I know there are alot of variables in something like this but I've wanted a go at hill climbing for some time and I might be moving closer to my dad next year and he has expressed an intrest aswell. It's probably a bit of a pipe dream for the moment but how much money would we be needing to raise to get started and what essentials would be required.

I can't look into anything too specific at the moment because everything is still up in the air and any number of things might happen or not happen.

I think the start point will be which class you want to enter. No idea what they are, but maybe a stock hatch sub 1,600cc type class where the base cars are cheap and allowable mods may be limited to control costs and maintain competitiveness.

You need.

1) A car - any car. Strictly speaking, no prep at all necessary.
2) A timing strut. This is an hour of your time, a hacksaw, some black paint and a copy of the blue book to ensure you get the dimensions necessary.

In absolute terms, this is all you really need from a technical point of view.

Safety equipment.

This has changed quite a bit in recent years.

At one point, you were allowed Proban single layer race suits.
This is no longer the case.

You now need a FIA certified suit, which is really saying you need a Nomex suit.

Bargain on a few hundred for that.

Helmet is similar in that you will need one which is to the correct specification in terms of build and fire retardant lining.

Gloves, again fire retardant gloves are now compulsory.

Here's a list of all homologated suits. If it's not on this list, it's not suitable.

http://argent.fia.com/web/fia -public.nsf/56E7D1D5962AB33AC12579650036E83F/$FILE/L27_Approved_clothing_materials.pdf

As above - a few hundred quid.

Bargain helmets are available to spec for under a hundred and gloves likewise.

Doing it on a budget, I would bargain on around £500 for your personal equipment.

If you want an old proban racesuit which is now only suitable to wear while fixing the car and a helmet which is similarly useless, you can have mine for nothing.

It's not the very very cheap form of motorsport which it used to be from this perspective.

[Edited on 26/5/12 by zilspeed]

HI fia approved suit nomex gloves fia helmet £500 /to as much as you can afford you will also need msa licence £34 and entry fees for events these are the costs you cannot avoid what you run for a vehicle is down to you and your budget there will be a class what ever you drive

Thanks for the link, so far everything looks viable (Assuming all the other stuff that needs to happen happens of course).

Would needing an auto box be a problem rules wise?

Not at all.

No problems with the auto box.

When you think about it, with modern cars having paddle shifts etc, other than the start, many have what is in effect an auto box these days.

Paddle shift would be my prefered option but it's not looking like that will be an option budget wise.

Where would I find out what the classes are?

Think of a venue, find out who the organising club are, visits theire website and then download some regs from there.

Please please do it, but do bear in mind that the type of class you will be in will contain cars that at the very competitive end of the entrants will be just about beginning to mix it with the slower end of the single seaters.

This shouldn't discourage you, you're initially looking to beat only youself.

Just bear in mind that any class that allows Caterhams, Westfields, Locosts and the like will be populated by folks going awfully quick.

Bear that in mind and enjoy it.

Hopefully some of the more prolific speed eventers will be along soon to contribute.
My knowledge is at best old and also based on not being very quick.

have a look on the british hiil climb championship web site. some info on there. otherwise just look at results from previous rounds. (barbon was on the 12/05/12) and there will be a pdf of all results. class winners and cars

I will do that and then speak with my dad and see what happens. wouldn't be until next year at the earliest, and even if this time doesn't work out I'm sure I'll eventually get there. At the moment I'm far more intrested in the taking part tan anything else.

Google Harewood hill climb should get info you need from there also try uphill racers would help if we knew engine size basicaly upto 1.4 1.4 to 1.7 /1.7 to 2.0 and above 2.0 road class or non road where you run slicks etc

Worth having a look and joining the Hillclimbers own website

www.uphillracers.com


I have a mate who's been going up the hills for years so if you need to know anything specific...

Starting out my advice would be to consider looking at sprints rather than the hills - sprinting is great place to learn as many but not all offer lots of run-off if you make a mistake i.e airfields. Hills can be pretty narrow and more technical. But whatever you decide have fun and enjoy. I run in this championship http://www.aemc.org.uk/Motor_Sport/Sprints/sprints.html .

Ian

I'd agree with the ball park £500 for race suit, helmet, gloves etc.

The Blue Book gives an idea of classes - http://www.msauk.org/uploadedfiles/msa_forms/bluebooks/11/321-332%20Sprints,%20etc.pdf Not the easiest read though!

Wyn

i,d agree with all the above including possibly doing a few sprints first, hills tend to have trees and little to no run off to damage your car. One of the major considerations is location of venues, bear in mind time in the car to money spent ratio is not good, so if you have to travel long distances the costs become prohibitive., i used to run in modified saloon (race engine/modified suspension/ slicks etc) but when all the local events were lost i had to reluctantly give up on cost grounds as i couldn't justify £100-150 entry and travelling for 5 minutes driving

[Edited on 26/5/12 by rpm]

I hill-climbed for a while at harewood.

I have mixed views on the value for money - sure it's cheap to enter, and about £110 for a days entry fees. However, you only get about 6 minutes motorsport for your money.

I did find that the training days on the other hand were great value for money - harewood have great trainers, you get lots of track time, and importantly, hill-climbing requires real precision. If you start to get accurate on a hill-climb circuit like harewood you will find it rubs off into other forms of motorsport.

In summary - practice and training days = lots of good times. competition = very expensive track time.

It must be the sunshine
Not one sarky reply suggesting all you need to get started is a stout pair of boots.
I'm impressed.

I would like to enter Sprints or hill climbs in my Dax Rush when I finish it. However, it has a roll bar but not an MSA approved bar with braces etc.

Am I allowed to enter a sprint or hill climb with just a roll bar??

quote:

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Originally posted by emwmarine
I would like to enter Sprints or hill climbs in my Dax Rush when I finish it. However, it has a roll bar but not an MSA approved bar with braces etc.

Am I allowed to enter a sprint or hill climb with just a roll bar??

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Is there a way to have a go at this kind of thing without your own lisense and gear like an experience day?

take a line from the top of your engine to the top of your frame and your helmet must be under that those are the 2 places that would touch should you roll if so you can run in road class on 1b tyres

Some clubs run members only fun days or test sessions.

These tend to run at slightly less than competitive pace.

Couldn't say for your neck of the woods, but up here, both Forrestburn and Kames have sessions where non competition licence holders can go along for a bit of a go.

Have you considered Autosolo? - like Autotesting but without the reversing and handbrake turns which would rule out an auto box I'd have thought, Google it that's really cheap, lots of fun plus you don't need to spend 500 quid on the racing driver outfit!

MX5 Autosolo Linky

[Edited on 26/5/12 by D Beddows]

That looks like fun. Is that over by the Rolls Royce factory as it looks alot like the place where my dad lives.

quote:

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Originally posted by morcus
Is there a way to have a go at this kind of thing without your own lisense and gear like an experience day?

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