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Welcome to the Official Website of the Northern Roadsters Club

Website was last modified on 24/01/2022

 

Northern Roadsters-CarClub

@RoadsterCars

Introduction

Formed initially from a group of like-minded people over a decade ago the informal club became official in October 2006.

Many members of the Club have a long history of competing in motor sport events, with members competing at a high level in Hillclimbs, Sprints, Autocross, Autotests, circuit racing, Rallies, and Navigational Runs. It aims to be encouraging to new members to start competing and then providing the stimulus for them to further develop their skills.

Many members of the club come to it with no competitive inclination, but simply a love of the hand-built car and the open road, and the cheerful friendship of like minded enthusiasts. The club runs many events to cater for these members too. Of course many competitive members like to join in with the social side too!

Our programme of events is formulated annually and constantly updated, and we welcome requests from all members. If people want to do it, in a roadster, and it's legal, we'll organise it! (Probably).

Our main object is to encourage interest in enjoying wind-in-the-hair, seat-of-the-pants motoring in all its forms, and our emphasis is on 4 wheeled hand-built or modified cars and motorsport. Membership is open to adults of any age or sex with neither age, nor type of car owned, precluding participation. It is not necessary to own a vehicle to gain the benefit from our club as armchair enthusiasts and spectators are just as welcome but members active with their own transport gain the most. As part of its communication process, the Club also publishes 'Torque Tales', its own newsletter containing news and information for members. There is a continuing need for willing helpers, both male and female at our events and there is a vital and interesting role to be played by anyone keen to act as a marshal or other representative of the Club. Are you interested in finding out more? Then come down to one of the events in our calendar, or our monthly 'first Friday' meet The Old Colonial, Dunbottle Lane, Mirfield, WF14 9JJ just off the A62 or the A644 at Mirfield (M62 - junction 25 eastbound or J27 westbound.  You can then meet the members of the friendliest motor club in the North, or apply for membership by either downloading the membership form or by e-mailing membership@northernroadsters.co.uk for details of how to join by snail mail.

Check our calendar page for details of our forthcoming activities.

Club membership gives you car insurence discount with A-Plan Click here to go to their Specialist Car page on their website

Latest News

June and the new bank account was applied for. We are just now waiting for them to contact the officers individual to confirm details then we can transfer our money away from the How Silly Bringing Charges bank. IVA tales ensued followed by 0GL Chaos with brake repairs on one car and the water pump on the other which blew up on the four post just after the MOT was signed off! So time for a timing belt and pump kit (Mmm wonder where the engine came from?) Does he go for standard M16 callipers again or some fancy Wilwood or Hi-Specs? Researching all things MK2 Escort and one company wanted to charge £74 per calliper to repair the seals and pistons, however a previous search on the internet found a pair of new callipers for £84 a pair delivered. Wonder which way that decision went?   Then discussions followed about which brake pads are best. Four people gave six opinions! Johnny Petrolhead said thought he had a pair of M16 callipers spare any way. Sec got mixed up about the Harewood Hill Climb dates but it is this weekend for a doubleheader including the VSCC. Huddersfield had a couple of sporting showings firstly at the Rugby League final and secondly the Premiership promotion game. Sadly both came second in each match. Coming dates are the Blyton track day, the Holmfirth Motorsports Festival and the Newark Kit Car Show, plus the Filey Bob Rowell Run (WhatsApp to confirm timings). Mr. Darkbeer admitted to watching the tractor show on TV then it was lights – out in the dormitory under the new power-saving regime so we all scarpered off home.

 
May and in all 11 came in tin tops as it was raining very very hard but no Sec as he was “polled off”. Initial conversation was about Churchill and his artwork. Fencewrecker has a new job which sounds like it will be good for tyre changes for us all! It was decided that we could do road trips to exotic places with a fancy names so first on the agenda is Paris, not the one in France but the one in Scholes in Holmfirth! Then it will have to be a mountain called Wank, (a mountain in southern Germany, situated in the Loisach valley close to the Austrian border) then on the way home we can visit F##king in Austria just four miles from the German border. Fencewrecker’s motor reporting says the best HEV’s are Toyota Kia and Hyundai and all have super long warranty. It seems that the NWKCOG have regular monthly meetings in Mirfield so we need to gate crash. The bank account is due to be changed to stop the monthly charges by the bank that listens to the world. Stoneleigh was rubbish but we need to keep supporting it otherwise it will go.  No MNR’s, Caterhams, Ultimas, etc. etc. and just 2 1/2 hours to view the whole show! Roll on Newark and let’s hope it is well supported. Everyone seemed OK for us to have a newspaper article about our cars OGL will contact the reporter to fix up. 0GL then had to leave early as he was on ‘taxi duties’ so the meeting carried on until chuck out time.

 
April and the AGM went ahead with a two year financial update and an urge to go visiting and tripping again as we now can. The Filey Run is now renamed The Bob Rowell Run and a toast was raised to “passed” members Several topics went off agenda at tangents After the meeting closed a Leccy Lesson ensued ‘fuelled’ by Hybrid vs. Electric car comparisons and we all learned about 3-phase to single phase and no neutral wires. Fencewrecker is getting on with the Mini and confessed he has driven over 1460 cars now in total so knows a comparison or two. A bit of new engine theory came from JPH about the new Koenigsegg with 3C actuators before home time which came way too soon.

Ah, the March AGM that wasn’t as there has been little to report about but April will see some speedy official missives. A nice evening was enjoyed buy all. Sec’s yellow machine is still waiting for a new water pump, and the MBE single seater still won’t start.  Milly (the car) is ready, needing just a little software correction to keep the nasty emission gasses at bay and it seems Malton is the test centre of choice as they seem to have a better understanding of all things kits. The BIG question was - who is the greatest Grands Prix driver of all time? Fangio, Clark, Hammy, Andretti and even Button was mentioned!!!  We all agreed to disagree (but this ed thinks Clark). The new F1 regs & new ground-effect developments causing bouncy cars was a talked about topic as was domestic home boilers, carburettors, emissions, MOT’s. Marlinman is looking forward to putting some recently bought Avgas in one of the competing jalopies but hopefully more successfully then the recalled time at Cadwell when Lulu didn’t quite mange to make use of all those special extra octane RON’s as the newly tickled-up carbs seemed to have some ‘butterfly hindrance’ as only half of them turned out. The evening came to a speedy close with the new regime of early dormitory lights out.

February and in the cosy corner discussion about flying models, gliding and glider theory for those that have surfed the airwaves and thermals, eye operations, Blackpool dance floor and the ability to switch the springing off (but nobody could answer how this was done) but Dancing Queen has taken many a shaky punter there to experience the springiness, Fencewrecker’s Mini update, Sec’s historical collection of Minis before restoring them one by one back onto the road, All this came from a comment that Harrogate Mini Spares have some stainless Mini Van fuel tanks available for a ‘ton & score’ which pricked up the ears of our Striker membership. Then electric cars and range anguish led onto Dakar hydrogen powered cars & wagons plus sparky Audis fuelled by a small eco fuelled engine. The Four Rings winning a few stages in the first event of this genre. Mr. Corgi has put the Ford engine with traceable engine number in the new-build so an IVA looks imminent & maybe a test pass as a ‘special birthday’ pressie? Definitely an excuse to have another party with some cake. Nearly two years on from the start of the pandemic and Bob & Craig were fondly remembered – a sad loos to the world.

January First Frost Friday and the snow came, then part melted, then froze solid leaving this correspondents road somewhat like a skating ring and being downhill all the way to a crash at the bottom was a potential trip too far!. Those few that attended the first meet of the year found the Colonial closed. So they decamped to the Dusty Miller over the road.  Will the pub reopen? Was it a mini glitch in the Omicron stakes? More will be revealed in due course……

Christmas Dinner – A nice time was had by all enjoying the chance once again to party albeit with Omicron hiding around the corner having worked its way steadily up north from the capital.

December 2021 and just 9 made it. Mr. Darkbeer upholding the Scrooge tradition commenting on his Southfork Vegas neighbours sapping most of the power grid so Marlinman rushed off to get a model tractor previously promised but never presented..
A round of “Top Trumps” of best model train engines ensued with “0 Gauge” envy from Gulfman which led onto the Widnes Model Centre – apparently the best in the country. Sec updated us on the various cars setting off missives on the K-Seal rad sealant benefits and kick stand wires on MBE cars then talks moved to the various best petrol-head bars visited around the country & finally the legend Eddie Kidd following the Top Gear tribute. With more chatter and babble over the night Christmas Dinner numbers and menus were all sorted before kick out time which came all too quickly.

November November & remember- to come a different way other than Cooper Bridge! Resurfacing and road closures caused angst for several trying to get to the venue! Electricity fashioned quite a bit of conversation with dialogue of trains, planes, trams and a history lesson when joined up thinking in the 60’s meant trolley busses were powered by electricity generated from waste but now profitability produces greed. A tale of a single trip from East Yorkshire to Daventry taking over eight hours because of lack ‘vehicular electron range’ meaning three recharging top ups were needed en-route  (including trying to even find a charging points that supplied more than just a trickle). Fencewrecker did admit have a twitch in the chinos over range anxiety! 
Mr. Corgi told us about Batteries bursting into flames through being overcharged too quickly then Sec chipped in with the need to have huge bowsers of water allocated onto electric race car track meetings just to control any potential fire (not actually put the fire out as you can’t) although Electric dragsters do sound interesting with instant torque and potentially even faster run times than the ‘Top Fuelers’. 
Mr Corgi has had to bite the bullet and use an old Ford V6 Probe engine with traceable engine numbers instead of the Eunos Mazda pre ‘93 in order to get the new build through the IVA test.  Many have noticed that the roads are chocker full but public transport is empty and that post Covid crashes on motorways have become more common. Consensus thinks it is people who used to commute via public transport are now too anxious on PSV’s so are driving but not used to commuting. This month’s worst car awards: in first place a Mercedes sprinter electric (see above), closely followed in second place by a Fiat 500 automatic with the worst gearbox ever invented! 
Time to get the Christmas meal choices ordered with options to Dave ASAP please. See the menu below;

October – cold and very wet so no only tin tops in the car park. Good to see Mr. Tango who turned up sporting the new ‘Viking’ look. Watch out Uhtred of Bebbanburg !  The pub was heaving. A 30th birthday party contributed to so much noise that conversation was nigh on impossible to hear even across even our table. Fuel Woes and the government introducing E10 fuel started off discussions this month with a few because a lot of our cars are incompatible. Sec was borrowing a lot of string and tape but we didn’t ask why! Next years track day were talked about soliciting a promise from Mrs OGL who said she will come and drive. Sec now has two cars off the road, one needing a new water pump and the strange phenomena of the battery discharging from full in just 30 seconds but without damaged cells and the other the MBE single seater that will no longer start. It once did but conked out getting onto a trailer for a race meet but then has never turned a crank since. (Wonder if it be a kickstand wire feeding wrong information to the ECU to stop it actually firing up?).  Katie Price ending upside down in a ditch raised one or two comments as did the history of Malta and Minorca for some strange reason!

Another & August Rainy Day but with evening approaching started drying so only 3 cars chanced it with the rest attending in tin tops. The car park was all painted with a poppy pattern (for Armed Forces Day) and Mr Darkbeer suggested playing hopscotch after spluttering in his ale about the cost of Premier Inns these days. Of course we discussed THAT crash and we all agree it was 50/50 and Verstappen should have opened the steering like Leclerc did later. The latest chapter in the Blyton tales were told that had several drooling over the new mezzanine floor full of oily bits for racing cars. Olympics fuelled the ‘feel good’ factor. Fencewrecker stated he doesn’t like the F-Type he drove, he thought it was tinny with cheap switch gear inside. Debates about electric cars future, a.k.a. delays to trips recharging them, confusion over which app/charger to use on long trips and he big one of anxiety woes having no charge left. So hybrids win it with great instant acceleration and no refuelling panic. Does everybody want electric? Second-hand diesel values counter the electric argument with prices soaring with demand. Leccy bikes got a shout but just like cars range is again the issue.  OK if the commute is only short.  Corgi Man is still having Mazda Eunos engine woes trying to get any info about the age of a known 1991-94 engine being officially accepted by the IVA bods. Three events on agenda, Firstly the Hudds Motor Club Centenary Celebration run on 14^th August up Holme Moss hill, then Stoneleigh Kit Car Show or Tractor Pulling over the hills in Preston but both on August Bank Holiday weekend. The date is booked for the club Christmas dinner 18^th Dec.

July saw a meagre turnout with birthday celebrations, anniversaries, holidays given as non-attendance excuses but it was still fun for the consenting few. Sec even forgot it was Friday but after a phone prompt hot-footed it down to join us. All cars that turned up were RED so a motion was raised to rename the unofficial club with a different prefix. Nice to see the recently tuned Marlin on the road with newly ported heads and matching inlet pipes, tapered valves and just run in with 500 miles just completed. However the headlights (aka candles) need more oxygen to flare them up a bit. Fencewrecker reminisced about his agricultural days and boyhood contraceptive interruptive services whilst IVA & SVA tales provided lots of amusement especially with tales of support car boots providing valuable stash space for pre and post test swapsies, all amusingly watched by DVSA aficionados. Tyre talk and tyre erosion economics led onto upcoming Blyton dates. Hearing aid technology completed the evening with the mandatory early finish. Our participation in the pub quiz may be back on Wednesday but it all depends on England’s progress though the ranks to the Euro Final and Tim’s likely TV schedule.

June and a hot evening sitting outside (finally) with the stalwarts reunited after such a long time apart, shared lockdown tales and Covid Vaccine woes. Millie (so called because it was started in the Millennium !) has been IVA’d and has 4 majors and a few minor issues to resolve.  The minors are easy, the majors are somewhat taxing as one requires finding the age of a spanking new off the shelf Mazda V6 engine bought in the 90’s (where is there a list of engine numbers to correspond to the age?), another involves taking out the exhaust which runs through the body and another to sort the wheels protruding outside the body buy a few millimetres. Still it will be sorted – eventually. Some folks have been busy extending houses. The weekend of the 25^th June will see the first Yorkshire Motorsports Festival postponed from 2020 so a few may go to it and the pub quiz is returning so will be added to the agenda when the usual participants feel comfortable indoors again.

Update 20/01/2021 - with Lockdown 3 now in force we await mass vaccinations and the easing of restrictions in the hopes that we can all socialise again. There could be light at the end of the 2021 tunnel,, unless people don't adhere to the rules then it could just be a train coming the other way !

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Bob & Craig - It was with great sadness to hear about the untimely death of two of our members Bob and Craig Rowell who both succumbed to the Covid-19 virus. Both will doubtless now be motoring on in another place. Bob sought us out when he moved into the area followed by Craig soon after. In their brief time with us, we all got to know them both and their many car related anecdotal tales. They will be sadly missed. 
Life is like cherry blossom – beautiful whilst it is there but too brief and missed when it is gone.
Our thoughts and condolences are with Scott who has lost his immediate family.

March & AGM – with Corona virus starting to bite, eleven came and Gulfman brought a newbie friend. The Accounts discrepancy was highlighted and agreed it to be put down to omitted subs. Sec was on a roll bringing only 2019 minutes but we muddled through. Two new Events Secretaries were elected (one for sporting and one for social stuff) and if not influenced by the virus there will be several festivals and TWO kit car shows set to entertain us this year.  It was great to see Leccyman again now getting better but the car needs the rear sub-frame swapping due to hard track use. Mr. Corgi hobbled in with extra titanium now attached having blagged a lift with new Otley native Seasick P.  A few chats about best roads around and cars being readied for 2020 competitions. Subs were taken and Sec noted them carefully. The usual Wednesday quiz is the next scheduled event, then who knows………….

February Early on, Sec was surrounded by Porsche owners, but survived the situation by drinking all the Gravy - nice one Carol.  Mr. Tango turned up with face fungus that put us all to shame.  It was a no show for Mr Treasurer, and even our Glorious Leader had been told he had better things to do!  Mr Bland had a bulge under his coat - two toy Parrots... but they've found new lodgings at Mottram Towers.  Seasick P  didn't make it - they've 'got the builders in'. And then to top it all off, Mr. Corgi contacted us from his sick bed with a tale of his broken leg - the new motor won’t make it to Stoneleigh after all.  Get well soon Bill.  Next month will be the AGM - don't be late. 

January 20 & the core came, others forgot! This year we look forward to two Kit Car Shows again (Newark is back), and a summer with two HUGE Yorkshire Festivals, one possibly with a stand for our kits and Holme Moss with the Huddersfield Motor Club’s celebration centenary event when Mr. (not a Sir in those days) Malcolm Campbell took the record on the hill 100 years ago and this still stands today. A few were taken for test runs in Porkers then a debate about tyre sizes ensued with a comparison between the Nissan 350/380Z’s/GTR’s and Porkers. General topics of conversation included some discussion about incorrect setup of motorbike carbs, NCP car park fines with Tesco/Sainsbury’s/B&Q all managing to secure fines from the unsuspecting returning to take purchases back!  
Blyton dates for 2020 are set so tyre types for track days were discussed. Mr Fencewrecker, back from yet another Transit break down needs to repair his empty exhaust so Cherry Bombs were muted.  Other topics included embarrassing a Volvo garage by parking the intermittently faulty non starting car inside the front door for all to hear.  Colin’s mate mentioned a Citroen he owned with three wheels on his wagon as well as the ‘original SUV’ the fantastic Renault 4 with the quirky gearstick and asymmetrical wheelbase.

For more narratives of  our monthly gatherings and adventures take a look at our History page

The Northern Roadsters Club,
simply first for Roadsters.

This document was designed by Nik Aveyard & is maintained on behalf of Northern Roadsters Club by the Chairman
Material Copyright © 2006 Northern Roadsters Club.