NCCA Challenge of Clubs 2010

[Mat Francis]

Funny you should mention that Giulietta Sheldon. Lucky dad shared my views, I almost got kicked out of home for suggesting i do exactly the same thing 

[redalfaracing]

Here is the entry lists for both Trial and Autocross.

I should think any transaxle Alfa would make a superb gravel rally car. Add a half decent cage and some decent shockers and you have a great club rally car. The trouble is you keep adding more good stuff and all of a sudden it isn't so cheap anymore. But, You can't take it with you.

Sheldon and Evan, Get a car and have a go, only other introductory trial this year is on 24th July in the Black Range. Full rally calendar attached

[redalfaracing]

Sorry i was wrong, there actually is another intro trial on september 18th, the Camcrusher out of Toolangi.

[Mat Francis]

One step closer. Technically i failed scrutineering because the rear of the exhaust had worked itself loose. Given the solution is a $2.50 exhaust clamp and about 10 minutes work, i'm going to call it an overall success.

Apparently I'm also supposed to have bumpers fitted? Nothing was mentioned about the front, but i assume if they wanted a back one then a front one is necessary too? Said they would let it go this time but i would need to sort that out if i was going to go again.

[redalfaracing]

Mat, Yes if you are running PRC then bumpers are required. But, i would have thought you were running ORV which means, than as long as it is roadworthy, then you can run it. Are bumpers a roadworthy item? I wouldn't have thought so, as long as you have your full complement of lights, parkers etc.

Maybe someone with roadworthy knowledge could enlighten us?

I am good to go. GTV6 passed regional scruitiny today, with no issues.

Been a couple of late entries. Watch this guy Andrew Bell in the v8 comode-a-door. He is quick. And it's run in his backyard. Either he will win outright by minutes, or his car, on it's maiden voyage will expire. Either way, be exciting to watch at the speccy point(s)

[Mat Francis]

Correct Greg, i am running ORV. I had a pretty good look into it before i removed the bumpers, and couldn't find anything stating that they are required. IF they are fitted, then there are a few things that apply to them, but no where did it say they MUST be fitted. And yes, i relocated all necessary lighting onto the body of the car. So i don't see why there should be an issue.

They said at scrutineering there had been a couple more entries. My plan is to just get out of their way as they go flying past me   

[dehne]

dont be a chicken just thrash the shlt out of it and if things go wrong just take ur bros car

[Mat Francis]

...or beat Sheldon to aforementioned Giulietta.

I like the way you think Dehne.

[dehne]

no dont go the giulie ive got a sheldon beating 90 for you and its white so it will match ur stables

[redalfaracing]

They said at scrutineering there had been a couple more entries. My plan is to just get out of their way as they go flying past me   

Mat, you will find that only 1 of those 3 will be behind you. Duncan Elliot and Zarny Tran in the '74 Corolla.
The other 2 will be up the field a bit.

You can beat a '74 Corolla can't you? WELL CANT' YOU!!! Just nod and say yes. If they beat you i'll tell every one i saw you driving with your skirt hanging out the door.


The GTV6 is 100% ready.  some pics.

[redalfaracing]

Well the event was run and won. Nearly didn't though, the rain and hail some hours before almost caused a total abandoment of the trial, as it had of the motorkhana earlier that day at Ballarat. Then we were told that some stages were to be pulled, but by the time we all got to plot , the event was 100% back on. ( later that night stage 7 was pulled because of deteriating road conditions. Great event, the weather made it. torrential rain in some stages, then fog, then rain and fog. Real test of fortitude.

The GTV6 ran faultlessly through the night, Can't say the same of the Alfetta. Mat may wish to elaborate on that. All i can say is i heard the cry ( several times) " #%@##%$ Italian electrics "

I was amazed at the sure footedness of the GTV6 on the sloppy roads. The 2L Alfetta used to be brilliant, but i was expecting the extra weight of the V6 at the front to cause a few understeer issues. Only once in the 80 odd k's competitive did i lose the front. And i forgive it for that, it was a huge puddle just on a blind exit from a left hander. I thought i had that corner licked and was burying the right foot in 2nd when we hit it. Needless to say it stopped turning and started ploughing. Just had to lift and settle it, no real drama. We had one road that was 2.65 k's long, DEAD STRAIGHT!!! The advice i was given was " back off on the 7th crest". So, here we are, pouring rain, fairly up there in 5th, i say to Stu, you keeping count of these crests? Errrr i think that was 4 or 5. still a fair way to go, keep the boot in. So i did. 1 crest later we sail over to see the corner we wanted. Threw it sideways, and Stu and i watched the road we wanted sail past the front window. Then we both turned to look out the passenger window to see a ditch and a bank rapidly approaching. I know what Stu was thinking. I was thinking the same thing. But we were both wrong. the car stopped with 2 metres to spare. Fired up the engine and blasted off.
Spent most of the night pulling 1 gear higher than normal, 6000 rpm would have just created massive rooster tails and not much forward motion.

This car will be a real weapon when it's finished. Love it to death.

Very unofficial results.

TRIAL A

O/R Crew Car POINTS
1 Andrew Bell/Ari Paterson Holden Commodore 4:56
2 Simon Ellis/Ian Ellis Subaru Legacy RS 7:35
3 Keith Cuttle/Sandra Cuttle Holden Commodore VC 11:52
4 Michael Bansagi/Peter Agrotis Datsun 1200 14:45
4 Greg Wyatt/Stuart Diggins Alfa Romeo Alfetta 14:45
6 Mark Roberts/Phillip Wilson Datsun 200B SSS 15:29
7 Ben McKee/Damian Faulkner Ford Escort Mk2 15:36
8 Daniel Fynch/Gerard Blum Mazda 323 GTX 15:56
9 Zac Edwards/Tim McGill Peugeot 505 16:29
10 Sean Hudgson/Grant Heywood Datsun 1600 16:34
11 Peter Morrison/Susan Wasson Hyundai Excel 19:29
12 Adrian Johns/David Johns Mitsubishi Galant 20:27
13 Paul Williams/Jeremy Egan Toyota Levin TE27 21:23
14 Daniel Rossi/Simon Rowland Chrysler Lancer 21:24
15 Daniel Kierce/Kate Meyer Datsun 1600 21:41
16 David Lawrance/Darren Davison Datsun 1600 22:57
17 Stephen Richards/Michael Kay Ford Escort Mk2 23:10
18 Dale Allan/Joann Roper Datsun 240K 25:18
19 Matt Barr/Mark Burnett Hyundai Excel 26:25
20 Lachlan Smith/Simon Ilsley Ford Escort 27:43
21 Peter Parry/Ian Crook Hyundai Excel 31:13
22 Rod Greenwood/Paul Mahony Toyota Sprinter 43:42
2 Major Controls Missed
23 Andrew Daniell/Kain Manning Datsun 1600 22:42
3 Major Controls Missed
24 Cary Seabrook/Tyler Seabrook Datsun Stanza 14:54
Did not finish the event
Steve Porter/Kimberley Woods Mazda RX7 DNF(C8) No
reason given
John Patterson/Rachel Patterson Datsun 180B DNF(C5) No
reason given
Angela Bloomfield/Adam Bloomfield Holden Commodore
V8 DNF(T4) Windscreen wipers
Graeme Hurle/Elizabeth Kidgell Ford Escort DNF(C3) No
reason given
Richard Gay/Correne Seabrook Mitsubishi
Sigma DNF(C3) Oil filter seal
Wayne Webb/Ashli Webb Datsun 1600 DNF(C3) Rolled

TRIAL B
O/R Crew Car POINTS
1 Chas Mammi/Michael Mammi Datsun Sunny 17
2 Jade Lawson/Kevin Johnston Subaru WRX 18
3 Duncan Elliot/Zarny Tran Toyota Corolla 22
4 Andrew Wallis/Tim Sanders Toyota T18 25
5 Ian Fulton/Peter Fulton Holden Kingswood HQ 27
6 Stuart Stevenson/Daniel Stevenson Subaru Leone 30
7 Robin Birchall/Kylie Thorpe Datsun 1600 31
8 Michelle Shadwick/Les Shadwick Holden Astra 46
Did not finish the event
Matthew Francis/James Gray Alfa Romeo
Alfetta DNF(C5) No reason given
Graham Wallis/Richard Davies Peugeot 405Ti DNF(T4) Exhaust
Elizabeth Gilhome/Simon Francis Holden Gemini DNF(T1) No
reason given

[Mat Francis]

And what an adventure that was! Yes, we didn't finish, but we didn't get overtaken by that corolla, AND we passed another car!

A quick run down from the start. First stage was absolutely awesome, nice and smooth, plenty of fast corners. Second not so good. Rocky, rutted and generally poo. Car got caught in ruts going up a hill, and ripped the exhaust off from the headers. Luckily it stayed attached to the car, just meant we found out what it's like to run the car with no mufflers at all. Fun.

Got back into service, fixed our high beams (lost them at some point, lucky we still had the driving lights), went to start the car and it died. No ignition at all. Stuffed around for half an hour, and couldn't find anything. Official came over and asked if he could send out the sweep cars, as everyone was waiting on us. Not having a clue what the issue was, we reluctantly agreed. Sure enough, no more than 5 minutes after he leaves we amazingly get all power back and it starts first crank. Greg has already covered what was coming out of my mouth for about half an hour.

From here drove to Ballarat, crawled into the back of the ute at 330 for some sleep. Got up again at 7 and "fixed" (held it on with lockwire and bent it so it could be sort of attached) the exhaust, lying in an inch of water. Passed scrutineering for autocross, so it was all worthwhile.

Had an absolute blast on the track. Didn't do outstandingly well but wasn't really concerned. About half way through we started having ignition trouble again. This time with some light, tools, and a few more knowledgeable people the conclusion is the ignition switch is buggered. So Jimmy and Simon do some quick re wiring to bypass it completely, and we just manage to make our runs (Jimmy also driving). With no ignition, we also have no instruments, and apparently no thermo fan. After 3 back to back runs the thing has boiled, and the engine bay would of been nice and clean if it had water not coolant in it. Jimmy then pinched a two relays from the lighting (only needed one, but in keeping with the luck one of them was dead), and we then had everything working again as it should.

Decided to quit "while we were ahead," and i didn't do my last run.

After this, started the drive home. Just before we get to the city, the ute decides to backfire a few times then die completely. Got a tow to a servo, emptied the gear into the alfetta and Jimmy's old mans ute and made it home about 10, having left from Ballarat about 3. We never thought it would be the Alfetta that made it home after all the above.

After a bit of discussion, it has been decided that the electrics in the car are going. All of them. First, because only half of them work, and secondly because the half that does work are the ones I have re done myself, and they're a f***ing mess. Going to get stuff out of a falcon or commodore or something common and adapt it to suit, and hopefully we might got some sort of reliability. Ha.

[redalfaracing]

Mat, my advice, stay away from Falcon electrics too... case in point, Jimmys ute didn't make it home!!!!

[116gtv]

hi mat,

sounds like an adventure, well done!

If you have time, would you share what mods your alfetta has?

i know its sitting a bit higher by looking at the photos.

[Mat Francis]

Believe it or not Martin, the car actually sits about half an inch lower than standard at the rear.

Until about a month ago the sole purpose of the car was track duty, and that's what it was "set up" for. I found the rear springs at a local wrecker, and they were a bit stiffer and marginally shorter than standard, so i thought i'd give them a try. Worked well for the track, not so good for rally.

The front of the car has standard gtv6 torsion bars, at standard ride height. Koni yellows all corners, polyurethane caster arm bushes, 1.5 deg neg camber, about 5 degrees caster and 1mm toe in or out, can't remember. Otherwise all standard bushes and all. Oh and disconnected the rear sway bar for this event. Must do for gravel, as Greg points out elsewhere.

The offset on the wheels made the thing a bit of a nightmare. Any moderate size bump and the tyres come into contact with the guards, chewing out the tyres pretty quickly. This, and the fact that the exhaust lasted about half an hour, means i really need to raise the whole thing a bit.

The bad thing about the ute incident is it is actually my old man's. Still dunno what the issue is, but she don't go. The appealing thing about using such electrics is the fact that everything is relayed. The idea was to simply use the relays and fuse box maybe, and not go near any sort of computer for the whole thing. Need to look into it a bit more though, it may be easier to just start from scratch.