Lola Spyder

[Ron Earp]

Alright alright, da cat is out da bag! Yep, we're (RTP Racing) going to do a Gurney Lola - my SBF motor needs somewhere to go! We'll have a build thread and we're going to do the entire thing, painting and all, despite my fear of painting. Got to do it some time!

I'm looking forward to it as the Lola was one of the cars I wanted to build, for sure, just thought it'd be after a 40. Well, with the RF thing I needed a break from a GT40 and the Lola is a perfect little diversion. Our aim is to replicate in look the Gurney Spyder, although in practice it might be close since we're going for race car simplicity and durability so all systems will be as simple as possible with as much mechanical simplicity as we can muster.

We'll use my recently rebuilt 535 hp SB, but we're tone it down with a cam swap to a more sedate number as I really want the car to be very trackable, confident, and to perform well. Hoosier race DOTs will be used, and I'm thinking around 350hp will make the car very fast and very dependable without mashing gearboxes into little bits.

The chassis will be caged from Fran, but as soon as we get it we'll take it to our tech inspector to see what he'll require to give it a log book - yep, we've some plans to take this one wheel to wheel racing if it all works out. We plan to use minimal lighting requirements for a road tag and registration as well, but minimal lighting and signals means a state inspection is a real possibility at the same time a SCCA Log book is. Might not work, and as pessimistic as I am about the SCCA I'd say it won't, be we are going to try anyhow. If a FF Daytona Coupe can compete in the 13 Hour Enduro I don't know why a RCR Spyder can't.....

My partner was not that optimistic about the car. He said there was a reason they stopped racing these things in the 60s and so many people got killed and "do you know what 400hp in 1900 lbs is going to do" and on and on and on. But, his recent quote upon seeing the RCR chassis, oveall design, planned engine specs, weight specs, brakes, and pictures of the Gurney car was

"Holy s&*%$ that is cool. Ok, I'm in. 2007 that thing wins overall at the Enduro."

We shall see, but I'd like to see it hit in 2006. The FF Daytona was running 2:00 flat at VIR before the motor blew up in front of me going into Hogspen and it was the fastest car in the Enduro by about 15 seconds. Lasted about 40 minutes - me thinks the motor was too hot and wasn't built for the distance. And me thinks a Lola Spyder could handle much better than a FF Daytona Coupe and we could set it up to run the distance.

Lots to do. I'm psyched!

[Wheels331]

Good luck ,Ron.I know you'll have a blast building,then racing/driving this car.Are you using Webers on this?If so, did you find anybody willing to build them the way you want them?

[Alex Hirsbrunner]

Hey Ron,

When you get a chance tomorrow type <font color="purple"> this</font> into your browser and see what happens. Consider it a car-warming gift from me. I'll transfer ownership of the domain over to you when ever you have time (gratis of course).

If you can't wait until tomorrow then I will give you a hint. That url will be forwarding to everyone's favorite forum!
[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif[/img]

Best Regards,

Al

[Ron Earp]

Paul, Webers - yes for street fun/looks, no for the racing/track work. I think we'll have enough things to fiddle with like suspension, setup, pressures, etc. than adjusting each carb, synching them, etc. I sold my webers already since I didn't think they could be made to work on my motor, and still don't. I never found any place solid that would do the work, and none that weren't just plain pricey. For Lola Version 1.00 we'll have a good old Victor Jr. single plane and a Demon carb! You have a good memory!

Al, fantastic! And, since you posted about this I've a couple of things - we'll be going to an Invision Board in about two weeks, but, I still own this software outright.......so........since it won't be doing anything it might just somehow become the Lola forum.....Perfect timing with the domain name then! Second, we should make a Lola Forum in the meantime as well as a forum for some other favorite 60s sports car builds. Suggestions? The other thing will come in private email! Thanks again, that is way cool!

Ron

[Mike Dozier]

Ron

Welcome to the Lola family.
Looking forward to seeing it race.

MikeD

[Ron Earp]

Me too!!!! Probably will be 2007 for the Lola, Jeff is wanting us to have one last run at the 2006 Enduro in our beloved twice veteran #39 Spec Miata. This is the third and last run with our current Gang of Four, Mark Whight, Robert Mitchell, Jeff Young, and Ron Earp and then #39 is retired from enduro duty to live a different racing life.

Still, if I can get it done and it is reliable and runable, I might enter it under RTP's banner and drive a stint in #39 as a member, then drive the Lola during the day too. Since it is a 13 hour race you've got plently of time to recover between stints and swap cars! And I bet we'll have plenty of hotshoes willing to have a stint in it - Malcolm and Jools, care to have a go in a RCR Lola at VIR? Fran, still got a SCCA license, maybe the creator needs to come down and fling it around! I just caught fire in the Jensen last week so maybe a new test pilot is needed for new cars on track.

R

[Malcolm]

Too right I am! Can I ship my Prosport Spyder over for a run at VIR? With a chevy how many gallons for 13 hours? You will need Rick's plastic box all to yourself.

Not another fire Ron? You need to quit smoking!

[Ron Earp]

But I only smokie stogies when I drink, and I definitely wasn't drinking in the Jensen. Blasted 907 leaked oil out the cam tower all over the header wrap. I guess all the heating and engine running in in the garage wasn't hot enough to light it off. But, first lap at speed got it hot enough to light off in a big way!!!!!!

Fuel is a problem. With a BSFC of 0.5 pounds fuel per hour per hp, a good estimation, a 350 horse motor can only stay out an hour with 26 gallons!!!!!!! Best be fast cause fuel stops are going to add up!

[Jeff Young]

We may die in that car. But it will be a cool death. Better than choking on my own vomit in a Miata a la Bonn Scott.

[Ron Earp]

Yes, there is that, that green stuff didn't look so good on the white suit!

I've got to go through the rules, or get you to since I wouldn't want to break my claim of not having read the GCR, in order to see where the thing falls, cage requirements, and fuel cell requirements. It is an open car, and I think that means it has a "easier" time with some cage requirements, but on the fuel cells, that could be a excercise in problem solving or rules interpretation. Fran doesn't have pictures of the Lola tub up, but it is very similar to the ones I sent you of the GT40 tub. The safety of the design I'm okay with, but it has to go throught tech before it can get out.

[RobBeddington]

<< Better than choking on my own vomit in a Miata a la Bonn Scott. >>

Did Bon Scott die in a Miata? It must have been a seriously early 1980 prototype with a back seat...

[Ron Earp]

No, but Jeff almost did in the Enduro. I had to disengage from car #43 and join team #39 and drive in his place. Funny thing is, he turned some REALLY fast laps in #39, fastest ever, while sick with stomach and fever issues. The driver swapping after Jeff got to enjoy some green puke on the seat and console, gotta love 13 hour races!

[Jeff Young]

Barbie car. But, a Lola, maybe.

Lola race car: this is not a Miata.

1. Hard on brakes and tires. Despite the low weight, the power will use up both.

2. Carry speed at VIR will be ridiculous. Right now, we are entering the end of the backstraight at maybe 115 in a Miata, probably 125-30 in our S cars. In that Lola it will be closer to 150.

3. Do I really want to go up the uphill esses at 130 mph? Cause I can in that thing, if I have the balls.

We'll need to test it quite a bit at VIR to figure it out before we hop in and do 13 hours, but assuming it can carry a sufficient fuel load it and we go easy on the tires and brakes, it could pull off an overall win. Like Ron said, it is probably a better "race" car that the Factory Five coupe that grenaded last year after jumping out to a huge lead.

[Ron Earp]

Good points on the speed and it might even be higher. If you could hold her down I bet 170-180 could be possible on the back straight - corner speed will be higher than a Miata too with more tire, less weight, and better suspension. That means better launch - I bet coming onto the straight you'll be starting at around 90mph. If a FF Daytona Coupe can run some 2 flats, and some change, we should be in that territory easily. I think a FF Daytona Coupe is fairly far from an optimal race setup. I'm a little concerned about attainable speeds, things like wings, lift, flying cars, etc. start coming to mind.

R

[sp250]

hi guys, fran. now you realy have my attention. your'e living the dream ,mate. just back from 15 days driveing in the south island. f--- g majic stuff. found a few back country roads to revisit, one in particular where the grin factor has to have been around 9.8 out of 10.through a gorge of around 20 km. passed one car, and no i wasnt crawling. steve. ps this is in NZ.

[flatchat(Chris)]

All this talk of Lola spiders is really making me envious ---- Fran, issth my car ready yet ? I know about Miatas -- they're called MX5s here in Aus.and they are a good handling fun car , but you can't beat a kick up the backside from a muscle bound mid engined sports car

[flatchat(Chris)]

testing (soon) not enough space for pics ??

[Ron Earp]

I got my Spider!!!.....well sort of. Sydney got her Lola T70 Spider model yesterday and is quite excited about it, so am I!


pepper

[Fran Hall RCR]

Flatchat....

your car is sitting here waiting for you...just come by and pick it up....be sure to bring Denis with you ....

Cheers

[Ron Earp]

Originally Posted by flatchat

All this talk of Lola spiders is really making me envious ---- Fran, issth my car ready yet ?

Have you got a car ordered? What do you have coming?