Aprilia back on the road

[apriliadriver]

Colin,
A wonderful picture -  thanks for posting and my apologies for misaligning you with the Appia  ...  I should have known it was Will's.

These Lambda lunches are organised by Mike Benwell, who deserves a round of applause.
Nick

[fay66]

Nick is right – it was a great gathering of wonderful cars – including the two Aprilias in the photo below.

But Nick is wrong about the Appia, which is owned by Will How and sadly not by me! I was there as a mere passenger in a Fiat Panda, which didn't stop me enjoying the event.

Colin

Colin that's a relief I thought I was having a senior moment as I couldn't remember ever seeing you in an Appia

Brian
8227

[apriliadriver]

Yesterday, I drove the Aprilia on what is probably its last long run this year : West London to Crawley to pick up an ex-neighbour and then onto Hastings to view some interesting cars, particularly a very early (1955) Alfa Giulietta Sprint, which is completing restoration.

Total journey mileage, 240 miles and, apart from an odd transient problem with the headlights, completed the journey without missing a beat, two-up most of the way. I had to accomplish the Crawley to London return leg after dark on side-lights only, so opted for the M23/M25 route since that's lit most of the way.

I can assure readers that Hastings sea-front on a warm but very gusty day is not for the faint-hearted  -  this once very lovely Victorian seaside resort is now the benefits-capital of England, used by social services as a dumping ground and very run-down.

The Aprilia received a light coating of airborne sea-salt, so I will be washing the car this morning to slow down the onset of rot.
Nick

[williamcorke]

Hi Nick,
That's PG's Sprint presumably?  I thought it was with Chris Robinson... which leads to the (speculative) question, which specialist is down Hastings way?  Trimmer?
cheers,
William

[ben]

Hi Nick
         Your post reminds me that Ive been meaning to ask you for contact details for the speciaiists who rebuilt your dynamo for the red Aprilia after the Turin run in 2006. I presume your current headlight issue is just that and not due to lack of battery power or charge!
         I have been living with a max output of about 5 amps from my dynamo for as long as I can remember but think the time is right to do something about it. I came back from Portsmouth after the 2006 trip with a pair of bicycle lamps on a bamboo pole taped across the front of the car to supplement the standard 5 watt side lights and thus enable me to run without the headlamps, up the A34 and along the M4 to Bristol!
                          Ben

[apriliadriver]

First to William's question  -  no. not PG's car 00024, but G. Sprint 000905 which I met quite unexpectedly at the restoration workshop while looking at a pre-war car. PG's car is still with Chris Robinson.

'905 is owned by a South Coast doctor and has all the right features  -  rolled-edge wheel-rims etc  ....  but as this is the LMC Aprilia Forum, I better not go on about it.

Second to Ben : the older gent who rebuilt my Centenary trip duff dynamo is not now taking much on  -  but I have had an Aprilia dynamo rebuilt since then by Jay Electrics, 322 Hook Rise North, Tolworth, Surrey, KT6  7LN,  0208 391 1004. No e-mail or web.

Jay is a one-man band, and a very quick worker : he mainly does vintage stuff, 6V or 12V. Cost of the rebuild/re-wind, new bearings etc was £160 which, while it is a lot, nevertheless you do get it back in good time.
Nick

[williamcorke]

Warning, non-Lancia content!

Thanks Nick, I didn't know there was another earlyish car nearby.  You might know I've got #555 awaiting restoration; it would be good to be able to have a look at the Hastings car at some point.  Curiously, my car has non-rolled wheels, but with a clear '55' stamp on each wheel.  Go figure!

William

[apriliadriver]

Definitely the last road-mileage in 2010, a 70-mile trip back from Portsmouth.

While down there, the front brake-shoes were replaced as a precaution, new water-temp gauge fitted (the capillary-tube of the previous new one had broken), several electrical faults sorted, an all-round spanner-check and etc.

On the journey back up the A286/A3 the car held a regular 65/70 (calibrated against traffic passing police cars, speed restrictions on M25 ) with remarkably lively acceleration. A long steep hill (e.g north of Midhurst on the Downs)will still necessitate a change down to third, but given the passage of 70 years, we can still surprise people as we charge by.

By pre-war standards, the brakes are brilliant : they must have seemed top-of-the-class in their period.

Now, Forumists, a Question ....  apart from the Sliding Pillar Rally, what other events in 2011 will attract other Aprilias to attend  ? 

Any suggestions, however rude, gratefully received.
Nick

[johnturner]

Not sure how many other Aprilias you will; find but the very best event still running is the VSCC Measham (http://www.vscc.co.uk/vsccweb/events/event.jsp?id=572) which I reckon is winnable in an Aprilia.  Alternatively Leo Schildkamp recommends the 100 Miles of Amsterdam (http://www.the100miles.com/index2.php?t=1&h=5) which is a slightly softer version of the same thing.  Or you could try the Via Flaminia run by the same crowd which ought to be supported if only because the cars they use to illustrate their various classes are exclusively Lancias.(http://via-flaminia.com/pages/frrally.htm)

John

[apriliadriver]

John,
Thanks  :  I have thought about the Measham in previous years, but never done it  ....  sounds bracing from the weather viewpoint ! I must find a good nav.
Nick

[Scarpia]

We would gladly do the amsterdam 100 miles in the aprilia but we are 7 years to young unfortunately;.... such a shame the catagories of these events don't allow for models to enter based on the "date of launch" of the model rather than production year.There is really no practical difference between a 1930's aprilia and a 1940's in terms of performance and handling and such rules limit rules out otherwise (still rather old ) cars being used in these events. 

[davidwheeler]

When I took mine in for its MOT the tester was amazed at the brakes, best he'd ever recorded he said...

[apriliadriver]

David,
I am not surprised. The combined surface area of the brake-shoes is at least as large as those on the 900kg Alfa Guilietta of the Fifties/Sixties.

In actual driving I have found the Aprilia brakes are well up to driving in modern-day driving conditions, and there are not too many 1930s makes, particularly smaller cars, about which that can be said  -  for example, I submit the [turn yr eyes away] contemporary Morris 8 saloon, which has extremely feeble stopping power.
Nick

[DavidLaver]

I thought the Morris 8 brakes were the fabulous high performance hydraulics that were grafted on to Austin 7s?   Just goes to show there's always a smaller fish out there...

David

[Peter W]

These comments remind me of the Aprial that I owned in the early 60s.  When the MOT '10 year test' was introduced, I duly took mine along to the Ministry Test Station in Hendon where, as well as conducting the tests, they we also evaluating various items of test equipment.  They decided to do the brake test on a rig that consisted of 4 large rectangular pads set in the floor & a console housing 4 single leg manometers with markings from 0 to 100%.  The idea being that the car was driven smartly onto the pads & then braked firmly.  The pads presumably pressed against 4 load cells which filled the manometers to the appropriate level.  The Aprilia was driven onto the pads and stopped very sharply, the man by the console took the readings & scratched his head then turned to the driver and asked him to repeat it.  This time he turned to me and said 'No car can have 100% so I will give it 99.9'!

Peter