Parts Department - the bits we couldn't fit anywhere else

Health & Safety

Our health and safety correspondent (pictured left) has submitted the following method of changing a fanbelt on a Beetle. We offer it as some members run 911s. For legal reasons we must emphasise DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME OR ANYWHERE ELSE (although when Avit does it with a Ford, please can we video it??)

New Cars

Spies tell us of no less than 3 new-to-Mono Dallaras in the Midlands, all of which may be driven by drivers with a current involvement, and of a very interesting engine development in the Motorcycle engined classes. Also a TV commentator making a comeback in a famous and historic car.

Unfortunately, the internet has given us a picture of Kat Impey's new Dallara 304 which seems to be running in Club F3 trim, so it seems we may be bidding farewell to one of the most talented drivers in Mono, unless of course that was her 3SGE in the Dyno article.

F1 Review - Looking Back at a Preview

The Guardian's F1 preview commented on the similarity between BMW's Mario Theissen and the Simpsons' Ned Flanders
Theissen	Flanders
Are they perhaps related?

Kidderminster's Mitre Oak pub, a Shelsley Walsh "local" where the idea of Silverstone as a circuit was hatched, according to the Guardian

Regular Startline readers may have occasionally thought that a seasonal preview might be a good idea. There is a reason why we don't do one, and that is that it is so easy to be caught out. So never able to pass up something easy, here's a look at a 2009 F1 seasonal preview. It's the Guardian's, and it's attributed not to their muesli correspondent, as you might expect, but mainly to respected writer Maurice Hamilton.

Here are a few quotes from it:

“I'm not quite sure what to expect.” Pat Symonds (talking about Abu Dhabi, but it could apply to so much of his year.)
“This year's race will be the last at Silverstone for the foreseeable future”
“[Ferrari] are confident they can take both both titles”
“[Ron Dennis] will attend most races” (not after “liargate” he didn't)
“[BMW are] confident that their aerodynamic preparation is top-of-the-class.”
“BMW is arguably in better shape than Honda or Toyota and has the results to justify its existence.”

The Fast Show's answer to Flav. His views on car crashes can be seen on wikipaedia. Swiss Toni has, of course, never been - er - completely exonerated by a "French Court of Justice"

“Brawn Constructors' Title Odds: 80-1”
“Maurice Hamilton's crystal ball: Button 14th, Barrichello 16th.”
“With almost no pre-season testing [Brawn] must surely struggle at the back of the grid.”
“[Jenson Button] owns, and occasionally drives round London, a vintage 1956 VW camper van, in which he might have a better chance of a race win than he would with poor old Brawn GP.”

In fairness, they also had a couple of other very good lines, so we've illustrated them.

JB in VW type2.

Written by Tony Cotton