22 replies to this topic

[93Mini]

I have just sold up after 1.5 years of hillclimbing a French hatch. Sooo expensive. Great fun but ultimately you can never win, even the "road going" classes without spending a lot of money. Typical top 3 car usually have had around 10k spent. Winners at every event may have spent 50k! It's fun racing against yourself and other similar spec'd cars tho.

[GusRox]

I've tried racing my Mini, but it always beats me.

[Cooperman]

In 2004 I built a 1991 Cooper 1275 for the new Endurance Rally formula. This is for cars of up tyo 1400 cc with standard engine and transmission and just mainly safety mods allowed. I reckon I built the Mini for about £5500, but when I used it against modern cars like the Pug 106 Rallye, Rover 214, Corsa, etc, it was very hard work to be competitive. So I sold it and bought a Rover 214Si. This is competitive and build cost was around £4500. However, each event costs around £600 to compete in, plus repairs and re-preparation, if you want to be competitive. My Rover has won a couple of events and usually finishes in the top 5, but it's so expensive that I've really stopped now that I'm retired from proper work. My Grandson hopes to do some small club events when he is 17 at the end of this year and it won't matter if he bends it as its value is low in motor-sport terms.
I will still do the occassional historic rally in my 1964 Cooper 'S'.

[ace01]

I have just sold up after 1.5 years of hillclimbing a French hatch. Sooo expensive. Great fun but ultimately you can never win, even the "road going" classes without spending a lot of money. Typical top 3 car usually have had around 10k spent. Winners at every event may have spent 50k! It's fun racing against yourself and other similar spec'd cars tho.

I compete in a 997 Cooper and do hillclimbs. There is no way I am going to be competitive in my class, so I concentrate on improving my times. If I take the odd scalp of something bigger- all well and good. It can still be expensive though. £80 to £100 per event for the entry. The initial outlay is quite pricey, but at least the overals, helmet etc will see you for a few years. As you say some people spend massive sums, but that's not for me.

[Wil_h]

When I started I always had it in my head that I wanted to be competative, but the first car I built was (looking back) rubbish. But it didn't cost that much, a few £k.

Over the following 9 years I spent 1-2k on mods every winter and made it better and better until it is the car it is today. For me the engineering is as much a part of it as the event its self. Looking at where you can improve things, within the regs and for not much money is what it's all about. I've not chucked money at my car, the only things I pay others to do is some machining (where I don't have access to a machine).

[rids]

i like the idea of putting a time down with a car and aiming to beat it with engineering mods as much as improving driver skills. I think hillclimbing is the way to go

[Wil_h]

Well I'll be out at Harewood (google harewood hill) this comming sunday if you're anywher near and fancy a watch and a chat.

[rids]

love to but ive got to go camping with family!!!! gonna try and get to olivers mount soon. i think its closest to me