Silverstone GP Track Day in May (139 pounds)

[Chris Acklam]

Chris, I'm sure will give his impressions of driving a +4 - its quite different isn't it Chris!!!!

Just a bit, John.

Keep it above 3500rpm, they said. But then Plus 8 instincts kick in as I start off in the paddock and I snick it into 2nd immediately. Mistake... No synchro, so tentative double declutch and back into 1st. Get to the flag marshall, and I do it again! It's going to be difficult to eradicate these recidivist tendencies...

Out on track, it accelerates really well and I circulate slowly trying to work out what to do. Have to get used to changing down to gears never used in the V8, and changing up at revs etc. The Avons are brilliant - I don't think I ever got near their unsticking point, even when I failed to find second going into one of the chicanes. It just drifted benignly sideways waiting for me to catch up.

Circulating with other Plus 4s was much more interesting than going round on my own. It was good to know that I could keep up, more or less, though failing to locate third a couple of times, failing to find second and finding the brakes hard work meant that I was constantly catching up and falling back, etc.

It's a beautiful car - and really looking forward to Brands.

[Roger Bonsall]

Hi guys

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of you current racers of proper +4s and seeing your cars at the Silverstone track day on Tuesday. I’ve never seen so many +4 ‘lowline’ SuperSport’ spec cars together before. As someone commented that evening, “these +4s seem to be breeding!” And so they should – the survival of the fittest and all that. I certainly learnt a lot about what you guys can now do to the cars and noted your various solutions to things I’m currently thinking about. All the cars there looked really nice and seemed to perform well. You all clearly take it very seriously, just as we did. Thank you for making me welcome.

My only complaint is the colour of your cars! I think that Morgans of that era were available in red (XOV and 49AFK), Brunswick green, a nice blue (similar to Richard’s car) and ivory. Other than Richard’s, yours are all dark sombre colours – not even a TOK green! I plan to put that right!

I shall follow your progress through the season with interest and hope to come to the occasional meeting. In the meantime, my +4 glowers at me impatiently every time I open the garage door while ‘Aunt Tilly’s Shouters’ also demands my attention – a free CD for the first person who can explain the Ellington allusion!

I’m seeing Brian K tomorrow when I shall report on Silverstone. We shall reminisce for hours and I shall tell him that banter remains unchanged after 40 years!

Thanks again to you all and have a great season.

Roger Bonsall

[Leigh Sebba]

I seem to recall from an article (in Melvyn’s magazine) that you play in a jazz band of that name.

Can I choose which CD ? I’m not very keen on jazz.

[Roger Bonsall]

Hi Leigh

Yes I do, but 'why Aunt Tilly's Shouters' is the question - and no, you'll have an 'A.T.S.' CD if you suss it - how else can I get rid of the ridiculously large number the record company tucked us up with! Sorry if you don't like jazz. I'm just off to meet Brian K and he wants one - and he's heard the Band!

Cheers

Roger.

[John Clarke]

Hi Roger - it was good to meet you. We're all out at Brands this Saturday 23rd May - there will be tickets spare I am sure, so if you are able, please pop in and see us again.

FYI there are two 'real' supersports racing that I know of- Simon King in the highline SS 'FOJ' and yours truely in the ex Adam Bridgland lowline SS. Mine still wears it's factory colour (build sheet shows Indigo Blue), a colour chose by Adam and then replicated on his Moss Box +8 - not sure about Simon's cars original colour but I'm sure he will put us all straight.

john

[john bevan]

photos of the track day are on the Fresh Orange website,

John