| Home  Blogs Help Search Login Register  
« previous next »
Pages: [1] Print
Author Topic: Prescott Hillclimb - and MECUK AGM  (Read 7616 times)
Lennart Sorth
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 831



WWW
« on: May 24, 2009, 11:38:58 pm »

I decided to chance it and drive to the Prescott Hillclimb meeting, even though I was oncall at work, and thus obliged to be able to be there within two hours.  Prescott is somewhere between 1.5 and 2 hours drive away, so its borderline - but the weather was too good to miss the AGM in the UK Matra club.

Due to calendar clashes, I have only been able to attend very few meetings in my almost 2.5 years here, - which is a shame, because the MECUK is such a friendly bunch.   >>pop<< I have just opened a bottle of red wine to cheer you all! Cheers!

As a matter of fact, it is my impression that the Matra clubs in all countries are a happy and unpretentious bunch of nice people.

Prescott is the homebase of the Bugatti owners club (a select bunch indeed) - and the event is called "La Vie en Bleu", celebrating anything French. Even the sandwich could be ordered in French :-)

There were many fantastic vehicles,  Citroën, Renault, Simca, Peugeot, Alpine, Venturi and of course Matra :-)

The large collection of Bugattis were of course impressive (and expected) - including B110 and a couple of Veyrons.

There was also a large population of red Ferraris, - not sure how they fit in, but a hillclimb is a hillclimb :-)
 
However in the large-caliper section, I think I was most impressed with the ex Senna JPS Lotus-renault from somewhere in the mid 1980'ies. mainly because the driver had read somewhere in a book that spinning your wheels makes them warmer and more sticky ... so he did.   - Twice  - . He ran up the hill, and returned directly to the startline for another go. You could actually see how much more grip the tyres had the second time around. But what a sound, - whining turbos and screaming tyres.


Our Titus from this forum had the nerve to turn up with the most fabulous half-leather seats I have ever seen in a Murena ... and he only got them delivered that same morning...  Actually on my drive there (in "severe" sunshine) I was thinking exactly the same - leather seats might be nice, but we NEED some ventilation on our backs, so it would be superb with cloth for the middle part, and leather for the sides.
That's exactly what Titus has done - and it looks and feels fantastic. Well done young lad !


The meeting also gave me a good chance to look around Graham Pryme's race-prepared Murena - this time with brand new 4-pot front brakes. He was to take the car up the hill on Sunday, but unfortunately I could only be there Saturday. I hope some of the MECUK people have pictures from that - if I get them, I will add them to this gallery.

We also had a nice intermezzo of the British Memorial Flight doing a little display for us with a Spitfire, a Hurricane and the one of only two airworthy Avro Lancaster bombers. All in all 6 V12 Merlin's in unison - excellent sound :-)

PS: Speaking of sound, a Veyron on full bore may sound impressive, but IMO too american/thundery - frankly there were many other cars there I would prefer driving home in. (well, the Matra's of course, - but also others)

Pictures pictures pictures:  http://www.sorth.dk/p/20090523/index.html

/Lennart
Logged

Lennart.Sorth@matrasport.dk
Murena 1983 1.9i silver // Honda e '20 Charge Yellow  // VW Polo '22 1.0 tsi silver//
suffolkpete
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 544



« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2009, 10:31:25 am »

Fantastic pictures Lennart, makes me sorry I missed it, but I'm going to Romorantin next weekend and didn't want to max out my limited mileage insurance, it's a long way from here to Prescott.  I think I'll increase it next renewal, 3000 miles a year isn't enough Murena driving!  The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight must have had a busy weekend, they appeared here twice as well.
Logged
JV
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 137


« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2009, 05:42:31 pm »

Very nice pictures! Thank you
Logged

Jan Verdam
Matra Murena 2.2S bleue columbia
Anders Dinsen
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 3186



WWW
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2009, 06:00:12 pm »

Thanks for a great report in text and photos, Lennart.
You are absolutely right, Matra people all over the world are just plain nice people! Thank you all for being just that! Smiley

/Anders

Logged

1982 Talbot Matra Murena 2.2 prep 142
2017 BMW i3 "Charged Professional" 94Ah

Used to own:
2001 Renault Matra Grand Espace "The Race" V6 24v
1997 Renault Matra Espace 2.0 8V
1987 Renault Matra Espace J11 2.2
Titus
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 145



« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2009, 09:03:33 pm »

What a great weekend that was. Superb photos Lennart and good to see you again. Sunday was even better with Graham (Murena) and Andy (Bagheera) taking their cars up the hill for proper. They both did us proud. Graham in his Murena stormed the hill putting many to shame. They have both inspired me to follow in their footsteps next year, all be it in a standard 1.6.

Glad you liked the retrim, but as you could see it needs to go back to the trimmer for the less than perfect bits to be redone. Shame, but on the whole not a bad result. I tried to keep it 'in the spirit of' with the diagonal stripe. Yes, I know it is a 2.2 detail but I think it works.

Unfortunately I forgot my camera on both days so hope others will have some photos to post in the future.

Look forward to seeing some of you in Romorantin.

Logged

1.6 Murena
Lennart Sorth
Administrator
YaBB God
*****
Posts: 831



WWW
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2009, 08:35:53 pm »

Unfortunately I forgot my camera on both days
shame on you ... and how many yards was it you live from Prescott ??

I'm sure some of the others must have taken pictures ? - I will happily append them to the gallery.

I would have loved to see both Matra's zip up that hill, - do you know if the hairpin really requires 1'st gear ?
- that might be  challenge, where Grahams modified pedals to allow heel/toe should prove handy.

/Lennart
« Last Edit: May 27, 2009, 08:39:34 pm by Lennart Sorth » Logged

Lennart.Sorth@matrasport.dk
Murena 1983 1.9i silver // Honda e '20 Charge Yellow  // VW Polo '22 1.0 tsi silver//
Titus
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 145



« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2009, 09:08:48 pm »

Can't say about 1st around that hairpin as I didn't get to see Graham after his run. I can say that he really pushed hard, getting the back out with screaming, smoking rears but expertly caught and just avoiding the wall.

I was lucky enough have a go up the hill myself, all be it in the procession lap. Tim Martin very kindly let me take his place... top man. I followed Marion in her Bagheera. She lead the field. I took it in second but hadn't allowed enough space between me and Marion to really push it. I am more than likely going to do the driver training day at Prescott in July so a little expert tuition will surely answer that one.

Also I believe Graham will be at Santa Pod in July. I'm going along too so I will ask him all about it then. Any bets that the 1.6 will better his 2.2 time down the strip. I think not Smiley
Logged

1.6 Murena
Pages: [1] Print 
« previous next »
Jump to: