We had a great time at the Kop Hill Climb at the Weekend, on Saturday we were freezing until the sun cut through the mist, then sunburnt, for the rest of the day.
While Sunday saw us half drowned!
The forecast was for the weather to go pear shaped on Sunday, so it seemed a lot of people came on Saturday, as they reported the highest number of visitors for any day, since the event first started 10 years ago.
While numbers on Sunday were well down on the Saturday.
There were 5 cars on the stand on the Saturday.
Mike Guest 1929 Lambda
Roy Parmenter 1961 Appia 3
Justin McArdle 1972 2000 Coupe
Mark woodbridge 1970 Fulvia Series 2 Berlina
Brian Hilton 1966 Fulvia 2c Berlina.
Unfortunately due to an email that got lost in the ether from me to Tony Stephens, his lovely Aurelia B20 GT didn't join us.
Besides the cars on the Stand were the 1975 Fulvia 3 of Clive Snowden , and the 1972 Fulvia Zagato Daytona 1600 of Tony Rosewell, both waiting their runs up the hill.
On Sunday the stand was fit to burst! we only had room for a maximum of 6 cars on the stand, the organisers had decided for some reason that the cars running the hill would stay on the stand until called, which meant we needed room for 9,very kindly Nick on the Ford Model T stand said we could pinch a bit of his space, as they were only displaying 4 cars.
Tony Stephens 1955 Aurelia Gt, that he has owned for 50 years.
Martyn Everett 1961 Appia Zagato GTL ( ex the late Bob Seaney)
Dave Annels 1961 Flaminia GT
Fred Anderson 1966 Flavia Saloon.
Peter Loftus 1966 Flavia Coupe
Justin and Sara McArdle 1972 2000 Coupe
Eric Brooks 1972 Fulvia sport Zagato 1600-Running the Hill
Brian Hilton 1966 Fulvia 2c Berlina -Running the Hill
We were expecting a Lambda as well, but I can only assume the owner was put off by the weather forecast, can't say I blame him as we had a massive downpour coming up to lunchtime, and all the convertible owners were scrabbling to try and get their hoods up!
I had two runs on the hill, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
I had donated seats in aid of charity, and was asked to take a lady and her young daughter up the hill with me.
I dumped all the considerable excess weight out of the boot and put a cover over it, as it was raining lightly from time to time.
Sara was also coming as my passenger, and as we approached the start line the heavens opened and we were treated to torrential amounts of rain, it was a great run, although going up through the trees in the gloom my 1966 style headlights weren't really up to the job!
It only takes just over a minute or so to run the course and although by the time I get to the top my terminal speed is only 40mph in second gear at 5000 rpm, it seems a lot faster and is great fun, my paying passengers certainly thought they'd had their money's worth.
Coming back down the hill on the Whiteleaf road everywhere was awash, while it had pulled lots of debris and gravel with it.
There is a very sharp bend about halfway down at where it is very easy to run out of road, even more so this time with the loose gravel on the corner.
It was a shame that the rain had driven the spectators away, as normally it's great having people waving all the way back to the paddock, about a mile away.
When we got back although my cover over my things had mostly protected them, the ground was awash, so it got wet from underneath
By the time I got my afternoon run it was 3pm, at which time many spectators and participants had already left.
So after another excellent run, I headed straight off home.
Next year I hope to run Lancia stand again, and I've already asked about more room, but that will depend on how many early confirmed bookings we make.
So please join us next year, and sign up as soon as it is possible.
If you want to have a try up the hill then you have to apply to do so, then the organisers meet and pick the cars they want, out
of the 350 + entrants over the weekend, some run both days, there were only 4 Lancia, so let's see if we can improve on that in 2020, it's up to you how you drive the hill as it is classed as an untimed demonstration run, and being subject to the normal traffic regulations the maximum legal encouraged speed is 60mph.
Brian
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