OK quick run-down, firstly cheers to everyone there today, made my first proper trip up North a great day.
Special thanks to Craggy for putting me up for the night, it was slim pickings around Doncaster Saturday night, thoroughly caned a VTS but no-one else wanted to have it around the town! BTW Anyone who doesnt believe Craggys kill stories of motors hes caned, believe it now, Ive ridden in a lot of different Clios and his is well quick, it pulls like a train in every gear. Definitely as quick on the road, if not quicker, than a 172. I suspect undocumented head and cam work by a previous owner, from the outright pace of the thing plus the heatwrapped manifold and slightly lumpy idle.
Jon just about said it all in his post above, was top notch to finally meet my arch quarter mile rival in person even if he did do me by 8/1000 of a second just after Id dumped Bens previous record and thought my 14.808 couldnt be beaten ...that is one strong motor Jon, genuinely quick. Tims 172 was a real stormer, 14.5 something, with just a Viper hooked up to a forward-facing ram (looks like it does work after all then Joe) and a few other basics. Next time Im leaving all the interior at home, plus running on 20psi 15" steelies, and *this time* Ill make sure Ive got a full bottle of gas and not run out after 1 run!!!
BTW Joe, I dont claim it runs 250bhp, 200+ is what I say and thats only cos people always keep asking. Regardless of outright power, you need a shedload of *something* to pull sub 15s and seeing as the majority of 172s cant crack into the 14s I must be seeing 200 or thereabouts. I went up against a Scooby 2 door import which was packing at least 280bhp and that had only a length and a half on me at the line, the geezer werent no novice either. He did 13.8, I did exactly a second more. Even with a full-on 250bhp you dont see 5GTTs running 12s with ease and those GTT 1/4 milers are built just for full-on sprints, short boxes and harcore transmissions, usually running 200-250bhp tops and 13s are the order of the day, not 12s. Dont wanna make excuses but you gotta remember Joe, I havent got a lump that you can just floor it and go. It takes a lot of setting up to get the jetting and ignition r****d spot on. Plus the bottle doesnt always push the same pressure on a hot 30c day its fine, but on a day like today, I was only running 750 psi tops - it basically almost halves the power Ive got available. Also Im losing a hell of a lot between the engine and the road - running on a Willy box with a longer final drive, plus the unsprung weight of the big and heavy 18s.
My plan is next time to run 15s on the front with a full tank of gas, heated to the correct temp with a reptile tank mat (!), interior stripped properly. Im confident I can do low 14s or high 13s on that setup.