Work roughly 60 hours a week, and have done since I was 18, don't drink, don't smoke, don't go out, don't have children, not married.......these are the 'sacrifices' for being able to afford toys.Quote:
Originally Posted by scott.parker
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Work roughly 60 hours a week, and have done since I was 18, don't drink, don't smoke, don't go out, don't have children, not married.......these are the 'sacrifices' for being able to afford toys.Quote:
Originally Posted by scott.parker
I wouldn't be too quick to ditch the Nova just yet. You have put a lot of effort into it already, and you clearly have a Nova obsession. I imagine a Westfield can be a big money pit too if you let it be.
Certainly no plans to stop racing the Nova yet, I have unfinished business with it.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul james
All racing cars are money pits, fact. And I have never known when to say 'no' to developing them further.....
Are you still racing the escort cossie aswell Colin or has that been sold now?
shame to hear about the nova again, hopefully not to expensive to right. westy looks like fun too :)
I sold the Escort early in 2010.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Simps
Used some of the money to buy a mental Westfield SBD Duratec, but then sold that. And most of the money has since been blown on the Nova!
SE2, quite early? Looks identical to one we have in for an engine rebuild atm.Quote:
Originally Posted by novarally
It's a 1992 one, I'm not familiar with the model codes.Quote:
Originally Posted by MK999
there are 2 basic types of westfield....Quote:
Originally Posted by novarally
the ones that were an absolute ripoff of the caterham, and the ones they started making after caterham sued their arses off...
simples.....
Looks the same as the one we have, seem decent little machines, quite agricultural still though really, I was quite surprised at certain features.Quote:
Originally Posted by novarally
And Westfield make a few cars, and about 7 or 8 variations of the SE, which is now as you say the SE2.
Sorry about your engine.
Don't give up, I need to see some videos of it revving 10k rpm with that 16v head :)
Well, as if things couldn't get any more complicated in my life, I have just had a phone call from BTEC Racing to say that my Nova is ready for collection, with the newly re-rebuilt engine apparently running perfectly again.
However, the good news was tempered by the rather unwelcome disclosure from BTEC that they have discovered a problem with their rolling road, and that the 220bhp which I was claimed to have at the beginning of this season was actually 170bhp..........
At the time it seemed like a phenomenal jump from the 165-odd horses that I had previously, just from fitting a new turbo, but of course you want to believe that these things are true.
The one consolation is that it proves why I was finding it impossible to keep up with the KAD engine Mini which has 195bhp!
Seems that their rolling road was being woefully optimistic, leading to some rather disgruntled owners no doubt.
a big difference there colin i would be rather peed off at been that far out and all that work/money, you still planning on the 16v setup ? i know you said on another thread you got head and inlet (and i guess it was you who stole my vxr turbo/inlet off the bay lol)
Did you not find that you were being quicker though due to psychological affect of thinking it had more power?Quote:
Originally Posted by novarally
Hard to say for certain, as there had been a lot of other changes to the car at the same time!Quote:
Originally Posted by Dayle_
Everything is up in the air right now Keith, and all plans are on hold.Quote:
Originally Posted by calibra-keith
My Wife and I are separating, which means the house is going up for sale. This puts a very big question mark over whether I will be racing in future, and indeed where I will be living.
What I do know is that it leaves me with an absolutely enormous collection of car-related stuff that I am going to have to get cleared before I can move forward.
sorry to ear that colin cant be good but im sure you will sort something out ?, aslong as you dont end up broke and on your ass like i did and you have plenty to keep you busy.
Sad to hear things are coming to a bit of a standstill Colin :( hope things move forward as smoothly as possible for you
The Corsa VXR head and inlet arrived with me today;Quote:
Originally Posted by calibra-keith
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/006-37.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/007-33.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/008-30.jpg
All looks in good shape, it's just a shame that due to personal circumstances it's unlikely that the 16v turbo engine plans will ever be fulfilled.
Keith (or anyone else interested) - the VXR head is available for sale!
how much ?
E-mail me please!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisnovaturbo
Just got my Nova back after the engine rebuild;
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/001-16.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/002-49.jpg
It's had a new set of rockers, new valves and guides, new valve springs.
And as you can see it also now has a new vernier pulley, and a stud/nut conversion in place of the normal head bolts.
All seems to be running well, but the proof will be when I use it in anger at the end of the month.
I also got hold of a rather nice looking 'insert' that sits inside the cambelt to stop any foreign bodies getting in there (Swindon used to make a similar thing for the XE engine in the Supertourers);
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/004-43.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/003-52.jpg
Unfortunately it won't be easily fitted to my engine, as I have a crank sensor in the way! It's also a bit on the heavy side being machined out of aluminium, so I think if I pursue this one it will have to be moulded up in plastic.
Nice update Colin, i do hope you get to finish the car, and it see's some use, are you going to Prescott hill climb for retro rides day on the 21st this month, unlimited runs up the hill for £20, i might take the xe for a go.
Scott
Hi Scott.Quote:
Originally Posted by scott.parker
No, Prescott is a bit too much of a trek for me as I have limited time this coming weekend.
But I am planning to take the Nova to Santa Pod RWYB on Sunday 21st August, just to check that all is well with the engine.
I'm racing at Gurston Down on 27th/28th August, so I need to be happy that it's working properly again.
You might be better coming to Stratford to Shakespeare raceway? closer, cheaper for runs etc.. IF it's on?
Santa Pod is 77 miles from me, Shakespeare Raceway is 121 miles!Quote:
Originally Posted by scott.parker
hi colin, how did you test runs go? also will you be competing on the Loton Park hillclimb in september? My grandad had got some MSA hospitality tickets so may be going, but also its the Trackrod rally that weekend so not sure yet :s
Spent most of the day at Santa Pod, and only managed to get 2 runs in as it was so busy. Very disappointing.Quote:
Originally Posted by boffer8
Best I did was a 14.1 at 99mph.
There's certainly a 13s run in the car as my launches were absolutely awful on the day. But at least it proved that the engine was working OK (although it sounds very rattly with the solid lifters in it, which I'm a little concerned about).
I was at Gurston Down last Saturday/Sunday;
http://gurstondown.org/latest.htm
Came home with a trophy for Second in Class, and a new personal best time, so it was a good weekend.
I haven't got an entry for Loton sadly, it's somewhere I really want to go to as everyone loves it.
Solid lifters should be reasonably quiet if the clearances are correct, in fact I know of an engine builder that runs about half a mm clearance on really lairy cams and says thats silent. Is it still on the same pistons? Forged pistons tend to make a slightly rattly sound when cold as they expand more than cast, so run bigger clearances.
It's still using a standard type non-forged piston.Quote:
Originally Posted by MK999
Hmm, solids will be a touch noisier, as they're not working on a big gob of relatively soft oil, but I wouldn't call it rattly. Hard to say though, as what you call rattly some might call silent lol
Colin are they Kent type solid lifters ,because as i have mentioned before mine used to adjust themself after some hard driving ,so much so that it used to run on 3 cylinders so we adjusted them and put a drop of weld on them to keep them correct, they were spot on then and not really noisy at all
No, we didn't go with the Kent ones in the end, the engine is using hydraulic lifters which have been adapted to make them solid, and then shimmed accordingly.Quote:
Originally Posted by toymex
I was going to fit my rear diffuser today, but the one I got hold of is too wide really, and as you can see would need to be cut to fit around the mountings for my rear anti-roll bar.......which rather defeats the idea of a diffuser;
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/005-37.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/004-45.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/001-18.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/002-51.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/003-54.jpg
So I shall have to find a narrower one now. Shame as otherwise it would be a perfect fit.
Picked up a bargain set of Compomotive CXR wheels last week, which will now be my wet weather ones;
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/006-38.jpg
I really like the way these wheels look, and they should also fit in well with my long term plans for the change of colour scheme.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/001-19.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/003-55.jpg
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...ort/002-52.jpg
Bad news recently was that the scrutineer checking my car over at the last race meeting pointed out that my polycarbonate windows are too thin......I deliberately made them in 2mm plastic to save weight, but I failed to notice in the regulations that they have to be minimum 4mm. My own fault for being impetuous, so now I've had to fork out for a new set of 4mm ones, which I've had to get rushed through manufacture as I'm racing again on the 11th September!
I've taken the opportunity to order some with NACA ducts fitted into the rear quarter windows, as one day I'd like to mount the radiator in the rear of the car, so this will allow me to duct cold air down to it.
Photos to follow when the windows arrive.......
If you're a regular reader of this thread, you will recall I bought a Renault 5 GT Turbo just to get the 15" Image split rims from it, which was all in vain as they weighed just as heavily as the Compomotive MO and Dymag wheels I've been using on the front of the car.
Now after much searching, I have tracked down a set of Desmond Regamasters, 15" diameter and in 4 x 100mm PCD, which I am told weigh in at 3.9kg each (about half the weight of an MO).
I'm off to Norfolk to collect them in a while. I just hope they fit OK!
i dont seem to be getting update emails from any threads, loving the wheels and diffuser Colin, shame you may not use it but must be something you can do ? , i need to go on a buying spree some time soon.
Looking good Colin. I mat be interested in the diffuser, I'd need some measurements though as it may catch on the arb and as you say not much point using one if you have to cut it up !
Shame they picked up on the windows, I guess that was minimal weight saving but it does all count.
Hope the wheels work out ok for you.
How light are the Venoms, errr sorry the comps and what are they originally designed for? Suit it somehow.
When this getting repainted then Colin?
James.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonlem
I will measure up the diffuser when I get a chance, but feel free to chase me up if I forget!!
The Regamaster wheels fit a treat, and certainly feel VERY light (even with the tyres on).
I'll get my slicks fitted on Monday, so that will give me a chance to weight them without the tyre.
I'll get my corner weight scales back tomorrow, so I can weight the Comp CXR's properly. At a guesstimate I'd say they are maybe 4kg.Quote:
Originally Posted by Southie
They were fitted on a Jedi single seater before (they use Mini PCD on those).
A good friend of mine is having a spray booth/oven installed at his workshop down the road, so the plan is to get mine stripped and in there over Winter for a fresh coat of paint everywhere. The only question mark is the best way to get all the old paint off beforehand........I'd like to get it acid stripped but that's expensive.