Preparing for Mondello

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Preparing for Mondello

I told you I would be back it was just too much fun. As those of you who have read previous articles know I took part in the June Classic day at Mondello in my Buckler. We got to do a practice Run and take part in the pre 1955 race what fun. I didnt apreciate on the day how easy it was to take part because we where supposedly doing parade laps so no license, scrutiny or full fire proof suites where required. So it was a bit of a shock on getting ready for Mondello to find I needed the following:

Current driving suite complete with fireproof underwear, gloves, boot's
Current helmet fire proof race variety
Fire extinguisher
Kill switch

All in not much change out of €1000 I went to Murray Motorsport they are very helpful and have a great website with everthing priced and viewable

Buckler on the home straight Classc Day in June

Competition License

With the Suite and gear organised it was time to get the competition license another mountain I wasnt looking forward to climbing. On researching what was required I knew I needed a race license National A or B. To get this you have to do a day in Mondello €275 + get a license pack from Motorsport Ireland.

I rang Motorsport Irl to get the pack and after ordering the pack had a brianwave and asked the very helpful receptionist if the fact I had a rally license back some time in the last century would be any help and negate doing the Mondello trianing day she looked up my license and surprise , surprise it was a National A race / rally one so all I had to do was renew it which was duly done at a cost of €111.

For those of you who are more organised if you get your application stamped by your local Motor club your license will be half the cost but you pay arond €20 for club membership still a good saving unfortunately I was getting too close to the day to risk waiting on stamps and post.

Armed with all the nessesary bits to compete it was all down now to getting the car ready and as she was on the button and had some recent outings I didnt expect this to involve too much work. I had fitted an electric pump with a restrictor to help with a misfire that could happen when you got a very hot engine and petrol from the mechanically pump, which is located in the very obvious position right under the exhaust manifold, the perfect safe place to put a petrol pump, which with evaporation causes a miss on full throttle usually as you where on the home straight having great fun competing with a similar minded lunatic.

So the list was made and Saturday was set aside to get the car ready, my thanks to Paul Mcnaughton the Numberplate man who was good enough to drive out and loan me a fire extinguisher for the event. He arrived in his beautiful red MG.

Any one looking for classic number plates check out www.autojumbler.ie there repayment for the loan of a fire extinguisher. We had a great chat and a lovely lunch then Paul headed off after giving me a spin in his MG and wetting my appetite for one he has for sale, you very bold man (another story). Back to work the fire extinguisher was mounted all grease nipples attended too, oil and water checked and the car polished.

I was ready but decided to give her a trial run and get some petrol so I would have nothing to do the next day except drive her to Mondello what confidence I had no trailor for this car. It was well use't to being driven to the event , competing and then driving home often long distances. Of course this was back in my Dads day I was taking on the long 20 mins drive to and from Mondello. What a driving God I felt.

Yougest daughter Sarah wanted to come for the spin so off we went the short spin to the petrol station, beautifull evening all was well car was running soomthly well smooth for a 1950 Buckler. There was a long straight just before the filling station and I opened her up to see how she was performing she felt a bit sluggish and then started to misfire and drop cylinders. Not good we coasted into the filling station and lifted the bonnet. There was some steam and on closer inspection I could see a small crack in the side of the Aquaplane head with beads of water oozing out. After some choice language which poor Sarah hopefully didnt understand we decided to call home for a tow and well it was one of those occasions when you thought you had your mobile but it was sitting on the kitchen table. So with some coaxing we got the engine to fire and drove home tail between the legs about sumed up my feeling.

The head was taken off and the bores checked all was okay the spare gasket was hanging on the wall and I had a spare engine in the corner with a head on it. So off with its head the day maybe not be lost yet.

Any want some scrap Aluminium?? Don the wizard mechanic was called as a torque wrench was going to be required and moral support is always welcome. Don arrived I did the M&M (Marriage Maintenance) bit and cooked a Barbeque after which we quietly sneaked off to lift the head. It Looked okay but on cleaning with a wire brush we discovered it was well pitted and needed to be planed. It was very tempting to take a chance but Don ever the rock of sense reckoned I would be mad as I could end up distroying the engine so feeling gutted we went back up to the house where more than one glass of wine, cider and a few other things where consumed in short succession.

The next day Mondello was on and Miriam (the wife) persuaded me to go I was a real cudmugeon about this feeling very miffed about not being there. How ever on getting there and watching a race or two and chatting with the guys I was starting to feel better. Thanks to Kieran White and Frank Nuttall fot their encouragement on the day. Frank is a wealth of knowledge on things Ford sidevalve and I picked his brains and decided that a set of twins SU'S manifold and exhaust would make a very nice Christmas present. The winter would be a good time to fit all this and tidy up the Dash and rebush the front suspension. Enthusiasum was once again restored. We will be back better, stronger more determined for next year.

The pre 1955 guys are trying to get a series going for next year so if you have a car and would like to come out to play they will help in any way they can to get you going and believe me it is the most fun you can have without hard drugs or alcohol.