Help me decide

[rutthenut]

I know Hawk are going to Race Retro. Do you know if they take many cars with them?

The Hawk stand at Race Retro is quite small, compared to the kit shows at Stoneleigh.
Will be just a two-car stand, though I don't know which cars Gerry will take. It won't be two Strats as he has produces Cobras and Daytonas, as well as metal-tubbed and grp-bodied Stratos replicas.

I am planning to go along with my Stradale but this isn't like the kit shows where owners have space to park, so don't expect to see others present.

[AndrewF]

I’m going to go to both and anywhere else Hawk are going I find out about. I had a very boring 2022.

[Griff]

Andrew, just to make life a little more complicated, in order of width there are three versions available, Stradale, round arch Gp. IV, and square arch Gp. IV.
If it helps, I had no problems on Hardknot, Wrynose, Birker, or Corney Fell when I took my round arch car up to West Cumbria. The first car in the picture is Stradale, and the second round arch Gp. IV (both Hawks)

[sean999r]

Decisions decisions, with my own build I am going LHD, better placement of pedals in tight area (throttle foot not up against wheel tub) plan to drive a lot in Spain France Italy hillclimbs rallies etc. Good luck in your decision making.

[Longtimefan]

Andrew, to put my twopennath in, I agree with Grif. Mine is Gp4 square arch, and I don't have any trouble on the narrow lanes, which frankly I prefer as a driving experience, in fact to a point it helps as oncoming traffic seem to think that something the size and shape of a Stable door on edge is approaching them. I link below to a post I put on back in 2020, see post 81. (My wife now drives it quite often.)

Northern Drive-Out - Coast & Castles Run, Fri/Sat 7th/8th August 2020

[rutthenut]

Regarding driving position, I don't there is an issue at all with the throttle pedal on RHD, but I'd think LHD would be MUCH better for your other foot - as you could have a footrest, or use the inner arch, whereas with rhd there's little to no space to brace your left foot.

I've not had an lhd stratos but owned a couple of integrales in the past. Overtaking isn't overly affected, imho, from having lhd as with these fast cars, it is no problem to drop back further for better view of potential traffic ahead. Occasionally, you can see up the left side of the car in front, which can sometimes help see a line ahead to overtake.

Only real disadvantage to LHD in UK cars is at toll booths or car park barriers. If you travel abroad, them the lhd will help out there, of course.

[renmure]

An unpopular (perhaps) opinion from me but if the only body version available was the Stradale then I'd never have been interested enough in them to want one. I think they look pretty and nimble and cute but not for me, so it would have to be wide arch GP4 style. Square looks madder than round so that was easy. I've never been away from narrow roads but not noticed any issues in relation to width. Being LHD I have to confess that I still catch myself out at some junctions and have to jiggle about in the seat or release the harnesses but hopefully I'll learn.

[Normb666]

There are deffo downsides to a LHD car in Britain. But one upside that nobody mentions is that they're great for kerb-crawling*



* - this is (supposed to be) a joke

[AndrewF]

I think I?m going to have to take a flask and sandwiches and have a long sit by the Hawk stand.

You see I love Urraco and 308s and Merak and Panteras and the iso Lele is a favourite But you just know they are going to be horribly brittle. I?ve been round old Italian cars a long time and they make me wince. Even the ones with the Detroit motors. That?s why I like Alfas, if they aren?t rusty it?s possible to fix them. If they aren?t rusty. To that end as a road car a stradale recreation is fabulous. It beats a 308 (gt4 or gtb)on looks in my view and if I?ve built it I can mend it. Round here there are not many people who can mend stuff so owners of any classic car are on their own. And the Italians just ooze style. That lime green one on petrolicious. With the way my North of England eye does style Id never dream to put washed out lime green with gold wheels and a tan and black interior. But just look at it. But then the rally stratos was always the other Worldly thing when I was growing up. On Rally Cross on TV or in books - that and the 037. How can people like Quattro sports.

Ill keep thinking.