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THE ACORN NOVEMBER 2012 Happy Halloween Sevenoaks and District Motor Club Ltd PRESIDENT: John Symes VICE PRESIDENT Vic Elford The Editor, Committee and Club do not necessarily agree with items and opinions expressed within Acorn magazine. Officers and Committee CHAIRMAN, Andy Elcomb, MEMBERSHIP SEC [email protected] SECRETARY: Tracey Niel, [email protected] TRK: Chin [email protected] TREASURER Clive Cooke, [email protected] ACORN EDITOR Sue Jessop [email protected] COMPETITION SEC, Ian Crocker WEBMASTER [email protected] SPEED LEAGUE Russell Giddings, CHAMP CO-ORD [email protected] RALLY SECRETARY Iain Gibson, [email protected] CHIEF MARSHALL Chris Scudder, chris [email protected] SOCIAL SECRETARY Rosemary and Nigel Mead, [email protected] PRESS AND PR Steve Thompson, [email protected] CPO Dawn Travers, [email protected] COMMITTEE MEM. David Balderson, [email protected] WITHOUT PORTFOLIO Darren Tyre, [email protected] WEB ACORN Ralph Travers [email protected] Website—www.sevenoaksmotorclub.com WELCOME TO NOVEMBER’S CHAIRMAN’S CHAT. Curses! I was hoping to be able to report on a successful Weald Trial on 21st October and include some pics elsewhere, but the decision to cancel the event the day before was confirmed by the Sunday being one of the most miserable, dank and dark days of the year. There’s no doubt that all of the venues would have been a tad more than challenging and so whilst disappointing it was the right move. Hopefully the work behind the scenes by Chin, Andy Kilby and our friends at Maidstone & Mid Kent Motor Club won’t be wast- ed and we can have another go next year. Unfortunately the loss of the Weald Trial does mean a lost opportunity for those hoping to earn their mar- shalling points for the Speed League and Rose & Crown Championship but fear not dear speedy people, there’s always the 12-Car rally on Friday 9th November and then the Trial at Chapman’s Hill, Meopham on Sunday 11th November and I hope to see many of you helping. November’s social night at The Bell, Kemsing on the 21st will incorporate the Speed League Forum and the Autotest series awards. So, if you have any questions or suggestions regarding our sprint & hillclimb series, or even if you are new to motorsport and want to know more about the classes in use and why there are differences in classes at different events, then The Bell is the place to be on the 3rd Wednesday of Novem- ber. I would also welcome a lot more chit-chat on the club’s online forum – there will also be more up-to-date information on specific events, such as advising the cancellation of the Weald Trial. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to, but I do know that many of you haven’t even registered for it. Along with the website itself, it is a valuable source of information so do please use it. The dates of our proposed events should be being submitted to various Associations and the MSA as I write and we don’t expect to massively change things in 2013. We will have some scatter, 12-car and 20/20 rallies for you – some organised by us, others we are invited to by other local clubs. There will also be Car Trials for those that think that traversing the muckier lanes of Kent on rallies doesn’t get their car any- where near muddy enough. For those that prefer to have a much smaller tread pattern on their tyres, we will be back at North Weald for AutoSolos and Sprints and of course we will also be back at Crystal Palace again to see if we can maintain the great reputation that this special event has achieved. We also expect to be back at Brands Hatch for another summer season of grass autotests – such fun and yet so good at learn- ing how to handle a slippery surface. We also regularly send some people down to the finish of the London to Brighton Veteran Run – contact Chris Scudder if you want to come along, although you will have to be quick this year as it happens on 4th November. Additionally, we help on the Sunseeker Rally near Bournemouth but I think the regular date of early February is changing to later in the year in 2013. However there might be something else we are involved in early next year – watch this space for more info soon. So, plenty to do, lots of fun scheduled at my end – how about you? Editor Sue would love to hear from you with your plans, reports on events and maybe some pics too. Don’t forget we also have a fun competition with the “Acorn on Tour” so make sure you take a copy wherever you go (or print the front page and take that if you are all-electric) and send us some funny or odd pics with your Acorn. ANDY ELCOMB Sue, Hope your weekend went well at Brands. Attached from Debdon last year, Jim being his usual attentive self (he really is the only reason I started sprinting) I only managed one event prior to the Weald, it should have been two but sitting in Jims kitchen at 7am watching a monsoon develop and the fact that Jims TR8 was poorly we decided not to go! Dr Mabb had been extremely busy with Mike Druce Smiths engine change and as mentioned sorting out Jims poorly TR8 which needed urgent brake attention but it still didn't stop me calling on him. The TR had developed a really annoying "tap" no it wasn't dripping! Tony got out his sensitive pole and stuck it in! He can hear anything with that thing! well almost as on this occasion he wasn't sure. Even Mr Lock had a listen! So there I am with this annoying and horrible sounding tap, it really wasn't a show stopper but it just bugged me. Tonys advice was to run until the end of this season then we would rebuild. Did I listen? NO! I went in search of a replacement RV8 3.9 that I could just bolt in! The existing lump returned approx 195 BHP after being fitted with 4.2 Cerbera injectors and re mapped by Mark Adams and Tom at Austec Racing. Surely it would be easy to find a suitable replacement? well no it wasn't! a Griff 500 5.0 litre was available but the breakers wanted £4,000 for it with no guar- antees! Suddenly I stumbled upon a Chimera, it had a rebuilt 4.0 lump and was available at a sensible price but it was in Wales! Now I have nothing against Welsh people but the owner was a complete nutter, he had no idea who I was but started sending me jokes about THE WELSH!! "What do you call a sheep tied to a post in a field? A leisure centre" !!! Should I go or not, well I needed the engine and he had given me the number of the gar- age that rebuilt it and said to say it was for the mad Welshman. It was indeed still under warranty and just what I needed. Now who do you find at 24hours notice to drive all the way to Wales and back? My ex wife's Husband of course!!! (Thank you Mrs Walford) Kev and I left Kemsing about 6.30am in the luxury Vauxhall Astra Van we arrived some 5 hours later and parked up at the address we were given. A cosy little estate with Garages out front that nobody appeared to use. Now if there are any animal lovers reading this please do not take this the wrong way. There we were standing in the street waiting for the car to arrive when at the top of the road coming round the corner came a Chiwawa with what looked like a trailer behind it!! Well we both just started to chuckle until it came a little clos- er. This poor dog obviously had back leg problems as it wasn't a trailer it was like a chariot! It was bloody massive and it seemed as much as the dog could do to keep it moving! Needless to say Kev and I turned our backs to inwardly burst out laughing so as not to offend the owner or indeed the pooch! I digress, round the corner rumbled the Chimera, now bear in mind the "Mad Welshman" bit. The TVR door opened and out stepped a pair of leather like trousers adorned by a man who looked like the hippy chap from the Arriva ad- verts. The day was getting worse! Come in for a coffee? well ok we had just driven for nearly 5 hours, in we went. This isn't my house he said its my mates!!! Noooo it cant get any worse! He was like a salesman on crack! he just couldn't stop talking!! Oh and the mugs looked like the sheep had been using them! Kev checked the paper work as its his job, he ownshttp://www.vogue-cars.co.uk, unashamed plug done! We looked over the car not that that was really a concern had a drive and did the deal. We stopped for petrol and bear in mind I own a TVR I could not find the boot lid switch to access the fuel cap!! Kev to the rescue and rings a TVR garage for guid- ance.

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