So, got up nice and early for the drive over to Lincolnshire. I'm sure the neighbours loved hearing the Supersprint at 6 in the morning.



Early morning on a Sunday meant a nice relaxing drive over, stopped to fill up (and do some last minute weight reduction...) at a Shell garage then carried on to the Barkston Heath.

Barkston Heath Airfield is home to the Royal Air Force Elementary Flying School. It was also once home to a forest of Bloodhound ground to air missiles. Javelin Trackdays has for a few years now used the former missile site compound and sections of the concrete peritrack to host a variety of different events.

The setup for the day was a timed sprint track on the old missile compound, run side by side with a handling course on the nearby WW2 runway. Having completed the briefing and 2 sighting runs on each track both courses opened and we could choose between the 2 throughout the day. I had a quick go on the sprint track and then tried the handling course.



With the rough old concrete surface (some cones were even in the middle of the track to mark huge potholes), it felt pretty nasty to drive on and wouldn't be doing the tyres any good, so after one run...







...I decided to stick with the smooth tarmac sprint track!

Vid (not mine) of the sprint track here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QuGUEBVTqg

After about an hour of practice the timer was turned on, and these were the times that I managed to record (it was a bit of a pain trying to remember and type them into my phone!) throughout the day.

1:08.42
1:08.90
1:08.24
1:07.20
1:06.60
1:06.09
1:06.80
1:06.40
1:06.13
1:05.06
1:05.17

The timing equipment was working great in the morning session but was completely useless towards lunch and after. It did throw up a few times later in the day resulting in the 1:05's, I was trying to get below 1:06 for quite a while but to beat it by a whole second made me a bit sceptical! Then again I must have had quite a few runs where the timing equipment was down.

Luckily (Skillfully?) I managed to avoid all of the white markers out on the track, although quite a few mirrors and panels got scuffed on other cars.

Another thing I noticed was how strange the car felt from a standing start. I guess the amount of rubber on the ground really accentuates how the engine performs? Could feel the dips and rises in performance going up through the rev range, never felt anything like it on the road!









After the first few runs I got talking to a lonely GT86 owner parked next to me, he had managed a 1:03 early on.



Later in the day after talking to the other GT86 owners he got a bit of tuition from one of the Fensport guys and got a low 1:01. The more experience drivers managed to break the minute mark with the GT86s.

I kept having runs right up until the event finished, said bye to my new car friend and then headed home! It was a good day although spoilt by the timing equipment breaking.



Here are a few pics from around the paddock.



Red Golf had travelled from the North West as well, fairly certain I've met them at Oulton before.



86 Drivers Club





The only BRZ in the country?



86 with Turbo and electronically controlled suspension.

Car dropped off, along with Jonnio's Extended Edition Service Manual...I've run out of stamp spaces so made some more lol.

Managed to get the passenger seat back in the car for the trackday, also fitted another Mobius camera facing out of the back window. The trackday itself was very wet with quite a few people spinning/going off, still really enjoyed it though! Very impressed with the quality of the videos I got, seem to have picked up a few random clicks when editing but never mind...

Oulton Park 07/11/2014

Morning Session 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpuiUn-biUs

Morning Session 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALj1nRpOylo

Managed to get a marshal to blue flag my mate in his 270bhp LCR coming out of knickerbrook which was a highlight! Of course he floored it to avoid further embarrassment lol. Video of that to come!

I have also bought a few Sharpies, and touched up the faded badges on the Abarth seats! Pretty good transformation really! I assume that a sweaty trackday won't cause the ink to transfer to my back...

Last 2 done, the first one has quite a few MX5s in it! The second has me blue flagging my mate who then goes off in a hurry, then an Evo going into the wall. 

Oulton Park 07/11/2014

Afternoon Session 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuWq6eTpaRs

Afternoon Session 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tskTC5rVujQ&feature=youtu.be

Hey mate, what oil do you use on your HGT? I have been told Selenia 20k 10w40 is fine but it is semi-synthetic.

Thanks mate. Just put some Selenia in it 
Mine is a silver HGT Abarth Punto, I will put up some pictures when I have time.
I do have to fix my foggy headlamps and the peeling off scorpion wheels  It looks awful!
Yours is truly magnificient!

Sorry for bring this topic back if it was closed. But Jonnio your HGT has been a bit of an inpsiration, have you still got it mate?

Slightly late reply () but yes!

Nothing has really changed, I've recently been trying to find someone that might be interested in trying to fit standalone engine management as the car feels like it's underperforming (even compared to standard). I've always been under the assumption that the factory ECU is holding it back with the exhaust/intake bolt ons.

Best advice I've had up to now is buy something turbocharged like a Fiesta ST if I want to go quick for cheap (not really the point!) or that there is actually an underlying fault causing the issue.
Closest actual figure I've been given is £4k for standalone but even then costs could still differ when it actually comes to doing it. I had £2-3k in my head so that's a fair jump.

I'd love to keep pushing through slowly with this and turn it into something special, ECU with a bit of a power bump, refurbed gearbox (maybe a six speed so it actually matches the sticker that Fiat put on the gator plastic!) LSD, all rust sorted etc. but :insert head smashing against wall emoji here:

HI John
I came across this thread when searching for stuff about HGT's. I do think these Hitachi ECU's are particularly sensitive to changes. They aren't running an airflow meter and changing intake and exhaust will be changing the MAP sensor readings and causing the ECU to add incorrect fuel & spark (the spark is possibly more the issue).

So I do think although a proper manufacturer air intake is arguably better than a bad aftermarket one I'm not sure all of the blame lies with the intake itself. It is clear though that with the variable intake runners that FIAT designed this engine to utilise resonant frequencies to boost torque.

The only sure fire way to get more power would be like you mention an aftermarket ECU (Emeralds start about £700) but then there's all the issues you'll get with check lights. There's a good thread here about a chap who built a 2 litre version - can't link but search "guy croft forum fiat punto hgt build"

I am thinking about dropping in the Alfa 2.0 TSpark but using the FIAT head and going the whole hog with throttle bodies and cams with standalone ECU.

Anyway it's great that you've been using the old girl in anger. These cars got a bad wrap from the press but really what's not to like? A cracking 1.8 Litre engine (better than all it's class rivals at the time) a brilliant 5 speed box with superb ratios. OK the suspension is a bit like riding a pogo stick but at least it focusses the mind !