Found it on EeeeBay

[Andy Zarse]

You can expect a handfull of NIPs from Thames Valley Police through your letter box any time soon then!

A handfull of nips?? How thoughtful the police have become!

[rcutler]

Greenham I think is now covered in houses/indusrial units!

Nope it has returned to Common Land the only area being build on is where Hangars where and these are being converted to Offices and industrial units. Most are being converted by Newbury College students who are practicing their building skills.

I am not sure I would like to enter one of those buildings without a safety hat!

The runway was apparently part dug up but there are still all the taxi ways in existance.

PS Steve the van is no longer for sale unless I get offers above my old asking price. I have been promoted at work and increased salary and can now afford to keep the van.
It is going in for a major service next week hence the final thrashing. Neighbour has offered to carry out all the work in aid of a few beers. Thinking of fitting a turbo to assist with getting to 60mph my usual caravan speed. 

It WILL be at Donnington.

[vqdave]

When on the queens (or presidents) highways the only way for a gentleman to travel is at an adequate cruising pace in overdrive 4th i find. Take time to slow down and enjoy the countryside you are going through.

Open a quaterlight, feel the cool air whistle past your hand on your large diameter bakelight steering wheel, and relax. You would never find a Humber driving at such excess.

[mgmark]

Greenham I think is now covered in houses/indusrial units! Marham, from memory is 1.45 miles, MG Mark could verify this?

Having been asked by his greatness to verify runway lengths, I can but oblige.   Most WW2 RAF stations that ended up with paved runways had 6,000 foot main runway (1.4 miles) constructed, which were extended with the coming of the jet age in the early 50s at those stations retained psot WW2 to an 8,000 foot main runway (1.6 miles - which is what Marham has).   A few stations have longer runways and are used for transport aircraft (like Brize, Greenham, Fairford etc) which need longer stretches and have a 10,000 ft  runway (1.9 miles).   In all cases you can knock off a few hundred usable yards from each end as it is concrete rather than tarmac, covered in runway markings and generally ends in an arrestor barrier.   Either way they are nice long stretches of straight, wide and smooth tarmac, but the end looms up bloody quickly from high speed.......

MG Mark

[Ferrari Spider]

..... I drove my van home on sunday down the M4 past Reading and cruised with the other motors at around 100-115mph. I recon that it took me over 5miles to get there!

You can expect a handfull of NIPs from Thames Valley Police through your letter box any time soon then!

BTW, I would not consider 100-115mph to be "cruising".  More likely you were reaming the arse off the VW - is it still for sale?

Would you seriously want it; after the van has had its nuts revved off.  lets hope the speedo reads ever-so slightly over.  the thought of a turbo as well,  how long will the engine last with the extra tension, oh well, that's the youth of today

[rcutler]

..... I drove my van home on sunday down the M4 past Reading and cruised with the other motors at around 100-115mph. I recon that it took me over 5miles to get there!

You can expect a handfull of NIPs from Thames Valley Police through your letter box any time soon then!

BTW, I would not consider 100-115mph to be "cruising".  More likely you were reaming the arse off the VW - is it still for sale?

Would you seriously want it; after the van has had its nuts revved off.  lets hope the speedo reads ever-so slightly over.  the thought of a turbo as well,  how long will the engine last with the extra tension, oh well, that's the youth of today

The turbo is purely to get me from 50 to 70 quicker with less strain on the engine. Being a Diesel the torque is really good but lacking at 78Bhp! I was only at 2800rpm when cruising! The engine revs to 5500 and I had room left under the pedal. Do you remember J.Clarkson saying the VW is the fastest Van he has even driven! I agree with him.

[Andy Zarse]

I promise it's not really "Have a go at Rick Cutler Day" but torque is work done and is measured in either lb/ft or Newton Metres (Nm) not BHP. Obviously it is horsepower which is measured in Brake Horse Power (BHP).

I just can't understand how a 78bhp van can cruise at 115mph and yet apparently be geared with the same final drive ratio as the Ultimate TT above and therefore have a theoretical top speed of 210mph! As you know, I am possessed of a 48bhp van which struggles to get to 65mph even when empty and runs on shorter gearing, giving a terminal velocity of 75mph at the end of the red line. I know weight and wind resistance comes into it took, as does your greater torque, but does your extra 30bhp really equal a very comfortable 50mph higher top speed?

[Nordic]

I recall an episode of the A team once. The guys where trying to protect someone and their attractive daughter.
The chap had invented an engine that contined to rev limitless. To prove it worked they took it to a speedway and just went round and round until the thing finally sprouted wings and took off at over 300mph.

How it contined to be powered when off the ground was never explained, but it did prove these things are possible with enough thought.

Maybe 5th gear would like to write to the makers of the A team and maybe they could test it.

On the subject of runways, how long is Marston in Kent. I thought I read once it was the longest in southern england.

On a personal note: thaks Mr Zarse, your nip picture has made my afternoon.

[nickliv]

Manston is the widest but at 2752 is shorter than both of Heathrows, Manchester etc. in fact it isn't in the top 10 in southern england.

Coltishall's hasn't been dug up yet, but it's not the longest in the world either.

[Perdu]

Greenham I think is now covered in houses/indusrial units! Marham, from memory is 1.45 miles, MG Mark could verify this?

Having been asked by his greatness to verify runway lengths, I can but oblige.   Most WW2 RAF stations that ended up with paved runways had 6,000 foot main runway (1.4 miles) constructed, which were extended with the coming of the jet age in the early 50s at those stations retained psot WW2 to an 8,000 foot main runway (1.6 miles - which is what Marham has).   A few stations have longer runways and are used for transport aircraft (like Brize, Greenham, Fairford etc) which need longer stretches and have a 10,000 ft  runway (1.9 miles).   In all cases you can knock off a few hundred usable yards from each end as it is concrete rather than tarmac, covered in runway markings and generally ends in an arrestor barrier.   Either way they are nice long stretches of straight, wide and smooth tarmac, but the end looms up bloody quickly from high speed.......

MG Mark

I can attest that even though Marham has a gurt long runway, in itself it wasn't long enough for my Midget to reach its "terminal velocity"  Pulling away from the corner and giving it seven bells of hell the most she could get up to was about 96mph, but out on the big bad highway (somewhere!) she can and regularly does top 105 with breath to play with.

Maybe I should have gone the other way and tackled the runway more downhill-ey!


Reminds me, Mark are the DVDs available? CDs too?


Bill

[gab]

Rick,

Do you have the 5 Cylinder 2.5 Liter diesel in your VW van? That`s the motor that I have in my VW Multivan, if I redline the tach I can get to about 145 KMH which is roughly about 90 MPH, but I surely couldn`t drive too long at that speed before I hear snap, crackle and pop. Have you worked on the motor, would like to know because that was always my biggest complaint about my bus was the lack of a higher top end. If this is thread hijacking then please PM me with your tuning tips.

[Snoring Rhino]

I just can't understand how a 78bhp van can cruise at 115mph and yet apparently be geared with the same final drive ratio as the Ultimate TT above and therefore have a theoretical top speed of 210mph! As you know, I am possessed of a 48bhp van which struggles to get to 65mph even when empty and runs on shorter gearing, giving a terminal velocity of 75mph at the end of the red line. I know weight and wind resistance comes into it took, as does your greater torque, but does your extra 30bhp really equal a very comfortable 50mph higher top speed?

Could be something to do with the onboard balast penalty that has been served on the Commer 

[Ferrari Spider]

I just can't understand how a 78bhp van can cruise at 115mph and yet apparently be geared with the same final drive ratio as the Ultimate TT above and therefore have a theoretical top speed of 210mph! As you know, I am possessed of a 48bhp van which struggles to get to 65mph even when empty and runs on shorter gearing, giving a terminal velocity of 75mph at the end of the red line. I know weight and wind resistance comes into it took, as does your greater torque, but does your extra 30bhp really equal a very comfortable 50mph higher top speed?

Could be something to do with the onboard balast penalty that has been served on the Commer 

Ian the answer is above

[rcutler]

Rick,

Do you have the 5 Cylinder 2.5 Liter diesel in your VW van? That`s the motor that I have in my VW Multivan, if I redline the tach I can get to about 145 KMH which is roughly about 90 MPH, but I surely couldn`t drive too long at that speed before I hear snap, crackle and pop. Have you worked on the motor, would like to know because that was always my biggest complaint about my bus was the lack of a higher top end. If this is thread hijacking then please PM me with your tuning tips.

It is the 2.4 litre version but before they added the turbo as standard. Normally it only does 90mph top but it seemed to just cruise along the other day!?! I wanted to buy a new van based on the Merc Sprinter a few years ago. That had a 4.5l Turbo D engine with a whopping 240BHP!!!!! Finance stretched to the van but common sense got in the way. Just as well really.

BTW the van has only covered 50,000 miles and had an upgraded gearbox and clutch. Was not intended to increase max speed but could possibly explain. The gear ratio's were only changed in 1st, 3rd and 4th. 2nd and 5th gears should be standard albeit a stronger construction.

Fancy a race at Donnington

[Andy Zarse]

I just can't understand how a 78bhp van can cruise at 115mph and yet apparently be geared with the same final drive ratio as the Ultimate TT above and therefore have a theoretical top speed of 210mph! As you know, I am possessed of a 48bhp van which struggles to get to 65mph even when empty and runs on shorter gearing, giving a terminal velocity of 75mph at the end of the red line. I know weight and wind resistance comes into it took, as does your greater torque, but does your extra 30bhp really equal a very comfortable 50mph higher top speed?

Could be something to do with the onboard balast penalty that has been served on the Commer 

Ian the answer is above

Is it? I'd question that.

I did a quick check on the VW website and the and the current VW Transporter with the 130bhp TDI engine (which obviously has nearly double the bhp and torque than Rick's normally aspirated version) is credited with a top speed (where the law permits) of 104mph.

Whilst I agree, Peter, that Rick's VW has a much torquier mill than the Commer, it does not explain the apparent cruising speed of 115mph. A high-top van all kitted out with heavy camper gear (i.e. beds, fridge, gas and water tanks, cooker, exterior awning and all the other parlava) and with just 78bhp, can someone please explain how it can go faster by a margin of 11mph higher than the new VW which has much higher bhp and torque, lighter weight and better areodynamics?

Maybe the answer is blindingly simple, I suggest that Rick's van is a foreign import and he's forgotten to change the speedo from kph to mph!  It's either that or he's giving us a slightly ambitious account of the performance capabilities of his van, which incidentally is a very well appointed camper indeed.