MG Midget - 570hp/tonne

FM155

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Alfa 155
God that's nice, yes Sports 2000 chassis with a proper engine. :cool:
I did a re-fresh of TDR's 37S at Crossle in 1987, loved the shape of it but thought it must have been a bit held back with the asthmatic FF2000 pinto boat anchor. (140bhp of fury)
Always thought one with a proper light and powerful engine would have been a lovely thing.
Wouldn't have thrown that 42S out of bed either, good price for what it was tbh.
Couldn't edit the other post but this was the TDR 37S
TDR 37S.jpg
 

IL

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IL
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God that's nice, yes Sports 2000 chassis with a proper engine. :cool:
I did a re-fresh of TDR's 37S at Crossle in 1987, loved the shape of it but thought it must have been a bit held back with the asthmatic FF2000 pinto boat anchor. (140bhp of fury)
Always thought one with a proper light and powerful engine would have been a lovely thing.
Wouldn't have thrown that 42S out of bed either, good price for what it was tbh.

There are still a few of those running in Roadsports, most have Zetecs slotted in now.. lovely looking cars!

Just had a chance to watch the video of testing, really impressive and where it looks the most impressive to me is the turn in and corner speed at the hairpin and colonial 1... it just points and goes!! Clearly very well setup and steered!

What does the car weigh now and what sort of the power? Last year my car weighed approx 1000kg with me in it and 301hp and managed a few 60sec laps and averaged 61's on a good day, 59's was the dream but not sure what it would take in a saloon car

Mike has the car well setup for me, this is all done on his initial setup, we haven't yet really tuned the suspension to my liking, its just been so good out of the box, ill be making a few tweaks for Saturday and for the next event i'll be altering the final drive and also a few ratios in the box to make it pull better at the top end!

With regards to weight, the car is just under half the weight of your saloon and just under your power level...

awesome iain shame donny didnt work out - but will be great to showcase its first competitive outing at kirky......... blow em away, then go play in england when you can (y)

Yes, Gutted it didn't work out in the end, lesson learnt.. Buzzing for Saturday all the same.. :laughing: 991 GT3 Cup entered in my class, should be interesting!
 

FM155

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Alfa 155
There are still a few of those running in Roadsports, most have Zetecs slotted in now.. lovely looking cars!
Those would do alright, Zetecs can get around the 210/220 mark now. Not the heaviest engine either.
The 37S was a long tail car, the 42S was a shorter tail and the 47 was a wider track car. All of them lovely shapes TBH but I have a soft spot for the 37 obvs.
Edit: Just had a search for a side on pic of the 37 and it's the TDR car. Looooooong tail..
TDR 37S side on.jpg
:cool:
 
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StephenDc2

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There are still a few of those running in Roadsports, most have Zetecs slotted in now.. lovely looking cars!



Mike has the car well setup for me, this is all done on his initial setup, we haven't yet really tuned the suspension to my liking, its just been so good out of the box, ill be making a few tweaks for Saturday and for the next event i'll be altering the final drive and also a few ratios in the box to make it pull better at the top end!

With regards to weight, the car is just under half the weight of your saloon and just under your power level...



Yes, Gutted it didn't work out in the end, lesson learnt.. Buzzing for Saturday all the same.. :laughing: 991 GT3 Cup entered in my class, should be interesting!



You can't complain if it works that well out of the box, it usually takes a lot of development to get something working that well but experience shows here on the initial setup of the car, fair play and nice to know there could be room to improve with more testing

I need to build something around 500kg and drop my engine into it to get a few seconds under a minute around there!

Enjoy the racing at the weekend (y)
 

IL

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IL
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Those would do alright, Zetecs can get around the 210/220 mark now. Not the heaviest engine either.
The 37S was a long tail car, the 42S was a shorter tail and the 47 was a wider track car. All of them lovely shapes TBH but I have a soft spot for the 37 obvs.
Edit: Just had a search for a side on pic of the 37 and it's the TDR car. Looooooong tail..
View attachment 296297 :cool:

I have never seen a long tail car, I also did not know TDR was based in Gilford! I assume it was for Aero? short/ long?

You can't complain if it works that well out of the box, it usually takes a lot of development to get something working that well but experience shows here on the initial setup of the car, fair play and nice to know there could be room to improve with more testing

I need to build something around 500kg and drop my engine into it to get a few seconds under a minute around there!

Enjoy the racing at the weekend (y)

Thanks Stephen,

Luckily this is the 3rd version built of this chassis with small tweaks along the way, but invaluable development and testing from previous builds has left this one well sorted out of the box!

Do it, get that engine pulled out, you really won't look back.. much faster and by far cheaper to run & repair than a saloon..

TR7 to date is costing the price of 2x Midgets & will never be as fast - I Will never build another Steel shelled car in my life!
 

FM155

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Alfa 155
TDR is in Tandragee, old gilford road. I'm not sure what he does now, hes well into his 80s now. He was in his early 50s when I was working there and still coming down into work on an RD350 LC with the knee well down. Serious character.

Edit, agree with the steel shelled vs spaceframe chassis on cost and maintenance. It was so easy to strip an FF car to fix damage or replace engines etc. (If it was designed correctly) Even the monocoque race tubs were a pain in comparison to a spaceframe. Just lack of access to brake lines, fuel cells etc. We found a damaged rear brake line on a March Formula Atlantic car where the brake line went into the fuel cell enclosure, turned out after pulling out the rivets and the bag tank from below that the braid wires had damaged the bag tank too. Pain in the rear end.
 
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StephenDc2

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I have never seen a long tail car, I also did not know TDR was based in Gilford! I assume it was for Aero? short/ long?



Thanks Stephen,

Luckily this is the 3rd version built of this chassis with small tweaks along the way, but invaluable development and testing from previous builds has left this one well sorted out of the box!

Do it, get that engine pulled out, you really won't look back.. much faster and by far cheaper to run & repair than a saloon..

TR7 to date is costing the price of 2x Midgets & will never be as fast - I Will never build another Steel shelled car in my life!

Would love to build something like the Midget tbh, I sold my car complete at the end of last year as we had our 1st baby on the way and I knew I wouldn't have the time to race this year but I have already started to put together another engine the same spec as the last one

Where do you start to build something like this? Is there somewhere that offers a specific kit to start as a base? I have had a good amount help with my cage etc in the past from a friend who works for Crossle but I dont have the skill or resources to fabricate a chassis myself from scratch
 

PaulYDP

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R1 Turbo
Wee car was going great all day! Heavy rain part way into the first race made it treacherous. Some great work to get it patched up and back out and still be the fastest car on the track! Weapon.
 

IL

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Wow.. What an Eventful & Satisfying Debut for the Car to the GT Class..

Qualified on pole, at 9:30am, first cars out on the track, probably the coldest Tarmac / Conditions i had driven it, Managed a 58.80 which put me on Pole by 3 hundredths of a Second for the Two races ahead.. Car felt good but i was having a few gearbox issues with it picking up two gears, missing 4th on the way up the box and 3rd on the way down occasionally..

120262587_4721656844512845_2016458615959267007_o.jpg


IMG_6229.png


In Race 1 i made an Awful Start (actually my first time trying a Standing Start) was about 4th in the first corner, Managed to catch the leader and take the lead..

120289828_4721698864508643_8208244361152862506_o.jpg


it started to rain quite heavy, i was out on slicks (as was everyone) but i spun coming off the hairpin, nice graceful 360 and managed to point it back down the track the right direction and didnt loose much ground.. with the bit between my teeth i started to really push and i was quickly pulling back on the leader but lost the car again about 100mph (top of 3rd gear) exiting the chicane and backed the car up the tyres :worried: :worried:

IMG_6241.jpg


Not one to give up & armed with a Lidl Arc welder, a scissor jack, 4" grinder, spirit level and Loads of Cable ties we set about getting the car squared up in the 2hr window to the next race :grinning:

B3867B0E-5873-48C3-9DA9-9601546399FC.jpg


794F1F45-318D-4D14-9E08-C563037566DC.jpg


Got the once over from the officials and they let me run for race 2..

IMG_6236.jpeg


2D188716-1C06-4C12-9D0B-F5A47FE9D635.jpg


Race 2 went as planned, nice dry conditions..

120303004_4724321744246355_7828960559900005102_o.jpg


120372953_4724323270912869_7580594571947520451_o.jpg


Lead from the start, pulled a comfortable lead and despite running no diffuser and having brake problems in the last 4 laps the car performed well and still punched in some low 59sec laps :grinning:

IMG_6237.jpeg


All in All awesome day out, great first session for the car..

- Qualified Pole Position
- Fastest Laps in Both Races
- Win in the 2nd Race

And also Managed to Set a New GT Lap Record for Kirkistown :cool: :cool:

2 weeks to get her repaired and back out for the final Road of the Championship !
 

quattro Rick

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quattro / M796
Wow.. What an Eventful & Satisfying Debut for the Car to the GT Class..

Qualified on pole, at 9:30am, first cars out on the track, probably the coldest Tarmac / Conditions i had driven it, Managed a 58.80 which put me on Pole by 3 hundredths of a Second for the Two races ahead.. Car felt good but i was having a few gearbox issues with it picking up two gears, missing 4th on the way up the box and 3rd on the way down occasionally..

View attachment 296888

View attachment 296889

In Race 1 i made an Awful Start (actually my first time trying a Standing Start) was about 4th in the first corner, Managed to catch the leader and take the lead..

View attachment 296912

it started to rain quite heavy, i was out on slicks (as was everyone) but i spun coming off the hairpin, nice graceful 360 and managed to point it back down the track the right direction and didnt loose much ground.. with the bit between my teeth i started to really push and i was quickly pulling back on the leader but lost the car again about 100mph (top of 3rd gear) exiting the chicane and backed the car up the tyres :worried: :worried:

View attachment 296894

Not one to give up & armed with a Lidl Arc welder, a scissor jack, 4" grinder, spirit level and Loads of Cable ties we set about getting the car squared up in the 2hr window to the next race :grinning:

View attachment 296900

View attachment 296901

Got the once over from the officials and they let me run for race 2..

View attachment 296914

View attachment 296902

Race 2 went as planned, nice dry conditions..

View attachment 296913

View attachment 296915

Lead from the start, pulled a comfortable lead and despite running no diffuser and having brake problems in the last 4 laps the car performed well and still punched in some low 59sec laps :grinning:

View attachment 296924

All in All awesome day out, great first session for the car..

- Qualified Pole Position
- Fastest Laps in Both Races
- Win in the 2nd Race

And also Managed to Set a New GT Lap Record for Kirkistown :cool: :cool:

2 weeks to get her repaired and back out for the final Road of the Championship !

That's an immense effort Iain!!! Must've been a few daisies near the hairpin 🤣

The repair job alone is remarkable. Kudos 👌 this thing really sounds like it is a shockingly good car. Must be some pilot too!
 
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IL

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Thanks Rick! First race in 5 years so i expect i'm abit rusty too.. but the car takes the credit, it was just mighty!!

Its so impressive, my friend sent me this video last night.. The 2.8 Millington RSR Escort has about 100hp more..

 

svensktoppen

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Happy days! That's the car broke in, fantastic effort getting not just back up and running but winning too! The upside of a spaceframe I suppose.

Race it, break it, fix it, race it again 😁 😎
 

adzy

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Nice one Iain! Fair play getting it patched up and back out again!
I’m sure it’s more interesting for Gerard now too having some competition on the grid!
 
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FM155

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Alfa 155
What sort of weight is the RSR? That seems like a fair old gap to be able to pull out on it with 100bhp more.. Maybe it's a mega peaky engine that takes a fair few revs to wake up.
 
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Jbridges522

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Watched both races from the road, 1st race was class to watch, u the mk1 and the 330, 3 wide going into the hairpin when you spun was hairy as hell haha. In the 2nd race you seemed to take the hairpin so much better than the mk1, would close in under breaking but you were able to take a much tighter line. Awesome car, and with the mk1 makes some pair of cars 👍
 
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MagicRat

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👏 Well done Iain, great result.

I've seen some photos from yesterday, it's a paint sprayer you need, forget the buffer.
 
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S2K-Aaron

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Well done mate, driving well. Shame about the spill but it can happen and well done for getting her patched up and back out. Nice to see someone take it to the RSR Escort for a change.
 
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