The Naked Rallye with Blue Steels

[Orta]

I have a 2nd hand beam in my garage I was gonna fit when the time came but I've had my bonus sat in the bank for a few months now whilst I contemplated what to get. I DO need new rear shocks as running standards ones this low can't be good for too long (eyeing up sum cheapo gaz golds at the mo, as funds don't stretch to new b8s and 2nd hand ones seem few and far between) and a few bits for the man cave et al but I've gone and plumped for a new beam instead!!

It's done about 3000 miles (ok so I lied about new) but is uber clean and comes with hybrid arb and 21mm VTS bars... So should prove a slight improvement. Won't be going on the car until it's winter hibernation but I got excited and wanted to share!

[Ben_w]

Looks nice does that Tom..... Where did you get it from?

[Orta]

Cheers dude, it's a jord beam off gti6.com but I bought it from mossy1985 from the same site as he's putting his 6 back to standard... Days after finishing it haha.

[Piggy]

beam looks sweet!

Good encouragement to sort mine out!

[Ben_w]

Yeah, I saw everything he was selling.....some really nice stuff at some low prices....

[7057sam]

Good buys there tom

You fitting them before pugfest ?

[Orta]

Good buys there tom

You fitting them before pugfest ?

Would've liked to but I'm off on my jollies at the end of the month and I'm having to look in on my parents a lot because my dad's had his hip done so there's no time really. Plus I'd be needing his help anyway! Gonna tackle it over the winter I think! 

[sparkysparks]

That rear beam is a work of art.
Also love it on the steels, very discreet looking.

[Orta]

Without the "Saxo and Renault lot" the French Car Scene is actually maturing nicely and Pugfest is the pinnacle of this. So what you lose in the diversity of the car's on show, and this year's turnout was indeed a little disappointing, you gain in actual decent folk to talk you.

I decided not camp, which meant I missed out on the tug-o-war and other activities, but couldn't justify another night away from home when I'd been away all week with work. You've gotta have a little face time with the mrs every now and again don'tcha?



After several hours of cleaning the car Saturday night it kindly rained overnight so when I came out to the car at the ungodly hour of 05:30 the car was soaking wet. Decided to dry it off quickly and begun the 2.5 hour journey, made all the more gruelling thanks to a dicky right knee!

Made good time and arrived just before 8am making it onto the front row of the club's "stand" before most of the camping lot had awoken from their beer fuelled slumber. (10.30 and Matt still hadn't taken his tent down!!!)

I'd previously been nervous about taking the Rallye on the track; 1). for fear of stacking it, 2). fear of embarrassing myself with my poor driving and 3). not wanting to hurt anyone else or damage anyone else's car. Well the opportunity to tackle a hill climb instead at least eliminated fear number 3 and with less of a crowd lessened number 2 somewhat. So I'd prebooked 3 hill climbs, not realising you received a discount for the fourth, all AM slots which fortunately I could use during the "early bird" session.

After a couple of passenger rides with Sam (cheers mate!) and a few pointers I went out for my first run. As I rolled beyond the climb's guardian, who decided to share the story of how some people had tried to go up the hillclimb without a wrist band (a story he'd share with me each run) I nervously crept the car forward to the second yellow line. Terror instantly gripped me as I remembered how rubbish the Rallye clutch pedal is (new cable needed really) and how, as I seldom drive it, much I wasn't used to doing fast starts.

However seconds after making a (slow and quiet) start and with the redline for 1st being dispatched and then hit in 2nd, I found that terror replaced by exhilaration. Even at my, relatively low, speed, the lift off and long turn 1 just after the bridge before hitting the throttle to 2nd's redline again before ploughing down on the brakes into the first harpin, was great fun. Of course I ballsed up that first harpin, I managed to kick it down into first but turn into the latter half of the corner far to quickly and lost to much speed.

The second harpin I dispatched in a (heavy) application of the brakes (too early), followed by taking it wide with fear of grounded my impractically low car and bashing it into first again. I then proceeded to corner into the esses far to much, losing more speed, before jamming first again round the next bend (I don't do corner names I'm sorry!)

Then floored it up into second before panic set in when I was confronted with the drop away on the outside of the final corner. Letting off after the "finish" marker was a relief but, I thought to myself, I'll do better next time.

Unfortunately this wasn't the case as in true style for me, practice doesn't make perfect, and my last two runs were simple repeats of the first. Making the same mistakes, of turning in to early on the first harpin, to wide on the second and not carried enough speed anywhere, both times. But hey ho it was still fun! More climbs next year I think!

With the car now very hot I shot back to the stand (where I almost got my old space back) for it to cool off. Managed to hitch a couple more rides with Sam (cool calm and composed as always), a couple with Luke (retropug) who did much better than his fellow first timer (IE: ME!), and then all four of DumDum's runs (which were fun, and terrifying in equal measure ) Then rounded off the day by taking a stroll through the rest of the car, stopping to idly chat to some 309 owners club people who were gracious enough to answer some 309 questions I've had for a while (god I want a black 309 gti ), found some old friends from gti6.com and then ate a sandwich.

It's really left me with a hankering to do some more track action. Disappointed I can't make the Spring Action Day in September (on holiday!) but gonna try and go to something nearer me like a random track day at Cadwell Park or something in the near future.

And well that was pretty much it. Great day tho!! Didn't take a single picture of my car, and only took one span of my favourite car at show:


Peugeot 309 1.4 (Carb) XE 3 Door, the thing was bang tidy!

So if anyone has any pics of my car I'd appreciate it if you could put 'em up here to add to the thread

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The FCS pictures from their facebook page!

[RetroPug]

Car looked good today mate. It was nice to see you. I'm glad you enjoyed your passenger runs with me.

[hovis16]

Car was looking good up the hill mate. Was nice to see several black rallyes for once

[Orta]

Car was looking good up the hill mate. Was nice to see several black rallyes for once

Car was looking good up the hill mate. Was nice to see several black rallyes for once 

Cheers dude. Was more black rallyes than the other colours put together haha.

Another update is the Rallye hit...

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Don't know why it's upside down and I can't get it back the other way

[7057sam]

Well done tom for getting stuck in and giving it a go.I never throught I like trackdays until I did this 5 years ago.

You can do novice days and most tracks which are good if you wanted to start doing a bit of track.

[Dum-Dum]

and then all four of DumDum's runs (which were fun, and terrifying in equal measure )

What made them so scary?

[Matt]

Was good to meet you at pugfest, I was with dan, (the black rallye owner that's not a member)
Car looked really good, especially on those steelies

[Orta]

and then all four of DumDum's runs (which were fun, and terrifying in equal measure )

What made them so scary?

All of it! The good kind tho, the kind when you're on a roller coaster that *might* just kill u!

Was good to meet you at pugfest, I was with dan, (the black rallye owner that's not a member)
Car looked really good, especially on those steelies

Ah the lads from the Isle of Wight? Bought time your Rallye was back on the road no? !!

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Well done tom for getting stuck in and giving it a go.I never throught I like trackdays until I did this 5 years ago.

You can do novice days and most tracks which are good if you wanted to start doing a bit of track.

Cheers dude. Gonna try and look into this for next year. Be nice to have more than the occasional show to use the Rallye for.

[Orta]

I'm sure most will think uncool but did a little photo shoot with the Rallye on graffiti street in Birmingham a few weeks ago and sent couple of the best snaps off to PFC's readers rides segment and it was featured this month: 

[7057sam]

I did notice this,Well done mate, looks epic

[Eeyore]

Yep i saw it too... noice!

[Dum-Dum]

I saw that when the bloke below you with the estate posted on facebook. My old donkey made an appearance in PPC this month too.

[Matt-Rallye]

Nicely done tom need to get yourself on facebook you know!

[Orta]

Cheers lads. Nah couldn't be doing with Facebook. Only my mum is interested in what my "status" is haha. Will get sum of the shots themselves uploaded as my calendar entry me thinks.

[Dazecoop]

Just read through all of this, looks great! Black Rallye is ultimate! 'Grats on mag too!

[pugtk]

What are those wheels on the 309

Pure Porn

[Orta]

IConsidering taking all the decals off and running her "naked" this year. Whatcha think?

[Dum-Dum]

IConsidering taking all the decals off and running her "naked" this year. Whatcha think?

I think you should be banished from the forum if you do that.

[Matt-Rallye]

IConsidering taking all the decals off and running her "naked" this year. Whatcha think?

I think you should be banished from the forum if you do that.

+1

I will put you in me & toselands tent at every show we all attend if you do that. and trust me you dont wanna be in there!

[Orta]

Single wiper conversion complete. Very happy with it, was a sinch to do with a ZX arm, fits perfectly into place and even goes through the hole in the skuttle panel. Filled the blank left over from the second arm with just a plain bit of plastic.

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And hekos fitted

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......

[C2K]

Geez, single wiper... didn't realise max power was still going man. :|

[luke306rallye]

Glad you're happy with it mate