Build Diary - RCR Lola T70 Spider

[Ron Earp]

Thanks goes to RCR for all of that!

By the way, if anyone is interested in crewing or helping at the 13 hour let me know and I'll get you passes. If we don't use up all the team passes for crew/workers I'll pass the remainder out for social visitors or spectators but that wouldn't be until a week or so before the event.

 

[J. Salmon]

Ron, I definitely plan on trying to be there. I don't need passes (VIR member) and might be more trouble than help. But if you need someone to stir the ice in the cooler, I might be up to that

Really hoping to see the race this year.

 

[Ron Earp]

Thanks much, make sure you practice your squats and lift-carry before coming. Here is a shot of the installed NASCAR dry break fuel port. Those cans with 12 gallons of fuel will be heavy!

 

[Ron Earp]

A lot more progress was made that might not show in the pictures. But, here are a few anyhow. The upper cage structure had to be modified to accommodate the various drivers that we've got lined up. A bit less ascetically pleasing but it looks ok. After all, doing a street legal car that is able to win a modern sanctioned race with proper class rules isn't easy.

Two fire systems were installed and the gauge panel put into place with dzus fasteners for ease of access. The shocks were setup with double adjustable units and the finishing touches are being put on the fuel system, switch panel, and engine oil plumbing. I think it is coming together rather nicely and barring unforeseen problems we should make the test day toward the end of the month, with two more test weekends between that one and the 13 hour. October is going to be one busy month!

The team will have to meet relatively soon to plan out logistics of simply running the car and getting all the equipment in order.

 

[Ron Earp]

I got a few more pics that I missed because I turned in so early last night. More cockpit pics with mock up of the ignition location. Front lights, it is looking good in my opinion. With some black graphics to break up the yellow, this thing should look mighty sporty as my grandfather used to say.

 

[Randy V]

Pretty sleek lookin' hot-rod you have there Ron!!!

Wish I lived a bit closer!!!!

 

[Ron Earp]

Hot rod is right! Shape of a Lola with a modern cage/suspension/log book and street title - I think it'll be a lot of fun!

I have a few more pictures - rear spoiler, panel, and the removable light bar. The rules for the aux light state that the aux lights must be below the bottom plane of the windshield. Not easy to do on the Lola.

So, the fellows at RCR devised a light bar that plugs into female receptacles on the chassis. The bar will carry four HID PIAA lights on two circuits. All connectors and pins are captive in the area where the bar plugs in so on the twilight pit stop in goes the bar with lights. Jeff young donated the lights and if they are as bright as they are expensive then you'll see us from wherever you happen to be!

 

[Keith]

Are you planning a shakedown run with all the drivers Ron?

 

[Ron Earp]

We have a few events planned. One is a test day at VIR at the end of this month. At least two drivers will be in attendance.

After that is a test day down at Carolina Motorsports Park, probably pick up the third driver there. Then back up to VIR for a regional race weekend where we'll actually race the car wheel to wheel in a sprint race and possibly 1.5 hour race. And finally there is a test day at VIR one day before the 13 hour enduro where all five drivers will be in attendance.

Still, there is no getting around the fact that there just isn't enough seat time between now and the 13 hr that any one driver will have more than 1-2 hours of seat time. So from that perspective the drivers will need to uphold their end of the bargain and be fast out of the box, else we'll fall behind. And, the car is going to have to do well too. There is essentially no time for development, so it too has to be fast out of the box. A lot of pressure for the team as a whole.

 

[Keith]

Wasn't it ever so......

Hope you post all pics and details of your trials and tribs in testing, and of course the Gatorade shower in Victory Lane :thumbsup:

 

[Randy V]

That's going to be a whole lot of car for any driver to get comfortable / fast with Ron...

I hope that minimally all your driver's have got GT Sedan type experience.

I know that myself (with a large degree of GT experience) - I had a bit of transitional trouble with going from a sedan to a fully open cockpit of the Cobra.. So many more inputs to the senses.. Sense of speed - i particular - was totally off from driving the sedans..

 

[Ron Earp]

That's going to be a whole lot of car for any driver to get comfortable / fast with Ron...

I hope that minimally all your driver's have got GT Sedan type experience.

I know that myself (with a large degree of GT experience) - I had a bit of transitional trouble with going from a sedan to a fully open cockpit of the Cobra.. So many more inputs to the senses.. Sense of speed - i particular - was totally off from driving the sedans..

One driver used to drive an open car, but the car was nothing like this one. The rest drive cars like I do. I'm optimistic with the drivers as I've seen them to be strong in many different, but similar cars. But there is no doubt that we'll be behind the curve, way behind. So, if we pull off a win it'll be much more so of a feat! And if we don't we've got an excuse at the ready! :thumbsup:

On further inspection the motor might be even more mild than we thought, and that is a very good thing from the standpoint of fuel consumption and driver acclimation. It is running a stock 5L cam, 0.444 lift, with 1.6 RR and some Eldebrock heads. 9:1 compression, so we figure it'll be lucky to make 240-250hp, if that.

 

[flatchat(Chris)]

Good work Ron --keep all those pics comin' especially with the front and rear clip on and off ---closest thing to an RCR Lola build manual I've seen so far :stunned:

 

[Ron Earp]

I think you could use a GT40 build manual for most of it and I know that is around. The front settles on two large bobbins and two pins hold it in place. Apparently it is very secure and only takes 15 seconds to pull off aka Tom's GT40. The rear probably won't help you as we've got the cage down bars going through it and it has a different sort of hinging mechanism that isn't on other cars. I'll get pictures of all that stuff though.

Ron

 

[Ron Earp]

A couple more pictures as the Lola nears completion. The seat is out for install of the fuel cell and additional firewalls. The cell is a custom made job that holds 25 gallons and bolts into the passenger seating area (removable for street use). It has some fancy plumbing to get the NASCAR fuel dump into it and the dry break valves plumbed but all is finished up there.

Graphics are going on the car too! I like the look, has a nice black Lola arrow and we're planning all the other graphics in black trim too. The car has to run permanent numbers, all the sanctioning graphics, plus sponsor graphics, and electroluminescent panels. Mighty yellow. As Jeff said, Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee....I like it!!!

 

[Keith]

Graphics are going on the car too! I like the look, has a nice black Lola arrow!

Crikey Ron you HAVE been busy...

Regarding the arrow graphic, sorry to be pedantic but I think you mean the Team Surtees Arrow graphic, yes?

 

[Ron Earp]

you mean the Team Surtees Arrow graphic, yes?

Nah. Who's that guy anyhow?

Arrow. Arrow commonly found on Lola. Lola arrow.

Besides, if we win this 13 hour race we'll rename the arrow.

 

[Steve26]

Hi Ron,
I'm thinking about replacing my Audi 016 box with a 930 but need to answer a few questions before I can do it and was wondering if you could help me? What is the dimension from the output flange center line to the bottom (or top if flipped) of the trans axle at it's highest/lowest point? What is the dimension from the bell housing to the back of the gearbox casting (not the shift shaft) I would like to make this change so I don't have to worry about the strength of the tranny anymore and to get a better angle on my half shafts. Thanks for your help Ron.
Steve

 

[Ron Earp]

Hi Steve,

Best ask in the transaxle forum. I answered those questions for someone a year or so ago. Anyhow, the car is not in my shop, it is at RCR, therefore I can't supply those at the moment.

Thanks,
Ron

 

[Steve26]

Thanks Ron,
I'll search in the transaxle area.

Steve