Goodwood Octane Magazine Track Day & More Testing

16th May 2013

Another opportunity to test the car before the Brands Hatch Festival and to introduce my 2nd co-driver for the Race Season Chris Keith-Lucas

Following on from my initial pre-season shake-downs of the XK 140, I took up the opportunity to attend the Octane Magazine’s bi-annual Track Day at Goodwood.

My objectives were four-fold:

1. To establish whether we had cured the newly re-built gearbox from its severe oil leaks and,

2. To assess whether we had corrected the steering issues.

3. To get Chris Keith-Lucas (CKL Developments) behind the wheel before we start racing in anger. www.ckldevelopments.co.uk

4. ‘Scrub-In’ some new race tyres for Brands Hatch.

The weather was very kind to us on the Thursday with 15⁰C ambient temperature, no wind and warm sunshine. A veritable Summer compared to what we have experienced so far this year N'est ce pas?

Following the morning’s Track Day Briefing, I set about a 15 minute warm-up to check the car’s essentials. Included in this
outing were two new Dunlop CR48 600L 16 inch Cross Ply tyres to be scrubbed in.

Chris Keith-Lucas in the hot seat for Goodwood Testing

Setting off reminded me of my old days working at Rolls Royce Aerospace as a Development Test Engineer at Bristol, when armed with a Check-List of tests we were running either on Pegasus gas turbine engines for the Harrier or RB199 engines for the Tornado.

Therefore, the first three laps were taken very gingerly with maximum speeds on the straights of up to 80mph, but a maximum of 50 mph around the corners.

JDR at the wheel with thumbs up for car performing OK

The steering and suspension had been worked on and Keith, my Mechanic had found a bent steering arm, probably from my ‘ROLL’ at Donington last season, that we hadn’t picked up and he changed both top and bottom ‘Swivels’ and generally tightened everything up, as she had been pulling to the right from a standing start.

Actually, from this first standing start, she did pull to the right somewhat but, as time progressed she seemed to pull less, and only pulled either to the right or to the left dependent upon the camber of the circuit. In fact, after Madgewick corned and approaching Fordwater, I took my hands off the steering wheel and she pulled in a straight line. After Fordwater, she pulled slightly to the left which followed the camber of the circuit once more. On braking, the XK pulled up in a very safe and secure straight line.

However, what we are left with is approximately ½ Degree of Positive Camber on both wheels. The next challenge is to get some ‘NEGATIVE CAMBER’ on both wheels to help tyre wear and handling on fast turns so that the wheels don’t ‘Dig in’ or roll under the car thus necessitating a fast steering correction on fast corners and preventing scrubbing off too much speed. I need to find some negative ‘Offset Top Links’

ANY IDEAS OUT THERE??

In the Goodwood Pit Lane

Regarding the gearbox oil leak and, during the initial run I didn’t notice anything untoward in the passenger foot-well, which is the first tell-tale sign.

CKL obviously having fun passing the pits

On the subsequent run, when I had changed the two newly scrubbed tyres back to my ‘DRY’ tyres (this means my almost BALD cross-plys – great in the dry – not too handy in the wet), I floored the throttle. This time, the passenger foot-well showed the signs of a heavy gearbox oil leak once more. Once again it was back to the drawing board.

Finally, Chris (CKL) had his time behind the wheel and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the experience and afterwards we discussed the handling, the gearbox oil leak issue etc.I am hoping (With ALL fingers crossed) that whatever we do to the gearbox the oil leak can be remedied.
 

WISH US LUCK!!

Co-Drivers for the Race Season

The next racing event is as follows:

MASTERS HISTORIC FESTIVAL at Brands Hatch on the Grand Prix Circuit
on Bank Holiday Monday the 27th May!

Read all about it next month!!

In the meantime.

All the best!

John D R