Sprintparts #43 Version 2

[Dolly racer 33]

Well done Mark. I cannot believe those front roll bar mounts though, surely in a side impact they would just tear out!!!! We would never get away with that over here.

Regards.

Ken.

[grelley]

Hi Mark, glad to hear that you have a car up and running again. Life isnt all bad? I had my Sprint out a couple of weeks ago and someone decided they wanted the part of the track that I was on,(the first corner of a 5 lap race) and run into the side of me, buggering both doors, but fortunately nothing else. Luckily these were some old doors that I had rescued and lightened and I still have the 4 originals, but it still p155--s you off as it is completely unnecessary.
Regds Stephen

[Paul Roberts]

Hi Mark

Fantastic to see and hear that you are out on the track again. What a superb effort in a relatively short space of time. I am curious to know whether the nameless driver of the car that T-boned your Group C racer has got his/her car back on the circuit. Judging by the damage to your Sprint, I am assuming the other car was also very badly damaged. Has the other driver shown the same outstanding level of commitment as you?
Good luck with all your racing exploits - it is truly inspirational.

Regards

Paul Roberts
Perth, Western Australia

[SPRINTPARTS]

I thought that I might give an update on how the "new" car is performing.

Although it has a very heavy DNA from the damaged car, it still feels different to drive but it is getting faster. It is now fitted with the Group 2 flares and a much wider track front and rear. I have finally had it weighed and it is approx 70kg lighter than the white car.

IPRAU2L_R3_OP_.jpg (74.72 KiB) Viewed 1811 times

This photo was taken last weekend at Oran Park (NSW) which is where the car had it first racing meeting back in November 2008. This time the best lap time was 2.3 seconds a faster, which is nearly .5 seconds faster than the "old" car, so i am going in the right direction, just now need to find another 5 seconds a lap to match the front running cars.

Unfortunately on the last lap of the last race for the weekend the motor developed a bit of a "knock", but I did complete the lap but loosing 6 places in the process.

OP rod 4-09.jpg (133.85 KiB) Viewed 1809 times

I think that this is the first time that I have ever run a bearing in a Dolomite Sprint motor, it bent the rod and the crank is a throw away, having been worn down more the .015" from its original size.

Now have 4 weeks to sort out the motor. New crank is with the machine shop for grinding, then it will be heat treated, rod to be replaced and hopefully everything will go back together in time.

Mark

[xvivalve]

That's an impressive bit of damage; perhaps we should start a 'black museum' of spectacularly damaged components!

[2Toledos]

Ouch !... just trying to 'get my head around' the amount of force required to bend a rod, like that

My old '2000' broke a valve spring, once - snapped the head off a valve; then, burried it (about 3-quarters of its diameter) in the top of the piston ! Likewise; couldn't really appreciate the forces that are at work inside an internal combustion engine.

[SPRINTPARTS]

perhaps we should start a 'black museum' of spectacularly damaged components!

Unfortunately I could fill my museum of broken parts.

Pistons, conrods, crankshaft, clutch covers, clutch plates, engine blocks, bent valves, stripped gearbox gears, stripped crown wheel and pinion, bent panels, cracked wheels, etc, etc, etc.

Work out how many dollars has been spent building up this "museum".

Mark

[DavePoth]

I thought that I might give an update on how the "new" car is performing.

Although it has a very heavy DNA from the damaged car, it still feels different to drive but it is getting faster. It is now fitted with the Group 2 flares and a much wider track front and rear. I have finally had it weighed and it is approx 70kg lighter than the white car.

70kgs lighter? that's an awful lot isn't it? where do you think the weight saving is?

[SPRINTPARTS]

70kgs lighter? that's an awful lot isn't it? where do you think the weight saving is?

I thought that I might give an update on how the "new" car is performing.

Although it has a very heavy DNA from the damaged car, it still feels different to drive but it is getting faster. It is now fitted with the Group 2 flares and a much wider track front and rear. I have finally had it weighed and it is approx 70kg lighter than the white car.

70kgs lighter? that's an awful lot isn't it? where do you think the weight saving is?

Mark's wallet- lol
Philip

[SPRINTPARTS]

where do you think the weight saving is?

Attention to detail.

The rules that we run to are very specific, not light weight body work, all original panels etc and glass. Any mods or changes to the original white car was always very conservative, in consideration of its historical value (Australian Group C Touring Car, which competed in the Bathurst 1000 in the late 1970's early '80's.)

This car has been built using some of the freedom in ours rules which I didn't want to inflict on the white car. All trim removed except door trims, all dash timber (now carbon fibre panels)and gauges removed and only what necessary installed. The wiring harness was stripped and all unnecessary wiring removed, but all light indicators etc still work. No vinyl roof, alloy body shock absorbers with small diameter springs, less complicated fuel system, ie so surge tank or low pressure pump for EFi, just HP pump and small filter. All sound deadening (including all the tar like substance on the joints in the cabin) removed, all unnecessary brackets or bits removed, etc etc.

The new rear axle assembly that this car runs would be at least 10kg heavy than a Sprint diff, but in a wish for ease of parts etc it was one thing that I was prepared to accept.

I think that this car probably also has less body filler.

Mark

[NFXdynomite]

Hell its got my attention its the mutts nutts Mark

[speedracer]

Hey Mark,

Car's looking very nice with those arches! Sorry to hear about the rod and bearing - how many rpm did that happen at?

Cheers,
Garth