HSCC 1300cc Beetle Croft Nostalgia Weekend (Race 1) 2014

My first time at Croft and the track couldn't have been more slippy, so being 'a noob' I started second from last but thanks to the Beetles wet weather traction I managed to make up 6 places off the start. AC/DC Legend Brian Johnson out-braked me in his Austin Cooper S into Tower Corner and Ian Gunton picked me off a few laps later in his rapid 1040cc Hillman Imp, but I had a great dice with Bob Bullens lively 1500cc Ford Anglia for most of the race and cautiously passed him a few laps from the end (cautious because we had another race the following day and I didn't want to bin it) The Beetle likes the wet but I do need to adjust my throttle pedal again as I wasn't able to use heal-&-toe braking (which is why I kept snatching the rear on the downshifts). I was testing a few new parts this weekend from Custom&Speed Parts in Germany which consisted of a Porsche 911 cooling fan conversion and matching 'bell-crank' throttle linkage, the Porsche cooling fan sounds like a supercharger at the RPM's I'm pulling and despite the extra air flow it didn't seem to rob the car of any noticeable power...Oil temperature is 10 degrees cooler than my stock VW fan used to manage as well. The new CSP throttle linkage is much smoother than my old hex-bar linkage which is especially useful in the wet. I just need to re-route the throttle cable before the next race and it will be perfect. The CSP fan and throttle linkage also shaved 20lb (9kg) off the back of the car so I couldn't be happier. Race series: HSCC Historic Touring Car Championship for pre 1966 cars Car: 1965 swing axle Beetle Engine Spec: 1285cc, EMPI 44HPMX carbs, Custom&Speed Parts bell crank throttle linkage EMPI H-Beam rods, EMPI shallow sump, Engle FK10 cam, EMPI rockers 1.25 inlet 1.1 exhaust, Flowed VW twinport heads 35.5mm inlet 32mm exhaust, EMPI merged drag exhaust with motorsport silencer. Cooling by Porsche 911 fan conversion by Custom&Speed Parts. Power 126bhp@7300rpm, Torque 97ft/lb 5000-7000rpm. Gearbox: Close ratio 4 speed with Quaife ATB limited slip diff built by Bears Motorsport. Suspension: Standard front suspension with EMPI 2.5" drop spindles, one set of caster shims and Quantum motorsport dampers (front anti-roll bar now removed), Rear suspension lowered 2 splines with adjustable heavy duty Z-bar and Quantum motorsport dampers. Brakes: Custom&Speed Parts disc brakes all round with front/rear bias adjustment Wheels/Tyres: EMPI Raider wheels with treaded Dunlop L historic racing tyres (tyre widths 120mm front, 135mm rear)