Classic Alfa Forums

Hi Tim,

I agree that there is more in the car by carrying more speed through most areas on the course. The car is far more capable than I think it is.

If I can stick with the front pack I will get a perfect illustration of what can be done.

Right now they are accelerating away from me on the straights but that will change with the new engine.

Brgds
Simon

Hi Simon, shame about the duff start but as said, she is quick off the mark and you still have to get use to it to be fair.
I am sure you will soon be nipping the heels and mingling with the front pack very soon.

Best race weekend we have had thanks Keith.
We need to get Duncan’s car up to spec so we can compete on equal terms.

Actually, that is a lie. Malcolm and Dunc will be around the 170bhp and I will have 15-20hp more!

I look forward to seeing you all in action soon.

Hi Guys
I met the previous owner of the Golf at Oulton Park. He kindly sent me some pictures of previous colour schemes:

The car has been a racing car for more than 20 years but was owned by our next Prime Ministers first wife - Allegra Mostyn-Owen

Still waiting on my new engine and gearbox.
The camshaft got delivered today so the engine build will be finished this week. New manifold arrives on Monday so should be on the dyno next week. This is the head:

Looking good Simon, I bet you can not wait till you get it all back together.
Looking forward to some summer racing.

I can’t wait Keith. I feel sure that a 185/190 HP Golf will get me in the mix with the front pack. Then you have the fun of learning how to be quicker and improving race craft in general.

We will still have a 10-30hp deficit on a Pinto Escort and a 60hp deficit on a well tuned Dolomite. But the Dolomite has to hold itself together and from what I hear from multiple sources - that is a real challenge.

I am told that we do have another tuning stage to go to but reliability will suffer.

Let’s see.

Wow are they still racing the 16v Dolomite Sprints? I had one back in the eighties tuned by SAH Luton I think, road spec, I never raced it... I love driving that car but the engine was fragile and it didn’t go around corners that well! I stuck it in a ditch once in the wet LOL!

They sure are racing the 16V SOHC Dolomite Sprint and a well sorted one can push out 250bhp at 7000rpm!

In fact, I have bought one tonight.

You boys and your toys

Looks like I have a lot of entertainment coming my way this season.

Good luck.

I like the dolomites, I think modern machining has sorted the early 70’s fragilities ?

Is it a racer Simon or a road car ?

What’s happening with the golf ?

Hi Guys,

I am told:

1. The std crank vibrates at high rpm (8000) and can destroy the block. You need a newly designed crank with different balancing and a vibration damper.
2. The block needs a bracing skirt.
3. Rockers can break.
4. The clamping of the head with some angular studs is not good.

Otherwise it’s perfect!
Has the potential as a 16v for nearly 270hp/tonne at 7000rpm.

The single cam setup is interesting:
It’s a race car Tim and has been all it’s life:
Brgds
Simon

Oh the Golf is fine. Gearbox parts arrive from Germany on Friday.
Gearbox and new engine fitted next week for Silverstone a week on Saturday!
We will see.

Brgds
Simon

I see what you mean about the cam Simon, it all looks a bit frantic.
You do enjoy the engineering challenge.
Top man.

That’s some serious modifications to the dolly motor, the heads where always an issue, the studs didn’t help and there where revised versions from BL at the time. Along with a low flow water pump and silted radiators the heads warped easily. The quality of the casting was poor at best. The spark plug tubes leaked oil and the ‘innovative’ single cam design was alway a challenge when adjusting the valve clearances. The threads in the head stripped so easily I had a helicoil kit as part of my service tool set! Great these issue have been worked around but I’m not sure I’d like to have that much power going through the rear axle! Good luck with the new purchase!

Spot on Neg.
The head on this car is a Broadspeed one. Wills rings are used for head/gasket/block sealing.
I was told that the head studs/bolts have to be replaced with ARP quality.
The water pump is updated and modified.
The spark plug tubes still leak oil unless sealed inside and having a billet cam made is recommended. The rear axle has a temperature sensor and LSD and the driveshafts are upgraded. The gearbox is upgraded close ratio and has needle roller bearings instead of plain bearings.

I will transfer the Dolomite across to a new thread - Harry the seal.

I am not racing today as my new engine is not ready. It should be on the dyno this week hopefully.
Brgds
Simon

Looking good Simon, hope the testing goes well.

Nice down pipe , not far to go now by the looks off it.

The grids were a low at Silverstone across all groups, any reason why?

I’m hoping to enter the festival at Cadwell in September, but if it’s me against 12 200bhp cars then I might be lonely on track.

Thanks Keith. I will let you know what it produces.

I am told that the manifold only increases the top end power by a couple of HP but has a significant positive effect on mid range torque.

I think you should definitely do Caldwell Tim. It’s such a great track!

I can't get over how chunky the cam shaft is. It is obviously why it can rev so hard, it looks bullet proof.

Longer primaries = torque, shorter primaries = power.........or I think it’s that way.

All being well I’m at Cadwell 15th/16th June, the grid is at capacity already, so hopefully no late entries to kick me out.

Good point Keith. It must produce quite a bit of drag with all that surface area on the buckets but the engines built by JMR are built to be reliable and run for many seasons. They don’t use massively high revs - max about 8300. Ordinarily 7500.

189bhp at 7550rpm.

Lovely.

Very impressive.