Unique Cars Australia – September 2019

TradeU arars.coom.amauu 1151515

change in approach from 2017 which saw a completely standard
1700cc engine as the spare which, although it was quick would
have put the car into another class with a significantly higher
record speed.
With much of Tuesday being lost to a fairly dramatic
thunderstorm and consequential loss of the timing system (due
to effects of lightning strikes) the team set to and replaced the
damaged Murphy with the backup Sod. Needless to say there
was more finger crossing as we fired up Sod for the first time.
Wednesday was cooler and windy and there were again
weather delays and the team had to wait until very late in the
day for a run. There was considerable optimism after this run
with Sod working well and turning a speed of 121.9mph. This
was tantalisingly close to the required speed of 126mph. Alas, it
didn’t get any better.
Thursday morning signalled departure time for Greg and
myself as he and I had commitments in Sydney and Adelaide

respectively. Our quiet drive home was disrupted with a big

bang as a rock f lew up off the trailer and destroyed the rear

screen on the Disco...

Back at the lake the wind had changed and the two runs on

Thursday were significantly slower due to a strong headwind,

the sworn enemy of smaller capacity motors. Tim had one

last f ling on the big white dyno on the Friday morning.

Unfortunately Sod started developing similar symptoms to

Murphy which left the team very def lated after all the effort.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and Alfasuds weren’t built to do

125mph. For now it is back to the farm for some ref lection, and

modifications to engine and roll cage.

Baling Twine Racing hopes to return next year with ‘20-20’

hindsight. With further data analysis, more testing on the dyno

and a bit of old fashioned guts and determination and ongoing

support from our band of loyal local sponsors, they aim to

break the record in the yellow Alfa Romeo Sprint.

BELOW

Baling Twine

Racing poses,

optimistically

with the Sud.

RIGHT ‘Sod’, the

engine, joined

‘Murphy’ and

cried enough on

Tim’s last fling.