Chump Car racer

[MGBV8]

Trying to build it to be approved for ChumpCar/Lemons racing.

Here's the gist of it.

At minimum, cage must include: Full front and rear hoop, appropriately braced to each other along the roofline (halo type and side/downbar type are also acceptable); two driver-side door bars (X-design is acceptable); appropriate main-hoop backstays with no bends, located as close to 45 degrees from horizontal as practical; one main-hoop diagonal; appropriate spreader plates and gussets; complete 360-degree welds at all joints, including all car-to-cage joints. Each major loadbearing member must be formed from a single, continuous tube. On all sides, all drivers' helmeted heads must be at least two inches inside the area enclosed by the cage.

I know I'm probably going to need to make a few modifications, but I wanted to avoid starting completely from scratch.

http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?41,2936449

[BlownMGB-V8]

We installed the driveshaft, re-packed the wheel bearings, cleaned up the brake rotors, got the calipers ready to install, put in the rear flex line, installed rear slave cylinders, plumbed the clutch hydraulics and bled the lines and even routed a bleeder line up close to the master. (In theory we could bleed the slave back into the master but at this point the fluid isn't clean enough for that.) We also shortened and installed the shifter, installed a water pump and carb, plumbed the fuel line and installed the valve covers. We decided to go with a stock MGB seat because the APC seat we have is just too big, sits too high, and we lose all front/rear adjustment. We got radiator hoses but haven't mounted the radiator yet so those weren't installed.

We need the front engine pulleys (2.8L), could use an MGB radiator support (I have no idea where the original one might have gone)  and some sort of an air cleaner for the odd 2 bbl carb that was used on the 2.8, also an exhaust manifold for the driver's side. I expect we will have to cut and weld a stock one but we need a good starting point, which would be a stock rear dump manifold.

We have yet to lower the rear suspension also but we found a set of front swaybar links and reinforced them. We do not however, have the front lower control arm links that they attach to. The '74.5 had no swaybar and therefore used the plain links without the reinforcing plate and mounting hole. My last set went in modified form to Raliegh to be put on the MG-Roadmaster so I don't have any more of them. Took me quite awhile to figure out where the last pair had gone.

We also have a 13" TR7 steering wheel we are considering using, though it will require some sort of an adapter. The leather is stripped off but we are thinking of wrapping it with baseball bat grip wrap. Obviously open to an easier solution as I'm not seriously keen on more custom machine work at the moment.

All in all a good weekend. What doesn't really get conveyed by these reports is the sense of comraderie and brotherhood shared in these sessions, but it was without any doubt a bonding experience, and a good one.

Jim

[Todd McCreary]

Next work weekend, post ahead of time.  Maybe I can make it down.

[MGBV8]

We do not however, have the front lower control arm links that they attach to.

A set of negative camber lower A-arms would be nice!

[MGBV8]

I have a line on a set of negative camber lower A-arms with V8 bushings already installed.

[BlownMGB-V8]

Great Carl, those should work fine. We can try them and see how well we like them, and it'll be a good opportunity to evaluate them anyway, this being an endurance event. I know a lot of owners have considered using them.

I think Steve has a stock seat we can use.

We need to decide on how we are going to lower the rear suspension but I'm inclined to just try flipping the main leaf of the spring pack and see what that does before moving on to something more difficult. Maybe de-arch it if we need to, or even reverse the arch. I'm not sure how much of that it'll take without breaking, but I do know I've seen leaf springs badly bent up in junkyards so we might be OK.

Once we have pulleys we can make the alternator mount, then once we install the brake flex lines and bleed the brakes we should be about ready to run. Oh yes, we need another exhaust manifold first so we can hook uo the exhaust.

I'm going to try to schedule a weekend between now and June 15 to give Dan a chance to get his wiring done. I don't know if you guys will be able to make another trip up here that soon, but let me know.

Jim

[MGBV8]

I still have my original seats if you want.

I really think this leaf spring mod & restoring to the CB leaf spring mounts will do all we need for now.

Bent Leaf Spring

[MGBV8]

Stock


Modified

[MGBV8]

Stock


Modified





Tube is 1 1/16" mild steel pipe.

[MGBV8]

Finished raised shackle

[MGBV8]

Stock



Modified

[MGBV8]

Finished bumpstop




Q.E.D.  

[MGBV8]

http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?1,1329892,page=4

http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?1,2954791

[MGBV8]

More food for thought.

[Nexxussian]

Any more recent progress?

[BlownMGB-V8]

Some. Carl brought a set of spare leaf springs up when he came to pick up his new motorcycle, I found the radiator support panel hanging on a nail, we have 2 or 3 swaybars we can try on the rear using that last method Carl found, and also in connection with the motorcycle Carl discovered that I have a fairly close neighbor who was recently involved in Chump racing (they've switched to WRL) and can give some advice. We won't be working on it again until after the BritishV8 meet.

We need to find out if a dedicated racing seat is needed, I imagine Todd would know, and if so we may have to do some cutting to make one fit. Also he has tubing benders for the roll cage that I think he would let us borrow.

Jim

[MGBV8]

All I did was buy another motorcycle that I needed about as much as another hole in my head. My only consolation is that it is not near the Widowmaker as Fred's new bike.  

[DiDueColpi]

Yeh,

The lovely Lynne really isn't happy about that one.

[MGBV8]

I wouldn't last long on yours, Fred.  Mine rode me to church a few weeks ago at 124.

[DiDueColpi]

Apparently I've used all the forgiveness vs permission vouchers that I'm ever going to own.
So I built her this......

A new kitchen seems to help with the marital harmony.

[BlownMGB-V8]

Wait a minute Fred, wasn't that Widowmaker supposed to be some sort of a present from her? What were you supposed to do, say no? (I knew it was too good to be true. I'll never understand female illogic.)

Er... widowmaker,... free gift,... Nah. Of course not. Must have been leverage for the kitchen.

Jim

[MGBV8]

very nice kitchen!

I once split the case on my MX bike in the kitchen in my apt. in CA. Too hot outside. The apartment reeked of gear oil for weeks.  

[DiDueColpi]

Definitely not a gift from the Lovely Lynne Jim.
Everything is fine now, but in retrospect. I probably shouldn't have made that purchase.
The marital turmoil wasn't worth it.
And the new kitchen was on the list anyway.
Been with this chick 32 years now, and I still like her.
Besides, it's too much work to train another one.

[MGBV8]

Tried for 25 years, never could get mine trained. Just as hard headed & stubborn as I am.

[MGBV8]

2015 Chump Car Rules

https://www.chumpcar.com/downloads/2015ChumpCarBCCR.pdf

Tech Inspection Sheet

https://www.chumpcar.com/downloads/ChumpCarTechSheetRev15-A1.pdf

Non-OEM Parts Tech Sheet

https://www.chumpcar.com/downloads/ChumpCarSwapFormRev15-A1.pdf