Warp Speed Nov 10, 2008
Going fast can take some getting used to. Captain Kirk probably faced this issue when he first took the Enterprise into warp speed. We experienced it, too, when we took the LeGrand down to Sebring for the Florida State Autocross Championships hosted by the Martin Sports Car Club. As usual with a Martin event, we had a blast.
Before we went, we upgraded the battery to an AGM cell from Powermaster. While the new battery is about the same size as the wet cell it replaces, it's a lot safer for use in a vibration-heavy race car.
We also changed the rear sprocket from a 45-tooth to a 46-tooth to slightly lower the gearing. While we're not sure of the final gearing that the car will need, we wanted to see how hard it was to change the sprocket and adjust the tension on the chain. Turns out it's pretty simple, but it appears as though the chain needs to be adjusted on a regular basis. Thankfully, this is quite easy, too.
The event itself was mostly uneventful. Our first run was pretty tentative at 47 seconds, which is about where a G Stock MINI would run. We kicked it up a notch on our next run and turned a 43. We couldn't improve on that time, due to a missed shift and a DNF on our subsequent runs.
Results can be found at Martin Sports Car Club's Website
The LeGrand is essentially right-hand drive, so we need to get used to the fact that the left side of the car is bigger than we think. As a reference, the shifter kart at the event nailed a 42-second run. Meanwhile, an A Modified turbocharged Formula Ford took FTD in the 41-second range.
We've got a lot to learn before we become nationally competitive. The sequential shifting is a particular challenge, as we keep forgetting that "up" is "back." Plus, there's lots to do on the car.
Speaking of LeGrands, it turns out that LeGrand race cars have a small but rabid following. There's a LeGrand reunion this winter at Laguna Seca on Jan 31-Feb 1 that is being hosted by HMSA that we've been invited to but will probably only cover from afar.
You can find out more about LeGrands and other Sports Racers at the Sport Racer Network
There is also a D Sports Racer Forum
Real Carbon-Based Fiber Splitter Nov 17, 2008
A splitter is an aerodynamic device that extends horizontally from the leading bottom edge of a car. As its name implies, it cleanly splits the air traveling over or under the car, increasing front downforce or front grip at speed.
We made a splitter out of half-inch hardwood plywood and installed it on the nose of our LeGrand. Aside from the aerodynamic benefits, it also will strengthen the nose against pylon-inflicted bangs and bruises. Why plywood? Two reasons: It's strong and it's cheap. Besides, wood is a carbon-based fiber, so we've got that joke going for us.
Since the installation, we've run into one problem: The low and long nose is creating clearance problems when we try to load the car onto our new enclosed trailer. We bought a 7x14 tandem axle Pace Trailer from The Car Shop that is a good size for a sports racer like the LeGrand. We're going to have to work out a setup that will block up the back of the door ramp. We'll also need additional ramps to get the car safely into the trailer without damaging the splitter.
LeGrand Loading Nov 25, 2008
We had an issue: We wanted to load our LeGrand into our Pace trailer, but we risked damaging its fragile fiberglass nose due to low ground clearance. We recently worked out the details to overcome this problem.
We went to Lowe's and purchased three boards measuring 2 in. by 10 in. by 8 ft. and a post measuring 4 in. by 4 in. by 6 ft. The post was used to support the trailer's ramp, while the 2x10 boards were used to extend the ramp and create a nice, shallow angle. We placed some scrap wood under the trailer's jack to bring the nose of the trailer into the air.
This solution has its pluses and minuses. On one hand, it's quick, easy and low-buck. On the other, the wood ramps are heavy and hard to lug around inside the trailer.
It'll work for now.
Welding Help? Dec 5, 2008
The square, steel-tube portions of the LeGrand are joined together by brazing in many spots. This is an accepted method of joining pieces of chromoly tubing and minimizes localized heating. It keeps the chromoly steel from becoming brittle around the welded areas.
Pete, dad of GRM Tech Editor Per, attended the Gulfcoast Autocrossers practice event in Ft. Myers with the car. After a few runs, he noticed a small crack near one of the suspension mounts. The car was immediately loaded back on the trailer and taken back to his shop. The body was removed, and now we're in the process of cleaning up the surrounding area for a better look.
As we described in a recent installment, we created a temporary ramp to safely get our LeGrand onto our trailer. Pete recently worked out a better ramp solution that uses a taller blocking system under the ramp door. He also made a cubbyhole where the ramps can be stored during transit.
Axle Work Dec 19, 2008
While we had the rear of the LeGrand apart for some welding work, we sent the axles off to Raxles.com for complete rebuilds. The outer CV joints were making some noise, and the left axle had quite a bit of play. Waiting any longer to fix them could make for catastrophic results.
It turns out that our car has an odd mix of joints, with VW-based inner CV joints and Honda Z600 outer joints. The cages of the outer joints were especially worn. Although we couldn't replace the entire joints with new pieces, the cage itself was the same as that of a first-generation Honda Civic; these were available.
Raxles figured this all out and got us straightened out in no time. The axles were returned in just a few short days and look essentially new. The company charges $175 per axle for a complete rebuild and the results are impressive.
It's almost a shame that we'll have to pull out these axles in a month or two, as we're grafting in a limited-slip differential in place of the spool. (Yes, that's a teaser, folks!)