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Mk5
Mar 10, 2005 13:37:47 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Mar 10, 2005 13:37:47 GMT -5
Well I've finally put my money where my mouth is! I sent off my cheque to Allan for a set of plans for the Mk5 'two seater' sports racer version. Hopefully I won't take 10 years to build this car (but if my past record is anything to go by.............. 9 years to build the Hawke, 17 years and still need to finish my 1967 GTM). I look to you fellow Terrapin Forum members/builders to keep my enthusiasm from flagging and to provide lots of positive criticism. ;D Doug
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Mk5
Mar 10, 2005 13:47:45 GMT -5
Post by BigMark on Mar 10, 2005 13:47:45 GMT -5
Really looking forward to seeing a two seater up and being built!!! Great stuff mate!
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Mk5
Mar 10, 2005 14:02:15 GMT -5
Post by Jawfish on Mar 10, 2005 14:02:15 GMT -5
Way to go Doug, A MK 5, hmm Always wanted a closer look at one being built. ;D Keep us posted of your progress. Always willing to help when possible.
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Mk5
Mar 16, 2005 14:45:59 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Mar 16, 2005 14:45:59 GMT -5
Good to see Mark has started his build. I have not been totally idle myself... I finally decided that my old trailer was getting a bit too ramshackle...or downright dangerous. The trailer was originally the family touring caravan (1969 vintage). It was also too narrow for my Hawke. I did start widening the deck but this was going to make the wheels stick out too far, then I discovered rust in the main A-frame and the suspension was knackerd (not to mention the split tyres) I am still going to use the widened deck but I am effectively supporting it on a completely new two wheel trailer. The 10 inch wheels will be under the deck and I am thinking of making a tilt bed to aid loading/unloading (if I can find suitable pivots and hydraulics). Basic frame welded up last Saturday. On Sunday I managed to give it a coat of cold galvanising paint to keep the rust at bay and also fitted the suspension units, hitch and jockey wheel so that I can roll it outside and get the car back in the garage. This week I have painted up a set of Mini Cooper steel wheels and taken them to have the tyres fitted, I have also rigged up the brakes. Doug.
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Mk5
Mar 22, 2005 14:11:40 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Mar 22, 2005 14:11:40 GMT -5
Allan - the Mk5 plans arrived safely today, many thanks. Now I need to go and sort out my collection of Mini bits 'that might come in handy some day'. Doug.
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Mk5
Mar 26, 2005 16:58:55 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Mar 26, 2005 16:58:55 GMT -5
Hi All, This week I have been mostly finishing the trailer... .\ The trailer with the Hawke installed is nicely balanced..70lbs nose weight with spare tyres fitted on the tyre rack. I have also acquired an Eaton M45 Cooper S supercharger... what a nice compact unit this is. Doug.
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Mk5
Mar 27, 2005 2:20:50 GMT -5
Post by BigMark on Mar 27, 2005 2:20:50 GMT -5
Very nice looking job mate!! Looks like we will all be suppercharging somewhere down the line Think I'm just going to get mine built first and then look at forced induction. Would you mind PMing the width of the MK5 (for pilot and passenger) would like to see if two larger people will fit) Does it still use mini running gear and hubs etc?
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Mk5
Mar 27, 2005 6:31:58 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Mar 27, 2005 6:31:58 GMT -5
Hi Mark, The cockpit width of the Mk5 is 33 inches. As such, the driver sits partially over the centreline of the car. Although the car is a two seater, the second seat wouldn't take a very large passenger. The cockpit transverse opening just exceeds the minimum width of 810mm as set out by the MSA for sports racing cars. The Mk5 still uses the same suspension, hubs and wishbones as the Mk1. Doug.
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Mk5
Mar 28, 2005 14:24:59 GMT -5
Post by Jawfish on Mar 28, 2005 14:24:59 GMT -5
Nice work Doug... The tire rack is a good idea.
What are you using as a tow vehicule
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Mk5
Mar 28, 2005 15:12:51 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Mar 28, 2005 15:12:51 GMT -5
Thanks for that. The tyre rack helps balance the two wheeled trailer especially as I load the car with the engine to the rear. (I can drive the car straight onto the trailer & roll off backwards - no reverse fitted to the Kawasaki). I secure the tyres with rachet straps but have a padlocked tube running thro' the centres. The trailer with race car comes in at about 750 Kg and is braked - this is just on the recommended towing limit for my Suzuki Ignis. The Ignis tows surprisingly well despite being 1328cc - mine is just the frontwheel drive version so I sometimes get a lot of wheelspin pulling away from junctions in the wet. Suzuki now make a 1500cc 4x4 Ignis which would be a better idea. Fuel economy is pretty good - 33 mpg towing (45 mpg normally). Doug.
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Mk5
Mar 28, 2005 15:14:51 GMT -5
Post by BigMark on Mar 28, 2005 15:14:51 GMT -5
Really cant wait to see this take shape Doug!!!
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Mk5
Apr 26, 2005 12:17:32 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Apr 26, 2005 12:17:32 GMT -5
It has all gone a bit quiet on the Forum for the past week and a half...... Just to update everyone on the progress (lack of) on my Mk5... As I previously mentioned I was getting my Hawke ready for its first sprint of the season last Saturday (23rd April). I got my softer rear springs, smaller front sprocket, very sticky Avon slicks fitted and changed the fluids. The new trailer tows very well. Saturdays sprint was at Kames (Ayrshire, Scotland). With all the changes to the car, I took it fairly easily on the first practice. Everything seemed to be fine so I started to push for the following runs. On third practice, the engine started on its old tricks of dropping onto 3 cylinders away from the startline then clearing after the first hairpin. My thoughts were that it was a fuel level/pressure problem. Anyway every further run was plagued by this missfire. Despite this I managed to get my first ever FTD (Fastest time of the Day). The handling of the car has been transformed by the change to softer rear springs - The car no longer hops on fast corners (previously it felt like the rear wheels were pattering). Traction was also a lot better. The Avon A40 slicks have considerably more grip than the Hoosier R25a tyres - the car felt like it had no cornering limit (not at the speeds I was going that is ;D) Accelleration was much improved due to the sprocket and a reduction from 22" to 21" rear tyres. On Sunday's event there was a much larger field so I only managed 3rd overall and 2nd in class but I still managed to improve my best time by 2 seconds. For the Sunday I replaced my ignition coils and plug leads - result! - this appears to have fixed the missfire (best 5 Pounds I have spent on e-Bay ) Again, I was amazed at the cornering grip from the Avons. Wear on the tyres was not too bad despite Kames always being hard on tyres. The fronts did roll a bead of rubber onto the inner edge and the RHS front did start to pick up on the mould lines on the centre of the tread. I had to level this off using a Sureform rasp and water in the usual manner. On Saturday the circuit was anti-clockwise so the RHS front took most of the cornering forces. Sunday the circuit ran clockwise but I still appeared to be getting some funny wear patterns on the RHS front - I had better check my front suspension geometry again. Furthermore - the sun shone all weekend (even got a bit sunburnt). I was somewhat cheered that the two cars which beat me cost in excess of 10 times what it cost to build the Hawke! I think I have rambled on long enough about non-Terrapin things, so let me hear how you have all been getting on. Doug.
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Mk5
Apr 27, 2005 15:08:42 GMT -5
Post by Jawfish on Apr 27, 2005 15:08:42 GMT -5
Hey Doug, In my case not much on the terrapin either. Did my Road Race course with the Focus, and had a lapping day with it. I'm curious about licencing on your side of the pound. Here Sprint licence doesn't require any course or training as such, but it does require a drivers license plus the ok from your sprint club. For road-racing then a course is require for the ASN-FIA sanction events, but for my local track championship, your just requires an ok from the lapping club instructors . How it for you guy's. On the terrapin front, not much progress for myself, but I should finish the rear bulkhead and start the lower tubes this weekend. Hopefully I'll have something to show (pictures ;D).
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Mk5
Apr 27, 2005 16:31:02 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on Apr 27, 2005 16:31:02 GMT -5
Hi Fred, Licensing in the UK is similar. For 'speed' events such as hillclimbs and sprints, there is no requirement for an approved training course. There are a few different grades of speed licence depending on the level of the event entered (ranging from Club, though National to International). Upgrading licences requires a certain number of events to have been undertaken and signatures obtained. There are further restrictions on racing cars over 2000cc, again requiring a number of qualifying events before being allowed to compete in these vehicles. For speed events we only have to make a medical declaration rather than submitting to a full medical which is required for a 'race' license. For a race license an approved training course must also be completed. For 'track days' no licence (other than normal road license) is required, as these 'events' are commercially run. Unfortunately club run practice days/ private track hire are becoming rare due to insurance problems. Doug.
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Mk5
May 29, 2005 15:42:39 GMT -5
Post by MiNiTiCi on May 29, 2005 15:42:39 GMT -5
Haven't posted for a while so here is an update of (lack of) progress on the Mk5. As the Sprint & hillclimb season is well under way I have been away most weekends. So far my season has gone quite well - one FTD, one second FTD and two first in class (up to 1100cc) - then there was Knockhill (yesterday) - my local track, I was looking forward to beating my previous best of 114 seconds for the 1.9 lap sprint - the weather had other ideas - mist, rain and gale force winds. On the last run of the day the track was damp but most of the surface water had cleared - Just the chance to try and improve my class position, unfotunately I was a bit late on the brakes for a right hander and spun off backwards and stalled (no damage). I had the pleasure of meeting Terrapin forum member Ian Scott at Knockhill - he was running his latest Megapin (his marque was well represented at the sprint, I think there were four Megapins entered). As you can see from the picture below Ian's Megapin looks the part (and goes well too!) shame about the weather. When I have not been competing I have been rebuilding my friends Hawke (again) - he had a bit of an argument with an oak tree at the Fintray hillclimb (the tree won). His car should be ready for Golspie sprint next weekend.
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