Yet another BIG TEST!

Somehow our timing is out and we arrive at Zwartkops Raceway 05H40. Dismount Fossa, fit semi slicks, have freshly made hot coffee, check timing and wait.

We get permission to take Fossa on track during the noobs outing to “run-in” Fossa’s rebuild engine. Feels good.

Waving at our camera lady / Tea-m Manager, Annalie

NOTE: Remember we are “running in” Fossa. Prior to the day she has only done about 5Km.

First stint, first hot lap ….. we better all our previous times with a time of 1:32.95 and a improved top speed of 122.7km/h! A new challenge emerging, Fossa is starting to run hot after 4 – 5 laps.

Fossa exiting corner seven

We complete five stints, every time cutting our stints short to protect against extreme overheating. Lap times a consistent improvement over our previous days on track. Must note that it is our first “successful” run with a “new” cam.

Fossa still has her now trademark lean

And from the rear, corner two

Our first hot lap in our final stint for the day lands us with a 1:30.66 and top speed of 125.8km/h.

Whether Fossa and driver will be more competitive in “Pre66 Little Giants” only time will tell. There are other races where she will be in the mix more often and that is something we are starting to consider for 2014. We are justly very proud of our progress with our available resources. 27 July will be our racing anniversary with our first race 21 July 2012.

The TraxDay ended shortly after 15H30, not that we were complaining as we more than achieved what we set out to do on the day.

Very important, this time we brought Fossa home and we do not have to remove the engine for repairs!

Fossa running to lean

Our challenges before our next planned Super TraxDay, 9 June:

Look into Fossa’s fueling and her temperature (which probably are partly related)

Other possible outings, Piston Ring Club 19/05, Classic Cars Show 6/07 @ NASREC.

Greetings

We completed fitment of Fossa’s engine on the 21st. First start taking place at about 14h00.

This evening we took Fossa for her first run. Initially she was stuttering at speed which did not show up during idling. With a slight retarding of her ignition timing, she was her old self again, even touching on some rallying a road stripped of it’s tar coating.

The timing adjustment was done without a timing light so that has to be measured and we found water leaking from her radiator somewhere along the top ….. worst case scenario we can return her original radiator …..

The immediate future. Well with our next race only in July, we are thinking of some track time possibly as soon as coming Wednesday at the Zwartkops Raceway. Have to attend to a modification to her a-frame in the morning ….. greetings …..

Deja Vu ……..

The usual, arrived at our second home shortly before six with a qualifying session shortly after seven. The track is soaked with the occasional rain drops being added to ensure it stays that way!

Fossa Ford Anglia on the back straight

It starts to clear up. We are the second group to qualify for position. We line up and when our turn arrives Fossa is the first on track. Take note: Our first real WET “race”. Down pit lane into corner two, and the semi slicks disagrees with my chosen speed and line. We do an unintended ninety degrees slip dance. The other cars pile out of the pits and past us before we can enter the queue again. For the first few following laps it is touch and go through the corners with drier spots appearing in places.

Fossa Ford Anglia on pit straight

Fossa once again struggles with breaking the 5000rpm barrier. I continue thinking we can resolve it prior to heat one …….

On our return to the pits, we find Johan De Kock waiting for us with his brother arriving soon after. Both of them skilled in 1600 Kent engines. A quick test with her timing seem to prove a massive difference while standing still and we increase her ignition timing at maximum centrifugal.

Race1: The track can be considered dry. During the warm up lap I discover that she still has that 5000rpm barrier but decide to run the session to the best possible. Her engine however decides different and on our second race lap the dreaded big end noise returns!

Stripping her engine proves the point. Not to despair. We already have all the parts to restore her previous block and Johan will be rebuilding the “experimental” block. We trust we will have her ready for Traxday at Zwartkops Raceway on the 12th of May.