Race Spec My Pug

[Shakey_Jake 3 1 Cars]

Evening chaps,

 

So I've eventually got my 205 gti6 track car MOT'd but this was only to drive it to trackdays and sprints and got my first sprint this month but I've decided to trailer the car around as I've just got a nice 4x4 to pull it around. I've never had the space to keep another car and trailer but now I do, so this leaves me in a position that I've always wanted to be in.... To go racing!

 

So now I'm just trying to get everything I need in place. I understand I need all the personal safety gear such as helmet, boots, 3 layer nomex suit and gloves but not sure if the fire proof under-crackers are mandatory?

 

Also need the go racing starter pack, ARDS course and license.Register with a motor club and race series or championship.

 

This leaves me with my car. It currently has a bolt in OMP cage with door bars and a harness bar welded in, this was fitted by the previous owner who was a fabricator by trade but I'm not sure if it would be suitable for racing? Anyone know the regs on this or if I could use it as I really don't want to change it.

And for the rest of the car what I've found I need a in date seat, harness, plumbed in fire extinguisher with internal and external switches and electrical cut-off switches.

 

Any one do racing can tell me what I've missed?

 

 

On and here's the cage in question:

 

[petert 601]

Get a proper cage and move the battery forward as a starting point.

[camgti 56]

As peter said.

 

That cage is going to be a little underdone. Part of the reason for getting a decent cage is to help 1. with safety and 2. to stiffen the car up to then make your suspension geometry work as it should when cornering, braking etc.

 

Whats your suspension setup like?

 

Cam

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

You're gonna be limited to what series's you can run in with the 6 engine unfortunately but there's certainly stuff you can do. Red dragon are running a French series alongside the Nippon series which is defo worth a look. There's not really many regs as its the first year it's run so your car will defo be eligible.

You don't need an in date seat for some series's either just the belts so I'd check before you spunk a load of unnecessary money

As said your cage isn't the best but it meets the minimum requirements for most stuff and to be honest it's better than some of the s*ite you see in 'race cars'! With your car having a non standard engine it'll generally put you in class's that allows you to mod the cage/car to your hearts content.

[Batfink 201]

Before doing anything to the car. First find a series you can run it in then read the technical regs until you understand what you can do to the vehicle. A good start would be euro saloons, Dunlop Motorsport news series, northern saloons

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Before doing anything to the car. First find a series you can run it in then read the technical regs until you understand what you can do to the vehicle. A good start would be euro saloons, Dunlop Motorsport news series, northern saloons

Problem is the car wouldn't be competitive in any of those

[Batfink 201]

There really are virtually no championships where a basic chassis'ed gti6 205 will be a race winner

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

That's why I mentioned the red dragon series, as it's in it's infancy no regs have really been established. The Nippon is run on how much power a car has so it'll probs go that way. They want to get cars on the grid rather than turning people away on technicalities.

[kee 22]

trackday trophy? it's based on power to weight as far as i'm aware

[jorg 11]

have a look through the MSA blue book, that will tell you what requirements are needed. it can be found here: http://msauk.org/site/cms/contentviewarticle.asp?article=1158

 

also find your nearest scrutineer and discuss the plans for the car with them. save going at it blind and wasting alot of time and money.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Just off out, but you cannot really run wet batteries inside the car unless in a sealed box vented outside, Easier with a dry battery

[Shakey_Jake 3 1 Cars]

Cheers for the suggestions,

 

Before this thread I was just going to sell up and buy an mx5 race car and do the ma5da racing championship as I had followed it for a while and went to see the racing and love how close the racing was and how big the grids were, but as that has flopped and I've got my pug I would prefer to use this now.

 

I've browsed the blue book and it was unclear as the the competency of the person fitting the cage as long as it meets the requirements and I have all the required members present so that is good to know that it should pass scutineering.

You lot have already started to answer my next question, which series would be suitable for me to compete in? I regularly pop down to croft to watch the racing and last weekend it was the northern saloons and north west saloons, however these are not the championships I would want to compete in due to the difference in cars and speeds so you know what the position everyone will finish in depending on how much power they have. I'm aware of the Nippon challenge but didn't know they had a French version so I will look into that.

 

With regards to the car it's currently not up to being competitive but at this point in time I just want to get on the grid and compete as long as I won't be last I will be happy then i can look at developing the car if I find the right series.

 

Keep the suggestions coming.

[Shakey_Jake 3 1 Cars]

Just off out, but you cannot really run wet batteries inside the car unless in a sealed box vented outside, Easier with a dry battery

My car is quite far away from 'race spec' at the moment and I won't move further forward until I find a suitable place to race it. If I can't find somewhere to race it ill sell up and buy something else. Ill remember that if I go ahead with this though. Cheers

[Batfink 201]

Are you wanting a car that can outright win or win a class? I decided to build mine to win a specific class in euro saloons but it will never win outright. Potential to win the championship though. There's always someone to race mid pack

[Shakey_Jake 3 1 Cars]

Class win will be my goal (Eventually!) which ideally with this car will be 2 litre multi-valve, but all I really want is a good competitive championship with lots of similar cars. I found the CSCC tin tops but they don't like engine swaps. I don't mind traveling for a good race but yet I don't want to get punted of in the first corner.

 

What class do you run in and what's your engine and suspension set-up?

Edited May 5, 2013 by Shakey_Jake

[Batfink 201]

Mine is not ready yet. Will be for next season. I'll be entering class d with a 1.7 Honda engine and full custom suspension. You could enter class c as modified. Currently there's a seat Leon there, usually a couple of BMW m3's. ideally you would want a bigger engine or possibly supercharge yours but a 205 is lightweight so has potential to win the class.

 

You could run in class e for quaife motorsport news series. I think a few 16v 205's still do. A quick look at the rules and the look ok

Edited May 5, 2013 by Batfink

[Mad Scientist 106]

Nomex underwear might not be compulsory, but never scrimp on safety. How much is your skin worth to you?

 

The omp cage has stood the test of time as a good clubman cage. Nothing wrong with it. Seen it work exactly as intended many times.

 

However.......depending on scruitineers/regs, it might not be allowed if modified from original spec.

[Leon 24]

There is nothing wrong with OMP cages. People on this forum are extremely snobby about them with little justification, in my opinion.

[welshpug 1,666]

could always go rallying, quite a bit more seat time per £ and mods are not so strict, more bias to safety than anything.

 

more about being consistent than out and out fast, though that does help, but not always!

[Mad Scientist 106]

Have to agree with the Welshman here!

 

Rallying is for real men too!

[Shakey_Jake 3 1 Cars]

Haha, I've done a rally day in an evo before and it was epic! Feels much faster than circuit driving as your so close to the trees and drop offs. The only reason I don't see me going rallying is because I would have to find a reliable co-driver that would actually pay the money their is also the fact that rallying is very hard on the cars so a mechanic would be needed as I can only do so much. I would love to do rallying as their is loads of Tarmac and forest rallies close to me and a rally school.

 

But I've set on racing at the moment.

[welshpug 1,666]

find your local motorclub, see what others in the area are up to, find a local scrutineer as well, I'm sure you'll find a willing loon to sit in the silly seat if you do give rally a go.

 

I don't think rallying is any harder on the car than a circuit race, far less chance of another competitor taking you our for certain!

 

you also have to be realistic with budgets, if you have to spend a large amount on travelling to circuits where as you mentioned there's lots of local rallying.

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Really? At clubman level you can go a full season barely touching a car circuit racing! Can you say the same about rallying?

[Shakey_Jake 3 1 Cars]

Sticking with the racing. Won't use the be using the 205 tho ill be going for a one make championship instead as that is what attracted me to racing in the first place. Looking at buying something race ready, but I'm getting a car trailer soon and I've got to do my test for that so will take it from there.

[Henry 1.9GTi 36]

I race in the trackday trophy. I did this mainly because its novices and also that the car would be 100% eligible as its all power to weight. 205s have the potential to win outright as prooved by raw motorsport and myself.

 

the races are 45mins though. I struggle with fuel surge even when filling it up the filler neck! Also oil surge becomes very very apparent when you are 100% on it in quali / race. So give some attention here. May be ok with GTi-6 I'm not sure, but fit a mechanical gauge for sure.

 

The only things you need to be legal are cut off switch, fire extinguisher, external pull cables, cage, race seat (not in date), harnesses (in date), rain light

 

then you obviously need all the personal safety gear. Would recommend a HANS device as well. You can't buy your neck back!

 

Its a great series and good fun. Well supported by Bubble and Kick racing with hospitality and a big tent to sit in out the rain!

 

Another point to note is over a 45min race you will work the brakes extremely hard, make sure they are all in good working order and that you use a suitable pad material DS3000 or CL brakes RC6 for example.

 

good luck!