Mjit Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 You need to try towing a caravan up Porlock/Lynton/Lynmouth. Won't go well for you but will provide great entertainment for everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 i remember helping a prat towing a sprite musketeer up Lynton hill with a CA Bedford van and managed the corner but stalled on the straight bit , rolled back to a jack knife nearly into the cliff edge with wife trying to push . we got her out the way and de coupled only to find the caravan handbrake didnt work but managed to spin it round on a rock chock , rehitched he left downhill with the bedford brakes not holding and he crashed into the wall on the corner theres a inherent problem with idiots having no idea of why you have a 1st gear for hills they poodle round the hair pins in 3rd and stall and we all fall about laughing or getting grumpy Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 It was Porlock Hill that made me change all my silicone brake fluid back to good quality DOT4 20 years ago - we were on a non-competitive tour, and I had climbed it in my Healey 3000, great fun, and was driving gently back down again to the start. Near the bottom my brake pedal went soft and I couldn't hold it on the pedal. The choice was going to be between the dry stone wall on the left, or the boot of the 300SL Gullwing in front... Luckily with a real hefty long pull on the handbrake I managed to get it to stop. 20 mins later it was back to normal. I had suffered a similar experience 6 months earlier on a different hill in a different car, also with silicone brake fluid, so the Porlock experience was enough, no more silicone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 its wheres the water hiding ??? I guess Porlock is cleaner these days not the pong of burnt clutches and cooked brakes the narrow 2nd toll road up culbone from porlock wier is a good set of hair pins with grass in the middle ie not the hill by pass toll. or watch guys go down countisbury with just the brakes on for 2 miles ye haaa cant stop at the bottom its time to use your gears and let the engine sing /do the work its a good wake up county for idiots and other oddities like Bilbrooke ford nr blue anchor the road just runs into the river you drive up the river bed for 150 yds and exit onto tarmac not far to the A39 Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 Oh yes, I remember that now! Bonkers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjit Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 4 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: i remember helping a prat towing a sprite musketeer up Lynton hill with a CA Bedford van and managed the corner but stalled on the straight bit , rolled back to a jack knife nearly into the cliff edge with wife trying to push . we got her out the way and de coupled only to find the caravan handbrake didnt work but managed to spin it round on a rock chock , rehitched he left downhill with the bedford brakes not holding and he crashed into the wall on the corner In approx. 1980? Sounds almost identical to the incident I was thinking of, although I remember it as going up Countisbury. I do remember lots of muttering, mumbling, and amusement from my dad and uncle who were both keen caravanners and would probably have stopped to help if we weren't walking up the hill as families, with myself and 2 others having the easy crushability of childhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted January 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 Anyone who remembers the Doune Classic Show near Stirling, around 2001 - wettest, coldest weekend I ever spent in a tent. The first afternoon - Friday - some guy in a Stag towed a caravan up the sloping campsite and spun his wheels the entire way leaving two huge trenches across the field, and after that every other car that followed just made them deeper and muddier. Everytime we went to the stalls or beertent we had to do the WW1 'over the top', and climb out of one trench, cross no mans land in between, drop into the other, clamber out covered in mud, and do the same on the way back. People were falling into them in the dark. I had to buy a new pair of shoes in the village for the trip home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 2 hours ago, Mjit said: approx. 1980? i would guess 80 ish we were caravaning in the porlock C park behind the garage small world Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted January 8, 2021 Report Share Posted January 8, 2021 21 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: going up or down , dont know it said the car systems saw the grid as a wall !!!! they have changed the grid like the area we stayed in the old police station at dunster in 2019 you need to try beggars roost nr Lyton Pete You just put the Vittesse on the tramway? Don`t You?. From `83 to 97` The whole area from Bournemouth to the Tamar was my "Patch". We "did" all the N-T sites, as part of the "insurance" package for General Accident. We too Caravaned all up round there during that period. Often in Fields. The Vittesse towed our Baily caravan sometimes too. P.s. Never attempted Porlock with a `van, having had to climb it solo in a modern company supplied vehicle. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 think anyone trying to negotiate Porlock or any hairpinned 1 in 3 with a caravan needs a mental check up i stopped caravaning in 1984 when management cars were not allowed tow bars the 2000 has a tow ball but i dont have a caravan to see how she would perform .... quite slowly i think certified locations with 5 vans and a loo were my preferred sites getting the friendly horse out of the awning was a good game this is thread drift of the week !!!! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 4 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: the 2000 has a tow ball but i dont have a caravan to see how she would perform .... quite slowly i think Continuing the "Thread Drift":- My Neighbour had the 2000 Estate circa late 70`s He towed a Sprite Alpine with his, an older (heavier) one on the Full steel chassis. The only thing he did was add Rear spring assist to counteract the long(ish) overhang dragging the rear down?. My Mazda 6, would`nt pull though. Swopped it for a V6 2.8 Auto, Granada Estate which had the same (Rear Sag) issue, solved with Air Springs. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 I am going to upgrade the Spit with modern signalling: When below 50MPH & indicator stalk activated, brake lights will illuminate for a second and then the indicators will flash. Indicators controlled from steering angle would be a bonus. Only start flashing as I turn. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyman Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 1 minute ago, SpitFire6 said: I am going to upgrade the Spit with modern signalling: When below 50MPH & indicator stalk activated, brake lights will illuminate for a second and then the indicators will flash. Indicators controlled from steering angle would be a bonus. Only start flashing as I turn. If you do it Iain and it works well, try and sell the idea to BMW. Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 on the drift i have a pair of 10mm spring spacers off the 2000 is anyone want them to lift the rear end a bit Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 agree pretend its a BMW and then you dont need to indicate Hmmm !! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 39 minutes ago, poppyman said: If you do it Iain and it works well, try and sell the idea to BMW. Tony. They already have it mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 1 hour ago, SpitFire6 said: They already have it mate. it probably doesn't work on corners so after we've changed all the cattle grids we'll have to change all of the corners and junctions too to keep up with this new technology. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyman Posted January 9, 2021 Report Share Posted January 9, 2021 1 hour ago, SpitFire6 said: They already have it mate. Doesn't work on most of them Iain. Tony. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 On 09/01/2021 at 17:58, poppyman said: Doesn't work on most of them Iain. Tony. Nor Audi`s, And Most SUV`s with lady drivers and a car load of sprog`s. BTW. WHY!!!!!. Do they always have to get the kid(s) out into the Road?. Anyone know? Not a new phenomenon, It was noticable as far back as the early 80`s. (and maybe earlier??) Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted January 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 15 minutes ago, PeteH said: Nor Audi`s, And Most SUV`s with lady drivers and a car load of sprog`s. BTW. WHY!!!!!. Do they always have to get the kid(s) out into the Road?. Anyone know? Not a new phenomenon, It was noticable as far back as the early 80`s. (and maybe earlier??) Pete It's Darwinian. Natural selection at work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 the only case of kids out roadside is if one is in a safety seat not so easy to extricate the little darlings from within the car from the path side think thats just cobblers it just lazyness as the o/s rear door is nearest add to the problem of opening doors to get in or out without any concerns for passing cars its all down to Me Me Me and sod any common sense or responsibility well its raining again i dont /or need to go far in lockdown but its a joy to drive without all the whacky parking outside the schools and 3 point turns in main road Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 1 hour ago, PeteH said: Nor Audi`s, And Most SUV`s with lady drivers and a car load of sprog`s. BTW. WHY!!!!!. Do they always have to get the kid(s) out into the Road?. Anyone know? Not a new phenomenon, It was noticable as far back as the early 80`s. (and maybe earlier??) Pete That's one question that's been about for centuries - why do women with children in a pram always push the pram out into the road first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 Have you seen the Baby !!!!!!!!! Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted January 12, 2021 Report Share Posted January 12, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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