History of a Lola T492 Sports 2000 chassis?

[A.C.Clegg]

How about the VSCC? Compete in their series.
I seem to be more interested in older cars than modern these days.
Maybe you could help others to find info about their cars etc.

[911thillclimber]

We have the VSCC at Loton, quite a bunch!
Yes, it appeals, but I think if I stop it will be a walk away from racing anything.
I could go back to hill climbing my old 911, the car I started in way back in '91 or even a Porsche Boxster in a production class.
The 911 is really worth a bit too much nowadays, but the Porsche Club have a year's worth of interesting things to get involved with.
A 1930 BSA roadster would work well!

[911thillclimber]

Took the Lola to a local show, all about Wacky Racers, down hill lunacy in extremist terms, nutters the lot of them.
Entertaining though, and so we thought a Club stand would be a good idea.
Shrewsbury is close to the hill climb at Loton, so all a big PR day.

5 cars inc the Lola and what a busy day. I have never ever had so many kids in my car and I could not leave it alone for a minute.
It got so bad the car seemed to be treated by kids and their parents as a Fair Ground Attraction, few 'please can my child sit in it?', more I'm here and it is my God Given right to dump my kid with wellies on into your car.
Across your bodywork and let then try to break everything....

We all suffered the same fate, ridiculous.

Never again.

Shelsley next weekend for some intelligent conversation with car nuts. Just 3 in the class, Allan in the EVO Mini, Christian in the Pilbeam MP43 and me which will be the running and results order I think!

An hour before the Mob arrived.

[A.C.Clegg]

I suppose that's the other extreme. Bad news.

[S griffin]

Well things can change in a hearbeat. Just have to put it behind you and concentrate on next time

[911thillclimber]

Yes, I'd forgotten about dealing with the General Public, hard work and mostly difficult!
Although on the plus side a lot of our PR literature went so maybe some good will come of that over time.

The Finals have arrived for the Loton Park meeting on 8/9 June and I'm alone in my class!
I'm merged for the event with two embarrassingly fast under 2 litre bike engined cars with fast drivers, so have good company in the paddock.

Must make sure I have a few new excuses for why I'm slower...

Weather looks good for Shelsley, magic place and I hope my mind-set will be positive this time.

From the distant past!

https://youtu.be/nbh4EfuGuao

[911thillclimber]

So, to racing again!

Saturday, practice day at Shelsley Walsh, 3 in the class, 2 in the Midland Champ Class, Christian in the Pilbeam, Allan in the EVO Mini and the snail, me.

First run was to try using 4th up this steep hill which meant 2 gearchanges down going into the lower Esse at about 80 mph.
Well, that didn't work, and the result was a miserable 34.77 (pb is 31.58), terrible start also at 2.25.

Allan broke.
Christian did a 29.4/2.34 crossing the finish line at 113 mph to my 90.
Seems the HART engine is good for about 370 bhp....so I'm 130 bhp down.

Second practice I was more determined, thought my effort would be a 31 something, but wishful thinking, 33.03/2.18.
Christian was 29.37/2.18 and 113 again over the line.

I'm 1.5 seconds off and I do not know why except it must be me.
The car is great, the chassis as perfect as ever with it's 8 year old set up by McClurg Motorsport and good tyres.

'The Older I am, the faster I was' is so true.

Irritating, and about time I got my act together instead of doing a Sunday Cruise.

[911thillclimber]

Sunday and a cold start to race day.
Grey clouds looming and they certainly delivered...

First practice as ok and 33.03, exactly as yesterday. I thought it felt faster...
Second practice and it poured and poured. Shelsley wet is not a good place to go quickly, or attempt to, on slicks, so I declined the run.

First race run and it was soaking wet, so crawled up though the grip was far better than I thought, and netted a staggering 45 second run, what a joke.
Second timed run and the track had dried well but the treacherous Esses were under the trees, no sun there!

Went reasonably well despite this and cut a casual 34 second run, 2nd in a class...of 2!

Still, body soul and car in one piece.

Loton next weekend, my favourite hill.

[911thillclimber]

Loton Park hill is very close to Wales.
Wales gets a lot of rain, and this morning was no exception!

With a wet seat I did my first run in the rain, on slicks. Not good, but I crawled up the hill in 85 seconds and a 3 second start. That's me qualified for tomorrow.

The 2nd practice run was on a slightly drying hill, and a 73.81/2.74 was my 'reward'.
The other 3 in the Class were faster, and I have Roger Moran in his full-house rally Darrian to contend with so that's a challenge!

3rd run was much better on a dry patchy track, bit damp under the trees but netted a useful 60.00/2.14, so pleased with that.

Roger had 58.94/2.65, the Sylva Riot 61.61/2.24 and the space frame Imp 62.73/2.28.

Tomorrow is possibly dry all day, so things will get serious, but my best is 55.33 on a sunny cool weekend last year, so lots more to find yet!

[A.C.Clegg]

Weather forecast is ok for Banbury. Let's hope that you've had a good day weather wise.

[911thillclimber]

Well, yes and no kind of a day!
Track was bone dry, sun was out clouds in the sky, but all looked good.
First timed run and the car ran well, but I've got into a bad habit of not pushing the car and myself, so the run was ok, but lacking 'fizzzz'

Target was the 3 in the class, especially the bench mark of Roger in that Darrian!

I came 3rd in the class,
Martin posted 56.83/2.16
Roger posted 56.91/2.51
Me 57.06/2.02
Paul clocked 61.59/2.2
Now that was so much closer than I thought or hoped, and with my last year's pb of 55.33 I felt I had a chance.

Second timed runs and it went pear shaped for me with a 2 wheels off onto the grass at one point that took ages to come off and finished with a miserable 57.49/2.00

Roger:56.32
Martin 55.43
Paul 59.27

Then it thundered, and it lighten the sky and it poured down, so v lucky with the weather.

Car looks like it's been on a Rally Cross.

So, a mix of feelings.
The car ran well, changed gear well (the tweeks a few months ago have worked well), just my state of mind needs a BIG tweek.

Next we are at Prescott on 22/23 June.

[A.C.Clegg]

Not too far off. First run was good!!

[911thillclimber]

All a bit disappointed in myself Andy, hope to do better at Prescott, but I think there will be a few heavy hitters in the class!

After Loton the car was really muddy due to the rain so got round to cleaning it yesterday pm.
Usual routine, wheels loosened, jack up, remove wheels and all body and rub every surface top to bottom and then WD40 the rose joints.

Took a look at everything as this ritual progresses to make sure all is well, and spotted....

A damaged rear drive hub and wheel. I know this car has some torques, and hill climb tyres are very very sticky, but on one side the 3 drive pins (centre-lock wheels) have bent.

They are 14mm dia and 10mm where there fit into the drive flange where they are welded in place from the back.
I replaced these a long time ago and turned them from mild steel which was a mistake. The other side I used steel cap head bolts bolted to the flange and that side is perfect.

I did this as welding them was a pig. The drive sleeve (with the splined drive in them) are hardened.

Thus, the soft magnesium wheel hub has elongated and looks a mess where the 3 pins locate and transfer the drive to the wheel.

So..

I hope to have found a hill climb friend who can re-machine 3 fresh 14mm holes in the wheel and I can remove the soft pins and use cap head screws to replicate the other side. Issue will be will he machine the 3 holes in magnesium. Not everyone will do this.

I won't get this done for Prescott, but after that event there is a long lull in racing so that will be the time to clean things up.

There is always something with these cars.

[911thillclimber]

Next weekend is a special at Prescott, nice hill to drive, all bens and not too fast!
Saturday is a big Porsche event with a million racing and more in the fields, we are in the Invited class.
Sunday is a one day Midland Champ meeting so points for me.
Just the 2 of us in the class, Geoff in his Impreza engine Saker GT closed coupe.
I'm sure Geoff will give me some grief!

I hope to get the wheel machining sorted that weekend, the machinist is coming to see it first hand.

Found this on google:

[A.C.Clegg]

Enjoy Prescott!

[E.B]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Found this on google:

Is that Shelsley? Looks very much like it if not.

[A.C.Clegg]

I thought that!

[911thillclimber]

Yep, Shelsley Walsh, just before the heart stopping Kennel/ Crossing curves.
I take 3rd about there and use the torque of the engine to get me onto the steep hill section.

Looks like the weather could be v nice this weekend.
The is a big Porsche Focused meeting on the Saturday and being a long time Porsche fan the place is full of great cars.
Sunday is a one-day Midland Championship meeting with 2 in the class, but my plan is to have a good time.
Last visit to Prescott was grim with the run away car in the paddock, hence the yellow nose in the picture hiding the repairs to the nose of the body work.....

[911thillclimber]

Saturday, and a great day at Prescott with the Lola, but a slightly bitter ending..

In a class of 8 where the other cars as I was, in the Invitation Class of the Porsche championship. Trouble was the other cars were indeed 911's of various shapes and sizes which were not in the Porsche Champ rounds, so I stuck out like a sore thumb.

First practice was good, 47.46/2.32 on a hot day and a perfect track.
Second practice was better, 46.53/2.19, even hotter.
pb is 46.29.

First timed run was 46.61/2.18 on a stinking hot paddock and driver, so 'peaked in practice' started to sum it up, but won the first round in the class.
Second timed run was really hot and sticky, and all that in the helmet and the car felt it too, 46.93/2.18 so slower, but still a 46.

This was enough to win the class.

Come prize giving, and me being in the class at all was clearly not popular, obviously, the road going and hill climb 911's were at a weight disadvantage, so the Porsche club Comp Sec was not sure why I was in the class, but got a trophy and a pair of nice crystal glasses from Prescott which were christened tonight with a good Californian red.

Car was great, new tweeks to the gear shifter have worked, great fun and most encouraging compared to the previous meetings.

Tomorrow is another day and a round of the Midland Championship, 2 in the class, me and Geoff so need to deliver it all again.

Had a word with Terry the machinist and he can do the damaged wheel for me next week.
Hope for a dry and cool day tomorrow!

[911thillclimber]

Sunday, and what a frantic day it has been.

First run on a nice cooler sunny morning cut a weak 55 second run in practice. The engine all but died several times mid-flight so limped back to my paddock spot.
Checked all the simple stuff, electrical etc and all fine.
To the bottom line, and the battery was flat as a fart. Being a LiPo, as soon as the volts drop to about 11.5v it stops working.

Gauges flickered on switch on, press the starter and the gauges went to zero.
Connected a boost charger and tried again. It started!
Dis connected the leads and after 30 seconds it all died.

Concluded the battery was dead or the alternator was. I had a bit of this on my last run yesterday but got the full-monty this run.

Drove home and back in 3 hours with a spare LiPo and charger and my monster Red Top as back up.

Connected the older LiPo and it fired and ran.
Revved the engine to about 2.5K and checked the charge voltage; 13.5 so the alternator was good!

Missed the second practice due to this lot, but first timed run was great at 46.45 and 2.08 start, car ran well indeed.
Second timed run and the heavens opened almost on time to the BBC forecast so the track was wet, so crawled up.

Still, won both rounds so some useful points.
It was not all over though.
Got yet another trailer tyre puncture, 2nd this year so another £80 gone west.

Phew!

[911thillclimber]

missed a picture!



https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...314280fda9.jpg

[MGDavid]

Well done Graham - it's weekends like this that make it all worth it :-)

[911thillclimber]

Thank you David, indeed, it is.

The wins are nice to get your mojo back. The string of 46's all weekend was very encouraging as was the security of the gearshifts.

There is a Facebook picture of all the Porsche players going round which I've been sent but cannot copy and get to paste here, but a splendid picture at a very picturesque venue.

Prescott is nick-named 'The Lawns' for good reason.

After the local wheel repairs etc the car needs a good clean before being one of the Club's display cars at the Chateaux Impney hill climb.

Always a great static event for the Club and great to chat to learned spectators for a couple of days.

Back racing for points at Shelsley Walsh10/11 August!

[A.C.Clegg]

Well done indeed, although it kept you busy.

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

There is a Facebook picture of all the Porsche players going round which I've been sent but cannot copy and get to paste here, but a splendid picture at a very picturesque venue.

Prescott is nick-named 'The Lawns' for good reason.

This is one of the photographs, there are several. Also found one of the car and its creator!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk