:: Diary - August 2018 ::

:: Sunday, August 5, 2018 ::

It's the first Sunday of the month, so it's TVR Car Club day!

Except the TVR is at the farm, and I haven't had time to swap it - so it's the Porsche that's going.

I meet up with Jim and Dave, as usual, and we head through to the club meeting. After a few miles I realise (again) that I didn't drive the Porsche (or the TVR) enough - but at least the TVR gets a a few runs a year down south. But the Porsche is sooooo nice...

The meeting is full of the usual rubbish chat, and various stories of derring-do. Oh and some food - only 1 course for me today!

Eventually, it's time to head home. I'm in front, and on the twist bits, I see that Dave's Griffith is dropping back, but catching up on the straights. It seems to be bouncing a lot on the corners...

Not long after I get home, Dave phones to complain that his suspension seems to be too soft, and is bouncing a lot. Some adjustment needed there, maybe. He'll suss it...

:: Sunday, August 12, 2018 ::

We've decided to go to the "World of Supercars" show at Knockhill. Our entry has been arranged by the TVR Car Club, so I've had to swap the cars back so that I can turn up on the right stand!

Of course, this being summer in Scotland, it's absolutely pishing down. It continues to push down for most of the day...

There's on-track action to watch, a number of races and demonstrations by various exotica, including a McLaren that ends up aquaplaning into the gravel, with not a lot of damage.

Dave has brought the Wedge, not the Griffith. Jim and I have brought him a space hopper to bounce on, so that he doesn't miss the Griffith too much...

The drive home is pretty uneventful, despite the wet roads and usual Sunday driver over-caution.

Maybe that caution isn't entirely unjustified though... at the second roundabout before I get home to my house, I am turning right - it's a big roundabout with spiral paint markings, you know the kind of thing - and right opposite where I entered, the car's arse slides out sideways and I just can't catch it, so round she goes, pointing back in the wrong direction. Don't hit anything though, so I can just whirl back round and exit sheepishly.

Time to trot out the usual excuses - a rabbit ran out so I tried to avoid it but it had a tin of diesel that it threw onto my tyres just before the bit where the rain had inexplicably frozen. There, that about covers it.

That's the second time the TVR has done that in 50,000 miles must be something wrong with it. Forgot that one...

I'm sure I can hear a wee exhaust blow - not just in the last half-mile, but on and off through the day. When I get the car in the garage, I can hear a wee blow from the nearside manifold to cylinder head joint. Maybe the manifold bolts are loose? I get a wee 13mm spanner (not too big, you'll only snap the bolts. Yes, you will...). Two of the bolts are a tiny bit loose, so I tighten them up. Hope that does the trick!