The SCCA New England Region has been invited to participate in the Lime Rock Historic race weekend, and the call has gone out for some autocross cars that could be part of the display.

So Gollum and I will shine ourselves up, put on the war paint, and go spend September 2nd in Connecticut to share the disease called autocross with anyone who passes by.

What a great excuse to be at the track during what is one of my favorite events.

Can't wait!

Cheers,

Charlie

 

I have now seen the cars that filled my dreams as a young'un - both up close and personal as well as howling by at speed. What a time machine the Historic Weekend truly is.

Having walked the Lime Rock course a half a dozen times, and driven it slowly a couple of times, the only thing missing from a great weekend was a lap at (sort of) speed. I'd truly like to experience the drop under the bridge into the diving turn, and the long run down to the braking area at big bend.

Perhaps the strongest impression of all though was the chill I experienced looking at the pre-war and early post-war formula cars. To imaging taking one of those jewels through Eau Rouge with their five inch wide tires, primitive shocks and open cockpits makes my hair stand on end. What courage it took back in the day.

We had over sixty Minis on the parade lap on Monday, which was just enough to occupy all 1.5 miles of the course so that as I followed the pace car we overtook the tail end of the line on the 2nd lap.

Perfect weather, fabulous cars, and some great Minis - both classic and modern. Just bloody awesome.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

And now for the penultimate points event at Devens.

The class championship is not within my grasp at this point, but it would be nice to go out on a high note - a moral victory for me to clutch at like Linus' blanket over the winter...

So I put the 225 R1Rs from early spring back on the front end, and a new pair of 195/55-15 R1R out back, and spent an hour at the test area running slaloms and sorting out the tire pressures.

Tomorrow will start cool and damp, and if history is our guide I should be in very good shape indeed if my worthy foes are still running their RS3 combination.

But from 10 am through 2 pm the temperature is supposed to rise from 60 to 73 and the relative humidity fall from 90 to 40%, and most importantly the sun will come out.

At Devens the surface likes UV and warms quickly, so by the end of the day my advantage may have disappeared.

I hope not.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Ah the best laid plans of mice and men do oft go astray.

The day was dry, and warm in the afternoon. The R1R combination I now recall (with perfect hindsight) drives quite differently from the Hankooks - so much so that it took me all day to regain the timing and some but not all of the speed that I needed.

Note to self - the R1R is a great rain tire, period.

When the dust had settled I was about two seconds off the pace on a transition-heavy course that punished lateness severely. Since one has to turn in a tenth or two quicker with the Toyo to arrive at the same spot I was late all morning. So much so that I finally admitted I was flummoxed and flustered and asked a friend to have a ride.

After demonstrating for him how not to run the course, he suggested that I take some air out of the rear tires and the concentrate on re-learning the timing on the front end. Good advice thanks Derek, and I took it.

After the break, with two runs in the afternoon I managed to drop a second from my morning times and feel a bit less frustrated, but it was all too little and too late.

So much for being clever I reckon.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Well all good things must come to an end, and although Gollum is nowhere near his end it is time to find him a new home.

My reasons are these:

1. Even a JCW as healthy and refined as Gollum is not competitive in STX, and there is nowhere else to go from here except Street Prepared.

2. With about 60k on the new drive train, and 16k on the suspension, Gollum has plenty of strength left to make someone delighted on the street for years to come

3. I cannot afford a dedicated race car, so I have to solve both my personal transportation and competition needs with a single vehicle.

So in a month or so a new story will begin - and this will also be a Mini tale.

I'll be running H Stock for a year or two (less if the mod bug bites too quickly in which case it will be RTF) with a 2013 Cooper. British racing green of course!

And now to craft the for sale notices, and see who wants to steal a great R53 from me!

Cheers,

Charlie

 

So Gollum has found a new home, and on my return from India all that will take place.

As a parting gift, I turned Gollum over to Ralph.

Folks, if you do business with Mini of Peabody and you do not know Ralph you are missing a treat. Ralph runs the Spa (which is actually an independant business).

Ralph made Gollum look like a virgin - I kid you not. Those micro-scratches on the hood from the one winter outside? Gone!

The patina from time alone, in the unused back seat and boot? Gone!

I tracked Ralph down, and gave him a piece of my mind - I had to.

I said "Ralph you !@#$ I am selling this car and you did this? How do you think you are making me feel?".

So anyway, check out Ralph - and to the new owner? Start smiling!

Cheers,

Charlie

 

And here's to the new owner - may he enjoy the car as much as I have!

Gollum the Original is now southbound headed towards a new home.

I had a last dance up the coast this morning, and one last sunrise - and Gollum was running perfectly.

Now to wait - Gollum II is due in around 10 November.

End of the thread dear reader - I hope you enjoyed some of the stories.

Kind regards,

Charlie

 

Word has it that the new owner is indeed grinning. Thank goodness!

 

Folks the original Gollum is for sale, with only a couple of thousand miles added since it left...

The car is a for real street weapon, a proven autocrosser, and a real bargain with about 60k on a Works crate motor, and a fresh set of coil-overs.

If this tale tickled your fancy you could write the next chapter.

Cheers,

Charlie

 

Anyone that is reading this old thread (who would that be I wonder?) might care to know that there are two more Minis, and two more tales ahead.

Gollum II is here.

Gollum III began recently, and is here.

All the best,

Charlie

 

And Gollum IV, is here!