Airbox arrives

Airbox finally arrives and looks the biz. Pics to follow. Meanwhile LOT race series looks on for 2007

New colour scheme ideas now turning to a JPS black n gold scheme

Possibly with Sunoco pinstripe flames. Will look at options ovr winter with Gary at Autotecnique.

Time Attack no go

Dunc cant get over so no chance to make time attak. Airbox arrives next week and hks ecv boost controller arrived and looks good... stay tuned

Quik update

Injectors finally tracked down for delivery

No other progress

Airbox about a week away

Dilehma is do I enter the time attack at KH as my shakedown or an easier track day...

Still need to pin Dunc to a time to come down and do the work

S'stone looks 50:50 at the mo..

Lots to do..

First stab at a short promo vid

Efforts to gain sponsorship continue.. Knocked this up on Sunday -

Only 4 mins long - rehash of the SIDC footage..

No commentary or overlay - posted to www.youtube.com for extra exposure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XXcv-uxQM4

Will also change music on final version.

Meanwhile - talk of change to bright gren colour scheme continues - suggested an idea to some of the Caterham/Elise guys to set up a 'Super-Green' Racing Team..

Injectors still AWOL - c'cooler pump arrives - colours?

Ok - injectors from Bruce at 5-0 have gone AWOL - USPS are complete monkeys and I have no way to track the order. I've asked 5-0 to send some more by alternate courier. AAAAARRRGHH !

It means Mexitowers is def off tho it was probably def off over a week ago..

Chargecooler pump arrived from John Welch - just need to get hold of Dunc - swapping, draining and refilling system can be a tricky and suprisingly long job to do.

Will pass a template for extended spoiler legs to sis-in-law to take to Matt and Graham at Enduro cars.

Gary at the bodyshop (www.Autotecnique.com) got me to thinking about a new clour scheme - lime green against black detailing; or lime and gunmetal, just sounds so right for the Esprit and new canvas for sponsor, event and racing liveries for next year/season.

This would make the car's 4th racing colours since it began racing over 10 yrs ago. It also takes my mind off the injectors !!!

Quick update: Delays means Mexitowers (9th June) is off !

No way car will be ready now for Knockhill Scottish Elises/SIDC track night - delay in getting Dunc over, bits from US have not arrived and airbox wont be ready for another fortnight..

Will look to do a shakedown next month b4 confirming back to Paul @ LOT for S'stone.

I know it'll be worth it but it's a painfully slow process in the meantime!

Have sent an email to John Stewart @ SIDC to confirm www.sidc.co.uk

One possible path for the project www.timeattack.co.uk

www.timeattack.co.uk

Perhaps more realistic than a full on race season?

Should be able to get car in line with regs for '07 plus compete in local sprint events for experience. Esprit will be heavily outgunned but will hold it's own once it has the Stage4 upgrade from John Welch.

Needs sponsorship though to keep the car running quick and reliable.

First of all I'd need a new seat, harness and fire-eater then check the car over against the regs.

Quick update

Not a lot happening this week -

However spok with Vic - confirmed a few more measurements today - should know costs by next week.. possibility of aero grade pre-preg still on the cards if it's near to 'use-by' date

Paul on standby with new rear hatch - once size of cut out known then polycarb hatch will be made up

Dunc will prb phone Monday/Tuesday to arrange time to come down to do engine check etc.

Still waiting on injectors & c'cooler pump

Once car running - will switch over A032s for the racing mags & A008s ready for S'stone.

May cut some new larger end-peices for the wing out of the carbon left over.

New pic source - nice

The light at the end of the tunnel.. Stage4

Ultimately I want to follow in the tyre tracks of the uprated X180R SCCA racers out in US..

John Welch said: "Just got back from Road America (4 mile road course)
There is nothing like passing a big block Corvette on the front straight with a little 4 banger with a turbo.. at 147 MPH... Then running a 67 Camero down the front straight and out braking him into turn 1...

Took third in the class (best the team has ever finished so far) and they were faster than several cars in faster classes.

The engine currently in the car is a bit low on compression, so I can't wait until they get a fresh one in there and get the drivers reaction."

I can't wait for my Stage4 turbo neither...

Quick update (23/5).. merde!

Esprit no further forward due to my trip to Paris..

To-do's - as at 23/5

Check engine for detonation damage - compression test etc.
Reconnect ecu - check wiring, earth points etc
Replace chargecooler pump, empty and refill system
Fit new primary and secondary injectors from 5-0 Motorsport
Adjust fuel pressure reg to 4.2-4.3 bar
Fit IW77 Denso Iridium plugs (1 stage colder)Dunc to order
Remove plenum (again) and send to camcoat for coating
Fit new airbox once built and fitted - source new induction pipe until new induction ready
Mark off and cut rear hatch to fit new airbox
Switch to slicks - check brakes & front suspension for play whilst on jacks

Mexitowers on 9th June looks very unlikely and major work needs ot be dome to get car ready for S'stone. Darn pity about KH too as a 993 GT2 was coming out to play..!

Neither c'cooler pump or injectors have arrived form US and Dunc not yet booked to start work on car. Airbox looks weeks off.

merde!

Some more SIDC pics - empix

courtesy of http://empix.thatsyou.com/thumbnails.php?album=97

New ram-airbox design (F1 Carbon)

Vic @ F1 Carbon is helping to design an air box design around a custom oversize Subaru intercooler intake (45cm x 10cm) which will then feed into a tapered air box, which will in turn house a ram air cone filter. The scoop will be centrally roof mounted and made entirely of carbon.

Downsides will be the reduced visibility; but the rear hatch proved rear visibility would be severely restricted in any case. The final rear hatch will be cut to fit around the central feed.

The air box should ensure a strong constant air pressure which will rise at speed to feed the increased breathing required by the engine.

Front bumper modifications

Gary at

Has repainted the lower half of the front bumper wiht a black stone chip finish. H ei is also looking out lower splitter options as Duffus picture showed the front profile was still to high to the track. Of course have to be careful not to go too low or else it'll be ripped off at tracks like KH and Cadwell.

Eventually I'll ask Gaz to help make rear venturi section.

LOT Race Series - Esprit admitted?

Esprit may be admitted to LOT's new lowcost race series. This would be a great focus for the esprit and opens up sponsorship options. Depends on regs, getting Esprit readt and costs.


"The old gal would be more than welcome I'm sure...

We should have a lot more information up on the forums by the end of
next week.

We've been doing a lot of research into what members would like to see
and also how to get cars prepped sensibly. A team of existing elise
racers, ex-seloc bmw racers and a large number of members who have yet
to sit on a grid are putting things together.

At the moment we expect people to be able to get all the kit required to
race an Elise for about £1200-£1300 - most of which can be fitted by the
majority of members but for people like me who have no idea mechanically
garages should be able to offer an all in package of turn up and drive
the car out a day later for £2000 max. Some of that equipment will be
worthwhile having just for track days anyway - such as fire
extinguisher.

Plumbed in fire ext, roll bar, transponder, electric cut offs - people
may need harness if don't already have and there will be small things
such as rear towing eye.

We know we will only attract enough people to build a decent grid if we
can keep the series as safe as possible so one of the things that has
come over is people knowing who they are on the grid with and having
done t/days with them so all look after each other. We also have to find
ways of making even a std elise at least competitive against a 300 bhp
monster and have ideas being discussed at the moment. It's also got to
stay within tight budgets.

For circuits we expect to have 6 meets in 2007 with Brands, Snetterton,
Cadwell, Oulton, Silverstone plus one other obvious choices - we have
meetings next week which should be able to confirm some of these and
have already been offered a couple of meets at Brands this year - one we
may use as a dummy run.

More info in a week or so's time but I'll add you to the interested
list.

Hope this helps."

Regards
Paul Golding

SIDC Knockhill vid finally posted

Right click link here or visit through the main site.

Please feel free to post comments on what you think.

Car still nowhere running proprly but progress made.

http://www.lbmracing.com/videos/lbm_knockhill.wmv

Engine uncertainty...

Next fortnight will be a big one for the project depending on state of current engine and will have a knock-on effect to how much modding i can do over next 6-12 months and hwo much track time I can get in.

Garry Kemp wrote:

"Oil analysis can give you some insights; you have to send a sample away to a
lab to test for trace elements / contaminants. It will tell you if there is
fuel contamination from overfueling; if the bearings are worn there is often
lead / copper in the oil, if the bores are wearing you will find nickel /
silicone carbide from the bores, if the crank / cams are wearing you'll find
iron. However I suspect your engine has issues of a different kind - we know
it has been running lean so there won't necessarily be fuel contamination of
the oil - what oil sampling can't detect is damage in the combustion
chambers; which is what you engine may have.

If an engine was being done for you I would probably 10 dowel the head
and fit ARP studs; however I wonder if John Welsh has gone to that trouble -
probably not; so I may be being over cautious - maybe just the ARP studs
would be enough for around the 400-450hp mark. The other thing I would do
for you is to fit iron liners - the alloy liners are a bit marginal at high
boost - they don't break; but they "pant" on the combustion cycle - which
can pop the head gasket. "

The secrets of George Howard-Chapel's 'red' code

John Welch examined the binary code Dermot had sent him - the secrets of the George Howard-Chappel 'red race' code are finally unravelled. It's worth pointing out at this stage the S4S was even around. John wrote:

"As for code that is more than the S4s, you would really be suprised if you looked at the code you running and the S4s code. The ignition maps are actually not that different. The code you are running has a bit more advance in the ignition, I presume for a high octane fuel. It also is not using the secondarys.. why I don't know.. the secondarys are the greatest thing for getting more fuel at the top end.

As for over 1.25 BAR.. I'm still confused why everybody asks about this.. too much internet hype is my opinion. The 1.25 BAR cut off is VERY eaisly disabled. However, the ECM's boost control system is not very good. It's highly recommended to use a stand alone boost controller, they are far more accurate. Anyway.. aren't you running a 3 bar sensor? It looked like that in your logs that Dermot sent for me to analyse.. are you hitting a cut off? I would have thought that was disabled.. I'll check it over..."

Will make use of the Sport300 1.25 bar code John had - which should work fine.

WC Engineering.. the options are endless

Pending a full healthcheck of heads etc it's nice to stop a minute and think about the nice things, such as the turbo tuning potential of the car.

John Welch at WC Engineering got me thinking..



"The Sport 300 turbo is small.. We were using T04E46 trim compressors on the street turbos, which has almost 50% more flow than the SP300 turbo, I've got a customer with that turbo that just laid down a 385hp at the wheels on 92 octane pump fuel.

I don't have a peak CFM number on our "race" turbo setup, but that 441hp pull was made at only 18psi of boost, it's not always about high boost, but about clean boost and a good intercooler. Engine mods: 104 intake cam, larger intake valves, match ported head/manifolds, Adjustable pulleys, 370ccpm main injectors, 600ccpm secondarys, no cat, larger charge cooler, electric pump. Idles smooth and pulls like a freight train."

Ever expanding shopping list

Electric pump ordered from States - check
New injectors from US - check
New airbox - under design
Probably send c'cooler + plenum to camcoat to finish
Denso Iridium plugs - tbc

Must also remember to set fuel pressure to 4.2 bar

Next stop bankruptcy..!!!