[LM24] Cadillac Northstar LMP

[knighty]

Yup Aurora-GM 4.0 flat plane V8 IRL engine.... As far as im aware TWR designed the intake system, and some other bits and bobs, but the engines themselves were built elsewhere, as the IRL programme was far too important for TWR (profitable!), all I ever saw was the CAD data........regarding the turbos, these were garrett full race items, the reason being we (mountune) had just designed an lmp900 twin turbo for team Ascari based on the BMW-M5 engine, we had a conversation with garrett and they agreed to supply us exactly what they were supplying cadillac, there was certainly no instruction to couple the exhausts other than normal fashion........but never say never!

[TF110]

Cadillac should come back! I always liked this car, and sure hope you can get it up and running, Jim Craik.

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by TF110

Cadillac should come back! I always liked this car, and sure hope you can get it up and running, Jim Craik.

I really wish P&M and GM would turn this into a GT3/GTD car.

[JHamilton]

Well they could but production has ended on the coupe. The only Caddy coupe will be the ATS available late this year.

[Jim Craik]

Originally Posted by Dyson Mazda

I really wish P&M and GM would turn this into a GT3/GTD car.

That does make a hansome racer...

[Jim Craik]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Well they could but production has ended on the coupe. The only Caddy coupe will be the ATS available late this year.

I always liked the ATS......

[WolfsburgRS]

I always had a soft spot for the Cadillac LMP cars, congrats on the purchase! I always thought it a shame Caddy didn't stick around for longer at the top ranks.

Speaking of the engine and intake arrangement I snapped this at Daytona in 2000. If I recall correctly this car was pushed into the garage at the very end of the race and they hurriedly tried to get it running before the finish, I can't recall if they did or not. I think not but that was a long time ago.



Full set here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfsb...57622315559150 (not many Caddy pics)

[GT3.14]

I saw the Cadillacs at my first proper sportscar race in 2000 when I was just a little boy.

[Jim Craik]

Originally Posted by GT3.14

I saw the Cadillacs at my first proper sportscar race in 2000 when I was just a little boy.

Pi,

Thats great, first races are very important.

Back in 1963, when I was 12, my dad took me to Laguna Seca for the sports car races, Jim Clark was there...

From that day, I have had a non-stop love affair with road racing!

[Jim Craik]

Originally Posted by Coach Ep

To be fair the car was crashed into the pit wall in the warm up session, just a couple of hours before the start of the race and with the mechanics managing to rebuild it so quickly it could take the start, it was suspected something was not attached or fixed properly, causing an oil line to burst or come apart and set the car on fire. It stopped just after the second chicane on the Mulsanne straight, drivers right at marshals post 63 who tried to put the fire out. Problem was the electrics were still on leaving the fuel pump to do it's job - and with the car rapidly being engulfed with flames there was hardly a chance for the marshals to get close to the car and put it out - one even tried to 'smack off' the kill switch with his knife - which broke the blade! At least the driver made it out safely (young Kristian Kolby if I am correct).

Must have been 15-20 minutes or so into the race, causing the Safety Car to make an early appearance and showing again the fragility of the Caddilacs as the undertray of one of the SC's came off and went for a flight - again! (the scene already being witnessed earlier in the week when they made several showings before and between practice sessions).

Coach Ep,

Thats great info, I was not aware of this part of the story. I had noticed that shots of the car post fire had some markings in slightly altered postitions compared to qualifing, that explains it. Please tell us more about this warm up accident, the repairs needed and this undertray thing.

Thanks, Jim

[XJR14/WSC95]

I saw the Motorola DAMS cars run at the race of a thousand years in Adelaide New Year's Eve. I had read about the turbo set up with only three pips feeding each turbo and one pipe to atom on either bank. This gave the cars a real low rpm v twin note. This was my first face to face experience with Le Mans style racing. I'll never forget the diversity of sounds from the Audi, Cadillac, Lola Judd, and Panoz. If only the BMW LMR had shown up.

[Coach Ep]

Not that much info (I have none on the repairs and the crash in warm up seemed to be a simple spin into the pit wall as the car exited the Ford chicanes), have a look here Jim: http://www.caranddriver.com/features...e-track-page-2

[Jim Craik]

What a great site!

I post about this chassis I bought and before you know it I'm talking to Mr Joest and then Mike Fuller, the buy who laid up the carbon...

Fantastic!

I have not posted recently, but I have been working on this beautiful thing!

I have just returned from a cross country scavenger hunt, things went pritty well.



Here are some of the first parts I obtained...

[joeb]

Please keep posting pictures, would love to see more!

[Jim Craik]

I have found some very interesting parts...

The tag says "6 degree castor, only used quali Le Mans"

[fieldodreams79]

If at all possible, bring your car to the Mitty at Road ATL in April whenever complete.



In the meantime, better to have cars like this on the track than in pieces in the garage. Bless you, sir!

And like the others, me likey pictures More please!

[Jim Craik]

This is the tail section I found, I wondered about the "flags", as I have not seen them in any period photos...

I discovered that these cars last raced at the 2001 Petite Le Mans, a few weeks after 9-11

[CyberMotor]

There are a few photos with the flags. Yes, this was just after 9/11.

http://www.lasersol.com/CyberMotor/p...1/test_day.htm

[Jim Craik]

As we only have a two car garage, I'm test fitting parts in my wife's Office... its OK, she's out of town...

These LMP cars are larger in person than they appear in photos!

So far everything fits, what a relief!

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Jim Craik

This is the tail section I found, I wondered about the "flags", as I have not seen them in any period photos...

I discovered that these cars last raced at the 2001 Petite Le Mans, a few weeks after 9-11

Originally Posted by CyberMotor

There are a few photos with the flags. Yes, this was just after 9/11.

http://www.lasersol.com/CyberMotor/p...1/test_day.htm

I was there and these cars were my second favorite LMPs behind the Panoz. So itsounds like Road ATL should be the place you bring her back out of the, um, office!

Originally Posted by Jim Craik

As we only have a two car garage, I'm test fitting parts in my wife's Office... its OK, she's out of town...

These LMP cars are larger in person than they appear in photos!

So far everything fits, what a relief!

That's classic. I wish had that in my home office.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Jim Craik

As we only have a two car garage, I'm test fitting parts in my wife's Office... its OK, she's out of town...

These LMP cars are larger in person than they appear in photos!

So far everything fits, what a relief!

That post wins post of the month!
My wife's home office doesn't have a car in it, maybe I can suggest something....

[TF110]

Always liked that Caddy lmp1. I hope you can get it functional again.

[Jim Craik]

Originally Posted by Jim Craik

I have found some very interesting parts...

The tag says "6 degree castor, only used quali Le Mans"

Well, my wife Frances is back today, I hope she likes having an LMP car in her office

The sharp eyed amoung you might have noticed my problem, there are two steering racks...

My chassis 00-002 only raced in 2000, its career ended in the fire at Le Mans. At the end of 2000 several of the remaining cars were midified to 2001 spec. Among the changes were an attempt to lighten the cars, including replacing the original power steering with a simple steering rack. They mounted this new rack right at the front of the tub and the steering arm now attached to the front side of the uprights.

In my recent trip out to Kim Bakers, I obtained many parts, including hubs, axles and suspension arms for all four corners. These parts are all 2001 spec.

It seems to me that I should go with the 2001 steering rack, simple and works with the front uprights I have, but I hate to modify this chassis, as it is a somewhat historical piece.

Do you guys have any thoughts?

[seanyb505]

Yes, a few:
1) Awesome project! I will take inspiration from you and start building more car things in the office.
2) I see the dilemma - your chassis never raced with the simple steering correct? However if those are the only uprights you can locate, you are already starting to run pieces that were not on the car the last time it ran.
3) If your only option is to run those uprights and be forced to adapt the chassis to have steering, well you can either continue your search for the pre Le Mans fire originals, or having a running P900 car, that you are actually able to drive.
4) Cadillac was going to upgrade it anyway, I don't think you'll lose as much authenticity as you might think. Though you are correct, some will be lost. Again, running or non running office paper weight.
5) Build the car as more of a "tribute." Ultimately not worth as many $$, but are you trying to make a profit, or again, have a running LMP car?
6) With the Stars and Stripes fenders, you're already running non-Le Mans equipment.

Just a few thoughts

[TF110]

My advice is to think over the cost vs reward. If youre going for 100% authenticity for resale, go that route. If not, and you just want to make it run again, I'd say update it. The latest spec you can get should be the easiest(?) so go that route.