sf4018

One of the drivers of an endurance team I run with recently did the Millie Miglia in Italy, which is a timed race (not fastest but closest to a set time) from Brescia to Rome and back again in old cars. I'd never heard of it before, but it looked like a hoot. I checked out their website and it looks like they have an event in the USA... 1000 Miglia Warm Up USA 2022 – 23-26 Ottobre 2019 – 1000 Miglia The original Miglia is for cars built from 1927-57, but they have for the USA a group for post 1957 cars to present day. Class winners are eligible for the Italy event. My 420R doesn't have any protection against the weather so it would be a terrible car to enter, but I'd be happy to navigate if somebody wants to enter!

I'm using the Caterham supplied uprated front brake pads, still on the first set. I'm on set 6 for the rears. I'm just experimenting with rear pads to see if any don't wear out in 2 weekends but also work well on track. I don't think you need to match brands for front and rear.

Ignoring the first lap (the fronts basically don't work when cold), the balance was best on the Mintex, very predictable over the full stint. The Delphi 507CP seemed to lose grip after half a dozen laps or so (guessing they overheated?) and the car started over-rotating. AP Racing somewhere between the 2.

Just an update on pad selection for the rears - I’ve run 3 rear pads so far… Delphi 507CP AP Racing Mintex M1155 Was expecting the Mintex to be the winner (due to price) but so far AP Racing has the best wear rate of 166 miles/mm, Mintex only 55miles/mm. These are all heavy track use numbers.

The internal fuel pump is controlled by a module, the module when powered up sends a 1+ second pulse to the pump to charge the fuel lines. When the engine is started the ECU sends an output to the pump module to command it to energize the pump. This ECU output is not on all the time but on demand. The problem for the ECU is there's no fuel pressure feedback, so it has to estimate fuel demand (no idea what the algorithm is) to maintain fuel pressure.

In line with @MV8 sounds like a battery drain with the system off. If you have a meter with Amps on it, take off one of the battery leads and put the meter in series with the lead and battery terminal, that'll show right away if there's some current.

I had a very similar thing happen at VIR a year or so ago, it felt like it was losing a cylinder for a few seconds on the straights, then would suddenly be fine again. After that happened, I coincidentally did the fuel cell project, which required putting in a new tank, an always on external fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator with return to tank and a new ECU. Basically like a 420 race spec solution. Never happened again. During the project I discovered from the SBD folks that the road going fuel system for the 420 was tuned to work 99% of the time but is basically flawed, the flaw revolving around when and how often pump energizes given that there's no fuel pressure sensor. Basically fudged to work. I'm not saying this is what is happening to your car but it sure sounds similar. I can dig out and post the video of the issue from VIR if you'd like to compare.

That Franklin to Highlands Road is one of the prettiest I've ever driven, would make a perfect blat.

Thanks for sharing, I'm a bit confused about them naming it "Cup", which suggests it is a race spec car, which it doesn't look like it is. SADEV is nice. Avon ZZR Extreme tires are news to me, I'll need to look into those.

Gonna shoot to propose some dates and tracks for Spring 2023 in November when the track day folks release their schedules, we'll see what happens.

To be honest I was expecting to be lumped into Group 11 "Modern Era Sports Racers and Track Day Cars", which even includes Caterham in their Race Group guide. Group 3 is 60s-80s small bore production, but there is a statement: "certain small-bore sports racers are permitted on a case-by-case basis", so maybe got in on that, in any case I felt very fortunate. From a competitive standpoint with Avons on it would have been pretty even with the Porsche 951/911/944/Ford Escort Mk1 front runners so it makes sense on that front at least.

Finally got to go to a HSR event in the 420R. They thankfully put me in Group 3, which was an awesome group of cars. The car was not eligible for podiums due to not getting the Avons in time :(, but the HSR folks were really well organized, super nice and the other racers were really cool folks. Here's Race 1 highlights...

That Momo steering wheel seems quite large, is that from Caterham?

NJ is 2 days drive each way, it's too much for me unfortunately, it would be nice to have an event down south somewhere. Easiest way might be to suggest a weekend in the fall from Chin Track Days, Just Track It, etc and people signing up to that. There were 3 420Rs the last track day I went to.

I have a 420R SV with Aero wishbones - it's 13.6" between skin openings. One note though - the original order was with the track exhaust (the one that goes out the back of the car and has 2 mufflers). Everything fitted fine. I later got the regular "louder" single muffler that spits the exhaust out to the right side, but the mounts for the 2 exhaust systems are about 3" further forward, so I had to build a bracket to make the new one work. This is probably useless info, but maybe it's a clue for something relating to exhaust type.

Lambda is quite variable during gear changes and transitions, I put in the innovate WB sensor late last year during a fuel cell project, here's the sensor feedback during a run a few months ago... (8) PBOC Winterfest @ Sebring in a Caterham 420R - YouTube

Thanks all, I’ll try those guys.

I need a set for a race next month, having trouble locating some. Who does everyone buy theirs from?

I've raced Porsches, BMWs and Miatas and tracked AMGs, Caterhams and a bunch of others. From my experience the Miatas stand out as the most reliable by some distance followed by the older BMWs. Modern day sports cars are so heavy and complex, I think the GT3 Cup cars cost $70 per shift average on track!

Great video and driving skills! The Caterham ECU switches the fan on at 105C and off at 101C, it runs hot, so those temps seem within range.

My garage is super tight too so couldn't fit a fixed lift in it unfortunately, so I went with a portable Quick Jack system. As @locost7018 mentions a scissor lift is definitely a plan B solution but it does work, once the car is lifted you have to lower it on 3 or 4 jack stands and remove it to be able to work under the car. It's about a 10-15 minute process to get the car up and down.

It's the same for the other fluids too, they never refill the same amount as the original fill.

I just used the 3 holes that lined up, don't need the 4th there's virtually no load on the plate, unless it's an OCD trigger.

@KnifeySpoony is the car over rotating while trail braking?