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![mickmack22](/community/{'last_name': u'McKinley', 'show_signatures': 1, 'ip': None, 'image': u'img/users/spokaneandwork_001.jpg', 'site_id': 1L, 'preferred_name': u'mickmack22', 'avatar_t90': u'img/avatars/minime_t90.jpg', 'id': 3292L, 'occupation': u'P.E. Teacher', 'city': u'Auburn ', 'first_name': u'Michael', 'user_id': 3348L, 'zip': u'98002', 'title': u'New Reader', 'post_count': 1L, 'avatar_t50': u'img/avatars/minime_t50.jpg', 'show_postpreview': 1, 'state': u'WA', 'geocode': u'47.306531, -122.215664', 'homepage': u'http://www.myspace.com/macpioneerpe', 'interests': u'Racing and More Racing!', 'bio': u"I race a 1970 Fiat 850 Spider that my father owns. My father used to race a Fiat 600 in Conference racing back in the 1970's but has since lost his sight. So I've taken the mantle as driver and he remains as my able bodied mechanic.\r\n\r\n", 'staff_order': None, 'display_on_map': 1, 'open_board_links': 1, 'birthday': datetime.date(1964, 11, 22), 'collapse_board_posts': 1, 'country': u'USA', 'send_emails': 0, 'partner_share': 0, 'avatar': u'img/avatars/minime.jpg', 'signature': u'', 'send_newsletter': 1}/){kind=link}
Found! LeGrand Mk18 No. 12 Oct 27, 2008
We‘ve been thinking about buying a D Sports Racer for use in Solo’s B Modified category for some time now. They’re typically 800 or so pounds and powered by motorcycle engines. The result is fun and frighteningly fast for very little money. We posted a note on a DSR forum looking for a car, and after a few not-quite-rights, someone e-mailed us about their Mk18 LeGrand. It turns out that this LeGrand is the exact car that Per's dad purchased new in 1976; he even got his SCCA racing license in it. The kicker is that the car is quite reasonably priced.
How could we say no? We're currently in the process of sorting out payment and shipping.
It’s Here: Our LeGrand Arrives in Florida Oct 28, 2008
The LeGrand Mk18 arrived by truck last night. Per's dad, Pete, was in town for the weekend and got to see the car roll off the trailer for the first time in 30 years.
The car is in remarkably good shape, having undergone a restoration back to near-original specs a few years ago. Our plan is to update the car to compete in SCCA's Solo B Modified category. This will include differential, suspension and motorcycle engine work.
Our short-term goals are to get some fresher rubber on the wheels and compete at the Florida State Autocross Championship in November.
First Photo Shoot and Logbook Archeology Oct 29, 2008
We drove the LeGrand down a small, private road near our house to get some pictures of it in the daylight. The car starts and stops fine, but we do have to figure out the jetting and adjustment on the Mikuni RS carburetors. They were jetted for Medford, Oregon, which is at an adjusted 4000 feet of elevation.
While we were fiddling around, we looked over the logbook--there are actually three logbooks taped together as the car has been to a lot of races, including several SCCA Runoffs. The logbook has a tracking sheet for all of the different owners, and it reads like a who's who of D Sports Racing (aside from those Schroeder folks).
Here are the different owners: Peter Schroeder: 1976-1978 Chuck Reupert: 1978-1982 Butch Moses: 1982-1984 Soter Slomski: 1984-1995 Vern Lyle: 1995-1998 Bob Campbell: 1998-2003 Hap Lovejoy: 2003-2005 Don Clark: 2005-20008 Per and Peter Schroeder: 2008-present
That's a lot of different owners! We know that Soter Slomski did most of the road racing in the LeGrand, as he owned it the longest. He was also the one who converted it to the SCCA Solo minimum wheelbase of 80 inches. Hap Lovejoy restored the car back to original specs, replacing what was left of a watercooled Kawasaki Ninja engine with a modified aircooled Kawasaki KZ900 unit. The car still has the KZ900 engine today.
Making It Ours Oct 30, 2008
Important parts of any race car are the car number, class designation and sponsor signage. For us, that meant a trip to visit Tim at Hawkeye Signs for some vinyl.
We once again went with 21 and 121. We'll have to put some blue tape over the first 1 to make our 21. Some Grassroots Motorsports logos and our BM for BModified completed the look.
Scoot On Up There, Short Stuff! Nov 6, 2008
The LeGrand features a seat positioned in a semi-reclined formula car style. While our car was originally made for one of its current drivers, subsequent owners had changed the seating area to fit their particular body shapes. We weren't able to reach the pedals in the most recent configuration, even with our butts scooched all the way forward in the chassis.
For now, some added padding has us sitting in the right place. We sourced some FIA-approved safety padding from BSCI's Web site and added it to the seat-back area. Now we can easily reach the pedals.
With a proper seating position taken care of, we can now see just how much fun the car is to drive. Unfortunately, we've got a small private road with no real area to turn around. This has lead to some odd little test drives that are punctuated by our driver getting out of the car and pushing it into the right direction.
That said, this thing scoots. We can't wait to try it out at an autocross and start improving it. Well, first our drivers have to get used to its speed. Then we'll start fiddling.