View Full Version : Harrier Rally Car
Hi there,
I know a lot of people will have seen my other thread on this cart during the build but I though that now it is officially a rally car after getting it's MSA logbook and being less than a week from it's first rally I should start a new one here to remind you of spec and also for rally reports.
Car is a genuine 1980 Harrier, Shell has a Safety Devices Cage, Firewall, big tunnel etc. Inside it has fire extinguishers, Corbeau Seats, 6 pt Sabelt Harnesses, vertical hydraulic handbrake, all lines inside car etc
Suspnsion is World Cup Bilsteins on front, spax shocks on back, has a quickrack, gp4 sterring joint, world cup cross member.
Brakes a princess 4 pots on front with mintex 1144 pads, standard 9" drums on rear and as mentioned a vertical handbrake.
Engine is 2.0 pinto with bran new bottom end, big valve head, piper cam and twin 45 dellortos. Has an Alimax rad, lumenition and such like.
Transmission is quaiffe 5 speed straight cut box,ap racing clutch running through english axle with 4.1 salisbury limited slip diff.
Think that's about it, first rally is Tour of Caerwent on Sunday 30th March, will post some pics after rally.
Couple of detail pics, forgot to say I am number 93 for rally on weekend!! Nice an low so I can sneak up on em!!
Looks good all stickered up, better try & avoid denting it on Sunday!!
Very tidy :clap:
Good luck at Caerwent
Thanks Gavin
A finish will do!!
nice pics,:clap:good luck.might see it at a rally one day.ever done azimghur at colerne
Not yet, maybe this year though.:thumb:
Looks spot on for a bit of fun :thumb: Best of luck with her :clap:
Cheers Diffed,
Hopefully you'll see her in the flesh at some point, Jersey is the ultimate aim.
Matt
So the first event the "Tour of Caerwent" 2008 is done and is was great. The car came off the trailer in the same nick it went on which is always nice.
The event itself was brilliant and we finished 52nd overall and 7th in class out of 100 starter from a start number of 93.
Started exceptionally slowly on stage 1 (got overtaken by a standard 1300 pug 106!!!) as I hadn't used the car in anger before and it was my 1st event in an rwd car and 1st event full stop since september 06.
2nd stage a lead came of the distributor on the start line and did 10 miles with hardly any power!!
Rest of the day was ace and the car was fantastic to drive, really felt I was getting to grips with it towards the end.
Next event is Talbenny on 20th April and hopefully will start on the pace we finshed with on this one. Can't post pics cos it's not allowed but they will be on the www.edpphoto.com (http://www.edpphoto.com) website in a day or so.
Thanks to all service crew for doing a great job and para144 for sorting the car out beforehand. Roll on talbenny!!
Having finally used the car it is easy now to sit back and see the faults so I am devising a plan of action. Think there's lots to do but will do bit by bit as time and budget allow.
Biggest issue was handling with the front being really soft and the back slopping about due to very old worn spax shockers and no anti tramp bars or anything really to locate the axle.
Before the event I thought the back would be the main problem but actually turned out the front was worse and it understeered more than expected.
Shopping list as follows;
twin cam anti roll bar
double width kit
roller bearing top mounts
adjustable track rod ends
new group 1 rear bilsteins
anti tramp bars
Bit bit skint at mo so going to use car as is for Talbenny next week and then do as much of the above as possible before Caerwent in June.
If the front is soft, what springs are you running?
Don't really know, bought a set of bilstein/ford stamped group 1 bilsteins frim a guy on here and think they are the original springs so whatever they would have been I guess.
mervhill
12-04-2008, 23:30
Not sure how Gavin might feel about this too, but I'd recommend you change that steering wheel for something with more dish to it. Those standard RS wheels can make things awfully tangly when sideways. I have a really nice OMP wheel which is nicely dished, and also brings the wheel slightly closer to you for more leverage. I know simply by changing that wheel made my car feel completely different, especially when driving it in anger. Just a thought, might make you feel even more confident behind the wheel :thumb:
Well done on your first event mate, I'm sure you'll have more and more fun as the season goes on :thumb:
Possibly 145lb's then - I'd put some harder springs on your shopping list as well, say 190 or 220's
mervhill
13-04-2008, 01:40
Mate, did you know that the standard RS2000 anti-roll bar is actually bigger in diameter than the twin-cam version? So theoretically should be stiffer right?
Thanks Gav will add springs to the list then.
Merv, agree about the steering wheel, will change it soon but love the look of it so will give it 2 more events and then it will have to go.
Didn't know about anti roll bar diameter but isn't twin cam used because of the change in castor? All a bit beyond me!!
Not changing anything for next weekend, want to do enough mileage so I can appreciate thechanges when they come.
Cheers for suggestions, all tips gratefully received:thumb:
Bit of work going on today to get car shipshape for next weekend.
Some welding of chassis rail to be done, also need to put bigger plates on underneath of car where seats bolt through as scrutineer was unhappy with the ones i've currently got even though they comply with the blue book. He has written it in my msa logbook so i've got to do it as i'm sure it's the first thing the next scrutineer will check. Likely to be the same guy also as saw his name on the regs. Don't really mind as anything that will keep me in one piece is fine with me!!
Just a clutch cable to change and a spanner check and then we'll be ready to go.
Going to stay in local Travelodge the night before so will be nervous about someone hitching up the trailer and buggering off with the lot!! Have asked for a room with a view of the carpark so will probably sit up all night watching it like a vigilante!!
Going to stay in local Travelodge the night before so will be nervous about someone hitching up the trailer and buggering off with the lot!! Have asked for a room with a view of the carpark so will probably sit up all night watching it like a vigilante!!
Just reverse it in so a thief would have to move the shogun to get it out .....................
might just loose the shogun too :D
Possibly 145lb's then - I'd put some harder springs on your shopping list as well, say 190 or 220's
I tried 220's on mine and found that even with the front end geometry set up properley they were too hard and promoted understeer on wet, muddy or bumpy stages.
I also had 180's these were way too soft in the dry :rolleyes:
Fitted 200's before caerwent, thought these worked really well (twink anti roll, double width, adj TCA's, hard bushes, tarmac inserts).
I think the 'traditional' best set up for tarmac/mixed on a pinto escort was 190.
Matts car has at the moment:
Standard roll bar
Standard roll mounts with spongy looking bushes
Standard TCA's
Bilstiens with springs that feel fairly soft.
Standard top mounts
Standard rear springs (these are probably OK)
knackered looking rubber spring bushes.
rear standard escort antiroll bar with knackered bushes
Spax dampers of questionable age.
I've driven his car and it feels a bit 'loose' compared to mine with knacked bushes etc but it is fairly forgiving & rides the bumpy stuff really well
I'm no expert but.....
I think some more castor using a twink antiroll bar will help the 'turn in'.
A double width kit with new bushes will stiffen the antiroll bar and locate the struts a bit better (at the moment there is not too much holding the strut in the right place).
Adjustable TCA's (set up properley) for a bit of neg camber.
190lb springs?
on the rear - new harder bushes but keep the springs.
junk the antiroll bar & fit anti-tamp bars.
Some new shiney bilstiens.
Drop it an inch??
Bound to be people on here with a more knowledge than me about this stuff. I've had the same escort for 10 years now so not much to compare it with
I'm no expert but.....
I think some more castor using a twink antiroll bar will help the 'turn in'.
A double width kit with new bushes will stiffen the antiroll bar and locate the struts a bit better (at the moment there is not too much holding the strut in the right place).
Adjustable TCA's (set up properley) for a bit of neg camber.
190lb springs?
on the rear - new harder bushes but keep the springs.
junk the antiroll bar & fit anti-tamp bars.
Some new shiney bilstiens.
Drop it an inch??
Bound to be people on here with a more knowledge than me about this stuff. I've had the same escort for 10 years now so not much to compare it with
Sounds good to me :thumb:
If your budget is tight, fit a weld-on double width kit a bit further forward than standard which will give you the castor you need and you can keep the standard anti-roll bar for now
Reverse into Travelodge!!
You know I can't reverse with a trailer!!
I'll have to unhitch it and push as per usual:D
mervhill
13-04-2008, 17:03
Thanks Gav will add springs to the list then.
Merv, agree about the steering wheel, will change it soon but love the look of it so will give it 2 more events and then it will have to go.
Didn't know about anti roll bar diameter but isn't twin cam used because of the change in castor? All a bit beyond me!!
Not changing anything for next weekend, want to do enough mileage so I can appreciate thechanges when they come.
Cheers for suggestions, all tips gratefully received:thumb:
If you want to change your castor mate, then to be honest the better option for you would be to go with a tension strut kit, and use a remote anti-roll bar setup instead, this will make the car much more stable under braking then anyway, and you can also adjust the castor this way too.
Rally design do a kit for £195 +vat
http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=4340
I would have a chat with Phil or Mick squires at R.A.C.E, they would tell you anything you need to know regarding this, cracking blokes they are, and really know their rallyng escorts (if you didn't know that already :D ) 01782 517763. :thumb:
Got new issues!!
Either plug or lead on number 4 cylinder is knackered as car is missing like a pig and makes no difference whether lead on this plug is connected or not. Bought a set of plugs and leads and went to the toilet, came back out and my super helpful brother in law had taken all 4 leads off!!! No idea which came from where.
Added to this either the battery or alternator is knackered, not good with only a couple of days until rally!!!
mervhill
14-04-2008, 11:19
new battery, new set of leads, and new dizzie cap it is then! :D
Just a thought mate, what kind of ignition are you running? Do you still have the points in the dizzie?
It's on lumenition, the cheap one though!!
mervhill
14-04-2008, 17:22
That's where your problem might lie mate. My brother's lumenition packed up on him, and anything over 4500rpm and it sounded like a war was going on, backfiring, misfiring etc etc.
I use the H&H Ignition Solutions coil and dizzie, it's a fantastic setup, no seperate box of tricks, just a dizzie and a coil. Might be worth giving them a call.....
http://www.h-h-ignitionsolutions.co.uk/
I've got a spare lumenition pack in my spares box Matt :thumb:
Hi All,
Pics from latest event at Talbenny on the weekend.
Not a good day!!
Stage1, Knocked axle loose on some tyres and it swung around like mad!!
Stages2, Axle came off again as one of the lugs was wrecked so it swung around loads again and caused lots of spins!!
Stage3, leads fell of dizzy several times, stopped to put them back on several times losing loads more time, axle came loose again
Stage 4, after bolting axle back on guess what happened, it fell loose again
Stage 5, very good clean run and was great, axle held on by a ratchet strap at this point!!
Stage 6, car cut out in start queue and had to be bump started. Car then cut out at haipin after all lights on dash went off and couldn't be restarted, end of day.
Loads of problems but fun anyway and highlighted the areas where I need to invest some time and cash. Pics below kindly sent to me by Rhodri Lewis.
PS Told you front suspension was too soft!!!
waynemk2
24-04-2008, 11:47
Did you manage to sort the wiring problem out??
Yes, although it's broken again now!!
The leads weren't in dizzy properly and that caused original problem!!
PS Told you front suspension was too soft!!!
:lmao:welcome to the world of lets race and rebuild :D
Hey Bud whats going on :dunno: i see your car for sale ? Mr Lepley has her for sale :watchout:
Hi mate,
I work in financial services and credit crunch has had severe effect on my income so a very unwelcome sacrifice had to be made.
Gutted but family got to come first so it's gone.
Jason Lepley was great to deal with though, gave good offer on email and didn't quibble when coming to pick up, highly recommended:thumb:
I'll be back though, no way I will ever buy a project again though, next time it has to be ready to go!!
Sorry to hear , but yes family has to take pride and place :thumb:
once gorden gets fucked out it'll be on the pick up again .
mervhill
22-07-2008, 23:02
Sorry to hear , but yes family has to take pride and place :thumb:
once gorden gets fucked out it'll be on the pick up again .
I do hope you're right! But I don't think we'll ever see fuel come down again :mad:
feel sorry for u too.. a good thread... i hope everything's ok by now... :)
sierra3dr
26-07-2008, 20:53
Such a lovely car,too nice to race.
PS Told you front suspension was too soft!!!
that's what I thought,I won't repeat what I said when I saw the picture :D Looks like it needs to be raised
I work in financial services and credit crunch has had severe effect on my income so a very unwelcome sacrifice had to be made.
Gutted but family got to come first so it's gone.
eek! A damn shame. You've got to do what you've got to do:stu:
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