History of a Lola T492 Sports 2000 chassis?

[andy97]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

IG DAY today for me and the Lola, morning at the rolling road, BHP Performance, very local to me which is nice for a change.

Strapped the car down on the rollers and warmed it up. First time Ben had seen the Clewett ignition system, but no probs, he just thought it strange...

Broke the engine in for 20 mins up and down the rpm in 2nd and 4th to load it all up and then set too setting the advance positions, tick over, 3000 and 8000 rpm, the latter somewhat academic!

Mid way through the engine died suddenly. Loss of power to the ECU, blown 7A fuse, so 10A fitted (max current draw is 10A)
Got going again and did a few runs and a few discussions and ran the engine to peak power.

At this point we hit 295.6 bhp @ 6776 rpm, 243.2 Lbft @5066 rpm.

(transmission losses are 35 bhp)

Engine sounded great, good oil pressure and 100 deg C.

Talked about where more could be gained, filters (oiled KN fitted) and maybe carb chokes (38mm in 50mm carbs)

We decided to leave it there, the curves are great, very smooth and it sounds like it could go much further.
I expected/hoped for a good 300/320, 100 bhp /litre would have been great.

Engine still tight, and we didn't want to push the timing further but did try on deg less and lost 5 bhp, so we could be very close.

Needed to add fuel at 6K so re-jetted the PMO's and that helped.

Very happy with this, smooth engine, lots of torque and no peaks or flats.

Quick little video here, try opening the sound up.
Sounded ballistic in the chamber!

https://youtu.be/Btr1ATBrrLc

Well done, hope the season goes well. What were the figures before?

[S griffin]

Glad you are all set to go. Best of luck, you deserve some good results after all the hard work you put in

[911thillclimber]

Before I had 260 bhp but a dangerous red line of 6300 where the rev limiter is on the standard 3.2 flat 6 engines.

This one will loosen to around 305 bhp, close to my real desire to get 100 bhp/litre, a good figure for a naturally aspirated engine.

Easy to forget how old these engine designs are in the 911 range with it's design roots in 1963!

I'm a bit aprehensive not because of the engine but my shoulder and hand, but can always throw the towel in over the weekend if must.

[Gerard C]

Great figures at relatively low rpm and few transmission losses you can expect a lot of pleasure. You mention the air filters, when we used PMO's in a 2 litre we found that the "hats" above the air horns are restrictive. No room for a real airbox?

[911thillclimber]

Air filters, choke (venturie) diameters all under 'review Gerald.
Those K&N filters may give way to ITG.
Carbs have 38mm venturie in the 50mm carbs, looking into if 39's may be better, even larger like 40mm.
Today you can't email Richard Parr at PMO only go through the agents for advice and guidance.
Almost feels like a 2nd wave of mods coming!

[E.B]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Almost feels like a 2nd wave of mods coming!

Shhhhh. Mods = $$$. Hide this page from senior management.
Reclassify as Misc expenditure / consumables.

[911thillclimber]

She has the hearing of a fruit bat and 44 years of me, secret bound to be out no matter how silently you whisper it!

[spd(john)]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

She has the hearing of a fruit bat and 44 years of me, secret bound to be out no matter how silently you whisper it!

Your senior management/pit crew has been around long enough to know there is always more to come. (At a COST!!) wishing you, Mrs Hillclimber and the Lola all the best for this w/e, weather conditions looking good, a season of new PB`s ahead.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by E.B

Shhhhh. Mods = $$$. Hide this page from senior management.
Reclassify as Misc expenditure / consumables.

Me: “it’s an investment darling, it’s worth more than I paid for it”
My Snr Mgmt: “Yeah, right!, you haven’t factored in all the maintenance, tyres, mods, storage, motorhome, fuel costs”
Me: “Look at the rise in value of Escorts/ Quattros/ Caterhams”
My Snr Mgmt: “If you had spent the same amount of money on Tiffany’s jewellery for me, it would be worth a hell of a lot more….”
Me: “Think I will go to the garage”

[S griffin]

There are always ways to get around the cost, just have to make sure you be discreet about it at times. Especially not telling the management

[911thillclimber]

Bought some alum tube today and have a drg of a weber choke so can soon make 6 on my old lathe.
Cost will be about £20 plus the rolling road.

What I save pays for the roller session.

[S griffin]

Hopefully the BHP figures will be quite high

[911thillclimber]

Ran the car in Practice today, twice at Prescott.
More details tomorrow evening when back, but what a fabulous engine it is!

[E.B]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Ran the car in Practice today, twice at Prescott.
More details tomorrow evening when back, but what a fabulous engine it is!

Sounds promising. Look forward to the details. Good luck for tomorrow.

[S griffin]

Obviously you shouldn't get too overconfident, but the signs so far are encouraging. Hope you have a good trouble free run

[911thillclimber]

Quite a weekend of things going on. firstly, a full-on hillclimb at Prescott, busy as they come and perfect conditions.

To the car first.
It started fine, bit better than usual on a cold morning on Saturday and sounded solid.
First practice run and the first time I'd pressed the throttle pedal and the pick up is very noticable, as is the time to warm up, much quicker than before, so things still tight inside.
Got to the starting area ok and did the customary tyre warm-up and really noticed the difference, lots more 'go' and a real lack of traction1
The slicks are now entering their 5th year, really need so fresh tyres.

The blast off the line was superb, and what a noise from behind my (warm) head, you really feel the longer run in the gears, at least 1st, and then second, and didn't change gear again through the whole course! Not may fastest run, but more getting used to it.
Got back to the paddock to no 3/4th gears and no reverse. Not good, but down to a silly mistake I made on Thursday to the gear linkage, quickly fixed with a spanner. now have all 4 gears and far more precise shift action, a good change using the WEVO gate shift.

Second practice run was much the same, but the tyre warming was far more 'dramatic' and scattered the start line marshals...
Got a *******ing from the CofC when i got back, first telling-off at a hillclimb ever.

To Sunday and things get serious.
Practice and use 3rd now and the times tumbled to a second of my PB, the engine is fabulous. Get to 4K and the whole thing simply 'swells' with guts breaking traction in second. I don't remember changing to 3rd and back to 2nd, too focused on brakes that seem inadequate.
All over in a blurr, but the car is so different in a really positive way, but have to learn it a bit. Hit the rev limiter in places as i stretched the runs in 1st and 2nd, the base purpose of this exercise.

Second timed run was a bit slower and I lost 2nd in class to the mighty TVR by 2 hundreths of a second. Real hillclimbing stuff.

Shoulder and hand injuries were 'ok' and I survived, and the car too.

Fabulous.

Lots of questions about the engine over the weekend, surprising just how many read my drivvel.
Shelsley in 2 weeks.

The TVR will be my new adversary, the 7.3 litre Pilbeam had a hard weekend, and the EVO1 Mini special blitzzzed all of us by a mile, but that is normal.

[S griffin]

A very interesting weekend for you. At least you managed to sort out any mechanical gremlins. Hopefully Shelsey will be even better for you.

[911thillclimber]

Yes, a great 'typical' weekend of real hillclimbing, lovely stuff.

https://impactbumpers.com/forum/uplo...8a4d52e372.JPG

[E.B]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

Yes, a great 'typical' weekend of real hillclimbing, lovely stuff.

Live stream footage here..... see the Lola at just before the 3 hrs in mark on the video. (Pilbeam in the same class runs at about 2:57:20 in, with the Evo Mini and Graham following.)
Sounds even better than usual Graham.

https://youtu.be/bo05IkmL1S0


Edit: Thats the Saturday I think. Sunday stream I have not been right through yet but is
https://youtu.be/-oxP647U0EE

Nice tribute to my dear late friend Joy Rainey at 3hrs:32 mins in and also 3:41 the story of the 7300 cc (and 768bhp!) Pilbeam .

[S griffin]

Nice to see it out there. I always love the sound of it. Thanks for the videos

[911thillclimber]

Shelsley Walsh this coming weekend and a very full class!
The TVR, a replica Porsche 904, VW Beetle with a 3.8 Porsche engine, Ford Fiesta(!), me.

At Loton Park the week after just the TVR and me. Loton always scares people off, too far to travel I expect really.

Have new slicks on the Lola now and have adjusted the seat belts to get me in tighter.
I'm leading the class by 1 point, about to change I think!

[S griffin]

Classic venue that is, great that not only so many are entering, but a great variety of cars too.

Shame hardly any turned up for Loton, they should find a way to encourage more to make the trip

I'm sure the new slicks will work. It should be worth that effort. Keep going and you can keep on top of your class

[911thillclimber]

Practice day today at Shelsley Walsh, surely the most charismatic of all UK hill climb venues.
Large class, so bit of a worry.

There are a few 'sweaty' moment' places at Shelsley, in face quite a few...

The worst is the dreaded bottom Esse and the fast following Top Esse where I shortened my 911 a long time ago by 1".
It was slippy to say the least so only the foolish tried through there, thus most times were really slow inc me.

The car now has a full set of new AVON A15's and feels SO much better as a result of £1400 the set.
So, 1st practice was a crawl, 2nd not much faster, but the third was much much better!

Car blasted off on a 2.1 start and screamed up the hill so faster, this new engine is really coming to me now. Esses were dispatched and I was too slow to get going out of the top ess and left some significant time there, but raced off along the finishing straight and across the line at 100 mph. Not a PB but less than a second off!

FABULOUS!

The Class contenders were interesting, but all a mile away today or broken. Could be different to morrow, but the car is great.

The Fiesta is an ex-rallycross car/driver with 600+ bhp and front wheel drive, odd as it has the parts for 4 x4.
The TVR broke, but could be back tomorrow, don't know. The others were about 6 to 7 seconds behind me.

A real Clubbie hill climb with some fab cars, many to die for, but i have to say, there is only one I wanted to be in.

My little Lola Porsche with it's home brewed engine.

[MGDavid]

So class win is a possibility?
Go Graham !

[911thillclimber]

Certainly was!

Two class wins today, won both competitive runs by a mile.
The TVR returned and got stuck in, but have to say the Lola ran so well, it was a joy to drive.
Fresh slicks and this engine have transformed the car,

Utterly. Gloriously. Fabulous.

Been a long long time since we have had such a good weekend of results and a glass award to boot.

Lola:
33.31.92/31.80
TVR:
33.82/32/97
VW Beetle:
35.40/35.16
Fiesta:
33.80/34.12
904:
41.94/38.94

Crossed the line at 101 mph.

Pleased!
Loton next weekend, the TVR will be after my blood...