SCCA EMod MGB GT V12 Build

Today was corner balance and alignment day. I put the car on the scales with 170 lbs in the drivers seat to simulate my race weight and pressed the cross weight button on the scales. I had a bit of wedge with 49% of the weight on the left front and right rear tires, and 51% on the right front and left rear tires. This was easily corrected by shortening the pushrods on the right front and left rear tires, which reduced the amount of weight they were pushing down. Here's a picture of the results:

Save the calculations, my total weight is 2353 including driver and the balance is 53% front, 47% rear. Once that was done, it was on to the alignment. The Jaguar front suspension resembles a typical 70's GM front suspension in that you just have to add shims to the top A-arm to get the desired camber and caster. I added shims to each side to get -2.17 degrees camber on both sides. Then I turned the tie rods to get a total toe of .14". The rear suspension needed just half a turn on the passenger side bars to get it squared up with the front. I'm ready for some autocrossing.

In reply to loosecannon:

170lbs for driver weight? Hell, man..you may finally inspire me to get off my fat ass and do something about my health.

Otherwise, crossweights look pretty good, considering the size of the lump up front. Hey, racing's always a compromise, right? Seems to me that the thurst will be worth the weight bias..

Is that toe in or out?

friedgreencorrado wrote: In reply to loosecannon: 170lbs for driver weight? Hell, man..you may finally inspire me to get off my fat ass and *do* something about my health. Otherwise, crossweights look pretty good, considering the size of the lump up front. Hey, racing's always a compromise, right? Seems to me that the thurst will be worth the weight bias..

I am 5'9" and not long ago was 200 lbs. I have been using the iphone app Myfitnesspal to track calories consumed and burned and am down to 160 lbs-I feel great and my belly button is nice and shallow again ;)

bravenrace wrote: Is that toe in or out?

Toe out slightly

All set for tomorrow? Perhaps I missed it, but where is the event? Ohio valley area is supposed to get hit or miss showers tomorrow. I hope your area stays dry! Please take action pics/vids!!!

4cylndrfury wrote: All set for tomorrow? Perhaps I missed it, but where is the event? Ohio valley area is supposed to get hit or miss showers tomorrow. I hope your area stays dry! Please take action pics/vids!!!

The organizers of the local events (Manitoba, Canada) are letting me run the car around before and after course set-up today. It's cold and wet right now and I'm really hoping it clears up but it's not looking good. I guess a wet test is better than nothing but I don't like being cold. I have 3 cameras on the car so there should be some good video. I hope the course is representative of what I will see at Nationals but I'm skeptical because I was the course designer for the last 2 years and any time I made anything that looked like a Nationals course, there were complaints about it being too fast.

Good luck...hopefully everything stays where you put it and the rubber side stays down! Any other GRMers in the region?

people complain about courses being too fast? fast in the sense of requiring more people to grab for 3rd or not fairly tight and technical?

good luck with the car man, very inspirational.

WilberM3 wrote: people complain about courses being too fast? fast in the sense of requiring more people to grab for 3rd or not fairly tight and technical? good luck with the car man, very inspirational.

Up here the rules are that no Stock class car can exceed 110 km/h (around 68 mph) anywhere on the course. I have GPS and more often than not set FTD in my CS Boxster, and if I approached 110 km/h, somebody would claim to be hitting 130 km/h and the course was therefore too fast. I always said "Let's see your data", and of course they never could produce any data. Anyways, I had a chance to drive the car on the old airport runway we use for our events, the problem was it was raining and there was standing water everywhere. I decided that any test is better than no test and went for it. Even running old slicks in the rain and near freezing temps (it was actually snowing only 15 minutes drive away) the car felt fantastic. It had no weird handling characteristics, was completely neutral and didn't squirm when going over some rather large bumps or through deep puddles. I know that the conditions will not reveal a lot of things but at least I know what rain set-up to use ;) It did reveal that the lsd needs to be tightened up a bit because it spun the inside tire too easily, and that there is a lot of engine braking-when I lift off the gas, the tires went into a skid, but the car didn't want to come around on me. I thought the acceleration was a little soft for 290 hp and 2300 lbs but in retrospect, maybe the tires were just spinning? Here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y-5hNepXhE

Well, I think the Pink Panther performed better than expected. The handling is awesome although the amount of engine braking when you chop the throttle is startling, the rear tires just stop moving as quick as the car. I didnt find the unassisted steering difficult but Briget did. The power was way down and we think it is fuel pressure related. The regulator would not hold a steady 3 psi, it would fluctuate between 0 and 7 psi. Then it developed a previously unknown coolant and oil leak and that's why we only did two runs each. Another weird thing was after a couple of runs, the engine would stall when we hit the brakes, even with the clutch pushed in. Perhaps related to the fuel pressure problem. But , as I said, it handles far, far better than expected so it's going to be awesome when I sort the engine out. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g1JsBUA32o

Glad it worked out well!

Stalling when braking = low fuel level in the carbs, fuel sloshes forward when braking. That's consistent with your power loss problem. My humble suggestion, if you haven't done it already: run a return line to the tank with a one way check valve. That way if the regulator pukes you still have a decent volume of fuel going to the carbs,

Can you get Briget a larger steering wheel? I went from a 13" to a 15" in the Jensenator and it was like adding power steering. With a steering wheel quick disconnect that's easily done.

loosecannon wrote: Well, I think the Pink Panther performed better than expected. The handling is awesome although the amount of engine braking when you chop the throttle is startling, the rear tires just stop moving as quick as the car. I didnt find the unassisted steering difficult but Briget did. The power was way down and we think it is fuel pressure related. The regulator would not hold a steady 3 psi, it would fluctuate between 0 and 7 psi. Then it developed a previously unknown coolant and oil leak and that's why we only did two runs each. Another weird thing was after a couple of runs, the engine would stall when we hit the brakes, even with the clutch pushed in. Perhaps related to the fuel pressure problem. But , as I said, it handles far, far better than expected so it's going to be awesome when I sort the engine out. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g1JsBUA32o Might try going with a cone shaped fuel catch tank near the engine, (if there's room up there, lol) and a second higher pressure fuel pump. Does the fuel cell have a swing pick up or a baffled pick up area? Did you ever get to try the car in the dry? I wonder how the decel. would do under those conditions. I'm looking foreward to seeing how the car will do in the dry.

Curmudgeon wrote: Glad it worked out well! Stalling when braking = low fuel level in the carbs, fuel sloshes forward when braking. That's consistent with your power loss problem. My humble suggestion, if you haven't done it already: run a return line to the tank with a one way check valve. That way if the regulator pukes you still have a decent volume of fuel going to the carbs, Can you get Briget a larger steering wheel? I went from a 13" to a 15" in the Jensenator and it was like adding power steering. With a steering wheel quick disconnect that's easily done.

I hope my stalling problem is a fuel pressure problem and will see once I install the new regulator. I will raise the idle speed a little, too. Your suggestion for a quick release larger steering wheel is great, I need to check if there's room for a bigger one in the car.

You made it on build-threads.com, btw.

http://www.build-threads.com/

Congrats on the test runs! Sounds like you've got the makings of a great rig there after the teething problems are sorted.

As to the steering effort, a larger wheel might work. Especially if you've got a quick-release wheel, you might be able to use two different wheels depending on the driver.

Another option could be to fit power steering. Some people have started adapting the EPAS electric power steering column systems to their older cars.

Specifically, I know of one from a late model Cavalier adapted to a Porsche 924. Once an aftermarket controller was installed and adjusted, the feedback apparently wasn't changed, just the effort needed to turn the wheel.

This is a pretty compact system consisting of an electric motor (perhaps a stepper motor) mounted on the column that drives the steering shaft. Also, no hydraulic fluid to leak everywhere.

To 92CelicaHalfTrac: That's awesome, I should have sponsors for all the exposure I'm getting! To turboswede: I have explored the power steering idea and there is simply no room for the steering column mounted ones. The only possibility is an electric hydraulic pump with lines going to a compact steering rack.

We sprung a coolant leak and it was the Jaguar sensor in the middle of this water pump housing. Somebody along the way tried silicone and safety wire to fix it but I found a better way:

I took the sensor out and was left with a nice flat area, perfect for drilling some holes and bolting on a plate:

I drilled and tapped some holes:

And bolted on an aluminum plate to keep the coolant in

Bummer, I'll have to check out the build thread to see how short the column is on your rig.

Here's the thread on fitting one to a 924, which isn't a very long column in the grand scheme of things.

http://www.924board.org/viewtopic.php?t=33946

I can get you measurements if you're interested.

loosecannon wrote: Well, I think the Pink Panther performed better than expected. The handling is awesome although the amount of engine braking when you chop the throttle is startling, the rear tires just stop moving as quick as the car. I didnt find the unassisted steering difficult but Briget did. The power was way down and we think it is fuel pressure related. The regulator would not hold a steady 3 psi, it would fluctuate between 0 and 7 psi. Then it developed a previously unknown coolant and oil leak and that's why we only did two runs each. Another weird thing was after a couple of runs, the engine would stall when we hit the brakes, even with the clutch pushed in. Perhaps related to the fuel pressure problem. But , as I said, it handles far, far better than expected so it's going to be awesome when I sort the engine out. Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_g1JsBUA32o

Great stuff in the vid. I think I agree w/Curmudgeon on the fuel supply stuff, but I have to admit that it's been so long since I've played with a carburated car (and yeah, I've never raced one) that you may dismiss my comment with however many grains of salt you wish.

x2 on the bigger wheel for Briget as well. Without the pump, leverage is everything.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: You made it on build-threads.com, btw. http://www.build-threads.com/

ROFL! "Thanks to David for submitting". Hmm..I think I remember there's somebody named "David" down in Ormond Beach..

I have never been able to use a timing light on the engine because I didn't see any timing marks on anything. But while I was replacing the oil pan gasket, I spotted this plate with timing marks on it right at the bottom of the engine. I guess Jaguar technicians have to put the car on a hoist to time the engine?

I used a dial indicator on cylinder #1 to get the engine at exactly top dead centre:

Then I used a piece of hanger wire to make a new timing indicator and cut a notch in the pulley. Now I can use the advance/retard display on the timing light to find out what the timing is.

I have nothing constructive to say except you are my internet hero of the month. Engaging Jeremy Clarkson voice "Epic". Note, I'm a Brit raised in the north, but I don't sound anything like JC.

Simply brilliant.

Yeah...about that timing mark under the car. Not sure what the thought process was when they thought that one up. MG is the same and so is the Midget, so it is a deliberate thing.

It was because the Labor Party wanted two people working on every tune up.

I don't know what that engine came out of but in the XJ12s the engine comp. was so crowded that you probably couldn't see the crank pully from up top.