Download - Bonnet Times July 09
Throughout Saturday we made reasonable time but had
shifted our focus from trying to place well overall to just
finishing the event. Whilst this might sound defeatist, we
had no idea how punishing the Perthshire would be on our
car and the team.
Overall we finished 15th and first in class which we are delighted
about. We learnt a lot and are ready for our next event in
September: Round 6 of the Scottish Cross Country
Championships.
◄ Thanks!
As ever, we would like to say a big thank you to all of our
sponsors who have given us invaluable support, assistance
and time. It wouldn’t be possible to race without you.
PetersonSBS (www.petersonsbs.com), Coltel
Communications Technology Limited
(www.coltelltd.co.uk), Peterkins Solicitors
(www.peterkins.com), Escape Business Technologies
(www.escape-tech.co.uk) and Thern Lifting Services
(www.thern.co.uk) .
The scotch Bonnet Boys!
► Perthshire Pre-event We spent the day before the race checking over everything
on the car (it had never been scrutineered), loading it and
getting to Rally HQ in Perth. We grabbed a curry and went
through our notes on the 11 special stages and locations.
▼ Perthshire Hill Rally – First In ClassSign-on, noise check and scrutineering went without hitch,
much to our satisfaction and we were off. The first stage
was through grade2 gravel tracks and deep rutted forest
trails providing an excellent mix of speed combined with
steep technical sections. The car held up well and we made
reasonable time at around 12 minutes. Through the first 4
stages we were managing to remain at around 15th place
which we were very happy with given the calibre of some of
the drivers and cars. Unfortunately we managed to snap
our steering column away from its brackets coming in to a
steep caution dip too ‘hot’ (the force was strong enough to
fold both mirrors back on themselves and to bend the
engine bay strengthening bar). The service team managed
to do a rapid repair on this in our 5 minute emergency time
allowing us to get back round the stage and in to service
where they magically bolted it back together. Some chaps!
Unfortunately the steering broke again costing us a lot of
time but through the hard work of Wil, Kenny, John, LJ and
with the kind help of John Cockburn at Maxtraction
(www.maxtraction.co.uk) it was welded back together on
Saturday morning and caused us no more bother.
▲ EVO Tweakings Several folk have asked what tweaks
we had to do to the Pajero Evo to
race it, having started with a
standard road car.
Firstly we had to remove the interior of
the car, though we needed to retain
certain things including the dashboard
and interior trim to keep it in the
production car class. After this we had
an FIA spec roll cage installed by
Protection and Performance.
Fortunately we managed to obtain
some second hand parts for the car
including Reiger shocks, a custom
steering guard and seat sub frames.
Reiger were the original manufacturer
Mitsubishi used for the suspension for
the Pajero EVO to race in the Dakar
Rally so these were a great find. We
then installed Sparco seats, Terratrip
202+, Peltor intercom, GPS and
navigation lights on the inside and
toughened compomotive wheels and
wheels studs running mud terrain tyres
on the outside. We were told not to
mess with the engine, so we didn’t.
Bonnet Times Issue 02 July 2009
Issue July 2009
This Issue:
▲ EVO Tweakings
► Perthshire Pre-event
▼ Perthshire Hill Rally
◄ Thanks!
Joss
Wil Kenny
John Rob