Experieces in Racing an Europa

[Serge]

Hi Mecky,


from the first look your car has a lot of modifications that would not be allowed in full appendix K regulations, in order to be able to obtain an FIA Historic Technical Passport. The engine is the biggest obstacle, others are the extended wheelarches, the modifications to the rear frame and driveshafts. And I believe you are running a Banks rollcage, that should also pose a problem, because it isn't FIA approved.

So the FHR championship does not require an FIA passport? That's good to know, then I might be able to race in your series and test some things before I go ahead and apply for an FIA passport, because once you have the passport the spec of your car is set in stone and it can't be changed anymore (unless you get a new passport)

My ultimate goal is to race the Spa 6 hours race in the future. But that's still a long way off!

Kind regards,

Serge

[Mecky]

Serge,

you are not allowed to start at FHR Cup without FIA HTP! Did I say the opposite?

Our car has a FIA HTP. In our HTP

- the engine is approved
- the extended wheelarches are approved
- the modification of the rear frame and driveshafts are approved (all that is shown on pictures in the HTP)

Everything, because we were able to proof to the FIA that in the period there were cars raced like our configuration is.

The roll cage kit from Banks can be set as "self-made roll cage" and our execution is approved, too.

[Serge]

Hi Mecky,

I must have misunderstood your post, my apologies!

Would it be possible to get a copy of your HTP and all the articles that you used to proof the modifications?

Then I would be able to apply some of the modifications on my car.

Thanks in advance,

Serge

[Mecky]

You have got a PM.

[Mecky]

Hi guys,

unfortunately we were not able to go for another race in 2012. The new bigger radiator, which should come from England did not come fast enough and we still don't have it NOW We will take one from another manufacturer.

We want to race at Hockenheim around the 20th April. I hope, we will be able to test the car at Zolder before that.

What about our new member twncmracer? It would be great, if you would tell us something about your racing experiences with the Europa. And I would like to learn something about your car's configuration. For example the brakes. As far as I read, you use wider discs and better drums. Are you happy with the breaking? How much does your car weigh? How much power and so on...

Maybe you could post some pictures. I would really like to have a look at the front boot.

Regards

Mecky

[Mecky]

Hello guys,

Es geht wieder los! On this weekend we are going to race at the Hockenheimring. 44 cars have entered the race. In our class we have to race against Porsche 907, Chevron B8 and Lotus 23B. If non of these retire, we will come in fourth, but who knows what happens. Our aim is to increase the last years overall result (27th) and the fastest lap (2:13:2 min). That would mean that we would be one of the fastest 1600 cc cars in the competition. But the Elans and the 23B will be faster. Hopefully we will have no problem with the temperature anymore.

We had a Dyno-Test yesterday and the result was nice. 156 HP / 115 kW and 190 Nm torque. The little Renault seems to be in great shape.

I hope the best.

Stefan

[EuropaTC]

Hi Stefan,

Is this your first race of 2013 ? I wish you well for the day because regardless of how it turns out it's just great to know that someone is still waving the flag for the Europa. 

I hope you'll take plenty of pictures over the race day, perhaps some in-car "Europacam" footage ? 

All the best Stefan, let's know how it goes.

Brian

[Mecky]

yes it is the first race of this season.
i already thought about making onboard (inboard ? ) footage, but i am not sure how to fix the cam inside the car. it is not a high end product with tripod and stuff. racetape will help.

[EuropaTC]

Gaffer tape to the side of your helmet !  (also called Duck tape or that very sticky cloth tape that seems to hold a lot of race cars together ! )

Thinking about it, if it's a frantic race the footage might be too shaky, so perhaps taping it on the bulkhead behind you would work ?

How big is the camera you're using, a normal camera or one of the small bullet style ones intended for taking footage during skiing/bungee jumping/freefall/etc ? I tried a traditional camcorder wedged against the bulkhead on a normal tripod once, but all that happened was I got some great footage of the headlining and then it fell over on the first corner.....   

Brian

[Mecky]

Hi guys,

the weekend was more than disappointing. At every run we had a new problem.
First practice: gear shifting -> solved
second practice: ignition failure over 5200 rpm -> new spark plugs
race: fuel pump

it was really embarrassing. Here is a symbol for our weekend: http://www.nim-fotos.de/_gal/var/resizes/2013/Gro%C3%9Fer-Preis-der-Stadt-Stuttgart---Samstag/IMG_7585%20%28Kopie%29.JPG?m=1367175777

 

[EuropaTC]

Gee, I guess you're a bit down then ?  (good picture though, even if the angle isn't exactly where you'd like to be)

But hey Stefan, if racing was easy we'd all be doing it.  And look on the plus side;  you've now eliminated spark plugs, fuel pump and gears from letting you down next time ?  Chin up, when's the next round ?

Brian

[Mecky]

Hi Brian,

next round appears to be at 19. - 21. July. Not completely sure, if we are going to take part. Also the damn head gasket blew again. We are going to take another block. It looks like one of the cylinders droped down a few tenth of mm...

Stefan

[Serge]

Hi Stefan,


I hope you'll be able to fix the problems with the engine. Are you using the strengthened head gaskets from mecaparts?

If you're racing the Europa at Zolder on august 16-18 I might come out to check the racing and the car if possible. It will depend on my schedule at that time, but Zolder is really close (just a 30min drive).


Kind regards,


Serge
#460002
http://sleurs-motorsport.com/
http://www.youtube.com/sleursmotorsport

[Mecky]

Hi Serge,

we are using a head gasket from Elring, which is recommended by Renault Schäfer Tuning, which is the most succesful and experienced tuning factory for historic Renault engines in Germany. They never told us that the mecaparts gasket would be better. We are going to ask them...

It depends on how it goes in July at Spa-Francorchamps, if we are racing at Zolder.

Stefan

[Mecky]

Hi there,

our new engine was built by Renault Schäfer Tuning. It ran about 10 hours on an engine-dyno. I hope that it is an endurance engine now...

We did not take part at Spa. The car is not ready. There are stil some issues with the fuel system and the ignition. Probably we are also not going to take part at Zolder, because there is to little time until that race to prepare the car properly.

Our target appears to be the RGB Saisonfinale at the Nürburgring GP-Course around the 5th October. Then we will have enough time to prepare the car in best running order (at least I hope so). If there will be another problem at that race, it would have to be an absolutely new problem. We are not taking chances anymore. The disgrace from Hockenheim was more than enough. I could still while thinking about that race.