Stylussprinter's Stylus

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Should have stayed in Sports Libre . There were 3 6R4's and John Rutter in his Manta GTE 3.5lt V8 and I was quicker than them all ----- bugger . I ended the day 2nd in class B10 and 6th overall from 82 entries. I wasn't on the pace mainly due to lifting too early in my practice runs then being messy through the crossover all day really. Shoulders gave me jip trying to be precise through the crossover , just couldn't use the steering wheel properly. Ended up passing the steering wheel back through my right hand just to get through the exit. Last year here my winning time was 54.4 secs from memory and on Sunday my best was 55.27secs.
Now of course I'm not even certain that I'll be competing ever again which is really upsetting me. I assumed I'd be competing until leaving this earth , well almost anyway.
[B][/WHY--- these new regs for 2016 brought out with no decent warning of their future plans. Tyes , Hans device with helmet to match/with hans posts and a full FIA Certificated rollcage.B] My Stylus has been built , modified and modified and modified since 1998 , costing overall £40,000 ---- yes , I know that's bonkers but correct. If sold , even with it's history of championship successes (6 champ'p wins plus loads of individual wins , 2nd's 3rd's etc) I'd be lucky to return half it's cost . Hence just having bought the Alfa GTAm. Putting a cage into a fully built Stylus , fibreglass everywhere with certificated tube and crash test proof will be ridiculous cost ---- on top of that with side bars halfway up the door and from rollbar to windscreen , I couldn't get into the drivers seat without climbing on top of the car then trying to thread my old body through the top rollbar to screen bars. Custom Cages have quoted another Stylus hillclimb driver £4500 to design/build/crash test then fit , including a certificate course !!! Possibly if I'd bought a tatty secondhand Stylus without my mod's and capabilities for 5 to 8 grand then maybe I'd comply BUT I've already spent way too much to throw thousands more at it.
Then of course there's the hans device. OK , not too bad at £200 for a cheapy with my new helmet bought last year ------ no hans posts though because no bugger told me about any 2016 regs saying I might need posts one day ------ after all this is clubsport not FORMULA 1.
If I was a millionaire and racing a Bugatti or an ERA capable of over 160 mph on major circuits all over the world ------------------------ the MSA would let me kill myself with their blessing ------ they are totally exempt from harness/hans/full cage and sitting up in the air ready to hit a curb or soft ground and possibly end up upside down.
I know I'm bloody old and ranting on but this one move by the MSA (bloody EU AGAIN !!!) has stopped my hobby dead in it's tracks and left me with a big investment for which there's no future use . Obviously you can tell I'm pissed off !!!

[Toymex]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

I did pop down on Sunday but couldn't see your car ,I was going to introduce myself ,who won overall as when I left Kevin Plummer was quickest in his Nova .sorry to hear about your car and cage ,hopefully they will see sense if enough people lobby the MSA

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

I did pop down on Sunday but couldn't see your car ,I was going to introduce myself ,who won overall as when I left Kevin Plummer was quickest in his Nova .sorry to hear about your car and cage ,hopefully they will see sense if enough people lobby the MSA

One of the CORSA drivers got FTD not sure whether Kevin though . My car and trailer was parked to your left immediately you enter the course/paddock.(red ALFA 159 tow car and BJ A-MAX trailer. Adjacent to the green 420 bhp MGB on wide slicks. What time did you get there , I had all 6 runs so was in the line of cars each time.

[MemphisTwin]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Should have stayed in Sports Libre . There were 3 6R4's and John Rutter in his Manta GTE 3.5lt V8 and I was quicker than them all ----- bugger . I ended the day 2nd in class B10 and 6th overall from 82 entries. I wasn't on the pace mainly due to lifting too early in my practice runs then being messy through the crossover all day really. Shoulders gave me jip trying to be precise through the crossover , just couldn't use the steering wheel properly. Ended up passing the steering wheel back through my right hand just to get through the exit. Last year here my winning time was 54.4 secs from memory and on Sunday my best was 55.27secs.
Now of course I'm not even certain that I'll be competing ever again which is really upsetting me. I assumed I'd be competing until leaving this earth , well almost anyway.
[B][/WHY--- these new regs for 2016 brought out with no decent warning of their future plans. Tyes , Hans device with helmet to match/with hans posts and a full FIA Certificated rollcage.B] My Stylus has been built , modified and modified and modified since 1998 , costing overall £40,000 ---- yes , I know that's bonkers but correct. If sold , even with it's history of championship successes (6 champ'p wins plus loads of individual wins , 2nd's 3rd's etc) I'd be lucky to return half it's cost . Hence just having bought the Alfa GTAm. Putting a cage into a fully built Stylus , fibreglass everywhere with certificated tube and crash test proof will be ridiculous cost ---- on top of that with side bars halfway up the door and from rollbar to windscreen , I couldn't get into the drivers seat without climbing on top of the car then trying to thread my old body through the top rollbar to screen bars. Custom Cages have quoted another Stylus hillclimb driver £4500 to design/build/crash test then fit , including a certificate course !!! Possibly if I'd bought a tatty secondhand Stylus without my mod's and capabilities for 5 to 8 grand then maybe I'd comply BUT I've already spent way too much to throw thousands more at it.
Then of course there's the hans device. OK , not too bad at £200 for a cheapy with my new helmet bought last year ------ no hans posts though because no bugger told me about any 2016 regs saying I might need posts one day ------ after all this is clubsport not FORMULA 1.
If I was a millionaire and racing a Bugatti or an ERA capable of over 160 mph on major circuits all over the world ------------------------ the MSA would let me kill myself with their blessing ------ they are totally exempt from harness/hans/full cage and sitting up in the air ready to hit a curb or soft ground and possibly end up upside down.
I know I'm bloody old and ranting on but this one move by the MSA (bloody EU AGAIN !!!) has stopped my hobby dead in it's tracks and left me with a big investment for which there's no future use . Obviously you can tell I'm pissed off !!!

Is there anyway you could get the Stylus through IVA (the old SVA) and make it road legal? Then I believe you could enter a roadgoing sprint/hillclimb class (most championships have a class for over 1700cc Kit Cars) where none of this safety cage/hans crap is required. Bizarrely you don't even need a roll-over bar!

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Is there anyway you could get the Stylus through IVA (the old SVA) and make it road legal? Then I believe you could enter a roadgoing sprint/hillclimb class (most championships have a class for over 1700cc Kit Cars) where none of this safety cage/hans crap is required. Bizarrely you don't even need a roll-over bar!

It wouldn't need an IVA/SVA because it passed in 1999. However , the mod's done since then over 15 yrs are extensive. All suspension redesigned to be correct geometry at a VERY low ride height (putting this back woud be very expensive plus cause further problems £££) ie. new shocks/springs also the FORCE RACING 3.5KG 13 inch wheels would look ridiculous/girraff like , once the ride height was lifted because I cut/extended them out to take the 13's. Then I'd have to fit headlights , winkers , side repeaters . Screen washer , the list goes on . Basically the cost would be as bad if not worse than having the cage etc. It would also handle like a road car so ruin the car. Until you realise what I've done to it over these last 15 yrs , it doesn't seem a big deal to go roadgoing. Then there's another cost after reverting to roadgoing --- TAX INSURANCE MOT which I've escaped since taking it off the road in 2005.

[MemphisTwin]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

It wouldn't need an IVA/SVA because it passed in 1999. However , the mod's done since then over 15 yrs are extensive. All suspension redesigned to be correct geometry at a VERY low ride height (putting this back woud be very expensive plus cause further problems £££) ie. new shocks/springs also the FORCE RACING 3.5KG 13 inch wheels would look ridiculous/girraff like , once the ride height was lifted because I cut/extended them out to take the 13's. Then I'd have to fit headlights , winkers , side repeaters . Screen washer , the list goes on . Basically the cost would be as bad if not worse than having the cage etc. It would also handle like a road car so ruin the car. Until you realise what I've done to it over these last 15 yrs , it doesn't seem a big deal to go roadgoing. Then there's another cost after reverting to roadgoing --- TAX INSURANCE MOT which I've escaped since taking it off the road in 2005.

There is no requirement for your car to actually be a civilised road car. There is no requirement for you to drive it to events. Most kitcars in roadgoing classes NEVER see a public road - mine certainly never did. The requirement is for it to be taxed and Motd, and as long as it is road-legal (in the eyes of the scrutineers) you can even still run it in Sports Libre should you wish to. And being road legal you don't need to show your RAC logbook!

There's no such thing as cheap motorsport - certainly not if you wish to be competitive in your class.

Just a thought.

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

I have a letter from Mike Duncan MSA tech guy . He says that if my Stylus was compliant in 2015 then it will be in 2016 . I'll put the letter in my log book folder and argue it on the day. So bought a new helmet and HANS device and entered the Stylus in the Bognor Regis Goodwood Sprint on 23rd April.
Just have to wait and see what happens . If they throw it out at scrutineering then I'll sell it .
My GTAm is ready for it's last oil drain now having done 1224 miles plus 160 miles this Easter Monday , going to the Horsham Piazza Italia --- it's been selected for their Alfa stand. Then with new Millers 20w50 nanotech it's off to Novatech rolling road to optimise everything.
I'm entering the Brighton & Hove Goodwood sprint with it in Road going on 7th May !!! Need to hold back a bit though , don't want bent ally arches !
Watch this space .

[Graham]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

exciting stuff

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Really looking forward to getting on track with it ----- although I've been competing for many years , this little Alfa is going to be a steep learning curve for me after the lightweight Stylus

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Didn't take the Alfa GTAm to Horsham , as the weather was rain/sleet and snow going sideways . Today was dry and sunny so clocked up another 80 miles , making 1305 miles since engine rebuild . Waiting for Millers 20w50 Classic Performance NT then drain plus filter , before the rollers session soon.

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Just booked the GTAm in for a session at Novatech in Slough on Thursday 7th March , hopefully to optimise timing/fuel on the Dellorto's . Getting very enthusiastic to say the least , maybe excited is closer to the truth.
A quick drain and filter tomorrow plus a tad more miles before next week on the rollers.

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Millers all singing , dancing nanotech classic oil and filter done Ready for a run out on Sunday , hopefully in the sunshine . Roll on Thursday

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

Millers all singing , dancing nanotech classic oil and filter done Ready for a run out on Sunday , hopefully in the sunshine . Roll on Thursday

Sunday isn't looking good here so went out today in the GTAm . Clocked up 98 miles topping 7000rpm on a couple of occasions. Strangely the revcut within the 123 Dizzy didn't jump into action at 6500rpm , so either it's not working or my revcounter tells porkies . It's got 1403 miles on it now so ok for the rollers on Thursday.

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

The engine didn't make the power I thought it may do , considering the spec but what do I know --- Alfa Nords are all totally new to me. After a 2.5 hr session changing timing , carb jets etc , Andy at Novatech got it to 150.6 bhp 131 lbft torque . Having said that , my Stylus was engine dyno'd at 231 bhp then had a rolling road session a few months later at Northampton Motorsport showing 158 bhp ----- so rollers don't mean a lot do they.
This power level was at 7000rpm and was still climbing at 6500rpm then tailed off . It feels great which is the main thing .

[Stylussprinter]

Re: Stylussprinter's Stylus

I've entered , but not accepted yet due to huge volume entered , for the KOP HILL CLIMB at Princes Risborough on 17th Sept . A waiting game now but such a cheap entry , so worth it at £40