Team Phoenix Esprit - 358cid conversion

[M Blur]

Tks Mike - yes - that's quite a bti smaller than one going on ours.. but get measurements just in case, cheers

This one on the other hand has a healthy wing..

[M Blur]

Mike,

I had a good look at the Gumpert Apollo at the MPH show - its blade looked about 35cm-40cm at most

I'll be getting the big 40cm blade and a smaller bi-plane to act as an adjustable gurney - best reason to have them - going to ask for the side stantion to be fixed at the ends for better rigidity and shaped liked the Capparo/blackbird.. any good notes on optimum side stantion shapes.>? Hope to go BIG..

[rydning]

Hello Jon.

Did I miss the wing discusion..hehe

The multi element wing you are getting is gona give you a lot of downforce.Very good choice.

I gess it have a Cl of above 3,5 ?

Did you know how much downforce it genetates at 150km/h?

I`m gona build a new wing to my car: profile Wortmann FX 74-CL5-140 Mod with a Cl of 2,1

180x 40cm gives aprox 160kg downforce at 150km/t

+ 20% with a Gurney flap (like on Mikes car).

This is how it looks,and is the most effective single element wing with low drag.Very common in GT racing.

http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/m-selig/ads/afplots/fx74modsm.gif

GT racing is using single ellement wing because multi ellement wing is banned.

[M Blur]

ahh - so if for ultimate downforce then a bi-plane is best.. looking at making the smaller blade adjustable so it'll act like a gurney and probably put a gurney lip at the end of the transcom.. I think LMP cars get to use bi-planes, right? and also GroupC/GTP used bi-planes iirc.

great pic - I got your email - MVS can probably make a wing to your specification and that in turn helps my project.. they're also lookint to maiking a new front end so great opportunity there also to swap ideas...

cool diagram - it's clear you and MVS are using similar basis - the design of the narrower wing (25cm) in particular looks very similar.. maybe good to discuss this with MVS.. tks

q - wRob hat's your view on over-hanging the rear wing to keeping it in-board.. I'm running full undertray and rear diffuser and some conflicting info that an over-hang would interfere with a diffuser and we're trying to avoid an out-stretched rear diffuser, which may or may not meet MOT.

How cool would it be to get the car into Mira.. ahh to dream..

Jon

Edited November 16, 2007 by M Blur

[rydning]

Spoke to MVS Racing.

And you are getting a high downforce single element wing.

The multi ellement wing was for single seated race cars.He told me.

The problem you will get using a multi ellement is to get enough downforce up front.

I dont see the problem to use a multi ellement wing but its probably 3 times more expensive and require a lot of more testing to get control over the front.Like I described in the mail to you.

[M Blur]

oh - last time we talked I was getting a multi element wing.. will check back with Merlin re that.. but if that creates too much wash at the front then makes sense to stickk with a single element and add a twin blade once we evolve the rest of the car..

[M Blur]

spoke to Merlin - had choice of the big single element or smaller twin element - went with the big ad boy which is probably better for catching the flow over a gt car than the bi-palne which does look better for a single seater.. all good.

Car having zausts made up - hope to post pics soon. Twin tanks made also and all moving along nicely.

We've decided to make the car driveable on the road, which will give me a few options down the road (no pun intended).. that means losing some focus compared to the Gt1/GT2 cars but can always focus the package if I'm able to afford to go full racing and trailer the car everywhere.. as a serious bargain hyper track car I may find a buyer next year and then I'll start the next project, sth a little more sane... maybe a Nurbergring weapon made out of a stripped and lightened BMW X5 diesel..lol

How the 358SS drives on the road will determine a lot and also interest from would be sponsors and likelihood of going proper racing. No doubt is has proper 600 bhp p/tonne tool potential.. car wil sit on the fence a little for a while but could then be santised or the full devil released in time..

[M Blur]

progressing along nicely.. there's lots more done but it wont go on for final fit until things like painting the engine bay etc is done, final brackets, bodywork fit etc etc. Zuast will get painted with ceramicool which cures on first run-in.

All in the blog.. http://lbmracing.com/blogger.html

Edited December 7, 2007 by M Blur

[M Blur]

You can see here the zausts trimmed to fit the bumper..

Fuel hoses and tip valve ordered from US.. found a dry brake on Ebay which we'll run to one of the tanks so have option of conventional or quick fill.

V5 changed to show car is black plus all updated details

Fuel tanks now zipped ready for install

[hilly]

I see you moved the alternator.....

Hilly

[Simon350S]

Looking good mate....

Can't wait to hear her up and running....

Simon

[wiseraven]

Hi Jon,

I've not posted any words of encouragement for a while, but I've been following your progress. Looks like things are moving on nicely Do you have an ETA for the beast yet? Do you reckon you'll be ready for the start of the next season?

BTW I just checked your blog and the recent pics aren't there - has photobucket lost them?

Keep up the good work, can't wait to see the result,

Phil

[M Blur]

I moved the pics to another album so will re-post them asap.

Cheers

Jon

you know how it is with ETAs.. there to be broken..lol

[M Blur]

dry fuel brake arrived last week - means we can run one tank of a standard aero hatch and the other off a dry brake for racing with a simple single male quick fill jug.. jst waiting on fuel lines etc from summit racing amd we're go go go..

Ordered various bits in bobs for interior, switches, reflectors, new gear gaitor and surround, new start button, kill switches, lights etc etc

OBP floor mounted pedals with full bias, res etc..

it's all go go go go..

[M Blur]

that's the dry brake in.. with std aero hatch on the other side

lots of plumbing still to do..

all in the detail

[Jonathan]

More car pics please - dont be shy

[M Blur]

we're getting there Jon - jst taking a bit of time... it'll al start moving fast enough

[rydning]

Hi Jon.

Just wanna taka a look how`s it going.

Looks like you have some progress.Keep up the good work.

Edited March 18, 2008 by rydning

[M Blur]

Progress back underway again after a respite to decide what to do with the project - will start posting update pics in the next few weeks.. hopefully.

Jon

[talon]

Excellent!

[M Blur]

Chaps - getting down to the paint options - need to quickly confirm the paint codes for the following Lotus colours so to complete car and sell off (likely through Coys or that ilk).. Car is a out and out racer and has 750MC/AMOC pedigree in the hands of John Hazzard - a racing green with yellow detail to the front seems fitting: options being - car has plenty of carbon which makes me think the later Lotus Racing Green is a good choice - car will also have black wheels.

I need paint codes for:

Lotus Racing Green - circa 1993-1996

Classic Metallic BRG (80-87?)

New BRG B04?

S2 BRG (c. 78-81) - what I woudl have called vintage Lotus British Racing (Jim Clarke) Green

Any other Racing GReens I haven't considered that should be..

Cheers

Jon

P.S. I'll post up some pics of the cabin and engine bay shortly.. I have heard the 'beast'.. well worth it.. almost there!

[M Blur]

Esprit has now been 2 years with MVS but it's been 2 years well spent and fair to say the budget side has been helpful..

3 teaser shots for now until car painted and finished:

Cabin work in progress - has now been pretty much finished, detailing done etc, side panels to go in, roll cage tube, bit of paint, few more buttons around s/wheel etc.

Engine bay: pancake to be replaced with a Radical style air box come intake-roof scoop

You can see the nascar alternator set-up more clearly - pipes are ceramic coated (of sorts)

Rear deck to be vented out - wiring to rear is for the TFT camera that plumbs to a fairly OEM looking TFT rear view mirror

Very happy with the handbuilt pipes - sound is awesome but db is controlled well up to 5000 - same chap used to build for chapman's F1 cars - hence the fairly elaborate upward snaking manifolds..

NO speedo: car has an in-built HUD for speed

Hope to get her up for sale next month or in time for the Autosport Coys auction nearer end of year

Starter will be on the steering wheel plus a cpl of ancillary controls

Central pod carries engine hours gauge, temp and pressure gauges for engine, diff etc

The front end is benefitting from a front splitter design from a 155ti race car, rear is custom full undertray and venturi and 6' dual element wing still planned. It'll be sad to see her go but better to see her get used in action whether new owner keeps her in fairly mild 420 bhp p/tonne @ 6000rpm state or use full revs (8000+) and up the fuelling to reach her potential (600+). Current power achieved with only a 2 barrell 600cfm holley-davinci carb - Knightsracing said adding a 800cfm 4-barrel would immediately take that to 470bhp/450lbft but I have heard her start up and be blipped and I am happy and I think the power/mpg is about right if someone wants to use on road as well as track. With the big tanks she'll have usable range.

Torque charts

If you think the lines are bit jumpy in places then you'd be right but realise there is a 286 cam in there, solid lifters and really the car is meant to rev up to 8400 (peak power on that cam is 7800) but to do that you need race fuel and a lot of it. There was also a thought the nascar titanium springs had lost a bit of strength at the top-end but without trying it on race fuel we couldn't be sure. Also to point out that this is isn't a stroker or using high compression heads - it's a 348 short crank with thou overbore and so the numbers were very satisfactory on pump and surprised Knightsracing on the day. Besides on road the torque delivery is bang on and you rarely need to go much over 5500 anyway with good torque from 3000 revs. Engine revs up very quickly for a chevy and porsche box really snaps in the power.. max speed is probably not more than 175 on gearing so the box is quite cr but torque means you can choose 3rd or 4th for most roads.

MVS Racing are awesome people - proper Loti and well worth recommending to anyone. www.mvsracing.co.uk

It's been a long journey and one not with the initial outcome I had intended but I'll be glad to see her finished to the standard I wanted and I know she'll make someone an awesome road, track, race or sprint car for the circa 20-25k (res 17k) I'm hoping for (v 40k invested).. At that price (pending prevailing markets) I think she makes a bargain hypercar with sorted chaissis, aero and 750MC/AMOC racing provinence courtesy of Mr Hazzard.

Will post more soon - wish me luck on the sale!!

Cheers

Jon

Edited August 16, 2009 by M Blur

[silverfrost]

Jon,

Wish you best of luck with the sale mate, sorry to see your having to get rid of the project though as you have spent a long time doing it, but if needs must then thats what you must do, car is coming along well by the pictures , interesting rear tailgate where did you source that from!

You most definatly need to post some video footage of the beast running though before you sell it on. Also some pics when you get your new wheels

Good luck regards danny

[M Blur]

Jon,

Wish you best of luck with the sale mate, sorry to see your having to get rid of the project though as you have spent a long time doing it, but if needs must then thats what you must do, car is coming along well by the pictures , interesting rear tailgate where did you source that from!

You most definatly need to post some video footage of the beast running though before you sell it on. Also some pics when you get your new wheels

Good luck regards danny

Thanks Danny,

Can't afford to keep her and race so something had to give. I was determined to see out my vision and complete tho after an un-named buyer decided to go his own way towards end of last year.

As with most of the car - all custom made - copies of which probably available on request from MVS Racing... all very lightweight - there are Y tubes supporting the top of the rear tailgate to support the rear wing - that then bolts to the trans juts above the lower links so should push the weight nicely into the wheels. The rear bumper hasn't been fitted yet but when it goes on the rear pipes exit flush from it.. lastly the carbon lower venturi/underfloor is fitted.

This car will use some tried and tested aero mods from MVS experience of sprint, time attack and Nurburgring 24hr..

Overall look will be in-period early 90s GT2/GTP or IMSA car.

Some of these bits being replicated into other projects ala 5th gear 'project 200' esprit etc.

Re my new race team - just search for 'TR8 Squadron' on youtube and soon to be new website: www.tr8race.com

Cheers

Jon

[M Blur]

Hi Guys,

I know it's been ages but as the project is nearing completion then thought I'd share some pics form the workshop.. I think we went for the 1994 Lotus Racing Green in the end to which we'll be adding details in Norfolk Mustard and pinstripes in silver to accent..

It's been a loooong 4 years..

Edited March 15, 2010 by M Blur