2013 Leadfoot Festival

[John McKechnie]

Gerald would not be impressed if his wasnt in the list of genuine and accurate representation of the car in period.

[Oldfart]

Back to Leadfoot. I've been following the thread and the inevitable debate about original v replica.

So does anyone want to hazard a guess as to how many cars that went up the hill would pass muster as being a genuine and accurate representation of the car in period?

It's an interesting point, because assuming that Rod wants to replicate the Goodwood Festival (which he says he does), is originality relevant to the event? That's the real question on this thread, not whether one car or another would pass scrutiny as a genuine historic, which is a question, as Steve and others says, for other places.

And just out of interest, I'm not sure exactly how many twin turbocharged Jaguar powered Transit Vans raced in period, but Justin Law does pedal one up the hill at Goodwood....

JD

PS: I had dust up with Justin in a Group C race many years ago when he was driving an ex works 220...he's a tough cookie and I have no idea how he even got the bloody van up the hill without coming off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IQIXfTfy10

As it's Rods' event and he invites who he wants I would suggest that the quote above is not relevant in this case.

[AMCO72]

We wont go there John. It is as close as you are going to get. What is different from the 1972 version is that each cylinder is 90cc more than when Rod Collingwood raced it, and it has its original head and carbs. Each time it has 'crashed' we have tried to keep all of the original bodywork, but sometimes this is impossible, and newish bits have been welded in. But the basic shell is the original, including the bonnet, doors, and boot lid which are notorious for getting munted, and if you take a look at it you will see the scars of many battles.
The only restored Classic racer I can think of that is as close to the original as is possible to be, is the Sidchrome Imp.

Anyway, the collection of cars at the Leadfoot was a personal choice of the owner, and you could say there was just about everything covered except racing lawnmowers........and to hell whether they were true to year, form, or class, it was just an opportunity to do some skids........

And why would Rod Millen want to emulate the Goodwood climb. Leadfoot is steeper, more difficult, and a real test of the hill-climbers art. More like other people should be copying us instead of us getting all misty eyed about pommy stuff. With our fart-arsed population we do extremely well for a small country, spread out as we are. Look at the new track at Cromwell. It's miles away from anywhere, yet the racing folk will drag their transporters miles/kms for the privaledge of competing there.

[ERC]

The Goodwood Festival is only partially about the climb and that aspect has been eroded over the years as people really don't care too much about the times these days. What 150,000 people go to see over the three days is a vast array of machinery from all eras, from dragsters to Wacky racers, either in action or static, not to mention about 350 stands/stalls.

No doubt if Rod wanted to put on a proper competitive hillclimb as we know it, I'm sure he could, but this, like Goodwood, is a "Festival" and as long as people don't pass cars off as the real thing when they aren't, who cares?

Plenty of people have commented on what a fantastic event is was, so why not just accept that for what it is?

The UK doesn't need to copy us nor we copy them, as the UK still has many genuine hillclimb and sprint courses, from Shelsey to Prescott, Harewood to Gurston Down, Loton Park, Curborough etc., for serious competition.

[Haga]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTrC5I_gfVk

[Jaydee]

Whoa up people...what's this stuff all about? Ray, you in particular should know me better than that.

My question was rhetorical...to which the answer is, mine anyway, who cares? It's Rod's gig, he asks who he wants and that's what makes it the bloody great event it is. The more 200mph Transit vans and totally bonkers Japanese million horse power things, the better.

The rest was a complete and total agreement with what you two are saying...obviously I need to brush up on my powers of irony.

Great event, great place, great people. Geez fellers, relax will you?

JD

PS: Just for the record though, Rod is on record in a TV interview as saying that does actually want to emulate the Goodwood festival. And also by the way, I've driven up both hills in the same car and to this pommy woss, they are both bloody scary. It only depends whether you like your radiator to be decorated with tree or stone.

[ERC]

I was referring to AMCO's comment John!!!

"And why would Rod Millen want to emulate the Goodwood climb. Leadfoot is steeper, more difficult, and a real test of the hill-climbers art. More like other people should be copying us instead of us getting all misty eyed about pommy stuff."

[Kiwiboss]

Was there a guy from Invercargill with his Dodge Superbird NASCAR with the big wing on the back, etc at Leadfoot? John Sievwright i think his name is? if so you have any pics Jaydee(or others)

(Just need to do a wheel inspection,LOL)

Dale M

[AMCO72]

Good morning Dale. There was a NASCAR there. I'm sorry I didn't take a lot of notice of it, but it did have the Dupont logo across the bonnet. Not sure about a Superbird though.
I suggest you look on Richard McNaughtons website. He was one of the dozens of photographers there and he has captured some good images of the cars from the hairpin and other places.

The site is.... rpmphotography Just type the name in on Google and it will come up.

Still waiting for the Doctor!!!!!!!!!!

[AMCO72]

ERC, are you saying in post 84 of this thread, that the Leadfoot was NOT a competitive hillclimb......'as we know it'. Are you referring to 'We' as in your English, proper hillclimb scene. Surely not.......your a Pakeha now aren't you???????

Well if that wasn't competitive, I'm a Monkeys Uncle!!!!!! Top ten shootout etc etc.......95% of the competitors were trying VERY hard to beat that 60 second mark........some of them TOO hard.......mmmmmmmm

[ERC]

It was an invitation hillclimb therefore by definition, not a true competition, with defined rules and classes as such, is what I meant!

I don't doubt that for one minute that 95% were going for it - but I think you know what I mean. The primary purpose was still as a festival to showcase a wild variety of machinery. Top drivers are by nature a very competitive lot, regardless of circumstances, even if it means potentially damaging the machinery.

As I said earlier, when Goodwood was first run, most saw it as a competition, but more and more drivers these days use it as a true festival, hence F1 drivers doing doughnuts in front of Goodwood house, so that the fans see them for more than the split second they see them when going for FTD - and Goodwood is all the better for it.

[Oldfart]

There was a Daytona there, according to the programme "1971 Dodge Daytona; Built from bare shell in 2012. It has a 358 Mopar NASCAR engine."
It was obviously a handful, big car, small track, but it did look the business. Another "Tribute car". It was not claiming to be anything other than a tribute car.

[Jaydee]

thanks Ray...understood

[Jaydee]

Was there a guy from Invercargill with his Dodge Superbird NASCAR with the big wing on the back, etc at Leadfoot? John Sievwright i think his name is? if so you have any pics Jaydee(or others)

(Just need to do a wheel inspection,LOL)

Dale M

Here it is Dale. They were next to me in the pits and having a great time. Lots of power but no grip on slicks but the car was a blast. Also check out this website for the best photos I've seen yet of the event. There were two ex NASCAR cars there as well, as you'll see.

http://www.rpmphotography.co.nz/index.php/

[faminz]

[crunch]

Looks like the "King" from the Cars movie!!

[AMCO72]

I see one of the machines that competed at the Leadfoot is for sale.

The mighty 1906 Darracq........ Any Gent out there brave enough to drive this monster......I hesitate to call it a 'car'.....should contact Anne herself.
The advertisment appeared in the English magazine ' the Automobile', and I think it rightly belongs back in England where it has an illustrious history.

[Oldfart]

I see one of the machines that competed at the Leadfoot is for sale.

The mighty 1906 Darracq........ Any Gent out there brave enough to drive this monster......I hesitate to call it a 'car'.....should contact Anne herself.
The advertisment appeared in the English magazine ' the Automobile', and I think it rightly belongs back in England where it has an illustrious history.

As I said to her, most of us are too scared that we would be inadequate conductors in comparison to Anne!

[jim short]

Just as I thought

[Lotus7Alfa]

As I said earlier, when Goodwood was first run, most saw it as a competition, but more and more drivers these days use it as a true festival, hence F1 drivers doing doughnuts in front of Goodwood house, so that the fans see them for more than the split second they see them when going for FTD - and Goodwood is all the better for it.

F1 cars are no longer officially timed, which is why you get them doing donuts The hill record is still held by Nick Heidfeld, who drove a McLaren MP4/13 Formula One car up the hill in 41.6 seconds (100.385 mph) at the 1999 Festival. As a comparison, last year's FTD was Anthony Reid in a Chevron GT3 racer at 46.46sec, reaching 131mph on his run, while the fastest speed recorded was Group C Jaguar XJR8/9 driver Justin Law who recorded 142mph across the line. In 2006 Heikki Kovalainen completed the course in a Renault R25 F1 car and was apparently unofficially timed below 40 seconds.