I did my first track outing with the VX220 the other week. It was at Donnington and it was the first time I’d driven my own car on a track. The car handled very well and I was soon gaining confidence in the grip. After about 15 minutes on track though the brakes started to get very hot and the ABS kept jumping in. This knocked my confidence when braking for the chicane after Dunlop and I did have one very exciting moment here when I remember looking at the fence to the rear of the pit area wondering if that was where I’d end up.

Having got back to the pit garage after my 2nd session I noticed the front tyres were melting too, especially the near side front.

To address the brakes I’m going to try a set of Mintex 1144 pads on the front. There are a lot people raving about these on various forums so I’ve put a set in today. The disks look like they could do with changing soon too but I am kind of thinking that I need more power and a turbo VX may be the cheapest option all round. As for the tyre, there seem to be no options other than Bridgestones or change the wheels. So Bridgestones it is; should get some of these sorted next week and then I need to book another track day.

Incidentally I put some EBC Red Stuff pads on the front of the Skooby today and despite thinking that they may be a little too race for the road I was pleasantly surprised with the feel and bite they have when I tried the car out earlier in the wet. They haven’t even had chance to bed in yet and they feel far better than the last set of pads I put in.

What an absolutely fantastic evening for a drive in the VX. I left the house at about 8:00 with only Pink Floyd “Echoes” for company. Drove through Warwick, out to Banbury and back in a loop via Stratford to Warwick just as the sun was setting. Simple undemanding A roads with long sweeping bends and Dave Gilmour turning a beautiful evening into a surreal trip.

Sold the limo on eBay last weekend. Got a winning bit of £360 which was OK considering we paid £371 for it. Dad drove the car from the yard where it was stored to his house in Evesham on Friday morning and I arranged to collect it Friday evening. Then the buyer could collect from my house on Sat morning - Plan! So I thought. I over looked one thing “SODS LAW!”

This manifested it’s self as spontaneous wiring loom combustion on Sunday morning.

We tried to start the car on Friday night to drive it home and it was dead, no ignition lights, nothing. After putting the battery on charge over night and reconnecting it in the morning the wiring from the +ve battery terminal started smoking. Not only did we have flames painted down the side we also now had smoke coming from the bonnet and a burning smell from the dash.

In the end I contacted the buyer and explained the situation, much to my surprise he came over to look at it. After a few attempts to hot wire the car we came to an agreement on a figure for a sale and her toed it away to join his hearse; apparently complete with flames. So that is that. Never again!