985cc Turbocharged Nova Sprint Car

[novarally]

Colin, do you choose spring rates based on the axle weight after corner weighting the car? If so, is there some sort of formula behind this?

I've stuck with the same spring rates that were on the car when I first got it, as they seem to suit me. I only changed them because I needed some shorter ones on the back end.

Everyone has their own opinion/preference on spring rates.

I run a low rate spring on the back, but someone I know used to run a lightweight Nova and he insisted that 600lb rear springs were the answer. He lent them to me to try on my car, and it was truly awful in my view.

[novarally]

Is that an oil catch tank/breather in the passenger arch? and is it still there? perhaps a weight saving to be made if it is, you can get little light weight motorbike ones.

It is a catch tank for oil, and it is still there. I compared about 6 different catch tanks which came my way, and this was the lightest. I've been looking out for a carbon fibre one, but no luck so far.

Any photos of the motorcycle ones you had in mind please?

[novarally]

Well surprised about the difference in weight distribution on the Westfield, and love the nova's new mk2 front end, quite like the white look to.. new color maybe?

Scott

White is on my shortlist, but I have to say I'm also very tempted to have it painted black, with metallic grey interior.

I've got a bit of a thing for black race cars with gold detailing at the minute.

[paul james]

Do you recall what the weight of that tank is?
I have a similar square aluminium one in my engine bay, but I'm looking about for something smaller as theres not much room for it. These ones are tiny:



not cheap though, ebay number - 330607398995
might be able to find them cheaper elsewhere.

[novarally]

Do you recall what the weight of that tank is?
I have a similar square aluminium one in my engine bay, but I'm looking about for something smaller as theres not much room for it. These ones are tiny:



not cheap though, ebay number - 330607398995
might be able to find them cheaper elsewhere.

That does look quite neat (and pricey!), although the weight isn't given I notice. If I remember rightly the tank I have in mine is about 750g.

[paul james]

According to this forum thread - http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f25/...15-lbs-101775/ its 0.60 lbs which is 0.27 kilos.

If yours is 750g, then theres some easy weight to be saved I guess.

My current aluminium one weighs in at 0.36 Kilos with the filter still attached as in the pic below:




And I picked up this custom made little stainless steel one the other day:


and that weighs 0.52 kilos as in its photo state, despite being very solidly made.

I presume you don't actually fill that tank with oily mess very quickly, so there could be weight saving by just using a smaller tank.

[MK999]

Bin it entirely and breathe it to atmosphere, should barely see anything out of it if it's been rebuilt. Also adds another visual diagnostic tool tbh.

[mowgli]

dropping oil all over the road surface on a hill climb is a great way to make friends...... personally, i'd use a plastic bottle. or a tin can

[MK999]

Like I said, should see barely anything out of it if the engine is rebuilt. Mine on a 1.6 that wasn't rebuilt and covered 80k filled up maybe once in the while time I had it and was 80% water.

[mowgli]

yes, but a 10 year old race engine with a re-ring & a large turbo running decent boost at high revs might just blow back a lot more than an old high mile road engine..... i'd keep a catch tank.