First Race Car Build

[zefarelly]

racing needn't be expensive Redneck, just bide your time and do your homework before parting with your beans n buttons

by and large standard bits will suffice, its only if you over cook one thing that it starts a chain reaction of killing everything else. get the car safety prepped and race it standard, you'll learn more in your first year that way than if you won the lottery and went 'Chelsea' with it. oh, it'll be reliable as well which is far more than can be said for most in theor first season, myself included.

[Al Weyman]

Also check its not draining through a duff diode in the alternator.

[Redneck Rocket]

Don't worry Ian it's not just that. I'm out of work at the moment as well so that doesn't help things much. I've considered sprinting but to be honest I'm not all that interested. I don't want to have to be absolutely balls-out - would much rather drive at 9/10ths and learn to be smooth and consistent, and I do want to race on circuits and against other people. Zef, I agree with you. From what I can tell the closer you stay to standard the more reliable things stay. The people who's cars break all the time seem to be the ones who are trying to make radical modifications. That's why I haven't done anything crazy apart from a cam, some good flywheel and big end bolts, and having the whole assembly balanced. Good shocks and springs, brake pads and hoses. That's about it.

But having said that - I need a set of wheels, £100. Tyres £350. Roll hoop £150, Extinguisher £150, Helmet £300, Fireproofs £300. Seat £200 So actually I'm still about £1500 away from being ready and realistically I can't save up that much money in 6 months.

Some people have said why don't you just sell the car and buy an XR2 and do stock hatch, or do some arrive & drive Formula Vee or something but I'm really not interested in that. Historic racing has always been my love and I would rather race a bog standard MGTD than a new fully race-prepped MGF.

Anyway, I haven't given up completely and will bide my time. I occasionally write articles for magazines (Classic & Sports Car, and hopefully have one going in Octane soon) so I was also trying to make a part historical part current story out of 70's road sports to sell to a magazine "a return to the good old days of drive to the circuit and run what ya brung" but no one seems to like the idea. I also have to move back to Canada within a year or two and circuit racing doesn't really exist in Vancouver so I can't bide my time forever. I haven't given up completely!!!!

[Redneck Rocket]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Also check its not draining through a duff diode in the alternator.

I think the alternator is okay because it's brand new. The guys at the motor factor put a multimeter on it and it was charging the battery at 14 volts. The only thing I can think of is I just replaced the running light assembly, and the replacement ones didn't have the little metal clip for the earth like the old ones I took off, so I used an electrical connector to earth them through the bolts... but old cars, who knows, could be anywhere right?

[terence]

Seat £200??.PM me.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Redneck Rocket

......But having said that - I need a set of wheels, £100. Tyres £350. Roll hoop £150, Extinguisher £150, Helmet £300, Fireproofs £300. Seat £200 So ......

Come on, you're not trying ! If you shop around (and follow advice given) you can say helmet £200, suit £200, FIA seat £100 - see, saved 300 already...

[Redneck Rocket]

Lol. True. Just trying to be realistic so I don't get overly excited and then disappoint myself later on!

[Al Weyman]

I think the alternator is okay because it's brand new.

So? It can still charge when running but can still discharge though the alternator when not running, I have had this several times.

[IAN #51]

REDNECK i also have a full cage (c/w door bars homemade by the previous owner its never failed a scrutenering session ) avaliable for a Spitfire that im changing this weekend for a new one you would be welcome to that as well

[terence]

So far it's looking pretty good Redneck

[Redneck Rocket]

I tell you what Terence, it's looking bloody marvelous!!! Shall have to go to Halfraud's tomorrow and buy 30 rolls of duct tape to fasten all the gear into the car

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

Come on, you're not trying ! If you shop around (and follow advice given) you can say helmet £200, suit £200, FIA seat £100 - see, saved 300 already...

You don't need FIA seat, can't think who told you that

May be able to help out with a suit, PM me, depends on your size.

But I still wouldn't try and save money by only having a rear cage...

[terence]

RE Seat,quite right ,you dont need an FIA seat,yet! It all depends on wether that ruling gets changed, next year's Blue Book will tell us.The offer still stands though Redneck.

[NiG_21]

Originally Posted by midgetman

>>>>>>>>>>>>but possibly the cheapest race build ever?

Ooooh no, no, no, no not by a long way.

I think you've thrown down a challenge, and vaguely within the thread title too.

My latest one cost £300 for the car, £400 for shell preparation, everything else was built of bits I've collected in 20-odd years of motor sport.

I completely totalled the car once... new chassis and new body tub, plus raditator, bonnet etc... (hit tyre wall at about 50mph)...

£80... all in...
And two solid months in garage every night and weekend...

[mattius]

hey just joined this forum after being a member of many others. My dad used to race in the brittish but mainly scottish champs hillclimbing in a vixen imp.

My aim is to race hill climbs in my Spitfire which im rebuilding at the moment.
I'll post another thread showing my build but to get back onto the point of roll cages, i had a previous one which i rote off on the A82 up next to doune hillclimb in may this year the merets of a roll cage are definate to see, as it saved my life, however i was only running an FIA spec rear cage, and my legs got crushed beyond believe to make me partially disabled for the rest of my life.
After this i would say you need at least some protection around the bulkhead area as it aint strong. see photos

This is the returned car

http://www.mattinglis.com/copp/displ...240&fullsize=1


http://www.mattinglis.com/copp/displ...243&fullsize=1


http://www.mattinglis.com/copp/displ...237&fullsize=1


As for seats im planning on a Corbeau sprint seat in mine as it fits perfect although is expensive.

[Peter Mallett]

Wow,

Welcome Mattius.

A salutory tale indeed and even if you are still suffering, I trust your injuries aren't too debilitating.

If you are interested in hillclimbing we have a forum here http://tentenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=85 dedicated to that and sprinting.

[mattius]

nope injuries are getting less by the day, i saw the hillclimb forum, contributed to this topic to add advice for roll cage options.

[terence]

Sorry about you're shunt and I hope thing's keep improving.Just going by the amount of damage to the front of the Sill area,I really do not think a full cage would have done much,problem is that it is difficult to mount the side leg's to a major section of chassis on the Spitfire.I take it you were either hit directly in the side or you went off sideway's.

[mattius]

slid sideways into a tree.

Both the mk3 spitfire (which that red one is) and my new 1500 spit have enough room to add a cage around the bulkhead area inside the car going accross the top of the gearbox tunnel linked to the rear cage and mounting to the front chassis outriders which are soley there for the body mount, These outridders can also be beefed up as the only thinng they are for is the body mount.

[Al Weyman]

Blimey after seeing that fold up I will stick with me yank tanks with the massive girder like front clip.

[terence]

Originally Posted by mattius

slid sideways into a tree.

Both the mk3 spitfire (which that red one is) and my new 1500 spit have enough room to add a cage around the bulkhead area inside the car going accross the top of the gearbox tunnel linked to the rear cage and mounting to the front chassis outriders which are soley there for the body mount, These outridders can also be beefed up as the only thinng they are for is the body mount.

I would have thought that linking into the main chassis would have been better especially in a shunt like that,I know it's not the usual kind of thing.My concern would be the mounting for the side leg,even if you have a cross bar from one side to the other,because of the fact that you cannot stop the side leg from folding inwards from below the cross tube link.It would need a more substantial foot mounting to stand any chance of stopping it from moving.A tube of the same material as the cage plus a 3millmounting plate straight from the main chassis box section would give a much stronger side impact mount.

[mattius]

dont think you would ever be able to completely secure the bulkhead area of the car, by all accounts my accident was a freak one.
I posted the photos in here just to make you weary that the bulkhead is not as strong as other cars of this age. Especially the lower sill section which i hit, if you've ever had a sill off a spit you'll realise there is bugger all rigidity behind that. Oh and the red car had its sills filled with expanding foam aswell to try and increase rigidity that didnt work.

[terence]

I do have experience with them,that being the reason for my reply,looking at the photos and the extent that the flitch panel has gone inwards,I dread to think what it would have been like with a mounting point mounted onto the floor.The side leg would have bent in-wards leaving even less room for you're occupancy.This is the reason I suggest that you take a mount directly from the chassis and out to the side leg front mount,idealy this would be mounted at an angle going upwards,however slight ,it would help.As for the foam,you obviously realise that it is no substitute for metal.If the footwell had more rigidity ,the chances are that the impact would have moved the car over ,rather than the panelwork moving .

[NiG_21]

Geez Matt - That spitfire looks familar... you didn't buy it of a MR Bowler did you?

Looks like you were lucky (as you say), I think a full cage 'may' have helped a bit, but they do cut down on leg space in the footwell so it may be a case of swings and roundabouts.

I would always recommend a full cage in any case... "when it comes to safety - don't cut corners" - best advice I've ever been given.

Best of luck on the rebuild and getting back to full health.

[mattius]

yeap its josh's old spitfire minus the supercharger.