Renton Racing

Renton's Blog

For the readers. they may be interested.BRU was the MGCC championship
winner in 1980 and second I believe in 1981. Driven by Neville Marriner
and prepared by Roy McCarthy. continuous racing in the UK [ 3 years at
Zolder ] untill exported to New Zealand in 1995.
Renton 5th nov

Ran the hillclimb on Sunday...frightened myself silly,wheelspin out of
nearly every corner,need LSD now.....not much pull below 4 thou,,,,but
didn't have time to eyeball the rev counter....very LOUD....will have
to learn how to handle it. Will be better next weekend on a circuit
that I've driven before once last season.
Tried to get the rev limiter running but not enough time to sort it.
Will try again this week. I need it...7000 comes up very quickly.
Renton 9th November

Hello Peter. I had a very good race meeting. Can't quite catch the V8
B's but was the fastest 4 cylinder B there. It was close, he is the
local B prep guy, and knows the track like the back of his hand. Runs a
fully spec'd engine....roller rockers ,split Webers...etc etc. What
surprised me,was that my B [BRU] is more or less standard in its
suspension, and the others are all triangulated and tramp rodded etc in
the rear. But it seems to handle just as well.
Next time [on the Dyno ] should I try a little more advance than the 28 degrees I'm running, ?? Don't want to do the head gasket in. And you mentioned you thought the [Lambda
?] ratios were a little weak at revs??
Must dash, Got some prep to do for this weekends racing...on the brand new track...about an hours drive away, so not too bad from a convenience point of view. I hope you didn't suffer in the flooding...looked awful.
Bye for now. Renton 24th November
PS what do you know about Limited Slip diff's ?? apart from being
yet another expense........

Good race day...apart from this moment...was holding off Porsche 911 [3
litre...160 bhp] and others....surprising a few people...some urgent
repairs and then dyno tuning...will try with and without air
filter....and then an electronic dizzy...
If you can set the ball rolling I'm sure I could add some comments on a
'blog'...unsure how to start though.
Will you have a white Xmas ?...we are getting very hot now...car
running at 100 C at the end of the 8 lap race...next thing is an alloy
radiator..
Renton 13th December 2009

16th January 2010

Hello Peter,First day of racing in the New Year. Very hot ,over 30 but
with rain threatening....no snow here.
One practice session and a 10 lap race. Two more races tomorrow. Very
eventfull race today....close battle on 1st lap with a V8 BGT,who then
pulled ahead .just . and then had total brake failure,into the kitty
litter and rolled completely. Driver is OK thank heavens but car very
sad. I did have a fright myself when another VERY fast V8 B roadster
wanted to test his brakes after a change from Silicon [hopeless] to DOT
5 fluid. He took me out on the road....2 reasonably quick bursts and
then whammo ..on went the brakes. I have never imagined brakes could be
that good. So another improvement looms. He wants to update even
more,so I could get his setup. BUT in my race today,after putting up my
best lap time yet the car was running about 100 degrees and started
missing. So new bits and bobs tomorrow and hope to cure it. Missing
between 6 and 7 thou. The repairs to last meetings little dingle were
not cheap,so money for the new 48 manifold,dyno tuning,alloy radiator ,
new rear tyres, etc etc will have to be sourced.
The car however was running very sweetly before the missing started.
Half a second lap time improvements are difficult, but todays 1 min
25.3 was encouraging.Cracking the 1.25 is the next target.
We have now a very full schedule. The next 2 weekends are the Bruce
McLaren festival. Lots of cars from overseas are here and my main rival
[no contest if I'm honest] in his MGB roadster will be running. It is a
very quick B, I'd love to see it on your Dyno. But I fear he will be
down around 1 .22 on this track. It will be interesting...I've not
raced with him before, he's been racing for years.
Will let you know more after tomorrow.I just hope a condensor and coil
change will improve things...what plugs would you suggest ??
Don't lose control in all that snow....and keep that Staffi warm, they
don't like to be cold. Cheers Renton

Hi Renton

Thanks for your email, things seem busy on the Race Track. I reckon you should try NGKBP8ES plugs gapped at 35 thou. If you get the car weight down, race tyres and get the carb sorted you might well crack the 1.22.

Take care and good luck for tomorrow.

Peter

PS Toby is nice and warm when he is in the unit, he lays down between two 3.5 kw heaters and gets stereo heating :)

Sunday 17th January 2010

Thank you for quick reply....I will change the plugs. The car is on
race tyres. and the weight is coming down by small amounts.

BUT today....oh what joy what joy.....It was a screamer,,,,1st race in
the morning.colder today, bad start, 10 th on grid [handicap race] but
it flew, got the tyres hot and brakes hot and gave it
heaps.....finished 3rd [my first podium] and managed a best lap of
1.24.750.
So of course next race I was put back to about 20th...there's no
justice. I managed a 9th placing. But improved the lap time to 1.24.315
... So immediate plans are to improve cooling by adding another smaller
radiator behind the apron and taking the water from the rear of the
head and feeding it back into the header tank by adding a small pipe to
the tank. I'd like the alloy option but at present funds are tight,so
we do what we can......
All for today...and what a day. Fanbloodytastic. Renton

January 25th 2010

Hello Peter.
For New Zealand, with only 4 Million inhabitants, that was a good
show. I believe about 130 imported race cars.
From all over the world, here to celebrate our own wonderfull, Bruce
McLaren. It was an excellent race meeting on our new track, some
teething problems perhaps but the facilities just keep getting better
every weekend.
Now the racing bit for BRU....really exciting, Practice session and
qualifying on the Friday and two races on Sat and two on Sunday.
I behaved myself reasonably and kept it largely on the track....funny
thing is it seems to be quicker than the cross country route.
The slightly feared other B did not last. It broke a roller rocker, but
will be up and running for the second three day part of this festival.
But I still had Mr Kern to deal with. He was in his 4 cylinder BGT this
weekend as his B V8 roadster was not eligible. His 1950 B is very
highly spec'd and he is a 'season'd' hard charger.He had distributor
problems earlier [transistor stuff] and changed to points,same as BRU
and had to miss the 1st race on Sat. My best lap was 1.24.694 and then
in the afternoon session I managed a 1. 24.059. And managed to beat the
rival Mr Kern . The weather was not as hot as the last weekend and the
car was now sporting its new small extra radiator,taking water from the
heater outlet and feeding it back into the header tank. The little
extra radiator [from a car heater] is not yet in an ideal position but
it sure has helped. Its running below or just on 90 Centigrade in race
conditions. Also helping is the new 4 inch flexible alloy hose from
the grill,through the rad support panel, [like the works cars] to the
Weber.I also of course followed your advice with the NGK plugs. It all
ran perfectly and the next day was really superb.
Mt Kern was catching me fast, I got terrible starts....too much
wheelspin, he and others roared past me so I had some serious passing
to do. My new engine with your head and cam did the trick and I just
got him and held him off. We both got under the 24 second 'barrier' in
fact he was quicker than me but I was ahead at the line by a bonnet
length. So he moved up the grid two places and with another bad start I
had even more work to do....Well I could wax on lyrically about
opposite locking through the uphill left hander with the front wheel 6
inches in the air with furious wheelspin in 2nd gear and changing into
3rd below 7 thou to try and tame the beast but to keep it short I
managed to get past and get ahead with two further even quicker laps
and beat him again. I ended up with a fastest lap of 1`.23 dead and Mr
Kern 1.23.488, so it's a close battle and we resume next week. It is a
different track. Pukekohe [I bet you can't pronounce that} with a very
long back straight, followed by a killer of a hairpin.I am afraid the
report next week will be different ,without OD,LSD and the 4 pot
calipers and ventilated discs I will be somewhat hampered.
However I will let you know and in the meantime I have two days to
relocate the extra radiator and I still wait for the 48 and Dyno time.
I will also lift the rear of the bonnet to allow some underbonnet air
to escape.
Bye for now....Renton.
PS more photos soon...my Brother has been on the job, he's not bad
with a camera , even though he drives a Morgan plus 8.

Well it was close...I knew it would be. Practice and qualifying
yesterday....OK except for the never before happening of the bonnet
coming undone at high speed....so I stopped and attended to it. Slight
readjust and checkover....but thank heavens for the "Works Style"
bonnet strap. Good English Leather saved the day.
So today and the first race....about 5 laps into it and again it
happened...so I stopped at a safe point..jumped out and reclosed the
damm thing , got back in and did up the harness [gee that takes a
while] and resumed the race...so got a finish,but a lap down.
Now for the second race and into it...not a bad start but Mr Kern got
the better of me. I repassed down the straight...outbraked or at least
held my own ,,,got snotted by a Lola and carried on. Mr Kern got past
but again I managed to do him on the last lap and beat him....fair and
square.. But I do feel sorry for him...his 12 year old Rottie had to be
put down at lunch time...so perhaps that was preying on his mind. But
7000 [on a 3.9 diff] down the long straight feels good,and tomorrow
will bring what tomorrow brings. As long as its not the DOWNPOUR that
happened just after our race I will be happy. More news tomorrow. Renton

Hello Peter, I['m so tired I can hardly think. This racing lark...3 day
weekends especially... with some work in between has me feeling wrung
out.
However Sunday was good in parts...the first race went well. What a
battle with our jousting partner..Mr Kern. We are both having trouble
with a certain Lola Climax. Very pretty little car and fast in parts of
the circuit but in the end is slower on lap times. Mt Kern with the
skill of threading a needle passed us both,I repassed him down the long
straight ,but on the last lap he snuck inside at the hairpin,but 7200
[about] in second gear with the inside line for the next corner saw me
pull ahead. He is very fast over the hill [brave man] but BRU held him
of by .2 of a second...a bonnet length. Wow what a race.
Afternoon...lined up again...and the DOWNPOUR
happened....madness...couldn't see a thing, could only just lean
forward enough to wipe off some of a little patch of mist. The car was
all over the place ...going straight ahead..at the esses and then by
trying just a little too hard to pass the wretched [but beautiful]
LOLA on the inside I managed a lovely 360....so Mr Kern had it all his
own way...I wasn't bothered...6 wins to me over the two weekends and 2
to him [bloody bonnet catch] was a good result.
My 'grinder man' has been on a holiday...gee it's been hot. So he has
only the intake manifold flanges to thickness to match the exhaust
flanges and the 48 will go on, with a little more clearance I hope
between the exhaust and it.
The Murray racing team travel to Lake Taupo this weekend for further
racing in the AES series, but sadly Mr Kern will be in his V8
roadster. He has fixed his gearbox and he will be back in his
preferred mount, but he thoroughly enjoyed our little contest. I most
certainly have. The other V8 [GT] has been repaired after it's complete
roll over 3 weeks ago and is in my class, He was about 1 to 2 seconds
quicker than me at most circuits but I noticed last weekend he was
slower. He was in a different class but this weekend we are back
against each other. So Mr Kern will become Mr Roy and I have a V8 to
outmanouvre.
The weather looks to be more settled,the only snag is where to stay...I
feel too sore to contemplate camping.
Car repairs are minimal.last race puncture to repair and an oil change
I think would be good to do.
Bye for now Renton

10th February 2010

Well Peter...Wednesday morning...I've recovered a bit. Two long days
work after the racing weekend and a bit of a sleep in...unusual for me.
The weekend went extremely well, Practice on Sat morning...OK and then
a race in the afternoon. Very hot conditions at Lake Taupo...35 deg
Cent driving the tow car between those two events...went down to the
Lake for a cooling swim. The car was misfiring after about 4 of the 8
laps....and had to drop of a few hard won places. We later concluded
its fuel vaporisation....The present 45 Weber manifold is very close to
the exhaust centre pipe.
So on Sunday morning we removed the grille completely. and also lowered
the bonnet back down at the rear. I had been trying a gap there to let
hot air out, I ran tell tales [like yacht racing] and they showed
negative lift. I was by the way being cautious and was cable tying the
bonnet after each check over.
The first race of the morning put me about 8th on the grid, behind the
Porsche 944... I do like a close race with someone I can enjoy the duel
with, but I tend to look at racing like a game of golf. Lap times are
my aim....just keep improving the times....striving for the birdies if
you like.
Last year on this track my cracking best time was a 1 min 58.197. I
was so pleased to first crack the 2 min and then to whittle down to
that 1 58.197 was great.
The Sat race gave me a 1.57.811 time and an 11th placing....better but
not wonderfull.
Now back again to Sunday, grille out and very determined to do better.
I tried hard but couldn't get the Porsche ,but I did get past quite a
few and finished 3rd with a best lap of 1 57.057. The winner was an
Escort RS 2000..bored and stroked to 2.2. Incidentally his engine was
also built by Glendene Engine Recond.
His lap time was 1 53.387 to give you an idea. My car by the way
didn't get 'fluffy' and was running about 90 throughout the race. We
changed your plug gap down to 25 thou to help restarting [it certainly
helped] So the grille out was helping in the heat but spoiled it's
lovely appearance. The Porsche by the way did a 1 56.650 and was
then moved behind me in the next race.
I got a good start [almost too good ] and chased the others down like
crazy...I was determined to get a better lap time in the early part of
the race and if the old girl got hot and bothered later...I would be
happy with a good time. Well I passed the opposition and was out the
front getting lonely, keeping a steely eye on the Porsche which didn't
seem to be closing the considerable gap. So to protect myself I eased
of, bad mistake.. The little Escort which I didn't reconise was the
winner from the last race and was suddenly closing fast after it got
past the Porsche...so back to flat out again..I held him of at the last
chicane after the almost too long back straight and went for the
line 7 or more in 3rd, grabbed top almost on the line and won by a
bonnet length.. point 0.241 to be precise.
A win AND a best lap of 1.56.424...Happy ..you bet I am.
I think I only have two more meetings in front now....It's been a
hectic few weeks, I have house chores to manage before Winter arrives.
Reality bites.