was that. I worried at one point about garages for fuel and there is no need to worry as plenty about and there are also loads of clean public toilets so if travelling with a lady she has no need to poo or wee behind a tree. We came to Durness and the area is like a moon scape with rocks and craters and some of the worlds best looking beaches and they are spotless with plenty of parking and access. One beach is made of rocks that are like dinner plates laid on top of one another. People have made balancing rock towers and other shapes out of the rocks. There is a massive grass area to park your Westfield on and there is a cafe right on the beach. I don't know what it is about Scottish Tarmac but all the roads are super smooth and apart from the odd mile here and there you can really chugg along if you wanted to. I have done hundred of miles today and I bet I have seen no more than 40 cars. At Durness the Smoo Cave Hotel does fantastic food and it is hot and plentiful and you get a great meal for £10.00. I am now sat in my room overlooking Loch Eriboll and this is where the German submarine fleet surrendered in WW2 and HMS Hood also came into the loch before she was sunk by the Bismark. I also saw a load of deer and watched them for about 10 minutes. It is 10.42pm and it is still daylight outside. Lessons learnt for today. Do not worry about toilets. Do not worry about about finding places to eat. Scottish folk are exceptionally kind. So pleased I bought half doors as with full doors on I would have missed so much stuff. I will go through any amount of rain with a half hood, clear wind deflectors and half doors. Keep a good supply of microfibres cloths behind the drivers seat. Make sure you charge ALL. Your camera batteries the day night before. Make sure you bring supplies of dry underwear. Tomorrow I plan on driving from Eriboll to John O groats and back again and also just pottering about Durness.

You'd have huffed'n'puffed and peed yer breichs if we didn't get you in a drift car before breakfast! Great issue and good to read all the contributions!

This is getting heated Fact 1: WSCC runs only two events over a calendar of about thirty. Ergo, we need to make our championship attractive to organizers so that we get invited. Supposition: the nearer we make our classes to most other clubs', the more convivial the day's sprinting will be. Fact 2: some of the fastest kit-car competitors in the country are WSCC member. Conjecture: fact 2 adds to the attraction of a WSCC invitation for organizing clubs. Fact 3: many of our faster competitors compete in other championships as well. Conjecture: if we introduced SS regs to slow fast guys down, they would be less competitive in other championships. I'd choose to stay fast. Fact: we have members all over the country. Many don't want to trek hundreds of miles to compete. That's why we try to provide lots of events. Fact: if you take up golf, snooker, tennis, judo, etc. you don't expect to be in a position to win from day one. Why should sprinters think differently? This isn't primary school. Fact: motor sport is expensive if you take it seriously. Twas ever thus. Have fun by all means, but don't expect to compete with Rich and John who have invested ten years and much cash in their cars. Fact: the Club does not have the resource to police complex regulations. (Just put your car on this rolling road please, Sir!) IMHO, the role of the SS is to encourage our competitors to compete with the best in the country if they can, and simultaneously to provide a friendly introduction to motorsport for the beginner. These objectives are not mutually exclusive. The club (and especially SS ethos) is enormously friendly. There is absolutely no shortage of well-meant advice available at events, And any Club member suffering a problem will find his car surrounded by knowledgeable helpers in a flash. The only error we make is to try to allow every competitor to win something. Whenever you go to a sprint, you will always find someone against whom you can have a close battle. That person will not necessarily be in the same class, but the competitive edge is still available. Club motor sport is about having fun -- trying to go home thinking that you drove better that day than you have before. I am convinced that target times are the least imperfect way of comparing performances across many different tracks and events. We have them, and they are settling down (far fewer "102"s occurring nowadays). I think we should do nothing that is not forced on us to render them invalid. We have classes designed to allow a progression through the motor sport learning curve. Yes, they don't (and realistically, can't) control spending on engine power, but the logic is that if you have spent many thousands on getting yourself 500bhp, you are not going to enjoy putting that power through synchro box, and neither are you going to be competitive with others sporting the same power if you do. Ergo, the classes are to some extent self-regulating. Personally, the only thing I would change is the 1700cc limit. Our "Zetec anomaly" was always going to be exploited (sorry Ade) eventually, it encourages the development of cars which have no relevance in the wider world of sprinting, and it means that our 1800 Zetec competitors find themselves in a class away from their WSCC status at almost all events. Finally -- somebody suggested (tongue in cheek) abolishing the overall champion. Whilst I would not go that far, I certainly think that our most direct comparators are within class. I think we should give more kudos to the class champions (hats off to you, gentlemen) and less to the big pot.

Not too late Marcus. The list so far, Red Spider Shaggydoo Rickyboy 100 Marcusb

I agree with david H I would like more events that more wscc members attend, but with everyone spread out over country I know this is not possible . I like the more event because im a shift worker and cant attend certain events because it involves taking to much holiday.so it at least give me the option to max out my events even if they are not my first choice . .having said that I think for the overall championship gives some the benefit of doing loads of events and drop min points. maybe we should set a max events a competitor can do in one season before having penalty points added or removed. this would lower entry costs .. but would weaken the entries down more. would like to see more events down south over the last couple of years I have seen more novices join in and have to say I thought the standard of new drivers is very good and they are quick. they just need more track time and and enjoy what they do. as they become hooked they will develop there cars and become faster, then there cars will become lighter like there wallets.

I'm in, see you all there in the .

Yes, as Rob says, I'm assured it's 105 all day. Don't recall anyone having noise problems on previous RS days. Weather's looking dry, but we could get blown about a bit.

Ahh sorry my mistake, I read your car details wrong. All good advice however from the guys above X Flow Hi Torque starter http://www.motorsport-tools.com/powerlite-ford-crossflow-kent-x-flow-high-torque-starter-motor.html http://www.burtonpower.com/parts-by-category/ignition-electrical-instrumentation/starter-motors/edge-gear-reduction-starter-x-flow-lotus-twin-cam-bda-cf003-9x1-4kw.html Not cheap

Well Rich, My original reply was more along the lines of John's but Richards says it all for me really. FOR GOD SAKE STOP MESSING WITH THE REGS ! For those that don't know me Ive competed in the speed series since 2005 a originally in class F for a couple of seasons and since then in class G and spent a year on the speed series organising team, the year after target times were introduced. Over the years, like most regular competitors, I've spent enough money on the car and competing to pay a good chunk off my mortgage but money cannot buy the friends i have made over the years, which is just as important. Unlike Richard I've not won a championship but have done OK coming 4th in 2010 and had a class win.and now having had a couple of years off Im still trying to get back on the pace. Im not sure why the current SSOT has raised this as an issue and what the grumbles are in the paddock generally and why some want it changing. We still seem to be attracting novices as there are certainly plenty of new faces about that have appeared in that last couple of years since i last competed seriously so that doesn't seem to be a problem. Marto says he thinks there are too many events in the championship and that he could do a whole season without meet someone else in class so is competing on paper. Its a fair comment but one of the advantages of having plenty of events spread across the country is it does actually keep the travelling costs down as there are plenty to choose from spread across the country. There has in the past been complaints that there was too many events in the South or North making travel cost too prohibitive if you wanted to do 10 events. I think we have it about right at the moment in the number of events and the spread and it good that we occasionally get a new venue to go to. The current class structure is about right I would say and the biggest problem we have in the speed series is that the regs keep getting messed about with, especially the target times, which is peeing people off especially the regular competitors.

I'm in for this Robin. I will ask Marcusb also.

Brilliant issue will be making sure this issue is kept safe ........a few pics of car and yourstruly ............but I will be having a slight word in the ear of the Scottish AO/Author re the " grumpy" comment lol .........how could you possibly be grumpy being at Stoneleigh, in the Westfield, on the avenue AND a fun blast in one of the Westfield skid cars.................an awesome weekend

Agreed Stu - the dedicated sprint/hillclimb cars should not be shackled in my opinion. And a full on sprint car is certainly something I aspire to. Opening up a more inviting competition for newbies with full on road cars though may inspire them to go further, get a sprint car and keep the numbers up. I've loved my time sprinting so far, even though I haven't been 'competitive' in me 'lardy car', due to the great atmosphere and banter with a brill bunch of people. But like all competitors we also aspire to win, or at least fight against the class leaders. I know my driving has plenty of scope for improvement, so it's not just the car that's lardy! I'm doing 10 events this year but can feel me getting to the stage where I may back off, unless I am able to get further into the mix. Although I would expect to always do the odd few sprints.

Evening team. Last night we watched the most beautiful pink sunset over Glencoe and the sun seems to set so late up here. This morning we travelled to Skye and have had a fabulous day. We set off with the roof on and then took it off and we have had it off all day. . We headed on the route from Glencoe that takes you across the bridge. Think it is the A87. We stopped of at the Commando memorial and it is such a moving place. A massive statue of three commandos overlooking a huge valley with Ben Nevis in front and a number of other mountains. The faces on the statues and the way they are stood... Well everything... Is just perfect and it is a fitting tribute. I had a crying moment as next to the statue is a memorial garden and an area wher they scatter the ashes of fallen commandos. What I did not expect was to see family photos of the fallen Commandos and with the words on the cards you sort of bonded with the fallen. People had even put bottles of whisky and cans of lager etc on the memorials and I was extremely humbled. The car parking is very clean and safe for a Westfield. We met here and chatted to a couple in a Lomax who were driving from Lands End to John O Groates. We left here and continued on our way and we came to this massive, massive valley with snow topped mountains and lochs to the side but the mountains and rocks were extremely rugged. We felt so tiny and the air was really cold and it was utterly amazing and went on for miles. We then came to another set of mountains with the road at the bottom and OMG. If you have seen the start of Jurassic park where the helicopter flies towards the island, well it was just like that and was effing unbelievable with smooth Tarmac and hardly any cars. There is a good petrol garage their as well and we had used around half a tank coming from Glencoe. We continued and came to the end and then it was like driving through Norway. We dropped down and there was a huge loch to the left with little fishing boats and with the mountains and the snow it was identical to a Norwegian fijord. We are now on Skye and the roads are not as smooth but the scenery is stunning. We arrived at our lodgings and there wS a note on the door saying, just go in, help yourself to anything and text or ring us... The owners. I have left out the names but when the owners arrived they said they don't lock anything up as there is no crime in the area. We have driven to Portree and the petrol garage will not accept a debit or credit card unless it's over £15.00 so make sure you have some cash. We had fish and chips on the harbour jetty and it was tasty enough but expensive for what you got and I would find somewhere else next time. Tomorrow we are going to go to an extinct volcano and then head to Durness with a stop over at Ullapool. Lessons learnt from today. Always have cash available. There is no need to worry about the frequency of petrol stations. Everyone loves a Westfield. Leave the half hood fastened to the back of the car if you have luggage attached over the straps and just unroll the hood backwards from the windscreen and tuck it behind the seats then you can attach the hood in an instant without taking off all the luggage. JK composite seats are extremely comfy. A fat bloke trying to climb in and out with a half hood attached needs a removable steering wheel. Thank you everyone also for all the advice and really kind comments. It is really appreciated.

Wow, personally I think we need to stop meddling with this. I agree with John in the fact that over time (10 years) I have developed a car which fits a current class (F) and have invested a huge amount of time and money in the process. I'm not the quickest or the best by a long shot but it was my choice to develop in this way and still fit within a class of choice. You cannot surely now say that I cannot use X gearbox (5k) or have paddles (2k) or use traction ( I don't currently) My car becomes ineligible to compete in that class, what do I do with it now?? sell it for spares, what I spent last year would buy two Westfields, my choice. In my opinion target times were a brave move, and now I'd 90% agree the way forward, however if the goal posts are continually moved, that alone will put people off competing. We mustn't forget that as we compete and go quicker, we develop our cars and improve as drivers. My own SS history proves this perfectly, winning a championship in '09, taking a year or so out and came back struggling to come 3rd or 4th There may possibly be ways to improve our series, personally I don't think we're doing too much wrong...are we as a Club promoting the Championship enough, do people actually know what it is? Why do I compete, because I enjoy it, driving socialising, and banter. Most of my friends come from the SS, it's what drives me, it's in my blood, please stop faffing on with it...

Cleggy, an amazing difference and i can't wait for Blyton Martin, Yes mate new shocks and springs all round John, Procomp fit Protech shocks AFTER they revalve them and use a different oil Ive had it set up !!!! at two other places before and neither had done it right. ivan and matt were very thorough and really have changed the handling on the car, all i have to do is get the confidence back in it Seriously i wouldn't hesitate using them again And clark, bottom not quite so saggy Oh and it does not want to break my spine every time i go over a matchstick

Afternoon All. Thanks for the great comments and advice. Well we are all loaded up and also have a spare can of fuel in the car. We have also traveled out for the past hour or so and happy with how Buttercup travels with a load. We have said that we shall go in Buttercup and if the weather is so bad we dont enjoy it, then we will come back for the tintop [ subject to where we are and how long left on the holiday.] we have driven around Scotland a few times but so looking forward to this trip. Carol and my daughters try so hard every year to get me to go abroad but I say Scotland.