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I crossed over to a mass market sports car and got myself a '59 Boxster 987.2 S with PDK (totally and utterly @Grizzlee fault BTW, I have no imagination and just buy what ever he's got) Negatives are - it's too quiet (sports exhaust will be coming) and nobody gives you a second look Positives are - its utterly reliable, very civilized and very, very easy to drive. And whilst the flat 6 is not as characterful as the Mighty Xflow, it revs like a demon, wails like a trapped wolverine and has quite a bit of shove This is the first car I've ever owned that was built as a sports car from the ground up (opposed to tarted up fast saloons or hot hatches) and you can tell its been built with a purpose. Fabulous handling and on unfashionable 17" wheels with tall 50 profile tyres, its almost comfortable. And at the motorway speed limit you can have the roof down and still breath and talk to the passenger. And after randomly poking at buttons, I discovered it has something called "a heater" PDK is voodoo and mine is first gen, lord knows what the latest versions will be like. Sorry to have deserted the cult of Westie, but I needed an easy but fast roofless drive - think this ticks the boxes. Anybody interested in Mr Grumpy, drop me an IM

When I do shuffle my mortal coil, I'm going to be cremated and have my ashes scattered in a secret location. If I had a headstone, one of you sods would find it and carve "He drove a diesel until the end" into it...

Andrew and I should be there.

Will be along

Just got the thumbs up from SWMBO

Glad you're enjoying it John. One day they make make a diesel one

Oh, thank god for that. I thought from the title you were sitting next to god , beyond Purley Gates

Hopefully, can't commit to anything at the moment as currently buying a house. Once I know completion date I will be able to confirm if I'm joining you all.

Here are a few things that I have learnt whilst on my travels. Its surprising how we all do different things but I have always learnt something different from other people. Please feel free to add to the list. A half hood, half doors and clear wind deflectors will get you through any amount of rain. Half doors are brilliant for touring. You can see so much as the surround on a full door is usually at eye level. Rok straps are brilliant for securing luggage. Buy the ones without the hook on them and then your car doesn't get scratched. Take plenty of microfibre cloths You can always wash them in a hotel sink but they will clean your car and dry up any water / rain. Autobrite Direct, Berry Blast is great for cleaning your car on a morning before you head out for the day. I keep a small bottle behind my drivers seat. A buff is brilliant protecting your face from the cold and in heavy rain. It also stops your neck getting sore if you have a coat with a zip that goes under your chin and irritates your neck. Not everything is about going at a million miles an hour. Relax, enjoy the views and make time to stop. It can be boring for a passenger who just gets to sit. Try to avoid “boring” routes. Plan that it will rain and prepare accordingly. If it rains, find a way to have fun and turn it into an adventure. This is what memories are made of and there is no need to let the weather spoil anything. Take two pairs of driving glasses. Sun glasses for during the day and a clear pair for on a night. You will wear less clothes that you think. You can wear the same pair of trousers for ten days and not stink. A lot of hotels will wash your clothes for you. Its usually about £5.00 per load. You can get everything washed half way round your trip if required. Take an umbrella. It is handy as a quick fix in a short shower. Remember to take sun block and a hat for your head. It is surprising how burnt you can get in a Westfield when driving every day. Make sure you have breakdown insurance that will get you and your car home. A GoPro battery eliminator is brilliant. You can keep your camera turned on permanently and not have to worry about batteries. I have a wireless remote clipped to the dash that operates the camera. Take tools, fuses and a throttle cable. An insulated food bag makes a great armrest if placed between the seats behind the hand brake. It can make a big difference if driving all day as your arm is supported. Plus you can keep all your odds and sods in it. Take a camera and a pocket size pair of binoculars. A she-wee is brilliant for a woman. Dont get to worried about petrol garages. There are more than you think. It can be expensive if stopping for coffee breaks every hour, especially if you are in a group. Budget or plan accordingly. A map book is great to take as well as a SatNav. If you get lost you can see more detail and area in the map book than you can on the SatNav. Keep all your clothes in dry bags. Lomo bags are really good and not expensive. Avon “Skin so Soft” is a brilliant midge repellant. Be aware that if you are in a group, some cars may be lower than yours so be wary of rougher roads. Take a credit card. Keep a small bag of change for parking etc. Don't take jeans or clothes that take too long to dry out or are really bulky. Clothes from somewhere like Mountain Warehouse are really good as they fold small, dry quick and are light and warm.

So... how many of those do I have to do?

I will be there celebrating and supporting and have delayed a driving holiday to Europe by two days because of this. I know I have probably spectated at more speed series events than I have entered but I don't think I am speaking as a lone voice when I say that a huge part of the success of the series is the comradery in the paddock and life long friendships that are formed. The series has been a huge success also in bringing people into the sport. If you just look at British Hill Climbing, the 2017 champion started in a westfield (you can read about it in the latest edition of Sprint magazine) and at least 6 of the top runners have competed in Westfields in the past. It really is something that the club should be very proud of and hopefully, even with a decline in sales of new cars and barriers for new entrants put up by the MSA, can continue to build on for the future. The evening event will be amazing if most of the main names from the past and present are there. Lets give a free ticket to every past champion and get them all there !! Get some amazing cars from the past like the flymo there.. I discussed it a bit with Graham at a club event last weekend and see the potential to leverage the event in lots of ways. I really see an opportunity for the days activity to be a huge club social event in it's own right too with camping available as well. Everyone that comes to Stoneleigh and Blyton says afterwards that they wish the club could have more such events. Well here is another great opportunity to have a gathering at the oldest and probably most iconic hill climb venue in the country and on what is almost the longest summers day of the year. Let's get the factory and other sponsors involved. Walk the hill and hold a mini sprint school for those interested to learn about the sport. Set up corner scales and allow people to weigh and test their cars. I am sure someone can talk about car set up etc All to often recently posts linked to the speed series seem to focus on negatives about target times or classes or regs or missing events etc. Well here I see a great opportunity for all those that care about the series, want to celebrate it's success and see it prosper in the future to make it happen.

Hi Folks Here is my 2 penneth on this matter (for what it is worth), obviously I cannot comment on the issues for the British Sprint guy's but as far as the Speed Series calendar is concerned I am deeply disappointed that this clash has been allowed to happen! I have always found when attending their events that the B19 are very helpful, friendly and reasonable. I am very surprised that assuming they were made aware of the clash of dates with such a special one off event that they would require/insist we stay with the Snetterton event. We are also supporting B19 at 2 Hethel events and we were also invited to their Lyddon event again this year which was declined (but that's another story)! With 30 + events on the 2018 SS Calendar I find it hard to accept that we needed to include the revised Snetterton date considering this is a landmark year for the SS. In addition those of us who have had any dealings with the venue owners will know that it will be MSV who decide who get's what and when at their venues around the country in 2019 and not whether the Westfield SS was present at Snetterton in 2018. It will decided upon pure business criteria! It is also disappointing that a long standing member of the SSOT is not able to support the 21st Anniversary Event in one form or another, but "hey ho" that's life as they say! I just appeal to all of you who have shown genuine interest in the 21st Anniversary Event to continue to support the event and not let this un-necessary side show deflect us from making the 23rd June a day we can all remember for many years to come! Many thanks Graham (Glutey)

Got a hot water bottle ready for me plums

A few things I've found useful: A Camelbak Unbottle. Attached behind the seat, it stays out of the way, yet keeps water readily accessible while driving. Note: I have MOG seats, which do free up more space than the standard, padded seats. Travel Space Saver Bags. Pack your clothes in these (keeping 1 or 2 set aside for dirty laundry) and you can fit a lot more clothes in limited space. I also keep a very lightweight duffel in the boot and transfer all the bags into that before heading into the hotel. A locking car cover in a stuff sack. Keeps late night guests out of the car, and with the stuff sack, it's surprisingly small, fitting in front of the seat under your knees. A small car duster. Makes it easy to wipe the dust and dirt off the car each night. If you remove the handle, it takes up very little space. Pack creatively and think like a backpacker. The cars are small, but there are a lot of normally unused places where you can stow small items; behind the seats, under the scuttle, under the bonnet (tool roll goes here for me). Also, backpacker's stuff sacks, dry bags, and other items designed to maximize storage space or protect electronics from the weather make life easier. Zip ties, duct tape, and self vulcanizing rubber tape. You can perform a temporary fix on a lot of broken items between these three. -John

A good pair of shoes that are both good for all the hours of driving and comfy for walking in as well. Saves space. It's not a fashion parade. If doing B&B fill yourself up on brekkie, it will last you till dinner and saves a small fortune. Dont be shy about wee stops or embarrassed about where you take them! Take a thermos flask, every where we have stopped is more than happy to make one and you've got your brew for the day. Pack half the clothes you think you need. Even getting a soaking can be fun, don't let your head drop. Smile and wave at all the people who love our cars. Take a charity box, so many people want to take pics of them. That's fine but a little donation here please Sir/Madame. Stick together when it goes wrong, well proven on last outing in Scotland, All for one and one for all and all that stuff. Keep your doors and hoods of as long as possible, the views are so much better. Put water proof jackets and trousers on first thing if rains expected that day. You don't have to stop and muck around, just drive through it. Rainex your windscreen inside and out! Emergency fuel filler cap. Most of all enjoy the Westy way of viewing such beautiful parts of our world.

Always keep an umbrella in the car, in case of sitting in traffic, you can protect from the sun quickly and fold quickly.

If driving in very hot sunny conditions, take lots of water and keep covered on the seat next to you in easy reach. If necessary keep pouring bigger screw ladder bottles into smaller bottles that can be opened with one hand. You can do this at the fuel stops. With temperatures in the the thirties last week, and high over head sun through much of the day, we found we were easily getting through around four liters of water each, in the car, at times! Oh and keep wet wipes and suntan cream just as handy. Again, on the extreme days, I was finding on my forearms and face, the lotion seemed to be "burning off" in forty minutes or so and needed toping off.