PVGP-2011

[aeronca65t]

We'll be heading out to the PVGP in a bit.
Most of our pull is on Route 80 as it goes straight across Pennsylvania, so pretty easy.

We'll be at BeaveRun this weekend and Schenely Park next weekend.

PVGP schedule

 

[dougie]

I love all those garages! Good luck at both those events.

 

[PATR8]

I will at Beaverun this week end if any one needs any help. I am a very good supervisor and even better observer but willing to work for food. Serious, if anyone needs help , let me know

 

[Michael Oritt]

Please bring along your welder--the left front lower A-arm mount sheared off this afternoon. Seeya tomorrow bright and early!

 

[Hap Waldrop]

OMG, how did that happen Michael?

Race report anyone?

 

[aeronca65t]

I'm sure Michael will report in, but he may be a bit busy right now.

Michael had some rear axle/hub issues (which he fixed).

Later after that, he had a failure of the chassis in the pickup point area for the front suspension.
The car is being welded this week by a local guy (who Michael knows).
The car was actually running quite well and I'm confident the Elva will be out at Schenely next week.

My car has the usual rear hub seal leaks (one side only) even after a Speedi-Sleeve and new seal. Otherwise, I'm running fine and had some great dices with the other guys.

Michael's Elva (this might be his son driving)

I followed Gary Kropf's 1275 Bug around for dozens of laps. Great fun and I have some great videos.

We visited lots of old friends too.

 

[Michael Oritt]

I'm all back together thanks to Bret Moyer who runs " The Race Place" which is located about 2 miles north of BeaveRun on route 18--he made up a new left lower control arm and reattached the mount with two gussets--whatever may happen I think his work will remain intact. While the car was up on Bret's lift I serviced the engine and transmission and put in a shorter diff for Schenley so I am good to go. Bret is primarily a fabricator/welder but is a multi-talented guy and also a racer so if anyone ever gets jammed up while in the Pittsburgh area he is a good asset.

The hub failure happened while my son Steven was driving (yes that is him in the picture) causing him to spin but luckily he kept it out of the armco and some alert drivers behind him managed to avoid smacking him. The Winner's Circle db hub sheared in two like it was run through a bagel slicer. The car came back in with the axle and wheel sticking out the side like a Roman chariot in Ben-Hur. I had a spare hub and axle and managed to get out for the next session but that is when the suspension let go.

It was good paddocking with you and Linda and nice to see new driver Tom Leavey and his wife Kim (pictured) having a great time. Seeya at Schenley.

 

[aeronca65t]

Glad to hear all is fixed. I'm going to keep <span style="font-style: italic">The Race Place</span> in mind if I have any problems in the future (I saw the shop.....I figured that's where you had taken the Elva).

We're staying in Pittsburgh and have done 5 or 6 laps around the Schenely circuit in the tow van. It's going to be *interesting*!

See you next weekend (here's a 5 minute vid from last weekend).

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[DrEntropy]

That was a well spent five and a half minutes of my time, sir!!!! Thanks!!

You're pretty smooth, bubba. :wink:

 

[DrEntropy]

Just learned an old pal, Burt Young, is campaigning a '73 Spider and did well at BeaveRun. And there was a 26R Elan at Schenley givin' a 911 Porsche fits.

WOOHOO!!! :laugh:

 

[theleisure]

I was walking around the paddock during aeronca65t's race today so I can't give any report on that one. What I can tell you is that watching the yellow bugeye pictured above battling against a red Fiat Abarth lap after lap today was easily the most exciting racing I've ever seen at the PVGP. I was at the last turn at the bottom of serpentine road and I can tell you the crowd was pretty excited too.

Click Here for more pix of PVGP Schenley Park Race Day

is that the '73 Spider?

 

[DrEntropy]

That'd be the one. Still have his campaign button (he made a run for the mayoralship of Sewickley) in the lid of my toolbox:

 

[aeronca65t]

I talked to Burt yesterday. A real nice guy. I didn't realize he was a local. He was telling me he liked my in-car videos. His ALFA is fast!

The yellow Bugeye is Gary Kroft from Ohio. He's a great guy.....I did a lot of nose to tail racing with him at BeaveRun, all caught on video. I'll post it soon. That car has a killer 948 in it, but he's also an excellent driver and takes the car out to it's max potential.
The FIAT is Alain something from Quebec. Also a great guy. We towed out together yesterday. I had a great race with him last event at New Hampshire and a ~great race~ with him at Watkins Glen. He posted an excellent video racing with Michael Oritt at The Glenn. It's on youtube and is called " Dancing with Elva ".

 

[DrEntropy]

Burt was one of the "original" Sewickley Sales and Service crew. Burt campaigned an Alfa Giulietta (750 series, IIRC) that had some, err, quirks.

Many fond memories of that place and time. :thumbsup: