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Some of us met at our office in Didsbury and took the Tram into town- It was getting warm at 7:15am! Here's us ready to run. The start line is shown in red! It took circa 5 mins to cross the start from the gun going, off though my time is based on chip time. It was a busy and hot run- Though I'm happy with my time, position was for a field of circa 8000, runners for the 1/2. I did 1H 37M in 2019 and finished 358th then. I'll take this position for my age and gender- Here's me just before the finish waiting to cheer the others over the line Here's me with some of my colleagues from the 1/2. sir Mo, only ran 1/2 the distance we did ! Clearly proof that vegan sausages aren't good for you 😉 Taking in vital replenishment fluids once home We're close to £7K, further donations still gratefully received.

The Ford GT40 is one of my favourite cars. As a young lad I was drawn in by its low, wedge-like shape and growling engine - almost like a spaceship - purposeful and just 'right'. In 2016 I was fortunate enough to be at the Le Mans 24 hour for the year that Ford returned to Circuit de la Sarthe (exactly 50 years after the famous '66 win for Shelby and co) where their new Ford GT managed to take the GTE victory in perfect Hollywood style. As fun as that was (and Le Mans is a whole lot of fun, if you haven't made the pilgrimage you definitely should), my best 'Ford experience' of that weekend was an anniversary race involving classic GT40s battling it out on the Friday night in support race of the main event. I watched that particular race - beers in hand - from the banked spectator viewing area at Arnage as day turned to night, and I'll never forget the sight, sound and feeling of 8 classic GT40s hammering into view from Indianapolis, headlights blazing, and braking hard before getting back on the power to take them off into the Porsche Curves beyond. Petrolhead heaven. That was about as close as I thought I'd ever get to a GT40 going fast on track except that, in a moment of genius, my amazing wife found a track experience to drive one as a birthday present this year. Well, sort of. It's actually a replica - a KVA kit I believe - but powered by an authentic and hefty 485 bhp Ford 427 V8. I booked it for this Sunday gone at Three Sisters near Wigan (hosts to our very own Speed Series elsewhere in their calendar) and was very lucky to get absolutely stunning weather for it. Full disclosure, this is an "experience" day not a track day, and they make that pretty clear at all times with various warnings about over driving the car. I also only had 4 laps in it, but that was genuinely enough to get a feel for what is a proper beast of a car. I got the full classic race car experience too. Once slotted into the low fixed bucket seats, the thing wouldn't start so I had to get out while the mechanic had a look and diagnosed a dodgy battery. However this gave me the unexpected chance to see the engine cover open and get my head in for a good nosey around. Deciding to jump it and save the battery replacement until after my run, we fired it up and headed out onto the track. As mentioned, as an "experience" day the instructors take an understandable level of caution. Many people there are inexperienced in driving fast cars (or on track), and the small tight circuit was also pretty crowded at times - they had about 40 different motors there from a McLaren 720S to Lotus Cortina via various Lambos, Fast and Furious clones and even a lovely little Peugeot 205 GTI. However, having done a sighting lap in a BMW 320 already, I was able to give the instructor a bit of confidence on the opening lap that it wasn't my first rodeo, and after applying some nice firm braking on the unassisted pedal I was encouraged to push on a little more than his previous occupants. The car is a total beast in such a good raw way. It's hot and sweaty, on a scorching day like that it was very hot and sweaty. The seating position is low (especially for someone of my height efficient build) and a fixed bucket to the point that most of my forward visibility was actually through the wheels spokes. The steering itself is heavy, especially when manoeuvring the pit lane and slower corners, but it opens up under more power with great feel and feedback. The brakes are equally firm, and in fact were the main thing the instructors worry about, with most customers apparently applying what we called "Qashqai" levels of pressure to the pedal which is almost exactly the same as not braking at all. Then we get to the engine... oh the engine. It sounds every bit as incredible as you would expect and just pulls and pulls, especially when opening it up onto the back straight (and powering past the aforementioned 720S 😉). By the third lap I was testing the limits (of the instructor) a bit with a little harder/later braking, and a dab of deliberate on-power oversteer to get a feel for what was there (the answer to that question is a lot!), and hear those tyres battling the inevitable balance of slip and grip. You could run out of talent fast in it, that is for sure, but it never felt edgy, and with some patience and diligence I think you could have a whole lot of fun in it as well once you knew how to use it properly. All too soon - having overtaken about 8 other customers in the process, and only waving by the 800 bhp Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat because I was slowing to come into the pits - it was time to bring it home, before jumping out for a final look and departing back to the paddock. While the track time didn't equate to anything near what I would have ideally liked (or have done on other occasions) it will still go down in memory as a fantastic thing to do. Short but very very sweet, and a proper bucket list item that I never thought I'd do ticked off. Retro style, trying to channel ‘66…

Day one.

Ok, strictly not commuted to work yet, but I had to fill up for petrol before I can anyway, so agreed to collect my daughter from school and took an artsy picture whilst waiting for her

Q-jr has upgraded his race-rig, so of course he needed his dad to help him build it and fabricate a seat base, monitor mount and what-not...

Great morning, and yes i may have moved to the Dark side but ill always be a member here ☺️

A stunning day for a car meet! Tony came along in the yellow Zetec and Steve brought along his new MK (yes, he's gone to the dark side! 😂). The MK is the factory demonstrator you will probably have seen on YouTube and is a well built car, all ready for a snail to be fitted too 😍 Some gorgeous cars had come out to play in the sunshine, including a lovely Sebring parked amongst the classics. The Mini next to it is actually an Italian built Innocenti! Lovely 4.2 E-type Badged as a Morgan but I think it's a kit? A bit of class 😍 Ford big block engined Corsair Stunning Karmann Ghia

I was hoping to make more progress on the build today but on a run up to Cambridge to drop off my trailer with its new owner the tow car decided to leave me stranded at the side of the road. A ride home in the tow truck of shame meant I only had time in the end for a few hours this afternoon. I couldn’t resist pressing the bushes into the front wishbones, and then attaching the shocks, which are (very)cheep Chinese motorcycle shocks. The spring rates are harder than I’d want but hopefully they’ll do the job. in the spirit of over engineering everything I made the seat pad. A quick rummage in the fabric scraps box and I found some suitable vinyl for the cover. Nothing like a bit of luxury. The straps are to secure it in the chassis so it doesn’t fly out on the first jump.

Blue skies, sunshine, good mates and lots of cars, that more could you want on a Sunday morning?! We had a few of the local NWKCOG guys join us plus our very own Chairman had made the trip, great to see you @Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman We had a lovely mix of cars, Locost, Robin Hood, MK, Tiger, 288gto repica joining the Westfields. The car park was full of interesting cars such as Lotus Elise, Exige, 911 Turbo, Triumph GT6, Lotus Elan Sprint, Escort RS Turbo, RS1600i, 106 Rallye, Aston Martin, BMW i8, M5, Riley Elf etc etc On track, we had everything from hatches and MX5's through classic Minis, Anglia 105E, 911 Targa to full on sprint cars like Jedi, Caterham, Westfields, Mallock, Radicals, F3 cars etc. Some great runs in perfect conditions too. Stunning, 500bhp Mistral Hyabusa Turbo 😍 Great to see you all, hope you all got home safely 👍

Hi guys. New to this so this is my first post. Enjoying my, new to me, pinto engine westie. Here at the top of Hobbit Hill looking over towards longridge. Some great roads around the Ribble Valley

Have a great day @NickBW 🍺

Hello, After a couple of years of trouble-free motoring, I realised I missed having an automotive problem child so I've bought myself a 1999 (ish) SEW with a 1.8 zetec engine and a few gremlins. It's a bit tatty and worn in places but I'm smitten, even with the electrical issues that are giving me a headache. Best toy I've ever bought and a good reason to get out more. Katy

Hi Marcus, Someone is coming this evening to buy them so probably not I'm afraid. I'll update the post afterwards. Greg

Same as Kingster but with less bodywork.. Making progress, wiring now done, backend nearly done and then engine and gearbox in!

We should have a big presence there, make sure you come over and say hello.

Getting there!

Yeovil, our daughter lives on Wapping Wharf behind the M Shed

Vivienne took to the sky this morning, courtesy of @Bellyboy. Spontaneous unplanned disassembly of the exhaust was narrowly avoided after discovery of a fatigued mounting bracket and fabrication of a replacement! Thanks Bud!

Day 1 of Y Ddraig Goch 2023, Ffestiniog station stop.

Installed a defibrillator for the local Scout group a little while ago where my daughters go. They were lucky to be gifted it so the very least I could do was to make a decent post and mounting plate, get it powder coated and sunk in the ground. Once installed I enrolled myself on the defibrillator course and hopefully I'll never need to use it! There was mention of a concrete pad for a bicycle parking area and as they know I have a cement mixer.....You know whats coming next!

Not quite on topic, however, I'd just like to say a big thank you to Terry for all he has done, a stalwart and long time supporter of the Speed Series, enjoy your "retirement", you deserve it 👍

Greetings from sunny Manchester.

Eleven at Stoneleigh 'stickered up' for this year's Le Mans Classic Seven parked on the Michelin Chicane, Mulsanne Straight, Le Mans