History of a Lola T492 Sports 2000 chassis?

[911thillclimber]

But! It's got THE best driver already.....

Yes, a Young Buck in the current car would go far quicker of course, esp if he/she had no emotional attachment to the machine.
I am always cautious about the risk of really bending it as it would be a disaster and I'm sure would damage me even more.
With speed events the scenery is always very close, the track very narrow and there is very little room to show off your car control talents.

I think the engine could be done for £4000, going to price up the parts, my labour is free, and I've done 3 flat 6 rebuilds already, so have All the Gear and 'some' idea!

I obviously have some work to do domestically.

[MGDavid]

Know what you mean, I did the hills for 10 years before turning to circuits, albeit in much slower MGs. Surely you'll only be spending the money you haven't spent from the household budget in the last 6 months during the lockdown etc?

[911thillclimber]

Not so easy to justify!
Some deferred house maintenance work needed which needs skills beyond mine (ie going up ladders) so need to do those first.

Amassing some details and hence costs of parts on another Porsche forum, but shaping up to £4K diy on the engine change.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Not so easy to justify!
Some deferred house maintenance work needed which needs skills beyond mine (ie going up ladders) so need to do those first.

Amassing some details and hence costs of parts on another Porsche forum, but shaping up to £4K diy on the engine change.

Seems like you need to get the Porsche parts vendor to invoice the engine parts as roof tiles and guttering!

[911thillclimber]

The Boss is far to clever, she would smell that coming a mile or 3 away...

Not convinced it is all worth it, feeling a bit past it now to take it too seriously at 68 years old.
Perhaps I should buy a Morris 1000.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

The Boss is far to clever, she would smell that coming a mile or 3 away...

Not convinced it is all worth it, feeling a bit past it now to take it too seriously at 68 years old.
Perhaps I should buy a Morris 1000.

Hehehe the first thing I thought of when I read that was Nic Mann's V8 Rover engined Turbocharged Nitrous etc Morris Minor!
Happy days

[911thillclimber]

Yes those REALLY were good days.
Before competing we started to spectate at Shels and Prescott and I well remember when that Morris 1000 came up Shelsley Walsh, the crowd stood up to see the spectacle. That was in the late '80's.

Some great Libre cars back then.

[911thillclimber]

HAPPY XMAS AND A BRILLIANT NEW YEAR TOO, NO MATTER WHAT!

[MGDavid]

the same from us to you and yours Graham :-)

[911thillclimber]

It's been a very very long wait, but motorsport can recommence after the end of March, my birthday!

With the first Championship event at the end of April thought I should find the Lola and do a few jobs.

Buried under all manner of stuff associated with the restoration of my '72 Honda twin motorcycle, found the car and exposed it to the light of day. Quite a nice surprise to see it again, I even still like it!

Job #1 was to change the brake fluid.
Bit long overdue as I last did this about 6 years ago, maybe more, so fronts first and was easy using the twin bleed tank which allows this to be done DIY/single handed.
Mrs Hillclimber is the very best assistant for bleeding brakes, but it is Sunday and she has the whole of the Sunday Times to absorb, so 'Do Not Disturb' comes to mind...

Old fluid was somewhat darker than the fresh DOT4 that went in, all all cleared, removed the pedals and cleaned all the rubbish out around them that the cloth cannot reach and al is well and freshly oiled.

Clutch to do next, but not so easy, so a job for tomorrow incase I need some assistance.

to the engine; and plugs came out. They were all really tight and haven't been out for years. simple reason for that, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'.
Car ran well for years, and the colour of the plugs was good colour for a good mixture, so clean and slight re-gap and back in, a smear of grease on the threads to try to stop corrosion setting in.

Turned to the points, and the gap was a 'too tight' 0.4mm so opened those to 0.4 snug feeler drag.

They have not been touched for 11 years.

This must be worth 50 bhp or 3 seconds out of Loton Park!?

Engine start this week and a good check over the balance of the carbs and any leaks, a bit too much popping going on at the last run in September, so need to see if there is a leak using carb cleaner spray when running and hot.

Somewhere along the line the nose of the car got a bump breaking the corner a bit, so fixed that with a reinforcement of alum sheet and a dab of filler and some more bright yellow paint. Been busy!

Deep clean coming up assuming the engine is strong.

[Mike Harte]

Sorry that you and the boss have obviously decided not to upgrade the power over the winter. A bit more grunt under your right foot would have been a suitable reward for all the hard work you have put into the Lola over the years. Nice to see that you wrap up the tyres to protect them.

[911thillclimber]

Ah...The Engine.
Always an awkward thing to understand for several reasons.
First real issue is the 'bang for the buck'.
To make this engine sing will cost about £6K, I've done the sums, and for that it would have about 300 bhp and 250/260 lbft and most importantly, rev to about 7800.
Current red line is 6500.
The higher rpm would allow me to avoid several gearchanges, a major time sapping part of the car.

Best bit is everything on the car would remain unchanged, so the work and cost would be just the engine.

Second would be a change of engine (and box) and though the alternative engine would be cheaper, (there are several options) it would involve some expensive changes and add weight due to water cooling etc.

Thirdly, I just like this air cooled flat 6 in this old car! Seems right to me, a combination I feel I fully understand.

So, Xmas 2021 could be the final step with the car for us, and even maybe that of continuing to hill climb after 30 years.

I could sell the car (rolling chassis I think) etc and hill climb another car I have in the production road going class, drive it there, do it, drive it back.

No trailers! Boy, is that tempting, and just how I started in 1991, a full circle.

Lastly, not sure I have the nerve to go quicker in this baking tin of a car. Any big impact would hurt in several ways and at 68 I'm slowing down.

Out of all this I think the engine rebuild will be the option in reality, I like the oily building bit the most.

[Mike Harte]

Thanks for the response, Graham. I look forward to reading about your further exploits, and will wait until Christmas to see how things may change.

[midgetman]

At 13 years this must be one of the longest running threads on Ten Tenths. Please keep racing so it remains so!



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[morninggents]

I'm with Mike and Max on this. I love to hear your news and exploits with this car. Adding weight with a new engine will upset the balance you have long been used to. I'm in the evolution rather than revolution camp. £6K is a large sum to the average club racer but it seems the power/torque increase would be worth it and the increased revs will save gearchange time as you say. And, of course, you've now set yourself a target of knocking 3 seconds off your Loton time. I always liked to have targets when I was competing.
Go for it - you're still a relatively young man.

[E.B]

Thanks for the update Graham and all the best for the new season.
Trust Mrs 911HC is back firing on all cylinders and slotted back into her Management functions.
Cheers,
Chris

[911thillclimber]

Thanks Chris, she is back on all '6 cylinders of 6' and firmly back in the role of Full Time Financial Director.
A new front door is sitting top of the pile atm so I have to bide my time.

Need a pool of cash, about £1500 for the next (ignition) stage, so will tempt her by selling a motorbike (of sorts) as below!
An old 'resurrection' project.

[Mike Harte]

Great news about the Boss, Graham. My daughter in law has Stage 4 cancer that they found in her liver and bowels, but which they cannot determine which type it is, and she was given a prognosis of 6 months. However, that was nearly 7 years ago (next month), and to look at her you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with her - she went skiing in America just last year when one of my sons' friends lent them their chalet/cabin in the mountains for a couple of weeks.

[S griffin]

Glad it’s all going well Graham

Mike, hope your daughter continues to do be able to do the things she wants to do, must be hard for all of you, but that’s good she’s survived all those years, despite the doctor’s original prognosis. All the best to you, her and the family

[911thillclimber]

Best bit about stepping the 3.2 engine up a few notches is it will not loose any value as these engines are rare now, worn out sheds are £5K, rebuild costs are £10K if you go the whole hog.

These engines are quite stressed when new in 1986, 240 bhp from 3.2 litres, 75bhp/litre, I have a stock one in my old 911 (my hillclimb car) that has done 140K miles, 80K with me and 14 years of thrashing on the hills.
Never been apart, but has had a full 13 litre oil change every year for 26 years no matter the miles between.

Similarly the gearbox, doubled in value and now very rare with a magnesium case.

Or does this sound like Man Maths?

The engine will need:
high comp forged pistons, forged rods, new cams, titanium spring retainers,
ARP hardware, all the usual bearings etc.

My oldest friend is just recovering (middle of radiotherapy) for cancer of the tongue! A nasty thing to be part of.

This thread has always surprised me, all this time, all the chassis number adventures and then all the ups n downs of running it, 2 crashes, suspension collapse, 2 gearbox rebuilds, one engine explosion, all my own self doubts, but just one great little car.
Pleased it has given some enjoyment back.

Started in August 2007, 2419 replies and a staggering 685,733 hits.

2 weeks ago the only other Kelly Girl Green T490/2 was for sale on ebay, modified to a road car, the famous (ish) Kelly girl car driven by Tiff Needell no less and others. Sold for 15.5K in 30 mins, AND it has a Porsche flat 6 in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have 'spoken' to the ex owner.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lola-Pors...p2047675.l2557

[Gerard C]

What a nice antique moped you have, Graham! What is the small tank behind the front lamp for? Acetylene or two-stroke oil?

[S griffin]

Nothing beats pedal power! The tank is probably the water supply to keep that energy going

[911thillclimber]

It is a pretty old thing, but really awkward to use. It is a product of it's time, 1952, made when I was born...
It does work, 50cc of about 2 bhp madness, 20/25 mph flat out.

Rare bike even in France.
The lamp on the front guard is a period cycle lamp, battery powered, but I've converted it to flashing LED from a modern push bike, similar approach on the rear.

The long tank in the frame is for 2 stroke fuel.
Not worth a lot, about £800, and only attractive to a very very very narrow market!
If the engine fails/out of fuel, you can pedal home like a normal cycle.

It was interesting to do a few years back. small light 2 wheeled things are good fun.

[midgetman]

My late father had.one in the mid 1950s. For a bet he rode one from his home near Cirencester across the Cotswolds to his apprenticeship in Birmingham. Very hilly route if anyone knows the Fosse Way.

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[911thillclimber]

Looks like the car is heading for the local rolling road soon.
Removing the points, adding some technology and a few tweeks will sharpen the Lola.
Fatter stronger sparks at high rpm and a bit more.

Guy who will do the work coming to see the car to take away the dist for modification this week.
Looks like a normal year will be on the table, but initially without spectators until after June.