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The fourth page begins on Monday 2nd August 1965 as the car was collected and taken away to Bourne the next day to have some work carried out. On Thursday 12th August Peter took the team Land Rover to Bourne (2hours and 50minutes drive) to collect the car. Some welding had been carried out on the diff mounting bracket, the engine mounting bolts had been replaced, a tachometer had been installed, the timing had been checked and set at 36 degrees, all the Dzus fasteners on the bodywork were checked and tightened, the clutch linkage had been adjusted, the brake lever tightened and the oil and filter had been changed. Peter took the car and got home at 2pm. The next day the team took the car to the Croft circuit near Darlington and put in two "dummy runs" for some press photographers. Peter noted that all was well after these two runs. The car was then taken to Newcastle for an appearance on Tyne-Tees TV. Gerry Belton and Bruce Ropner were interviewed and some film was shown of the car in action. Saturday 14th August saw the car back at Croft for a public demonstration of Drag Racing for the British Automobile Racing Club where the team put in a single run over a 220 yard (1/8th mile). Gerry Belton drove and clocked a 6.082 second run with a terminal speed of 125mph. They were pleased with the run but less impressed with the fact that the chute did not open and the brakes only just managed to stop the car! |