Rochdale Olympic; A Zef acquisition!

[Nero]

I would like to clarify that I feel all of the potential structural issues and most of the safety concerns (in the modern context) I have with a Olympic can be overcome, even with the original shell. I believe I did so with mine or I otherwise would not run the car.
My concerns with structural integrity is not limited to this particular vehicle as it would extend to nearly any race car over 30 years of age.

[John Turner]

Makes sense to me, Nero!

[scholar96]

Sorry guys got to put my 2 pence worth in here, must be honest havn't read all the way through this thread it takes me a long time (Dislxia rules ko) First point, the mini marcos isn't a monocoque, i uses both front and rear frames from a mini which (elegibly) makes it easier to fit a full roll cage, Look at DAD 10 (lotus Elite) to see how it can be done, I worked on this one some 20 years ago and the cage seemed to fit the bill.

Second, don't dismiss the strength of old glass fbre, my ex John Anstice Brown lightweight weighs just 9 CWT in full race trimand still producs torsional regidity figures in the 4,000ft/lb range.

P J Harvey and I spoke to Jeremy Hall some 10 years + ago with a view to retrospective homologation, and drew a line under it due to not being able to prove international race history in period, we do however have detail and results for my car JJH 20G having raced the Gold Cup at Oulton Park in the 1960's, unfortunately it wasn't the international races.

[Nero]

Keith I unfortunately has cause to doubt the strength of the composite follow a workshop accident and during the subsequent repair. However let us clear up the issue, the measured stiffness of the GRP is not the issue, the toughness and failure resistance is.

[TonyS]

While this thread is going strong if any one has a photo of an Olympic, specially a Racing one for the www.rochdale-owners-club.co.uk database,
please contact me on tony-stanton@fsmail.net

Kind regards
Tony

[terence]

It sounds to me to be a similar problem to what a Marcos throws at you but I think that Zef has it pretty much under control.The last Marcos I had to do landed up with a full internal floor mounted frame,this was bonded into the original[after cleaning/preping].This proved to be more than upto the job,it also stiffened the shell by a not inconsiderable amount!.

[scholar96]

We currently have several Rochdale Olympics under restoration in our workshop, one of which is my own car (when I get a chance to fit an odd hour into it) which is the last of the lightweight phase one cars, (interestingly Derek Bennet of Chevron fame had one of the 4 cars for a short time) we too are looking into the problems of fitting a cage. As they are monocoques, and the lightweight is some 4cwt lighter than a standard olympic finding areas to fit the cage into does cause some serious head scratching.

One of our possible solutions revolves around mounting the bottom of the rear hoop of the cage on plates mounted on the shell at the suspension mounting points, as these areas are theoreticaly the strongest bits on the shell, the rear facing braces would pick up in the area of the top coil / damper mounts. The front hoop / bars would mount into the front outer corners of the footwells where the floor intersects. With suitable tubes providing side intrusion, seatbelt mountings, and mountings for the seat, our theory revolves around providing a safety 'shell' / cage for the driver, which in worst case senario the whole of the shell is destroyed the driver is still attatched to the safety cage.

We also have a Phase two requiring a cage and as I see it the above theory could quite easily be transfered across the two cars.

OK now the crunch, would we be allowed to mount the cage on, or very close to the existing radius arm mountings. Over to you guys!

[terence]

The problem there is that what you propose is a suspension mounting,not toooo sure if you could get away with it.

[Al Weyman]

Slightly off topic but a car in the same genre. I have just got back from buying some tyres from a well known race and he showed me around his latest aquisition which he original bought to convert to an historic racer but is now in two minds and may restore it as its very level and has history. Its a 1962 Gilbern with the 1600cc MGA engine fitted, right up Terry's street. I had a good look around it, fibreglass shell with a bit of a lightweight looking tubular box type chassis. Have these ever been raced?

[John Turner]

There is certainly one racing at the moment Al, although I can't remember which series it's in. I'll have to check.

[Alan Morgan]

The 1800 Gilbern GT was homologated in 1965, but I don't think the 1600 ever was.

[terence]

Funnily enough I used to look after a Hill-climber,that was the 1800 version,bloody ugly from the back but with a 1950 it was a little rocket.
Not really something that apeals though Al but thanks for the thought.

[Al Weyman]

I thought you would like it as it had the Bee engine. :-) It certainly is not as pretty as the Rochdale and looks a bit like Celia's Peerless.

[zefarelly]

except Celias peerless has a more refined engine, from a TR3, via a tractor I believe

[Al Weyman]

Standard Vanguard!

[GORDON STREETER]

Al I've got one in a grey "fergie" sitting outside my workshop !

[Nero]

Zef can rest assured that an Olympic gets along very nicely indeed with 150bhp. Most impressive is the good traction off the line with modest rubber, Richard Parker knew what he was doing even before he went to lotus.
Re the Vanguard, there is an alloy bodied TR2 locally with a host of engine tuning options including billet crank and alloy block...I did not ask how much!

[terence]

Most TR4s racing today have billet cranks,no other way would they be reliable to 8,200 and give 180 bhp. The Alloy block is something I do not know about though.Ally heads are available,perhaps the block is as well now.

[zefarelly]

before we get too far off topic ( we all know cheque books can get anything Terry, titanium rods, ally blocks etc etc etc) I've got about 140 BHP from a 1500GT Cortina engine which is period correct in tune, so I think the Rochdale will go pretty well.

[terence]

Of course it will Zef,just be sure you get it down to its homologated weight!

[zefarelly]

300kg will be a struggle Terry so I'm using the Rhodesian MSA rally cross papers at 600kg !

[terence]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

300kg will be a struggle Terry so I'm using the Rhodesian MSA rally cross papers at 600kg !

Ah,you found them!. Is'nt Rhodesia "International" Zef?

[zefarelly]

everybit as legit as getting your papers from a pub in Dublin or a Belgian dealer I suppose

or your race Licence medical from Harley Street

[terence]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

everybit as legit as getting your papers from a pub in Dublin or a Belgian dealer I suppose

or your race Licence medical from Harley Street

I must get in touch with Seamus,he'll no doubt get my papers sorted out a lot quicker than the usual organization!

[Eddy V]

Did you need me Joe?