Despite the silence on the site, we have been rather busy. The home project mentioned in the last post is nearing completion,
Fossa’s new coach
After some research we decided to go back to the future and run Fossa on a similar carburettor that we first ran her with in 2012.
36DCD Weber
The 36DCD Weber supplied and prepped by SP Carbs will be tested to limit at the Redstar Raceway on the 6th of August. It is a track which we have not yet competed on and arriving Saturday for qualifying and racing is rather exciting. And to top it, all the Pre ‘66 Saloons, Pre ‘66 Sports & GT, Little Giants and Trans Am’s will be running in the same race!
Another highly over due project, sorting our available spares and tools are taking shape nicely.
Project Sort
That’s the news for now. Will give feedback on our Redstar excursion soon!
… hours and hours of work on those sidedraughts have me thinking we are closer to the solution. The only way to verify, a Supertrax Day at our second home, Zwartkops Raceway.
But first. Still contemplating attending a trackday, Petrus from Total, makes contact again. He is going to pay us a visit. Saturday, 11 June, we receive a delivery of oils to be tested over the next few events. Total have provided three different oils, all with different properties, one which I am very keen to try. I have however been advised that one will be the last one to be tested, eish. Oil being such a sensitive subject amongst competitors, more will only be revealed on completion of all the tests.
Petrus – Total
Petrus “convince” us that the 12th will be the day to test and that he will attend.
We arrive shortly after six am at a very dark and freezing cold Zwartkops Raceway. Fossa is unloaded, parked and we wait …. for heat, coffee, action and Petrus. Petrus arrives first.
While the Zwartkops generator is started, Petrus is taken on a walk about shown our second home. Then that welcome coffee.
The newbies are called to briefing and we accompany Petrus so that he can get the complete experience. After the newbies introduction to the track we attend the usual drivers briefing with the rules of the day.
Due to the uncertainty of Fossa’s side draught state the team has decided that Petrus will have the first stint as passenger. Should they fail and force retirement, at least he would have had an opportunity to experience the fun.
Petrus, ready for action
Petrus is strapped in with assistance of “The Roach”. He is a difficult character, normally I can judge a persons level of fear/excitement …. I can only trust Fossa will live up to expectation. We pull out into pit lane and wait for the previous session to complete. Soon enough we start out and Fossa is launched onto the track. Heading around and with the need for sudden deceleration the brake work done on Fossa looks rewarding. Fossa twitches as I throw her back into second and as the restriction on track disappears floor through corner five. It is obvious that getting heat into her semi’s is going to prove a challenge.
Starting off mild and gradually pushing harder, the side draughts prove to still be rather useless running through corners. Once on the straights it shows some promise. Before commenting, take note, professionals have had their hands on them and we take all information and research into consideration. We are aware that it is going to take some time to setup. That will however take place on Anglia three on her completion. For now, I want to go and play, knowing I will have response and power through corners, not just music. The 38DGAS will return to duty.
Petrus in the hot seat
Running Fossa on the stint I spend all my attention to sounds and other feedback Fossa relays through her actions. Only once I start reducing the happy pedal after eight “hot laps” I once again become aware of Petrus in the shotgun seat. Pulling into our pit, there is movement, he is still alive!
“With regards to the laps we made yesterday, I really enjoyed myself. Fossa did not disappoint in any way. The ride exceeded my expectations. Before yesterday I had never been in a racecar going around any racetrack. I am amazed at the cornering speeds that can be achieved through the Semi-slick tyres. The hardened suspension of racecars made sense to me yesterday and the power required to allow for faster acceleration and the brake pads required to handle all the hard braking.
This was an experience that will stay with me the rest of my life.” Petrus
I sincerely trust that Petrus will attend a track day with the 38DGAS. Are you in for a surprise! We run a best lap of 1:29.31. Three seconds off our previous best.
On every return to pit, Petrus pulls out a rather nice toy producing these psychedelic images,
Thermal camera
Images of the engine will be released on completion of the oil tests.
We complete two more stints with “The Roach” riding shotgun after our visitor declined a second trip. Resulting lap times1:29.05 and 1: 30.86. A lot of much faster racecars in attendance made it challenging to get a nice clean run. Ultimately, this does not make a difference, for now the sidedraughts fail.
Not actually sure of attending the trackday, neither our Canon or Go Pro is charged. Here is some alternative footage though.
Arriving home, Petrus collects a sample of the Total oil for analysing. This is going to be very interesting and revealing.
In the mean time, some other project @ home needs some attention this week. Will continue on Fossa on feedback from the oil analysis at worst be ready for Redstar Raceway 6 August,
…… Fossa home in one piece, the biggest trophy we could hope for!
Following our excursion to the traxday at Zwartkops Raceway, engine out and find that damaged bearing. Apparent reason for that bearing failure, unbelievable, incorrect installation. Do not ask, does not make sense ……. a lot confusion around this. Water under the bridge, spilt milk …
Looking through all our available crankshafts for a suitable replacement or one most most suitable for re-machining. Measuring every journal it is rather shocking to find the sizes that these parts have been sized too. Precision is apparently not high on the priority lists of the machine shops used.
Where to find a suitable crankshaft, well we have that sub assembly in the shed that was organised by Cyril Turner ….. Disassembly finds a useable standard crank with useable bearing shells of which the big bends are ACL. Yes, yes I can already hear the community about using second hand shells, not having the crank polished and …. and …
With time running out, our AX is reassembled without removing the head or pistons. Engine installed, valve clearances set, this time to the clearances as given for the camshaft identified by a renowned camshaft shop as a BCF3. Start up and then a tappet like noise. Puzzled, check clearances again. Tapping continues. Removed the spark plugs and using an endoscope it is clear that the valves have been tapping the pistons.
Remove the cylinderhead and do a valve leak test finding the exhaust valves on one and four leaking a bit. Out comes the backup head, not as flowed as our home made job, but desperate times. Busy with this quick thinking and hard labour, MTN decides to mess with internet connectivity and our entry is not in!!! Late evening after seven or eight calls to a pretty much useless help center, the internet lifts for long enough to get that entry in.
A quick test have us confident to race, the test kept very short as the sidedraughts produce music at a volume some might frown on.
Friday pre-race day I fit an additional water temperature gauge and go electronic on the oil pressure gauge fitting them in a temporary position on the steering cluster, much easier to monitor with a oil pressure light in the mix.
Raceday, Saturday, 9 April. Track side just after six.Qualifying at 07H50. Fossa feels good, temperature good, oil pressure good. Best lap time, a 1:28.757 with five cars behind us.
Race one, 10H40. Everything sounds good, energy juices flowing and then, second formation lap, corner six, ignition cuts out. All the cars go by and I free wheel into the pits, hoping I can resolve the issue quickly. By race end we move Fossa to her spot with no answer to her cutting out. For some reason her ignition switch has failed. Hot wire our own car and she is ready for race two.
Race two, 13H55. Due to not completing race one, we start at the back. I am really looking forward to some action. Clive (Porsche) and Mel (Ford Consul) have a side by side race in front with the whole batch of non finishers of race one bundled behind them. Fossa feels good going down the straight once those sidedraughts come into play, but dead in the corners. I feel very tempted to go and join the group. After a few laps the group dissolves when Mel pulls ahead of Clive. I catch up with the Porsche and once pull in next to Clive heading to corner one, knowing I do not have the usual power in and out of corners I let the opportunity slip.
The jetting used on the DCOE 40’s was done for us by a pro, my feeling, the 36mm choke tubes are to large for Fossa. It is a new learning curve. I have got some idea’s ahead of our next outing which will probably be a super track day as our next race will only be 6 August at the Redstar Raceway with the away races of Dezzi’s and Phakisa next on the menu.
