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An update after the Bath Motor Club event at Kemble last weekend - 1st in class and 6th overall. That gives me the overall win in Welsh Autosolo Championship and South West Autosolo Championship (for the 3rd year). Unfortunately there's nothing I can do to improve my position in the BTRDA and...

One of my struts has blown so it's time to go Gaz Gold all round. Unfortunately this means another geometry set up after K-Tec did a great job earlier in the year. I have an Autosolo on 21st and won't have the Golds fitted until Monday/Tuesday next week, so not a lot of time to get the work...

We're taking over this thread! That's not good. I've only encountered cars and lorries when they were inadvertantly left at a venue. At least the organisers directed us away from such hazards. I guess it's really down to the availability of venues. But why call an event an Autosolo when it...

If the test doesn't comply with the requirements of the Blue Book then the event isn't an Autosolo, period. If the event only has an Autosolo permit and it doesn't comply then there's no insurance cover. It's not a question of being "undesirable" it's contra to the Regulations and the...

It's been a while but the results have been rolling in. 4th overall and 1st in class at last weekend's Loughborough Car Club Autosolo at Donington Park. VERY happy to be fastest overall on all the wet tests with basically a standard 172. My fastest run on test 2: The Clio has (touch wood) been...

Maybe for Autotests, but NEVER for an MSA compliant Autosolo (turns over 90 degrees minimum of 5m radius). Autosolos are all about grip, sliding is slow.

Never say never, I now possess a pair of black Lonsdales! I was hoping to find some indoor football boots so they could be multi-purpose, but the Lonsdales were superior in every respect as driving shoes. They feel comfortable and well built. Sole feels a little thick at present but they'll...

Thanks for those further recommendations. Just been looking on the Sports Direct site. The Drifts look good as do the Future Cats. The black Lonsdales could work. Some indoor football boots could also work and have the benefit that they're not too breathable/let in water. I should have added...

Thanks for the replies. Plimsoles lack the level of rigidity I need. I'd rather wear my Nomex boots than be seen in Lonsdale! I'm after an understated, stealth look. "As long as you're not wearing flipflops or stilettos you will be fine!" - you've obviously never driven competitively, footwear...

I'm in the middle of the Loughborough Car Club Autosolo at Donington Park. My Hitec squash shoes have just split so I need some new ones. Not right now, but need to buy some soon. Richard Burns used to use the same squash shoes when not having to wear "proper" boots, they work well. I have my...

The 182 race championship uses ET40 Pro Race 1.2s. I have the same on my 172 and they're fine in all respects. Must buy some more.

If you just want to get out and play then there's nothing wrong with PS3s. The Ginetta Junior Championship uses them and so do I. I've beaten loads of people on 1B tyres with my PS3s in the "standard" class in Sprints. Way cheaper than a 1B or 1C tyre and if you're starting/just want to build...

Do the maths. 195*0.55 - 195*0.5. That will give you the difference in sidewall height. The 55 profile will be a higher sidewall height so acceleration will suffer but top speed will theoretically increase (if you can get there). The 55 profile will probably not feel as good as the 50, but it...

What !!!! That must be the worst piece of "advice" I've ever seen on here. As mentioned in the last post, brake fluid is horribly corrosive stuff. It WON'T just evaporate, it'll try to remove paint and other coatings it comes in contact with. Brake fluid is also flammable, I've seen it catch...

The Farnborough Autosolo today at Barton Stacey. I loved the course, especially the tight loop with the trees on the outside. After the first test I had a good lead in class (only myself in the National B class, but also leading all others in my class in the Clubman event - other clubs combine...

Hopefully now on to the minor debugging. However after two years of competing in a Micra with 100% reliability (and not much slower than the 172 as the Micra handles so well), I'm now suffering from French car paranoia! I'm listening for indications of something going wrong all the time...

Video of one run from the Oxford MC Autosolo at Finmere:

A quick update after the Oxford Autosolo. The coolant leak on the Bath MC Kemble Solo was from a plastic plug on the back of the radiator - it looks like someone had overtightened in the past and split the threaded section. We touched the plug and it broke. I was lucky on the event. New plastic...

Despite swapping the bulb for several known good bulbs on my 172, I still can't get the OS side light working. All other lights front and rear are working so not a fuse. Checked anyway and all fuses are ok. NS side light is fine. Probably a wiring/connector problem. Before I start tracking...

I don't know where you are but I've just heard of the Bristol Clio Cup run by Bristol Motor Club. This will be a championship for next year for standard Clios with interiors, comprising of Sprints and Autosolos. Another reason to keep any potential Clio standard. Bristol Motor Club have been...

I'd like to try some NS-2R for Sprinting. Where's the best place to buy them?

What PaulEDS says regarding keeping the car standard - as soon as you remove the interior you're facing significant costs to be competitive in class in Sprints and Hillclimbs. You won't hit your budget and you'll probably have reliability issues as well. Bear in mind that even the roadgoing...

Tyres are now wearing WAY better than previously with 0mm toe out. I normally lose 2mm at Kemble but went through less than 1mm last Sunday in dry conditions. TBH tyre wear isn't much of an issue, being competitive is a far greater priority.

K-Tec have a table of toe settings. They gave me 8mm of toe out and I can verify that it works very well for my use.

A big vote for proper suspension set up - before last Friday I was running standard camber and toe front and rear. Clio 172, Eibach springs, cup shocks. K-Tec set the car up for me last week and yesterday I tested it at the latest round of the National Autosolo Championship at Kemble near...

I was really surprised with the RE050. A pair came with my 172 and the previous owner rated them, similar results to the PS3. I used them on the front for my first Autosolo in the car at a very wet Smeatharpe and won the event overall! They worked well in the wet. I then used them at an Autosolo...

Round 4 of the National BTRDA Autosolo Championship yesterday at Kemble, courtesy of Bath Motor Club. Some suspension set up changes at K-Tec and the car was transformed - much better turn in, the "wooliness" has gone and I can get on the power earlier. 8th overall and first in class, just kit...

How do they identify a modified spring? Is the ride height measured compared to standard? There must be some variance allowed. As long as you're not obviously low, surely replacement springs can be fitted due to wear/breakage and springs do sag over time lowering the ride height.

Is that your tyres rubbing against the bodywork in turns? Can't be doing your tyres any good.

EXACTLY what I was going to write - for the same money as T1Rs, go RainSports, far superior tyres. Going further, I do 12 Car rallies during the Winter (typically 45-50 mile navigational events on small country roads, timed at an average of 30mph). When it's relatively dry and not many rotting...