Experieces in Racing an Europa

[Mecky]

Thanks Valerio,

some good ideas there. I would put them in three categories: First not very expensive: I'm not sure, if my Dad is going to like the windscreen idea. I already mentioned it a few times, but we had to spend the money on other things, anyway. Now that the engine seems to be fixed, we could care about something like that. But if we change the windscreen, we will definetely not buy that expensive thing from Kelvedon, but make one ourself for almost a fourth of the price (around 100 €). We already did the same thing with the side and rear windows.
The revision of the exhaust manifold will also cost not so much money and I will care about this in about six weeks time. But I am not able to do anything on the car until middle of September These modifications could bring about 20 kg (~10 € / kg).

There is a second category of things, which are still affordable, but already quite expensive for the little effect they have. Aluminium wheel hubs, Aluminium flywheel and a lighter fire extinguisher would save around 10 kg, but cost more than 800 € (~80 € / kg).

The third category is not affordable for us. I know for example, how extremely light Magnesium wheels are. My brother has an Osella PA21 (which I will probably also drive in 2015) with 12Jx13 rear wheels and they are so much lighter than our Minilites. Even with the huge 300 mm wide Avon slicks...
We could use Revolution or Minilite design, but Magnesium wheels are very expensive (around 2500 € per set, that would mean around 125 € / kg) and we bought the new Aluminium rims two years ago.
I don't understand, why we should use the wooden Dunlop tyres. They may be lighter, but our car has great grip with the wide semi-slicks. We only made the mistake to buy rims for the wet-condition-tyres, which are as wide as the rims for dry. One or two inches smaller would have been more clever, I think.
Also the gearbox is such an issue. A new racing gearbox for at least 5000 € is quite expensive for the saving of 4 kg I know, that it is more of an improvement than this 4 kg, but as long as our gearbox is ok, we won't change it. Hewland Mk8 would be allowed instead of the period gearbox, but I hope this will not be an issue in the next time.
Carbon bonnets must be very expensive, as well...

Best regards

Stefan

[Valerio Leone]

I consider the mag wheels a key point. Not only for weight but for the benefit that they can provide to the performances in general.
Also i consider very important the straight cut and short ratio gear set and the LSD. This allow a great improvement avoiding power loss. Let alone the cool sound of this competition layout.
I know that a lot of people dislike dunlop racing tyres.
In my point of view this is the difference between race old style and race modern.
Dunlop racing are essential when you want to have the old feeling of controlled four wheel drift.
I am looking for this more than save one sec in laptime.

[Valerio Leone]

A gear set  and LSD costs both no more than 2500 euros!   

[Valerio Leone]

 

[Mecky]

Valerio, I am quite sure, that I read your name in a programm of a race event, where we were with the Osella. Maybe at Syntix Superprix Zolder or Acceleration Nürburgring? What are your other race cars? Do you also race in the Supercar Challenge?

[Valerio Leone]

No, it's a namesake!
And that's weird, my name, Valerio, is not so common in Italy! It's an old latin name. The same my family name Leone, that means lion, it's not common either!
I know that guy, first time I heard his name I was in Monza following the historic formula 3 race at coppa intereuropa 15 years ago. When the speaker said his name I felt so weird

[Valerio Leone]

I have another race car actually. An old Renault R8 Gordini 1965. I bought it in California some years ago and imported in Italy.
Well, and in the same time and same place I also imported my wife. Hahahaha

[Mecky]

Hey boys,

is there anything new about the project "Lotus Europa Hemi 807 Group 4 GTS"?
Every FIA HTP has a validation of 5 years. That means that in about one year time, I will have to apply for a new one. It would be really great to do get a HTP for GTS1600 class period G. In this class we would have won on both occasions we did not retire.

This class is very good for the Europa Renault Hemi, because the Europa TC was homologated in 1972 and period G ends with 1971. The most dangerous opponents could be the Lotus 47 (very rare) and some Elans (but mostly racing in period F). That's the reason why the best other GT1600 cars in the moment are Alfa 1600 GTA. These cars are more than beatable for a Europa Renault Hemi. I'm not sure about the wedge-head, because some say, it has only 100 HP, some say 130 HP and one guy in the USA told me something about 145 HP, but I don't know.

Best regards

Mecky

[3929R]

Another sweet car Valerio!

[Mecky]

Hi boys,

I have some good and some bad news.

The good news is about our second place in class at Zolder about four weeks ago. We had a few problems over the weekend, but could finish without major problems. The engine is still very strong and completely mounted.

The first problem stopped our ambitions in qualifying. My dad had to come to the pits, because the gearbox mounting broke. That caused a huge amount of movement in the suspension and the car was undriveable. After reparing that issue, we started from position 23 and my brother drove the first stint. But just after ten minutes, he came into the pits. The clutch pedal sometimes "stayed down" while braking before a corner and then suddenly decided to come back up, what caused lots of trouble before the tight corners. This problem also caused a quiet big damage of the right front wheel-arch, because my dad almost lost the car and could not avoid a "speed bump" at a tight chicane. The tyre smashed into the arch and broke it on several places.
Unfortunately, we thought the reason for the problem was the adjustment of the clutch cable and some changes there did not help at all. We were not able to sort the reason out before the second driver's change. The brake pedal did jam the shaft of the clutch pedal and after a bit of lubrication, the problem was solved. Because of that, I had a very good beginning of the stint and my first lap of the weekend was already our fastest lap of the race. The second lap was even four seconds faster (2:02 min) and then it started drizzling a bit. After a few more laps, it seemed to get completely dry, but then it started to rain heavier. I told myself that the hunt for the 1:59 min laptime was over and slowed down, but not enough. I spun and the engine stopped. A problem with the starter made it necessary to wait around 12 minutes until the engine started again. I learned a lesson for my life that day and brought it home very carefully. unfortunately we lost 9 positions due to my fault and finished 24th overall.

We have already mounted a new starter and are already looking forward to the final race at the Nürburgring in three weeks time. And because we are the only competitor with two or more races, who has always finished, we are still in the race for the championship in the Two Seater Racing Car-Division. But if the other two competitors (Ford GT40 and the lucky guy, who can choose between Ginetta G12, Daren Mk3 and Chevron B16) are as quick and reliable as usual, we will end up third in this Division. The only difference to the past years is, that we deserve the third place this time and that we are not third, just because only three cars took part.

The Swiss Felix Haas has won all three races with three different cars, so far. The Reglement is not clear, how that is counted for the scoring of the Championship. He entered the Championship with his Ginetta G12. This car won the first race and retired in the second one. But he also raced his Daren Mk3 in the second race and won. In the third race, he won with his Chevron B16. If all points from all cars add up to one "account", he would have 25,67 points and would already be the Champion. But, if they would be seperated to each car (Ginetta: 7 points, Daren: 10,17 points, Chevron: 8,5 points) then he would be third, fourth and fivth at the same time. Or maybe just the points with the originally entered car count for the championship. That would mean only the 7 points for the Ginetta and third place.

What do you think would be a fair solution? All his cars are competing in the same class (TSRC up to 2 Litres). I already asked the promoter, how they will go on with this issue. The only thing I definitely know is that the shortly published championship standing is wrong. They completely forgot Felix Haas in their calculation for the points of the second race.

The other competitors are Ford GT40 (13 points), our Lotus Europa-Team (10,33 points) and a Porsche 906 (6 points).

The bad news is that I talked to the German motorsport association about my chances to get into GT-class and they told me, I have no chance. Although I found an entry list with August Deutsch's car in the GT-class. They want to see a picture of this car with the startno. from this race (29).

Best regards

Stefan

[BDA]

Congratulations on your second in class  - even if your weekend didn't go as well as it might have!

I don't don't have any solutions for the mechanical issues you're having but I wonder if a hydraulic clutch is legal in your class. If so, maybe something you can do for next season.

It sounds like you're having the same problems I had when I raced my MG. If I fell off the road and the engine died, the starter wouldn't work till it cooled down. Joji discussed this in a post he recently made here (http://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=831.0).

I'm also curious about your driving style. You say

The clutch pedal sometimes "stayed down" while braking before a corner...

Are you pushing in the clutch when you brake? You shouldn't do that and you don't need to. You could potentially loose a bit of control whenever you are coasting. I know you're not coasting and that you are also on the brake but if you were to take your foot off the brake and not the clutch... It maybe a somewhat esoteric point in practice, but my point is that it is unnecessary and because it is simpler not to clutch when braking, it's possibly quicker and less potential for error. You should only use the clutch to change gears or possibly idle in the pits or paddock. In case you think I'm out of my mind, I was taught that when I took Bob Bondurant's racing school (one of the premier racing schools in the US - Bob had a very successful career including F1).  Now, if I've misunderstood what you meant to say... never mind. 

So the class you are in is "two seater racing car"? That's a pretty broad category! You are definitely at a disadvantage going against a purpose built race car (I think I answered my question about the hydraulic clutch). I wonder if you have more latitude with your engine and/or transmission?

I'm not sure what I would do about Felix. It's never been an issue in my short racing career. I would think that each car would require a new points counting but it seems silly if he were to win every race but because he did it in different cars, he wouldn't get the driver's championship.

Good luck at the 'Ring!

[Grumblebuns]

As to your clutch issues, I 'wondering if the broken trans mound damaged clutch actuating lever or bearing in side the bell housing causing the problem.

BDA, when you say not to use the clutch when braking, are you saying do a clutch less down shift or don't downshift. All of my 20 years of road racing experience has been with motorcycles, but the principles should be the same. For small displacement cars/bikes, braking into a corner moves you out of the machines power range. You have to downshift to get engine back into your power range for the exit drive out of the corner if you don't want to be left for dead.

In all the normal race organizations that I'm familiar with, points are accumulated by the individual driver or team. As far as I know this driver can use any vehicle as long as it meets the technical specifications for that particular class unless the rules state that you have to use the same machine for every race. So if he wanted to, he can use a different car/bike for every race?

[Mecky]

i just wondered about the points, because he did not get any points forl his race  with two cars at spa-francorchamps.

[BDA]

You're right, Joji. Normally, a downshift will be needed to prepare for accelerating out of the turn.  Mecky said the clutch pedal stayed down when braking before a corner so I figured he might be doing what many average street drivers do - clutch when braking - which isn't necessary. In the braking zone, the clutch will certainly be needed to do the downshift to get just before the torque peak of the engine to exit the corner as quickly as possible. I don't think it would be a good idea for him to try clutchless downshifts (unless he has to). I probably mis-figured what he meant but I thought I'd say that just in case I didn't.

We were taught to be able to do clutchless downshifts (and upshfits). When done correctly (with a non-synchromesh gearbox such as a Hewland) they are lightning quick, but they require a lot more effort/concentration/skill so most racers I knew only kept that in case of a clutch failure. My experience is that at Bondurant's Formula Fords, the shifts were quick, when I tried it in my Lola (with a Hewland) about three years later, it didn't seem to work out as well. I never figured out why and chalked it up to my getting used to synchromesh trannies - maybe it was because my Hewland was new, or Bondurant's dog rings or gears were modified for quicker shifts, but maybe I just got bad at it and I should have practiced more!  Whatever... I don't think anybody I talked to did clutchless shifts so gave it up.

I think that's pretty astute of you to link the broken tranny mount to the clutch problem! That would be a good first place to look!

[Serge]

I always thought that the original mount could use some improvement. This is my own design. The base plate has been recycled from an original mount, the other parts are 3mm steel plate. Some quick phone pics, but you get the idea.

One picture of it all welded up. One is a mockup before welding and the other one is an overview of all the parts. The stack of washers has been replaced with a stainless spacer and it's been painted since then, but I haven't made any new photo's.


Serge