My Gordini racing cars.

[Renoholic]

It all started in South Africa where the Gordini was like a cult car. I have a few scanned photos to put up. This one was very hot and highly modified 1480 race car completely stripped out with 10" Michellin slicks. It was quicker that the restored Ford Mustang from our Saloon car champion of circa 1968. Fly wheel hp peaked at 155 @ 8500 rpm. My last race was in April 2001 just before we emmigrated to NZ and I out qualified the Mustang and out raced it as well.









That's all I have from that car. I have to mention that it wasn't mine but it belonged to the sponsor and he only started racing it after I left.
I will follow up later as the time has hauled me in. 220 here now.

Regards, Renoholic.

 

[Adey]

love the 8

 

[andybond]

That is all kinds of awesome

 

[Renoholic]

Continued....I then arrived in New Zealand with only my Gordini road car in the container. Got bored soon and met a guy building a Dauphine race car. so I built an engine for him, 1480 Sierra with twin SD Webers. Then built another engine for a guy with an A110. This was a 1800 16TS (807). Eventually got hold of 2 R8s, one rusted to bits and the other ok. Stripped the one for spares and decided to turn the other into my new racecar.
I stripped it bare and turned it on its side to scrape all the underbody bitumen off and started the rebuild. In between I worked on the engine, a spare 1255 Gordini that I brought with from SA. Every possible item was home made because of the non existing budget. Home built roll cage, body work, spray paint, engine, gearbox, etc.
Completed in 2009 and raced ever since. A few get togethers and a high speed accident has taken its toll on the looks of the car and some battle scars remain visible.

As bought for NZ$80.00.



Getting together after the strip and clean up.



Engine completed.



Home built calculated extractor done.



Spool piece made to lock the diff and increase the strength of the output shafts that always brake.



Completed before and after photos. Same car, same place 3-4 years difference.



Regards, Renoholic.

 

[Adey]

WOW some awesome work going on, good work

 

[Duncan Grier]

Great stuff!!

 

[Renoholic]

And then we went to the tracks in 2009. Nothing much to say but photos. Some thing to remember is that the development of the race car was limited to standard items. Nothing "racing" installed. Road going pistons, rods, crank, head gasket, etc. The car is still road registered and it has to go through Warrant of Fitness every 6 months as is the law in NZ. In no particular order.

















And many more..

Regards, Renoholic

 

[Renoholic]

And then some real bragging shots in sequence.

Outdragging a V8 MGB



Taking a challenge on from a 2006 Alfa 3200 V6



Escort RS2000



Aston Martin Zagato 7000cc V8



Regards, Renoholic.

 

[Renoholic]

And then, as in racing, nothing is moonshine and roses for ever.



A highspeed shortcoming from a BMW dumping its oil on track.











The last series was fixed at home in about 6 weeks and from there the battlescars that can be seen on some photos. There were a few other get togethers but no serious injury ones.

Regards, Renoholic.

 

[Renoholic]

I do not have a lot more to show and tell and seeing that the weekend is here you might want to see a few laps from the incar cam. Some of them has a real bad sound to it and that is because it is a 70 bucks camera. My car is the oldest and smallest on track and I get a lot competition from the Alfas because of cheap go-fast parts from Italy where they had an Alfa cup series. Have a look and say your say, maybe I'm too slow?











Renoholic.

 

[DaveL485]

Happy race car is happy



...and that says it all for me

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Awesome @Renoholic !!

That fiat is hilarious following you and cocking a front wheel round the corners!! Brilliant!!

 

[Renoholic]

Hi,

Racing this weekend at our Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park. (Bruce McLaren, famous NZer that started the McLaren Team. That is the F1 McLaren. Very wellknown for the domination during the CanAm series in the 70's)

Saturday will be on the the Club track and Sunday the full International track. Wish me luck.

Renoholic.

 

[Renoholic]

Hi All,

As mentioned in my previous post I went racing at Taupo this weekend. Never raced with this crowd before so I didn't know what the competition was going to be.

This was a Club race and not a whole lot of different categories. I have never spent so much time behind the wheel as I did this weekend. Normally we would have qualifying and a scratch race on the Saturday and 2 handicap races on the Sunday. This weekend we had qualifying and 4 dual car sprints on Saturday on the National track. Very twisty 2.2km and 1min 25sec per lap. Then on Sunday we had 4, qualifying, scratch race and 2 handicap races on the International track, 3.4km and 2min per lap. I didn't do the last handicap race because I was out of tyres, fuel and brakes by that time.

The competition was another surprise. It ranged from me to an Aussie Falcon, with Subaru's, Skylines, Toyota Altezzas, one Altezza had a V8
in, two 5l Mercs, a whole gaggle of Toyota Sprinters, Honda Civics and Integras, Mazda RX7 etc. I was a little outclassed here because of all the modern stuff. All of them 16 valves and better. Even the V8s had 16 valves . So there I was with my NA 1400 pushrod 8 valve!!

I do have an oil pressure problem and it looks to me like the oil is overheating. On the short track I had no issues on Saturday. On the long track I had no issues with qualifying, the scratch race and soon after that the handicap race and that was when it dropped away to dangerous low levels, and only towards the end. Back home with cold oil the pressure is back up to normal. Have anybody experienced something similar to this? Will it be aeration or temperature? I do not have an oil temp gauge, so that will be a priority before the next race.

Overall the weekend was great fun and the competition came from a Mazda MX5, Toyota Celica, Toyota Sprinters and a Ford Falcon XR6.

I have 3 videos to edit and will post the links when that is done.

Regards, Renoholic.

 

[Big Steve - Raider]

Sounds like the classes were a little mixed up somewhat @Renoholic ?? Not easy to be competing against such a range of cars/technology??

 

[Renoholic]

Sounds like the classes were a little mixed up somewhat @Renoholic ?? Not easy to be competing against such a range of cars/technology??

Yes but at least it wasn't for points or a championship.

The videos have been uploaded to YouTube.

The Dual Car Sprints on Saturday I have one and it might get a bit boring because not much going on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbuV...EGVN9bBNFmzrPg

The Scratch Race on Sunday wasn't that bad to watch. I'm glad to have passed a few 16 valvers and I was hassled the whole race by the black Toyota Sprinter. He caught me with my pants down on the last lap, second last corner, but the Renault power helped me to get my place back. Also after the race take note that the oil pressure is still normal and high.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eV6_...EGVN9bBNFmzrPg

The Handicap race has a few shots as at 6:11 into the video I had a good save. Towards the end I caught up with the Falcon and kept him honest for a while until the green Civic spoiled it a bit on the last lap. Now notice the oil pressure drop away. Heat? the two races was within about 10 minutes from one another.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?vsKH...EGVN9bBNFmzrPg

I have these 3 videos from 7 times out on the track. So I am not good at multi-tasking. Please give your thoughts again on the oil pressure issue.

Regards, Renoholic.

 

[andybond]

Enjoyed watching you against the MR2 on Taupo Scratch Race 9 !

 

[Renoholic]

The one video was deleted for some reason. Here is a new link to it if you would like to watch it.



Regards, Renoholic.

 

[DaveL485]

because I was out of tyres, fuel and brakes by that time

at least it shows you were trying!

Have anybody experienced something similar to this?

Is the sump baffled?
What grade oil are you using? Try something with a higher hot rating and see if it improves, if you use a 10w40 go to 10w50, or if you use a 5w50 go for a 10w60 maybe. Also make sure its fully synthetic as they are much less prone to viscosity change due to temp.
Oil temp would be useful information.

 

[andybond]

The one video was deleted for some reason. Here is a new link to it if you would like to watch it.



Regards, Renoholic.

I noticed you paused at the start.

Were you giving them a chance?