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Re: Re: Four motions for AGM

Started by Dick Roberts (Web admin), December 03, 2004, 12:03:41

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Dick Roberts (Web admin)

Posted by Steve on October 06, 2004 at 16:27:13:

In Reply to: Re: Four motions for AGM posted by Paul Robertson on October 06, 2004 at 09:17:12:

Again we embrace our annual quest for the "Holy Grail", the camshaft, as we enter the build up to the AGM. Last year the club voted in the 2004 club cam. I remember this was for the club to finally remove the element of doubt about the various dimensions Citroen cams were manufactured. What are the results of this action? Where are we now and what about next season.
Address each area where the camshaft issue is a problem :
Newcomers
I agree with the idea that having to use the 04 cam does probably restrict newcomers. The feedback from members this year has been negative which hasn't also helped this situation. What we have seen during recent years is that those who have been brave enough to race with a "road" engine have been obviously left behind right from the start. At this point when a newcomer sees that a lot of time and work and yes money in some instances will have to be spent they have three choices.
1. Rebuild the engine to the regs. Incorperating all the do's and don'ts. I remember ATB answering a posting from somebody referring to the regs. He replied simply " Do what is says you can or be dog slow!!"
2. Carry on with existing "road engine" and race nobody. Become very bored and pack in.
3. Pack in now. Decorate bathroom and put those shelves up you always promised to do.
Cost
Many existing members have taken the first option in the past. This has to be the only option for any new members also. At this stage having to install an 04 cam and new valve springs would and should not be such a cost in the whole scheme of an initial race budget.
Reliability
Many people, myself included, were uncertain during the pre 2004 season about what impact the 04 cam would bring. This may be one of the reasons some people decided not to go to Oulton. We only built one engine and possibly as a few others did we decided to wait and see. I believe the findings of the tech committee did not conclusively lead to a "design fault" being found on the cam. It would appear a weak link in the chain was found, the valve springs. The reason so much bad publicity for the engine failures at Snet04 was that it was the inlet valve [a two piece construction] being contacted and not the more notorious [buzzing] exhaust valve [one piece construction]. We have all seen the shock pictures of the destruction this caused. But it did not happen to everybody. How many failures have we had in the championship since then. None. Yes the racing this year has been diluted by the smaller grids but Legends apart most others are facing reduced grids.
Closer racing??
Five cars going into the last lap at Cadwell could have won. Six cars made up the leading group at Silverstone while at the end the first three were split by 0.9 seconds. Given an average of about 12-14 cars per race then it would appear that we do have close racing. The commentary at both these meetings apparently confirms this.
"Mr Citroen Cams"
And now the other side of the coin [or cam]. Yes let them be used. Not let the cam be "FREE" but a genuine Mr Citroen. This will allow newcomers free to join without the apparent handicap of finding the "magic" setting on the 04 cam!!! But remember the 04 cam was voted in to clear up the previous 10 years of suspicion. The only way to see the difference between the two is to allow open class racing, with both cams allowed to run. But only with ..................................
Policing.
We now have a very competant scrutineer who appears at every championship round so far. IF Paul can satisfactorily police the both the 04 and the Mr Citroen cam then perhaps both cam parties will be happy. I am told that it is possible to check a cam whilst still in the engine. If this was demonstrated to all then again both cams could race.

Those that have raced this season would all like to see some of the old faces back. As in real life a criminal is allowed a second chance. We don't have to have "criminalised" engines only due to rule change. Let the legal 04 engines race the legal pre 2003 engines on a level and legal ground. Those that have spent time and money on the 04 engines won't be out of pocket as will those that still wish to use pre 2004 engines. And yes a bonus would be the extra 10-20 cars on the grid at Snet05 that Martin promises.