VSCC Welsh Trial, Presteigne 7th October 2017. A selection of the cars from Class 2b for modified long wheelbase cars, tackling the 'Badlands' section.
Well filmed. Very many of these types underwent (and mainly survived) strenuous trials on (or before) being marketed in the first place. The difference in those days was, a new spring, differential, engine, clutch, radiator, various linkages etc could be sourced and fitted at minimal expense from the works lorry a couple of miles down the road. Bearing this in mind I don't see that there is much to prove 90 years later; other than perhaps how much disposable income is freely available from the participants for remanufacture of the parts that get destroyed. Granted a ladder frame chassis will twist with the abuse and is highly unlikely to exceed it's elastic limit, but that same twisting is very swiftly going to murder the wooden coachbuilt body that sits on top- the net result being a scuttle and frame that flap about like a frightened hen- 2 miles in the mud could elongate all those critical joints more than 2000 miles on the road. I'm in favour of fun, Hillclimbs generally only result in a broken engine or blower, but....Trials? I suspect there may be too many owners who do not consider themselves temporary custodians. I would like to leave my daughter something, but preferably not something that i have kicked the shit out of first, though. I'm sure there's people who disagree, but...opinion... As long as we keep on listening and thinking, eh?
I both agree and disagree, more the former than the latter. Personally I'm more in favor of road tests that may face a bit of dirt in the course of the event. But these trials are a different subject altogether. They are fun....when it isn't your car. But I could never imagine owning a car that's been through this abuse. There's plenty of parts I'd worry about structural failure, front stub shafts, rear diff cage, etc. Not to mention the fact that the whole underside of the car, inside of bonnet, etc is plastered in crap. Good luck getting all that nasty cleaned out. With cars whose parts are still readily available, like a Ford Model A, I say go for it but the rest? Why. Sure, I'm sure it's fun but it's a lot of twisting and abuse. Everything can be remade, there's no such thing as irreplaceable, but it is going to cost you when something breaks. With all the other ways to have fun and actually drive the cars, not just puttering around I don't see the point. It makes it hard to keep the car "original" when you've had to replace many broken bits. At the end of the day, it's someone else's car and they can do with it what they will, but they're hardly being custodians. I'd certainly never subject any of my British sports cars which I've spent thousands of hours of my own time and tens of thousands of dollars restoring to beat on them in this manner. Now...if I owned a French car of the same era...Trials Car.
