History of a Lola T492 Sports 2000 chassis?

[morninggents]

Me too. Please keep your career and the story going.

[911thillclimber]

Ah!
It would be tedious if all went well, and certainly not in the true form of racing cars!
My 911 and Impreza were so simple to live with and both less trying....

When the Lola goes i will continue with the 911 in the road going class.

At the moment though the little Lola is actually very very rewarding as it works (apart from poor preparation from me and operator error) most of the time and it draws a lot of interest from competitors and public alike due to the odd engine.
So many have never seen a 911 engine bare before; I take it all for granted to some extent.

I had a long sit and pretend race in a competitor's Crossle 9S over the weekend, a car prepared by McClurg Motorsport for the hills and away from track spec.
Still has the radial circuit tyres on though.

The driver did really well, just 2 seconds behind be with a little 2 litre duratec and Hewland Mk8 box. Lesson for me there I think!

The gear shift of the Hewland 'static' was fantastic and must change gear 4x faster than me. Great car, but the steering wheel is set very low in your lap, far too low for me or the Lola is set very high?

If you are reading this Sean, he is very pleased!

Next hillclimb is Prescott on the 6 Sept, a little ghost to exorcise on my first run.

The lack of two washers cost me £700, but could have cost me the car too.

I'm a lucky boy, but also to have such a great little irritating, frustrating race car that I have yet to master...

MAD!

[spd(john)]

Was good to see your enthusiasm is still there, only made it on the Saturday due to work commitments, but seemed like you was having fun, you must never stop posting, there are so many people out there that have never had the chance to go to watch a speed Hillclimb, so your regular updates keep them on the edge of there seat.

[911thillclimber]

Sat was strangely busy around the paddock, so much to see and oogle over, what a collection of machinary.

It was a very tough class in Libre and i was lucky to get as high as 9th!
3 years ago there was only me in the class..

See you soon John for a chat.
Had a picture given to me on sunday of my Prescott 'adventure'

[911thillclimber]

This weekend sees us back at Prescott, the scene of the last mis-demeanor and the last but one race of the midland Championship.

Nice clean day and a full class with the usual players, 7 drivers, 6 cars.
This means one or 2 points are for the taking.

Today is practice, 2 runs.
First run was a good start and off to second gear and a fast run to the bridge/left hander. Get to 3rd...and the box bulked twice so took 2nd again to get round the bend in a scrabble to the right open hairpin in 2nd.
Round that bit and a quick swear word (the spot where the suspension collapsed last time) to put a ghost to bed. Screammed to the very tight Pardon left hairpin, the straight in 3rd, the Esses in 3rd and 2nd to the right Semi circle and off to the finish in a very low 50 sec run. not bad as a sighting run, but that gear change!

Second practice was far more determined and 3rd came in cleanly and the rest of the hill was ok. Felt 3 places where i left time behind me but clocked a 49.01 so better. Class mate Nigel was only a second behind..

Wrapped up for the day.
Checked the records at home and my PB is a stunning 46 sec run! This was set last year.

I know I was a year younger, but 2 secs ish secs off my pace is embarrassing.

Sunday will be a practice then 2 timed runs.

i must get back to using the gearbox and the torque to minimize the time loss.

Will try all the areas with this in mind in practice and see what happens.

Someone hinted that they fancied the car.

[911thillclimber]

Sunday and Race Day.
Arrived at the hill feeling very positive to compliment the beautiful day and with the fact that a year ago the car ran a good 46, so time to get my lazy finger out.

Readied the car and started it up to pre warm the drive train.
Got to about 40C and switched off ready to be called down to our practice run.
Marshal came to us and signaled it was time to play.
Pressed the starter button to be met with nothing.

Slight panic as to what this could be and with a bit of help from a class-mate we 'hot wired' the starter solenoid and Lola was runnin'!

All bothered my Mistress and I raced off into the distance good and strong, even got 3rd cleanly but coming out of Pardon I made a perfect gearshift from 3rd to 4th instead of 2nd.
Operator error of course so slammed the throttle down and came out of the corner literally from tick-over in 4th to the awaiting esses. This engine sure is flexible.
Climb finished with a 49!

Found the 10amp fuse had blown to the starter solenoid so new one in and all was well.
First race run hit a nice 47.78 and 2 secs ahead of my rival in the V8 NG.

Second race run was thwarted by a series of red flags that got the engine and the driver bloody hot as they cleared.
Run went really well right up to the esses when for some reason fear/confidence and other emotions got in the way and i lost a heap of time to finish on 47.84.

Anyway, a great weekend of full-on hillclimbing and a 3rd in class to boot.

Last race will be at Loton Park on 27 Sept

From the time sheets if i had stitched all my best sector time together I would have got a 46 for sure.

[911thillclimber]

Bit sad today as this is the last race weekend for us and the Championship at Loton Park hillclimb (www.hdlcc.com) my Club's own 1 mile ling track threading through up and down an old deer park.

I've been distracted by troubles with my old 1973 911 (with a 3.2 engine in it) and a great trip as ever to SPA for the 6 hour classic.

I want a GT40, but the Techno there was a simple delight.

I hope for a straight weekend with a good chance of a pb if it warms up.
Possibly could loose 3rd in Class position to a 600++ bhp Audi quattro, but we shall see how the points pan-out.

Just wondering if my interest in the Lola/Sports Libre package is a bit down beat now it all works as I'm not sure i have the b@lls to pedal it harder as it is.
It was faster on the wider wheels!

Time to fix the 911 and contemplate the future. The car has much more speed in it than I am willing to explore, but i have a plan hatching to test that.

[911thillclimber]

Practice day started drizzly and damp so the first run was slow, a shocking 69 secs, pb is 56...but the car in one piece and everyone else did the same.
Second run was dry and cool so pleased with a strong 58.38 and a good start at 2.1 sec for the first 64 feet.

It is hard to get this car off the line faster, wide or narrow wheels.

Third practice run was not in my heart but i need all the time in the seat as i can get, but tried a 'demon tweek' in one section that cost me a second and i never made it up on the rest of this 1 mile long hillclimb, a disappointing 59.42 resulted. Lost a tenth on the start too...

However, the car is great and feels as if it has lost a bit of tune on the carbs but I might be inventing excuses.

My NG V8 powered rival is right behind me gagging to beat me on the last meeting, but I think my 3rd in Championship Class is safe even if I don't run.

He is stretching his engine to a million litres over Xmas, so heaven help my season next year.

I think this car is now optimized, it is my lack of confidence in myself that is the problem.

I need a shrink, time on track to practice away from meetings, and TO GET A GRIP.

[911thillclimber]

Sunday and the season is over!

What a great day of full-house hillclimbing across all classes on a simply perfect Indian-summer day, fantastic!

The Lola and i did alright too.

First timed run was focused and i was up for it. sod the car, sod the possible damage, just get on with it.

Result was a sound 57.85 and a killer start, the best ever in the car of 2.02 secs for the 64 feet, as good as iG acceleration.
Got all the gears, felt a skid or 3 and some chirping off the front tyres.

Drove simply fabulous.

Second race run and the car came out fighting to nett a better 57.41/2.05 start.

It went just bloody great, so pleased to finish a near perfect season with just one adventure and no offs.

Engine, box and chassis in one solid piece and a step change in my confidence.

Time to ponder next year, but have 2 plans, one expensive, one 1/2 expensive but no permissions as yet, but there are opportunities to come soon...

Great chassis Sean, thank you!

[Andy Clegg]

Sounds good, well done!! Doesn't seem that long since you were starting the season.

[911thillclimber]

Indeed Andy, this one has flown very fast.
The near trouble-free nature has seen the car resting untouched almost between races although the ill 911 has been a distraction between races.
Apart from the front O/S front collapsing (my fault) the car has simply worked.

It has to be said it has been faster everywhere last year.

The only real difference being the wider wheels and me being a year older..

I seem to be about 1 second or so shy of last year or if a bit quicker it is by a slender margin.

I race usually at 3 hills:

Loton Park

2013:57.14 secs (Subaru Impreza = 57.62)(911 = 61.22)
2014:57.41 secs

Shelsley Walsh

2013:32.73 secs (Impreza = 32.48)(911 = 34.58)
2014:32.97

Prescott

2013: 46.72 sec (Impreza = 46.60)(911 = 49.87)
2014: 46.72 sec

Perplexing....

[JasperClan]

Would the expensive plan involve the Techno?

Pete Richards

[911thillclimber]

Sadly no Pete, but I could take that car just for the technical pleasure.
Be good on a hill too!

I don't have another Project left in me or the Bank, getting too close to retirement ans slippers.

Bigger engine from the last of the air-cooled Porsche range would give about 300 bhp and cost about £4K. That's 4K for 60 bhp.

not good value really.

Might gain more by installing a Subaru gearbox (I just happen to have one) converted to 2 wheel drive, but a lot of work.

Another way is to fit a good pokey Porsche Boxster drive train to the car and add water (and weight), bit over 300 bhp and a great box. Two birds with one stone.

Final would be to sell and go back to the 911 but that seems a backward step, not progressing.

No idea what the car is actually worth as it is, but worth more broken I think.

Break my heart to do that after all this effort.

I actually fancy a bigger air cooled engine, about 3.8 litres

[911thillclimber]

Looks like I've sorted a dicky clutch in my old 911 with a 3.2 engine so it now runs as hard as it has before, and after a 'test' this afternoon all seems back to normal.

In the mean time there has been something of a debate about putting an AUDI A4 gearbox in the Lola instead of the 915 slow change Porsche box.

There is the small problem of a lack of 'permissions' from The Boss for a big engine, or a new gearbox...

I have been offered a whole drive train from a hillclimber in the form of a Renault sport engine (2000cc) with a sequential 6 speed Sadev box with a complete rear suspension for a sizable sum, but less than a big Hewland, all working etc, strip-out the Porsche stuff and transplant this lot in it's place (will not be that simple).

also, there was a complex linkage that came with the box when my drivetrain was raced in a Nomad some years ago by Terry Davidson.
I discarded that as too complex and un-necessary, but I'll dig it out as I think this was an attempt to set a 'H' pattern gate.

I know Terry had gearbox issues in the Nomad...

So, improvements all up in the air.

I think really i just need to drive the thing harder, but that is the hardest mod of all to complete on one so old as me!

[MGDavid]

bolleaux! if you're still working you're officially young ;-)
what can we collectively all do to get your head right for next season?

[911thillclimber]

Change the microprocessor.
Get to a good flat airfield and drive, drive, drive to find the limits (of me)
Get rid of the nagging doubts about damaging it.

It is the last that bugs me the most.

I was never scared of the consequences in the Impreza.

The Subaru was 370/1250Kg + 4x4 = 296 bhp/tonne
The Lola is 247/580Kg = 425 bhp/tonne

The two cars are as fast as each other, common denominator is me.

I obviously drive any course to the same 'level' no mater the car!

The Lola should fly past the Impreza times.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

........
Get rid of the nagging doubts about damaging it.

It is the last that bugs me the most.
..........

hmmm that I think is very common amongst self-preppers and certainly applies to me even tho' I just have cheap MGs. If you find out how to crack that one please let me know ! (I'm told red mist helps).

[Neil Duke]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Change the microprocessor.
Get to a good flat airfield and drive, drive, drive to find the limits (of me)
Get rid of the nagging doubts about damaging it.

It is the last that bugs me the most.

I was never scared of the consequences in the Impreza.

The Subaru was 370/1250Kg + 4x4 = 296 bhp/tonne
The Lola is 247/580Kg = 425 bhp/tonne

The two cars are as fast as each other, common denominator is me.

I obviously drive any course to the same 'level' no mater the car!

The Lola should fly past the Impreza times.

If these thoughts come into play,pipe & slippers is the only answer,time to walk away.

[andy97]

Being slower than you'd like to be is very annoying. Believe me I know. But, I still really enjoy competing and in my racing I still know that I will have had a good day if I come 27th out of 29! How many others can say that?! The same does not apply to my Golf, if I came 27th out of 29 in a golf competition I would be very disappointed.

Know matter how lowly my results, I still look forward to the next meeting. If you don't, it's time to give up, if you do, just drive and enjoy it.

By the way, the Renaulst Sport rear end may sound tempting but I bet that engine is only good for about 210bhp and i doubt it's that easy to get that much more out of it. Big deal!

[morninggents]

The Impreza probably has a sweeter 'box than the Lola. How difficult is it to mate a better 'box to the Porsche lump?

Then just a bit more from the engine and your times should be much better.

[911thillclimber]

It is indeed a conundrum!

I do still going to the hills and getting a good weekend, ie it all works.
At 62 maybe slippers are getting closer...

Certainly early retirement is but that event may help me as negative issues at work weigh heavy on my mind, always have.
Free of all that tat and my outlook could be far better.

Changing the car is the easy way out, more power etc of course will be better, I'm a racing driver after all...

I have tried the Impreza box already and the starter motor position is bad and so too are the output flange positions, hence the A4 thoughts recently.

My mind is now made up.
After a conversation with Sean at McClurg Motorsport at Prescott I shall seek small but positive changes to what I have, especially the transmission making it more efficient and comfortable.

Now my road spec 911 (very same gearbox design) has a good clutch the runs over the weekend show how fast the box can change when the lever goes where you place it.

I have 2 thoughts to that in the pipeline.

Gearbox oil: Swepco 210 may be the answer,but I've found some drag racing oil too which is very similar duty cycle to the hillclimbs.

Brake pad material; dump the Green Stuff pads for DS 2500 all round.

Find somewhere early next year to blast about and get used to where/when the front/rear lets go and move the edge of the fear cliff edge further away.

Finally, I do think David has a point.

If you have built it then it means more, and have I got some time blood sweat and empty wallets in this car.I'm surprised I don't enter it only in Show n Shines.

The car is a nice little thing, get compliments galore for how it looks, needs to get comments on it's turn of speed!

The hill marshals always say I'm nice and steady, no bother or worries.

Against the cars in the Class this and next year I cannot ever expect to be quick, the car is simply not able as it is.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

.............The hill marshals always say I'm nice and steady, no bother or worries..........

'Nice and steady', good grief if that veiled insult doesn't get you going I'm not sure what will !!!

[gt917]

Oh ,how I sympathise with you about the gearbox dilemma.

I too, run with a 915 gearbox in my replica 917 and also have a love -hate relationship with it

Swepco is definitely the way to go for oil. It really made a noticeable difference on my 915 and made it so much smoother to use .......... but ...
with the gearchange mechanism at the rear and such a long run from the gearlever it has been and still continues to be a pain for rapid or more importantly for me, precise gearchanges.

With all the other gremlins now sorted, this winter is going to see a 100% attack on the gear linkage and gateing problems only, the reason being that these boxes seem to be bullet proof in our light cars, they are light weight in their own right, especially if yours is magnesium cased like mine, and, like you, I want to have the satisfaction of overcoming the little *******s drawbacks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best of luck to you.

PS. I always worry about someone rear ending the car as the gearbox tail is so vunerable and these boxes are not cheap !!!!

[911thillclimber]

Yes, it. Is a mag case box and they are rare and expensive!

We will be fighting the 915 together, either a Ferrari type open metal gate at the tight fitting lever or on the end of the box itself.
I can see one point of improvement already on my very very simple linkage.

There may be better oils but it is a real maze of marketing bull sh!,t to cut through. 210 gets mixed responses from the porsche gang with early cars.

I tried it once in my road spec 911 and felt little difference.

David:
It irritated at the time (3 years ago) but the truth can be hard to face at times..
I prefer the car build far more than the race.

[Serge]

Ever tried something like this for gear selection?

http://www.cableshift.com/915/915%20page.html

Serge