Engine Punk

In the queue for Darracott After the overheating and under bonnet fire on this year’s Exeter Trial, I set out to prevent any of that nonsense happening again. I fitted a new fan switch, a new temp gauge and sender and replaced any dodgy looking hoses. I used generic silicon ones wherever possible but some around the water pump on the Passat engine were bespoke and many branched like baby octopi. Finding the right ones took time and trial and error although I found AI helpful. Parts suppliers want to know my registration number as a starting point. I cut a long story short, I have European Article Numbers for them now, the 13-digit numerical code that accompanies a bar code. I never found out why it overheated on the start line of Waterloo after queueing when the ground was frozen but there you and there it is. I can only assume that wise owl Simon Robson was right. It was one of those things. The rear wheel bearing seals had sprung leaks as well, allowing oil to contaminate the rea...

I had a Matchbox model of a VW Fastback. This is the real thing of Tom Coles and Edd Wagner.  Remedial work on the Arkley-MG has taken much longer than I expected but it is now back together and running again. I hope to make the start of the Land’s End Trial at Easter. Experience tells me to keep my expectations low but I remain like that guy in Shakespeare in Love . “Don’t worry. Everything will turn out all right.” In the tranquil mists of the Camel Vale - but wait, what are those cones and markers for? In the meantime, I turned out to marshal on the Bodmin Heights and the Lewdown Trial. My section for the Camel Vale MC’s 2026 Bodmin Heights was Eddy’s Incline on the Eddy’s farm at Pendavey. Eddy’s Branch Line has featured on the classic Land’s End Trial for the last few years but Eddy’s Incline was a straight up blast and turn off the MCC section. Despite the wet winter the conditions were friable and, after a spectacularly misty start across the Camel Vale, the sun came out. ...

For some of us, disco dancing is a way of life (Photo : Sally Livsey) My Arkley-MG was mechanically compromised by our success on the 2024 Exeter Trial. After sorting out the knackered Transit diff with help from Adrian Booth, Dave Ball and Martin Matthews, I replaced the Sierra front wheel bearings and substituted 1500 Midget front springs for the bespoke ones Ray Goodwright had commissioned some twenty years ago, it felt like my car was match fit. Maybe. Graham Beddoe had graciously agreed to bounce and navigate and we set off nice and early for our start at Launceston Rugby Club on Good Friday evening. After scrutineering, chinwags with our trialling family and a very tasty burger, we set off in the wrong direction but soon got back on track.   "Let's get down to this next number." (Photo : Sally Livsey) On our way to Bridgwater, I recalled a few niggles from my pre-event prep. Just before the start, dipped headlamps were an occasional no show. A few days before that...