May have got the hill climb bug

[Two7]

Sorry if there are answers everywhere, but my searching is not getting anywhere, so here goes.

 

Did the Gurston Hill Climb training day yesterday and loved it.   I went in my standard 2l zetec road car that I built between 2018 and 2020.  I had a chat with the folks there and I am OK with most of the mods required to run it in the "normal road car" group except for the roll over bar.  I bought the kit with a Safety Devices MSA roll bar and after much swearing and cutting of bodywork got it installed for the IVA in 2020.   Is this Roll Bar still OK for Hill Climbs in a road car or do I need to replace it.  I don't have any certificate to the best of my knowledge and clearly nobody at westfield is available to offer advice.  Pictures of the bar being installed if that helps

 

 

[Richard (OldStager)]

I don't have an answer to your question

but

 

A word of WARNING

Hillclimbing seriously damages your wallet 😄, as you will want to go quicker next visit, so it's new tyres here, dampers there, then it's lighten the car time.... it goes on

 

Darn good fun though 👍

[Terry Everall]

Your car looks like it will be OK in road going class. 

[Terry Everall]

Give sprints a try too as you get longer track time and often higher speeds with less scenery to hit

[Terry Everall]

Have a read of the Beginners guide which might help. 

[Ricky444]

Cairncastle hill climb in Northern Ireland is simply the best and run by a super club, come over next year and do it,alot of lads come across year after year and make a good weekend of it 

[Paul Harveyboy]

I started sprinting / Hillclimbing a few years ago after a long lay off from rallying. 

YES! It does hurt the wallet especially if your a competitive person and your chasing class wins and pb's etc.

The great thing is the friends you gain, like minded people you meet that you get to know once you do a round or 2 of a championship and before you know it your one of the lads and its great. 

Just go out there and enjoy it. If ur any good you will beat your fellow competition with bigger power and better set up cars,  as alot of ****e drivers think that to go fast they need to spend big money. 

Do your home work, gain experience, improve your driving skills but enjoy.. simple.

[Two7]

thanks for the advice.  Gurston Down showed me it wasn't about raw speed and acceleration, it was all about conserving momentum and good lines.  I am not planning to beef up the road going westy performance, want to see if I can do it old school, i.e. drive there in the car do the sprint or hill climb, don't come last and then hopefully drive home.  Thats the plan anyway.

[Two7]

Been reading the various sources of information got a few more questions if anybody is able to clarify.

 

1.  I have a bog standard zetec 2l na engine, ford sierra 5 speed synchro gearbox, mazda rear diff, road wheels with standard capped wheel nuts ( you can't see the thread) and normal road tyres in List 1A.   What class would I be in  ?  Do I need to change the wheel nuts ? 

2. I have the standard Westfield / Safety Devices MSA 1/2 roll cage from early 2018.   The good folks at Safety Devices have now sent me a signed specification sheet and the following text.  We have consulted with the MSA directly, and in the Modified Specialist class of Hillclimb/Sprinting, standard Section K rules apply.  Given the layout of the vehicle it would be considered a Sports Car (1.6.2) and therefore only requires a rear cage, as you have installed already. I appear to fit the car and bar as per diagrams and it is well over minimum height from seat .   Do I need any formal FIA / MSA paperwork as well, or do I just show them the spec sheet and show them the above text ?

3.  I have a tow loop secured at the front, Can I get away with yellow tape in the middle of the top roll bar for rear tow point or do I need to fit a rear tow point as well ?  

 

Thanks for any feedback 

[Howard]

Hi,

in terms of your event entry forms you would be in class 2B.  For the Speed Series you would be in W2 as we have combined a number of classes.

For your roll cage I would expect your spec sheet would be acceptable for the class you would be in.  It's only when you get into Mod Prod that you start to need a full cage and an MSA log book.

Yellow tape on the top roll bar would be fine.  That's what most of us do.  I never had a loop/strap at the front or back even when I had just the roll bar.  I've had a full cage for a few years now and just have yellow tape on the top bar front and back.  Have it in the corner rather than centre as it's stronger there.

 

Edit to add:  some scrutineers do like to see open wheel nuts where you can see the amount of thread on the stud protruding - two or three threads is normally sufficient.  With the enclosed type nuts you can't see the amount of engagement.  

 

You'll find that scrutineers can be quite variable in what they pick up on.  They don't have long to check your car and they each have their own things they focus on.  It's highly unlikely you wouldn't be allowed to run though, it's usually a case of 'best sort that out before the next event'