Thanks everyone. It's been an adventure to get to this point and I'm glad people feel like they have came along on the journey as that was the goal.
A person has a lot of time to think riding to and from PRI and to and from the Challenge.
So what's next for the LMP360? From the beginning the goal for the car was to build something that would have a life after the challenge. I have been doing Track Days in my MG midget for the past few years and at the last few events have been desiring moving towards TT from HPDE. The MG has proven to be fast and reliable, with low consumable use and quite attention grabbing. But it's not perfect. There are a few issues with moving it to full TT duty. 1. Safety. The car was built before I knew any better and uses a low front hoop cage that, critically is built from ERW tube. This was a mistake past me made because I speced NHRA legal tubing for the bar because the initial goal of the build was a $2000 challenge car. The low hoop design requires a few additional tubes to be added to be "fully legal" which most TT organizations would require. They also would render it basically unsafe for street use because of where these tubes would go. It doesn't have a fire system or fuel cell both of which would need to be added. 2. It's an open car. I've ran it on track in the rain 3 times and every time it's "fun" in a I'm getting all wet and acting like I don't care sort of way. 3. It was the first thing I constructed my self and some of the workmanship is less then top notch. 4. It's Short.. Like REALLY short, like 80" WB short. It's fine at <120 mph but if I wanted to push it towards the speeds it should be capable of for the classes a "Tube Frame Race car" plays in it has been showing me it would be a bit spicy at 130mph plus. Yes obviously I could fix all this stuff sort of but it would require a pretty extensive re-build of the car and make it less good at faking being a street car.
The 360 was the opportunity to address all of that from the beginning. The 360 is capable of being an enclosed car. I know a lot more then I knew when I built the MG so the cage could be built of Top Spec materials, designed to be legal from the beginning for any organization. A foot print more conducive to high speed stability could be created, the wheelbase is 14" longer despite having a nearly identical track width. If weight was kept similar low consumables would be expected. I could build it from the beginning with Aero in mind which again is pretty much required in the classes it will have to play in. It's also Mid Engined, which is just better somehow.
So from the onset this was the target for the LMP360. Be a better track car then the MG addressing all the deficiencies I experienced with the MG. And for the most part I've been able to do that with the $2000 budget. The car as a base is more capable then the MG, weighs 40 lbs less then the MG despite being bigger, has full Aero and will be an enclosed cockpit. HP lags by about 15HP (The MG is 165 WHP, the LMP360 165 Crank) as realistically will reliability. Safety is partially addressed with accommodation for a FIA fuel cell and a much superior cage built into the car. The FIRM trackday showed the car has huge potential as is, but the car still has gaps for track work that realistically can't be fixed in budget.
The Brakes are horrible. This is mostly due to re-use of donor car brakes but the Pedal cluster is less then Ideal for track use. The car was built using a flipped and modified OEM Outback cluster converted to manual brakes. I am not satisfied with the safety this solution offers for track work. Calipers / pads are exempt but pedals are not.
The car needs an FIA fuel cell. This is required by rule for most TT organizations. I already own this but it's $800.
The car needs a fire system. Again this is required by some organizations rules. This is $700.
The EJ series of engines do not love sustained High G cornering. Solutions are available. They cost money.
The suspension needs a 3rd element and possibly swaybars. I actually might be able to get this done for near challenge money but realistically it is going to require 8-16 rod ends and that's $5/each.
165 HP is nice, but the FIRM showed it can only propel the Aero to around 105. Even with a reduction in down force to more appropriate levels for track use, It will only really have the same performance envelop (speed) as the MG and top at around 120.
So I'm going to spend money. It's not going to be a Challenge car anymore. I'm somewhat saddened by this because part of the cars identity has been the fact that it is hilariously cheap. And If i was satisfied with it being a Autox car with occasional HPDE use I could keep it that way but I already have a compromised Track car, why would I own two?
But I'm not just going to go from pinching every penny to blowing the budget off, that's just not in my nature. As fun as it would be to call up a Subaru performance shop and say here's $15K lets make some HP that's not my style so I need a goal.
Challenge cars and the GRM ethos is all about performance for the dollar so lets do a little stroll around the interspace and see what’s what.
Ligier or equivalent LMP3 - 950 KG, 450 HP, $150-240K.
Okay that may be a bit of a stretch goal. Lets aim a little more down market.
Praga R1 – 650 KG, 370 HP $160K
That’s a little more attainable, weight is close but I don’t think there are many of them in the states to compare to.
Radical SR3 – 630 KG, 226 HP $78-120K
Well now we are getting somewhere for a target but that’s an open car with a motorcycle power train but it sure is a nice piece of kit but I bet I can do better..
NASA NP-01 EVO – 680 KG, 210HP $84K
Well then.. Don’t you look familiar. Automotive based 4 cylinder, enclosed cockpit. ~680KG, 210HP. You are everything I would love to own.. but eek $84K!
So let’s build our own shall we.
Introducing Project LMP360-EVO
The Goal: Lap equal to a NASA NP01-EVO when driven by a normal human. I’m not setting the target based on lap records here but make the LMP360 reliably lap a track at laptimes that would be in the mix with NP01 races.
Weight target : 680 KG
HP Target: 210+ HP (Crank) with potential support for up to 300WHP (EVO 2 foreshadowing intensifies).
Safety Targets: FIA Fuel Cell, Braided AN fuel System, Wilwood Pedal Cluster, “5LB” Fire system.
Reliability: As good as possible, address the EJ motor weaknesses.
Participate in the UTCC, and run GridLife Track Battle.
Budget: $10K.. ALL IN. No Exemptions.
