1.9
CLASS
|
1.9 CLASS |
|
|
Update - 8/2/2007 5 heads have now been manufactured and delivered. First to be running and on the rolling road was AB Motorsport's 2006 hire car which has been purchsed by Ian Munro. It was delivered with a rolling road report showing 170bhp at the flywheel at about 6500 rpm. First 4 cars have entered the Snowman. HEADS ARE AVAILABLE FROM ANDREW WOOD MOTORSPORT AT A COST OF £1225 INCL VAT |
What is all this about 1.9s?
The 205 Ecosse Challenge has now been running for 4 years and has attracted nearly 50 different competitors. Why has this been:
1. The 1.6 Challenge spec cars have been brilliant. They are "real" driver's cars. The balance of power/handling/brakes makes them ideal learning platforms.
2. Nothing is cheap in rallying but the cars are proving excellent value for money and do not bankrupt people when things do go wrong. Several have been reshelled and the standard engines have proved reasonably robust. Parts seem to be relatively easy to source.
3. The "controlled playing " field means that it is down to the driver not the cheque book (albeit that does help) We have worked hard to make sure that our Championship is well policed and Willie Greig has done a brilliant job. So far nobody has been caught cheating. We believe that that is because nobody is cheating!!!
4. The "spirit" within the Championship is very competitive but remains friendly and accessable.
BUT!!! Where do people go when they outgrow the 1.6s - and with some of the talent we have in Scotland, that can be quite quick. There are several ways forward but the one that people do not seem to be jumping at is the Scottish Rally Championship itself. Kevin Ross is the only one to go this route and he is certainly making his mark. This is disappointing because we need a healthy regional Championship here in Scotland and for that we need to keep entry numbers up so that entry fees can be contained.
So, we - The Brick & Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge - have decided to try and help in the process of moving forward by putting people in more openly competitive cars (but do not forget that a 1.6 Challenge spec car can get into the low 20s on full rounds of the SRC) but with the same underlying qualities of the current Brick & Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge.
What will the cars be?
The 1.9 Challenge 205 will really be an evolution of the 1.6 car. Current spec 1.6 Challenge cars can be used to start with and then it can "grow up" with the competitor as their ability and funds grow.
STEP 1
Take 1 current spec B&S 205 Ecosse Challenge spec car and install a 1.9 engine along with the later BE3 1.9 gearbox. Fit 15" wheels and away you go.
STEP 2
Fit a championship controlled cylinder head (modified and available from only one source); camshaft; cam pulley and exhaust manifold
HEADS ARE AVAILABLE FROM ANDREW WOOD MOTORSPORT AT A COST OF £1225 INCL VAT
Fit an oil cooler
STEP 3
Fit a lower ratio CWP (4.8/1)
At this stage you will have a very competitive car which should still be a well balanced package using parts that are readily available:
For the people who are really serious:
STEP 4
Uprate the front brakes and install a pedal box
Fit a different LSD - Tranx or Gripper recommended
Fit power steering (recommended if you change the LSD)
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
As long as 1.9 drive shafts are used, then we are advised that there should be no major problems. However, a very strong set of drive shafts has been developed in conjunction with GKN Driveline and these will certainy be up to the job. However, at a price!!
The later 1.9 BE3 gearbox has the same gear ratios in 1st to 4th as the GP A 106 works box but has a different 5th. But with the lower CWP the car will be much more useable on gravel in 3rd and 4th gears.
Tyres will continue to be a key controlled item. Tyres will be 15".
As with the basic Brick & Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge, we are not trying to run a CHEAP championship. The 1.9s will cost more money to build - possibly 50 to 75% more than a 1.6. Running costs will also be higher. But we intend that it will still be very good VALUE FOR MONEY and a clear step on the path to stardom.
THE ONLY CONTROL PARTS THAT YOU HAVE TO SOURCE THROUGH THE CHAMPIONSHIP ARE THE CYLINDER HEAD KITS AND TYRES
What about the Championship and events?
We do not see the 1.9 class as an alternative to the 1.6s but as a step up (or in for experienced drivers) The 1.6 objectives will remain the same:
1. To encourage people to come in and try rallying
2. To encourage youngsters to show what they can do
The 1.9 class should stretch drivers more but within a controlled environment. Competition will still be the key. The objectives will be:
1. To keep people rallying in Scotland a bit longer and maybe encourage a few more to come back out.
2. To prepare people who want to go and do one of the other National Championships without having to travel the length and breadth of the British Isles.
3. To compete with their peer group in Scotland in better matched machinery.
The 1.9 class will compete on all rounds of the Scottish Rally Championship but the 1.6 class will continue to use other single venue style events. The programmes will therefore be slightly different.
Pearls of Wisdom
There are 2 main ways of going quicker.
Spending money on the car
Spending money on yourself.
The first will always produce some results. Particularly if the car is unrealiable. BUT, if you cannot extract the benefit from a 150bhp car, then you are wasting your money on a 200bhp one. Pound for pound, there is more speed to be gained from developing yourself than "buying" another 50bhp which may cost you £1000 to £2000. Generally, unless you are a complete basket case, a session with a skilled driving instructor can gain you up to 4 seconds a mile. Plus save you a fortune in bent cars. So a couple of tips:
1. Book yourself in with a professional driving instructor - in your own car preferably - and listen and learn
2. Prepare yourself for each event by driving the rally car in a suitable environment at least once in the week before a rally (and that is not a blast around the public roads!!)
3. Always analyse what you are doing and work out how to do it better.
We at the Brick & Steel 205 Ecosse Challenge are giving you the environment, but you have to get out and do it!!!