Clive's 400 BHP Super GT RX-8 Race Car

[clive]

You sponsor them, not much, and they put your name on the car, potential 1,000mph car, great idea I think. Try it Clive:) might work?!

Hmmmmmm ?, I have seen this done in other ways.

I remember a car in the Indy 500 that apparently only got there by fans having the name on the car, and he had hundreds the size of a postage stamp    

I am pleased to say that I already have some sponsorship already that will be shown on the car ,

Carl / Hayward Rotary is supplying the core engine, Racing Beat USA have helped, so have Racing Brake with parts, also Mazdatrix have offered discounted parts as the car gets  developed and Tein have offered parts should I wish to alter the Mono Flex kit (with revised springs) the car is currently on.

Plus when the project gets a bit further I will tell you about another company and  a friend of that company who is going to have a big input into the car to try and get it out there with a competitive package.

Not meaning to seem secretive but it will do this company better justice to wait and physically show you all their involvement

[boosted]

Clive,
Do you think it maybe inappropriate to get a Radical as a first competitive car?...Old one 1300 circa 210 bhp....The instructors yesterday where suggesting saloons in a low powered car to gain experience.

Ive been track daying for 10 +  years and all at combe all be it in multiple cars but more recently my colt Gti for 3 years.

However saloons at combe is more BTCC and i dont want to race like that! Gts are quicker but the standard of driving imo is more gentleman than Jason Plato!

Dont want to make a fool of myself by causing a big incident due to lack of experience but at the same time dont want to be running round at the back as the novice getting in the way when the faster turbod saloons come to lap me 2/3 race distance.

Ive never driven a radical and would not just stick it on the grid. I would do the test days and learn the car first.

I appreciate there is a massive void between track days and race .....but i dont know how big that void is yet !!! any comments greatly appreciated!

[clive]

Clive,
Do you think it maybe inappropriate to get a Radical as a first competitive car?...Old one 1300 circa 210 bhp....The instructors yesterday where suggesting saloons in a low powered car to gain experience.

As you have lots of experience at that circuit and I suspect thats where you would race, I would say if you want the Radical, go for it and done with.

Personally I would say that you would be in danger of wasting time, effort and money if its the Radical you really want to race.

Other the experiencing Racing properly with other cars around you in close proximaty, I would suggest that because the Radical is such a different animal due to its weight and therefore it\'s handling characteristics, i.e. it will corner so much faster and brake so much later it will teach you very little by going down the saloon route if thats not really what you want to do .

As for driving standards, in any race series, you very quickly learn who you can get near and who  needs treating with caution, so I don\'t feel that part is too relevant.

Hope this helps

[boosted]

Brill Thanks Clive!

Radical it is pound for pound its looks like the most cost effective way to go!

Love to race a rotary in the future!

I really hope you catch up with your build !

[re japi]

To become a great race driver doesent mean that you have to have big balls and lots of cash. Driving is just one little part of it.

To understand the car and to do a perfect setup is more important and difficult. Also, to see and understand road/track and road/track conditions is important.

[re japi]

Also, strategy and stay focus is important.

For example, one guy here was very very very fast in rally sprint races. 2 laps in short stage. He also raced in rallyes, but he never did a good job there. Reason: he always went flatout, maximum speed. In rallyes, he just wasnt focused enough in last stages to keep the pace up.

My father once said that if you dont crash, you arent going fast enough. Finding limits of you and your car. Example: Marcus Grönholm destroyed about 3000 Toyota Celicas in national races, before coming world champion. And Colin McRae, he also liked to visit in bushes. Both went flatout, crashing alot...

Then Tommi Mäkinen. He was master to see road conditions ahead of him. And to find best setup to his car. He didnt crash alot...

One rally guru once said that if you have 3 curves in front of you, you go liked mad the first and then almost crash in second and third, it isnt the fastest way to go. To keep up the speed and pace is more important. Calculate and do a strategy, carrys you further in a long run...

Well, just few of my thoughts. Ignore it, im very tired, im going to bed...

[clive]

Well, just few of my thoughts. Ignore it, im very tired, im going to bed...

No, they are good posts, and excellent observations about the rally guys.

Whilst in Rallying having the fastest speed and shortest elapsed time is king this does not always need to be applied on track, but what does always apply, is to finish first, first you must finish  .

I have won races and had spectators come up after and say "wow" you only just won but what they did not know is that at times once in the lead you can sometimes dictate the race.

If I found myself in this situation, at times I have just cut a 1,000 revs to save engine mileage and lessen risk to the car and drove off the leader boards and mirror to make sure I finished, but the spectaors from the out side at times would only see the second place car closing in the last laps and think "I only just won"  

Dropped a clanger once though, racing an NHRPA Hot Rod at Wimbledon in the Winternationals, comfortably leading in the dieing laps and I let Jeff Simpson through thinking he was a lap down then realised I had given up the lead and lost the race !!!!!!!!!!!!

[shaunwil]

Bet you got back in the lead :Giggle

Shaun

[clive]

We have some progress :chat

Hayward Rotarys fully bridge ported, full race engine is now bolted into the engine bay today , so now the real work can begin

Also dummied up the new brake kit from Racing Brake with 2 piece open slot discs

Not the normal RX-8 kit as this kit has bigger 332x26mm (13.1" x 1.1") brake discs  (i\'ve owned cars with wheels that size!)

All stop now for sorting out  Brooklands, but next week I will look at fitting the bigger version Koyo RX-7 FD radiator that\'s been modified by Brise fabrications to change the neck angles and mount the RX-8 fan assembly.

With this fitted then we can start looking at fitting the Turbo and the huge Apexi intercooler :Thumbsup!

[Grant Monkhouse]

Are you using the rx8 front cover?

[fil_auto]

Looking good

[rote8]

With the attention to detail that Clive has applied to this build :god I can see it being more than just competitive \'out of the box\'. I sincerely hope so anyway. :Thumbs-up

[shaunwil]

Is it me or does that flywheel look massive compared to the stock one ??

Can\'t wait to see this running

Shaun

[Casey]

Great news - also can\'t wait to see (and hear!) this running

[HaywardRotary]

Is it me or does that flywheel look massive compared to the stock one ??

Can\'t wait to see this running

Shaun

whole clutch and flywheel assembly is 4.5kg