Firstly, thanks to James Forbes and the Lotus guys for allowing us the opportunity to participate in your training day. It gave us a chance to settle our new clutch, test our suspension configuration and gain yet another challenge!

Lotus Driver Training Day

Other than us arriving at Zwartkops Raceway beating the sun partly due to a misty, cloudy morning, following registration, we attend the classroom session. A very interesting introduction to ultimately car control and racing led by James. A reminder of the do’s and dont’s.

Testing

We complete two stints. The new clutch is just “peachy”. In the first our Anglia proves to be quite a handful with her altered suspension setup. I have grown so used to her extreme leaning that the “improved” Fossa delivers new challenges as driving a different car. A chat with Lee Thompson advises to increase spring pressure and for now to retain our suspension, limiting front suspension travel.

In our second stint I find myself in better control and even run a 1:28.52 without really trying. We also ran the first stint with the vacuum advance working and the second without – Can not really say that there was a difference, will redo at our next event.

On entering the pits, Fossa flatly refuses to idle. Run through the “usual” culprits and beyond. We verify distributor tightness, timing position, valve clearances, check compression ……. We get a can of deodorant and as I want to spray close to the inlet manifold I see it. The gasket between the manifold and the adapter plate sticking out the side and a piece partially blocking the one throat. How this happened, can not say.

Blown gasket

On disassembly we find pieces of the gasket completely missing. I can recall seeing a piece of comparable material lying on the manifold quite a while back. Just how long has the piece been missing and how will the repairs affect Fossa? All questions to be answered at Kyalami, 27 July!

We have an opportunity to bed Fossa’s new copper button clutch on Sunday during the Lotus 7 driver training day. And I may have found a solution to Fossa’s leaning …..

Summer is on it’s way, so we have been told. It is a freezing Sunday morning, the only heat around, a cup of coffee, a warm bed and a good feeling that we are in the process of fitting a “copper button” clutch to Fossa.

On Monday we took in the failure of a Sachs clutch to Optimum Clutch Systems as recommended by Gerdus and the Locust racing guys. On Thursday evening we received the modified clutch.

Modified flywheel, button clutch and pressure plate

Friday afternoon we prepare Fossa for yet more surgery, pulling her onto ramps and removing her gearbox. We discover that the rivets on the newly modified clutch are going to touch the flywheel face and call it quits for the night.

Fossa on ramps

Saturday morning, close inspection shows that the clutch fitted to Fossa during our camp out at Zwartkops Raceway last weekend also just started running rivets to  the flywheel. I give Cliff, 072 385 1927 at Optimum Clutch Systems a call and he promptly starts making plans. We meet Neil, 082 552 9708, at their premises in Jhb were he centers Fossa’s flywheel on a lathe and trims it to suit. A 100% for effort and assistance, thanks guys! Saturday afternoon we start with the reassembly with less of a rush than a week earlier. It goes easier but I suppose with the continual “practice” it has to.

Chris “The Roach” tightening the gearbox cross member, will make a real mechanic of you yet!

With the gearbox refitted, we call it a night. Fossa initially scheduled to appear at “Cars in the Park” at Zwartkops Raceway today, will only be completed this morning. Preparing for our next race a much higher priority than the show.

Our next planned outing is at Kyalami for the next round of the Historic Tour on the 17th of August. Prior to that we trust to be able to test and get used to the clutch. The plan was to run a few tests at Midvaal Raceway next weekend but they are booked and Zwartkops Raceway has the Extreme Festival event going. Kyalami has some Super Bike Training ……….