Some Old "Real Iron" and others. AKA CARS!!!!!

[SPiN Racing]

Ok Guys.. some Pics of some cars. I had mentioned some Bentleys.. and I realise I only have one bentley Pic.

I have these much larger.. and others of this one.





This is called a Sidewinder. Its the car that they/we build at the race shop on weekends.
It has a 494 Rotax Snowmobile engine. Rotary Valve.(494 or 493 I can never remember)
THe clutches are on one side.. the engine on the other.
They top out at 130-135 if clutched correctly.
Engines are putting out at 100HP to the Crank, with a tuned exhaust, and stock carbs, and head pipe.
They turn laps at places like Sebring that are only around 10-15 seconds per lap off the LeMans Prototypes. They are insanely fast in corners, and braking. And the one in the picture if Im not mistaken has 13.5" floating aluminum brake rotors in front. Jackshaft brake in back. No suspension, just rubbers.. however a very complex design allows a lot of tunability with the specific size of rubber required.
THis is Jeff one of the Owners of Sidewinder Racing in his personal one.. that had some quite beat bodywork at that race. He had been hit earlier in the weekend and was on backup bodywork.


The Rear Diffuser.. you can see in other pictures.... these things cause a roostertail around 30-40 feet tall when ripping along at full song on a wet track.
(Crashed backup bodywork as you can see)


A friend of ours and his son working on thier Sidewinder at Daytona.


Better view of the clutches that drive the thing. Yep.. CVT.
Matt it, and its at the edge of spinning its wheels till around 100-110.. and yes.. its breathtaking.


A Patron of the shop's Motorsports Elise.
I was contracted to put a Honda K20 engine with 6 speed box into that, as well as do the fuel system and new computer for it.
Surprising amount of work for something that is "easy"


Business end of things


Me in my Santa Suit at Daytona, with my 1984 RX-7. Classed Improved Touring A. ITA.

[Bernd]

Nice pictures Spin.

I almost got into the SCCA racing. I wanted to race VW formula at Watkins Glenn. But my dad talked me out of it.

Bernd

[Brass_Machine]

I must have missed it earlier, what is the story on the Bently?


Racing is something I have always wanted to do. I have just never been able to afford it. Figure I will eventually get to it. Maybe I will do some karting. I do like the Sidewinder and that style of car...

Funny you mention Lemans Prototypes... You watch the Daytona Prototypes at all? Like this years Rolex 24hrs of Daytona? My best friend is on the crew of the Brumos #58 car.

Eric

[bogstandard]

Being in the custom side of building in Rolls Royce, I was involved in the modification of a standard R-R Spirit body and floorpan, to take the much larger designed exhaust for a turbo charged engine.

It turned out to be the prototype Bentley Mulsanne Turbo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_Mulsanne

It was so fast and powerful in the prototype form, they could hardly control and stop the beast, and had to be detuned into what is the Bentley today.


John

[SPiN Racing]

Ohhh the Mulsenne! Nice car.. lot of fun I gather to drive the higher powered real Bentleys..

The story on that bentley.. I THINK... Im not sure.. but I think that was a normal service.. and there is something with the inertia braking thing? SOme sort of spinning something in the center of the car that needs adjusting to control the rear brakes? I dont work on the Rolls and Bentleys.. just the shop owner does. But there is something with the brakes that is really nice.. but sensitive.. and needs to be done just right.. and all of them were slightly different.. so they take some finesse to get just right.


Formula Vee.. very very neat cars.. Lot of inertia racing. There are some amazing drivers in the Vees.


THe sidewinder.. is shocking to drive.
My first time ever in a car on the ground (I sat in one to get the seat made for me)... The engine was started with 4  minutes till the green flag for qualifying.. I ran out, and followed everyone who was already on the move, directly onto the track.. and qualified on the outside pole in a field of around 50 cars.
Raced and finished second. I had the guy in braking and cornering.. but he had about 4 MPH on me.. and would simply walk away  down the streights.

FUN car.. almost thought steered..

Scott

[SPiN Racing]

Figured as I just came from the shop.. it was time for more British Iron!!!!

I gather they just had a huge roller event this last weekend teaching the techniques for concourse judging. I gather people flew in from all over the country, as well as had cars shipped or driven here.
Sadly I missed it. So no Pics YET. (they took some so I will try to get some... they had some convertible Ghost.. I think.. made in Springfield? in like 1922 or something.)

These pics are from a previous visit:




Little PERFECT (I gather it won a lot of events in california) TR250



Annnd from today's visit we have a complete hunk of CRAP.
It is a Bentley they tell me.. but the owner put a Rolls grill on it.. and EPOXY RIBBONED ON THE ORNAMENT.. which fell Off when they unloaded it from the tow truck. It was a complete rust bucket.. the undercarriage looked to have been under the ocean for 30 years.
The seats were held together WITH DUCT TAPE!!!
sad sad sad car.


Then we have the owners (two brothers) fathers car. Doc. I have ridden around in it.. and it is a beautifully running machine. I gather it has won awards as well. However it was in for a radiator repair, as the radiator they put in a year ago has little pinhole leaks at two of the tank corners.




Sorry they are blurry.. it was with my Cell Phone.