Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[willabee]

..... Problem was, the car hadn’t been out for a long run for three weeks——— damn thing is bristling with electronics——- heart of the car is the battery ——- when it dies——- so does the car!
Moral here is—— if you don’t want problems——- isolate the battery when not in use!!!
Just be ready to reprogram the management systems when you fire it up again!

It's something a person doesn't think of because under 'normal' conditions you drive your car almost every day. Thanks for the heads up.

[jackiewilson]

It's something a person doesn't think of because under 'normal' conditions you drive your car almost every day. Thanks for the heads up.

Bill, if you think the floor under the carpet behind the back seats is nice and flat——- think again—- it’s specially designed with ridges and hidden bolts, so when you have to climb over the seats to the back, trying to rectify the battery problem, it plays hell with the kneecaps.
I haven’t left the house——- or been anywhere near another person for three weeks!
Looks like being that way for at least another three weeks——- but I’m well into my latest (Last) Roller.
Keeps me from going TOTALLY insane ?

[techteam]

Jackie,

Next time, open the bonnet, right hand side Fuse and Relay Box, Jump or Battery charge 12V post is red inside. Pick a good ground and away you go. Simples.

[Lake X Kid]

Jackie and Bill Seebold together again.

Bill in the shade was to dark, so I added some light to this photo.

[jackiewilson]

Jackie,

Next time, open the bonnet, right hand side Fuse and Relay Box, Jump or Battery charge 12V post is red inside. Pick a good ground and away you go. Simples.

I found that out immediately after the event——— but I’m old school—— y’know, positive / Negative all that old stuff I learned the hard way! Red is positive—- Black is etc.
Hidden in the small print ( so it’s impossible to find in an emergency ) is information about the red post.
Or maybe I’m just too set in my ways to understand modern technology—— THATS why you’re the TECH TEAM and I’m still Jackie Wilson !

[Lake X Kid]

Hey Jackie, you might have already commented on the difference of racing with and without the tail wing/spoiler. If you did, I did not see that comment. Was there an advantage with the wing/spoiler? Which did you prefer with or without?

If I recall correctly in one of the videos of a Bristol race, you lost the rear wing during the race. Did it effect the handling and your lap times/speed?

Attachment 461616

[jackiewilson]

Hey Jackie, you might have already commented on the difference of racing with and without the tail wing/spoiler. If you did, I did not see that comment. Was there an advantage with the wing/spoiler? Which did you prefer with or without?

If I recall correctly in one of the videos of a Bristol race, you lost the rear wing during the race. Did it effect the handling and your lap times/speed?

I’ll try and answer your question ROY.
The team at COSWORTH ——- Malcolm Tyrrell——- Ian Hawkins—— Dick Scammel——- and Keith Duckworth, along with my own engineer BoB Savage put the COSWORTH boat together in six weeks.
Minute I fired it up and dropped the clutch, I knew it was something very special!
Far quicker than the 2 litre BDG .—— in every department——Acceleration was staggering—— took it up to Chase with Malcolm— KEITH and Hawkeye—— think Mike Costain came too.
Did some straight line stufff for twenty laps or so first.
Then did ten laps round the long circuit—- just to see if it went round corners—- it did—— bit hard and came out rapid.
Spent the whole day learning the boat and engine set up—- the noise it made —- the feel of the boat—- boats talk to you —- but you have to listen to them.
Treat them like you would an elegant lady you were taking out to dinner for the first time—- understand how she wants treating—- back off a little when you overstep the Mark.
Was incredible how you just stepped in —— pressed the tit ——floor it —- off it took, no reach for the skies—- just came out of the hole like a bullet—— straight and level—— gentle tap on the trim and the thing just broke free! Over trim and you had a floater? Centrifugal clutch came in at 4,500 rpm—-
Ran all day at 8,500 ——- just a beautiful noise!
Was told I could take it up to ten, but never got there!
Keith decided it needed a wing to lift the backside——— so the day before Bristol we took it to Chase again, this time with the wing fitted—- entered a whole new ball game—— DOWNFORCE—— WING TRIM —— Motor height—- weight distribution—— yes, we had the speed —— but a certain amount of unpredictability—- about 120 mph the nose would be pointed straight——- but the arse end waved from side to side—— something I had never experienced before.
I won’t bore you with the all the testing and alterations that went on before we left for Bristol—— but in a nutshell we set the boat up around the wing !!!
Arrived at Bristol just as final practice was finishing—— Charlie said Jackie—- as a special favour — you got one lap—- that’s it!
Did the one lap and came out second on the timesheets——
Format at Bristol was 4 heats of 12/15 laps, two on Saturday and then two on Sunday——- Was third behind Molinari and Jenkins going into the top turn — but close—— decided on a tight turn and take em both on pure grunt out of the turn ( I had that in spades)—— unfortunately I bit off more than I could chew—- spun like a top,—- by the time I was back up and running I was in Fifth—But the boat did not feel right!!!— stayed there until the end ——- after the race, on the cool down lap — the struts holding the wing gave up the Ghost ——- I dragged the wing behind —- but that was after the event.
I finished fifth overall after all four heats—— motor ran superbly—- never missed a beat, just didn’t get the set up right after we lost the wing.
i ran six races in England during the ‘78 season—— never ran the wing again—— Was upfront in Amsterdam after An hour and a half—- But punched a hole in the near side sponson at the start—- despite Dick Scammel’s best effort, the motor got wet and we were unable to continue.
Duchess of York saw Percival—- Alfie Bullen —-Jenkins—- Thorneywork and a couple of Factory drivers—- Lapped the field twice and was first overall in the hundred mile event.
Won the Champion of Champions at Fairford.
Beat Alfie up at Windermere with a top run of 123 ——
Always knew that given time—— it was a 150+ mph set up—— I just ran out of time!
Cosworth ran for less than one year before it was museumed!

[GENE LANHAM]

I found that out immediately after the event——— but I’m old school—— y’know, positive / Negative all that old stuff I learned the hard way! Red is positive—- Black is etc.
Hidden in the small print ( so it’s impossible to find in an emergency ) is information about the red post.
Or maybe I’m just too set in my ways to understand modern technology—— THATS why you’re the TECH TEAM and I’m still Jackie Wilson !

This is the TRUSTY Benz--- handles it well--but this is what I had to do to my neighbor's LEXUS HYBRID afer a couple weeks inactivity--

[jackiewilson]

This is the TRUSTY Benz--- handles it well--but this is what I had to do to my neighbor's LEXUS HYBRID afer a couple weeks inactivity--

I did check it out to see if there really was a red post there——- yes there is——- why the hell didn’t they do a full page emergency flat battery procedure in the owners manual——— still—- I don’t suppose the manufacturer’s ever thought the product would be lying dormant for weeks at a time.

[techteam]

I did check it out to see if there really was a red post there——- yes there is——- why the hell didn’t they do a full page emergency flat battery procedure in the owners manual——— still—- I don’t suppose the manufacturer’s ever thought the product would be lying dormant for weeks at a time.

Not all old powerboaters tell Fibs Jackie

[jackiewilson]

Not all old powerboaters tell Fibs Jackie

Would I ever accuse you of anything like that——- simply had to check it out for myself!
If Lexus evermissed putting a charge post in —— you can bet you’re sweet biped, it would be mine!

[Rotary John]

[ —— you can bet you’re sweet biped, it would be mine![/QUOTE]
Jackie: Your biped has never been sweet.

[jackiewilson]

[ —— you can bet you’re sweet biped, it would be mine!

Jackie: Your biped has never been sweet.[/QUOTE]

Turn of phrase Johnno—— leftover from ​ROWAN AND MARTIN .

[Bob V]

"Bet Your Sweet Bippy"

[jackiewilson]

The laugh in ?

"Bet Your Sweet Bippy"

THE LAUGH IN .