Quote:
Originally Posted by JesperOH
Back in the day, when these threads concerning various group A series and years, the advantage of the FIA historic homologation forms weren't available, but makes for some interesting insights. Like Graham Goode's Bluebird.
A5197 Nissan Bluebird Turbo, P910
https://historicdb.fia.com/car/nissa...bo-p-910-17704
Homologated on 1 February 1984 makes the car legal for the start of the season, but then look on page 22. The 2 door coupé that Goode raced, was only homologated, as a variation, on 1 July 1984 - at a time when the car had already raced in six rounds! Then on 1 July 1985 the intercooler was added.
Was Goode racing the coupé version in the early races with an exception and there seems to have been some confusion as to weather intercoolers had to be homologated or not, just as long as the road car was fitted with said item. Mitsubishi seemed to be late on that matter as well.
A5113 Mitsubishi Starion 2000 Turbo A183A
https://historicdb.fia.com/car/mitsu...bo-a183a-19975
Jesper |
Turbocharged cars were a very new thing in the BTCC (or BSCC) at this time, there were only the Merkur, Metro Turbo and Bluebird. As far as I can remember (and this was a long time ago now), regarding intercoolers, if the car was fitted with one as standard you were allowed to fit any sort (and size) of intercooler to a Group A car, this was tightened up on significantly later where the standard production item HAD to be used.
Manufacturers were asked simply "is the air from the turbo cooled between the turbo & the engine? Yes or No?" Both the Merkur and Metro turbo fed directly from the turbo to the engine, but this included a finned aluminium section of pipe, so Ford and British Leyland ticked 'yes' as their homologation engineers were aware of the benefits. Datsun were typically more honourable and decided not to play the game.
Graham (along with a number of other people) was unaware of this, so ran the car with an intercooler, but one of the competitors in his class lodged a protest at the end of the season and subsequently lost his points and the championship class win.