Unique Cars Australia – September 2019

TradeUniqueCars.com.au 113

A

fterthedisappointmentofSpeedweek 2018 – (Seepreviousarticlein

UniqueCarsissue#420)Tim,FrankieandtherestoftheBalingTwine

RacingTeamreturnedtoOrange,NSW,fromLakeGairdner(akaThe

BigWhiteDyno),determinedtocorrecttheproblemwhichhadkilled

theracemotorin2018.AnalysisfromtheGoProandon-boarddata

loggerensuedanda freshenginewasbuiltfor2019.

A dynoinCowrawasusedtotesttheengineknownas‘Murphy’–

becauseMurphywasanoptimist.It featured44mmWeberdown-draftcarbies,

Waggotcamshafts,forgedpistonsandothermods.Murphyblewa headgasket

atalmostthelastdaybeforedepartureforthelake,1600kmfromOrange.A

quickheadgasketreplacementandcrossingoffingersfollowed.

I metupwiththeminPortAugustacompletewitha secondsparesetofhead

gasketspurchasedfromthelocalAlfapartsdealerinAdelaide.Thetriptothe

lakewasquitepleasantwiththeroadhavingbeengradedinanticipationofthe

increasedvolumeoftrafficexpected.Firstupwasthedrivers’briefingthatTim

attendedandtosetupthepitsonthelakewithhelpfromengineerGregHurst

andsonMurraywhoisa dieselmechanicbytrade.

Fullofhopefora betterrunthanin2018,Timlinedupfora shake-downrun

onMonday,thefirstdayofcompetition,followinga toughsessionwiththe

scrutineers.It seemstheirunderstandingofthemodificationsmandatedfor

Tim’srollcagein 2018 andTim’simplementationwereatoddswitheachother.

Aftera lengthyinspectionthecarpassed,howevertheyimposeda limiton

thecarof 135 mphwithTim’ssafetybeingtheirprimaryconcern.Atleastthis

yearthelimitimposedwouldbeenoughfora recordtobesetshouldthecardo

thespeedrequiredofjustover126mph.Thereisnodenyinghoweverthatit was

a disappointingoutcomegiventheextraworkputinduringtheyear.

Inpart,thetyrannyofdistanceisresponsiblefortheresultbecausewith

onlyonemeetinga yearandthatina veryremotelocationthereisnoreal

ABOVE Salt
and Alfas aren’t
usually good
playmates.

TOP RIGHT

Aliens have

taken over the

yellow Sud.

LEFT Makeshift

repairs at a

makeshift race

venue.