Tag Archives: Dundry

Cardinals Classic – Volkswagen Golf SE IV

The last of this months Sunday Volkswagen Golf posts is about a Golf IV.

Volkswagen Golf SE IV, Shepton Mallet,

Last year I took on a low mileage VW Golf SE Estate IV, that my folks bought new in 1999. Over the 10,000 miles I have driven it, apart from several light bulbs a set of new tyres and a service it has proved to be a pleasantly reliable mode of transport carrying up to 4 at up to 70 mph to numerous events in England and Wales. The most awkward work I have had to do on it was to replace the front headlight bulb that is tucked away in front of the passenger side mounted battery but thanks to to this linked video I got the job done in a supermarket car park with a minimum of fuss.

Volkswagen Golf SE IV, Dundry

Three days after I acquired the Golf I had a great time with it on a field in Dundry just South of Bristol trying, unsuccessfully, to defend my Cross Trohpy.

Volkswagen Golf SE IV,

A couple of weeks ago I was reminded that my car insurance was about to expire and after a little shopping around which included looking at the Aviva site I found I was able to halve my car insurance bill with my no claims bonus. With the Golf freshly serviced and insured I polished her up for wedding duties as the brides maids car for a friend who was getting married during a visit from Australia.

Volkswagen Golf SE IV, Shepton Mallet,

While I was looking up the approximate value of my car I was surprised to learn that the highest price ever paid for a second hand Golf IV was US $243,000 @ £160,000 in English. It turns out that the car was sold by its original owner prefect of the Catholic Church’s Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith under Pope John Paul II better known as Cardinal Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger when he expected to retire to Germany after Pope John Paul II died in 2005.

Volkswagen Golf SE IV, Shepton Mallet,

After he had sold his Golf to his surprise Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI and the new owner of the Cardinals Golf put it up for auction on e-bay where it was purchased by a casino.

Volkswagen Golf SE IV, Dundry

A couple of weeks ago I made an attempt at reclaiming the Cross Trophy with fellow Bristol Pegasus Motor Club member Chris Clarke and came home a respectable third in class. A couple of days ago I was out again this time on a treasure hunt with GALPOT regular Tim Murray and again we came home a respectable third and won a box of Maltesers to share.

Touch wood the Golf will remain reliable and help me attend a few more meetings which I can report on here for your delectation.

Thanks for joining me on this “Cardinal Classic” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Podiumed In Class – Cross Trophy

Ten days ago I had a rare Spring Sunday lie in and arose in time to meet Chris Clarke at the Shell garage on the A38 just outside Bristol from whence we proceeded to Duncan Pittaway’s farm in Dundry for the 2013 edition of the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club‘s Cross Trophy Production Car Trial.

Land Rover Evoque, Cross Trophy, Dundry

Photo Courtesy Andy Moss / BPMC Archive

Among the entries were the father and son Robsons using Mum’s 2 wheel drive Range Rover Evoque,

TVR 280S, Cross Trophy, Dundry

Photo Courtesy Andy Moss / BPMC Archive

the most powerful vehicle taking part was Duncan Pittaway’s 1989 TVR 280S,

Volkswagen Golf III, Cross Trophy, Dundry

Photo Courtesy Andy Moss / BPMC Archive

Newcomers to the event were the Firks brothers who were sharing this stripped track day prepared Golf III.

Firks & Firks, Cross Trophy, Dundry

The Firks brothers Keith and Andrew were not the first novice winners to win the Clubsport Class 1 front wheel drive honours but they are the first to have achieved the same score behind the wheel.

Citroen AX, Cross Trophy, Dundry

Photo Courtesy Andy Moss / BPMC Archive

Class 1 honours in the National B event went to Ray Jacobs in a keenly fought battle of Citroen AX’s with Colin Francis and Chris Buckle.

Marlin Roadster, Cross Trophy, Dundry

Photo Courtesy Andy Moss / BPMC Archive

Roland Panes won Class 2 rear wheel drive honours in his yellow Marlin Roadster.

Parsons, Cross Trophy, Dundry

Photo Courtesy Andy Moss / BPMC Archive

Making a welcome return to competition after his recent illness was Alan Spencer who recorded the lowest (best) score of the day with Cherry Robinson in the passenger seat.

Volkswagen Golf IV, Cross Trophy, Dundry

Photo Courtesy Andy Moss / BPMC Archive

With the Firks brothers sharing top honours in Class 1 Chris Clarke calmly guided me to a third place finish in class which translated to a 7th place overall in a field of 14 competitors who finished the Clubsport event. I’ve made my mind up to acquire a second set of wheels and far more aggressively patterned tyres and to remove various bit’s of plastic from the front wings and below the motor for my next production car trials outing.

My thanks to Mal who set the courses, Tim who kept the scores and Peter who checked the vehicles taking part for the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club, to marshals, Donny, Liz and Carlie to Andy Moss for sharing today’s photographs and last but not least Chris Clarke who sat alongside me on this event.

Thanks for joining me on this “Podiumned In Class” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Giving Up Is Hard To Do – Cross Trophy

Last Wednesday, after a break of some 20 years, I became a car owner again. Thanks to my folks purchasing a new Golf TSI, I found myself taking on their 12 year old Golf Estate.

Volkswagen Golf, Bristol Classic Car Show

My first adventure in it was on Saturday to the Bristol Classic Car Show at Shepton Mallet, see above, and on Sunday I drove my new pride and joy to Duncan’s farm just outside Bristol in Dundry and attempted to retain the Cross Trophy which I won at last years Bristol Pegasus Motor Club‘s production car trial meeting.

Cross Trophy, Dundry

Arriving promptly at mid day the first problem, thanks to the wettest drought on record, was to get all the competitors on to that part of the field where the competition was scheduled to take place. Pete, one of the marshals, thoughtfully brought his Land Rover with him so that Andy, in the Citroen Saxo above and I could, with the aid of a tow, at least make it to the start line of the first test.

Volkswagen Beetle, Cross Trophy

My next problem was to find a passenger, fortunately Zoë from the Bristol Motor Club, who had come along to help with the marshaling and watch her 15 year old daughter Clare make her production car trial debut with her father Mark in the 1967 Beetle above, kindly volunteered to forgo standing in the rain and agreed to be my passenger.

Marlin, Cross Trophy

After a short drivers briefing with event organiser Mal we dispersed to the four competitive sections of the event. Laura my passenger last year is seen above in her Dad’s Marlin Roadster.

Suzuki X-90, Cross Trophy

Alan who has recovered from inverting his Parsons on the recent Exeter Trial was sharing his newly acquired Suzuki X-90 named ‘Barbie’ with Pat who is seen at the wheel above with Pete observing on the first section.

Citroen AX, Cross Trophy

Winner of the National Class B event was Chris in his Citroen AX seen here trying to clear the second section which like all the sections got progressively more difficult through the afternoon as the rain came and went and then came back again.

Volkswagen Golf, Cross Trophy

Despite competing in the lower Clubsport event Paul in the Golf II above just managed to pip National Class B winner Chris to win the overall event. I managed to come 3rd in class the front wheel drive Clubsport class and 7th overall in the Clubsport event and 12th overall in the two combined events.

Volkswagen Golf, Cross Trophy

Afterwards I was joined at the nearest garage by Chris who had driven his Nissan Micra 145 miles from Gravesend for a long engagement with the steam cleaner.

My thanks to Mal, Pete and everyone involved in the organisation and marshaling of this veritable mud bath of an event, to Tim for the results, and Zoë my passenger who did her bit to dispel the myth that the Bristol Motor Club is ‘the enemy’ of the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club.

Giving up the Cross Trophy at the end of the year will be hard to do even though Paul took a well deserved victory, I look forward to attempting to win it back again next year !

Thanks for joining me on this ‘Giving Up Is Hard To Do’ edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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