the life of rolie

[Stickman]

There's another feather for the cap.
Awesome news.
Hope the alterations prove to fix the issues...... and yes that is a very sexy radiator.

[Pombellett]

Sadly Sticky and all the other Rolie fans out there....all the mods didn't work, and once again the head gasket blew (on the dyno)...
.....it has become clear that we have some fundamental problems, and I reckon they are related to the pistons...............but the trouble is we don't really know for sure.

......and the Revival is at the beginning of September.

I've bitten the bullet, and have decided to get the 1800 Chev LUV engine prepared, rather than persist with the 1600.

Given the time available to us, I feel we've got a better chance of building a reliable motor using the 1800 and starting from scratch....of course this strategy involves using tried and tested developments and not trying to work it out for ourselves.
Hence we've been tapping into various sources of competition knowhow including the forum's own Asroc....thanks James.

So far so good....bottom end looks OK and strong, and the top end looks workable....at the moment we stripping the best part of 10lbs from the massive flywheel and grinding/balancing the crank. Whilst we wait for stuff to come from the States.

Dyno...early August.
Track test booked 13th August........anybody got any time for sale?

[Farmer]

Time for sale? Wouldn't we all like that? Then again, watch the movie "In time", perhaps not such a good idea.

I dont know much about much, but I remember some advice from 1980. "Always use a forged flywheel" came after the speaker had had a lightened stock cast flywheel disintergrate while at full flight. One piece went through bell housing, tranny tunnel, just missed his foot and continued through inner and outer guard. Destroyed GT gearbox, shrapnel wounded bonnet, etc. Cast wheels have fine cracks, which are weakened by lightening.
Money well spent.
Cheers, Matt.

[Glenn]

Sadly Sticky and all the other Rolie fans out there....all the mods didn't work, and once again the head gasket blew (on the dyno)...
.....it has become clear that we have some fundamental problems, and I reckon they are related to the pistons...............but the trouble is we don't really know for sure.

......and the Revival is at the beginning of September.

I've bitten the bullet, and have decided to get the 1800 Chev LUV engine prepared, rather than persist with the 1600.

Given the time available to us, I feel we've got a better chance of building a reliable motor using the 1800 and starting from scratch....of course this strategy involves using tried and tested developments and not trying to work it out for ourselves.
Hence we've been tapping into various sources of competition knowhow including the forum's own Asroc....thanks James.

So far so good....bottom end looks OK and strong, and the top end looks workable....at the moment we stripping the best part of 10lbs from the massive flywheel and grinding/balancing the crank. Whilst we wait for stuff to come from the States.

Dyno...early August.
Track test booked 13th August........anybody got any time for sale?

Sorry to hear that, Mark. I take it then that the 1800 is stil 'legal' in your class.
Will be very interested to hear of your progress with the 1800. Mine still leaks oil from the O-ring area of the head gasket (centre right) which is a nuisance, but pretty common with these engines. Bit of a dilema changing the head gasket just for a relatively minor leak.

What parts are you buying out of USA for the 1800?

glenn

[Pombellett]

Using your imagination Glen, yes. The regs have changed a little....I've copied and pasted the relevant bit....
"Where a ‘family’ engine block is used, its capacity may be up to 25% larger than that of the car’s original standard capacity or increased up to 1200cc, whichever is greater – or capacity may be further increased to 1300cc, provided single choke SU carburettors not greater than 1½in are used"

I read this as....the next engine we build will be the best part of two litres!!!!

Stuff from States...gaskets, valve guides, valves, cam followers, pistons, timing gear, bearings, water pump. Already got a cam and oil pump.

It's a good thing all this stuff is pretty cheap coming into Pom from the States at the moment.

What's the thoughts from Down Under on the forthcoming Ashes series?

[Glenn]

Using your imagination Glen, yes. The regs have changed a little....I've copied and pasted the relevant bit....
"Where a ‘family’ engine block is used, its capacity may be up to 25% larger than that of the car’s original standard capacity or increased up to 1200cc, whichever is greater – or capacity may be further increased to 1300cc, provided single choke SU carburettors not greater than 1½in are used"

I read this as....the next engine we build will be the best part of two litres!!!!

Stuff from States...gaskets, valve guides, valves, cam followers, pistons, timing gear, bearings, water pump. Already got a cam and oil pump.

It's a good thing all this stuff is pretty cheap coming into Pom from the States at the moment.

What's the thoughts from Down Under on the forthcoming Ashes series?

Sounds very promising, Mark...... near 2 litres ! I was thinking eventually to reco a spare engine here and will follow what you do with much interest. OK on the parts. I have new gaskets, pistons, water pump and timing gear also.

[Pombellett]

Yep, things are still moving along at a good pace. Crank, cam and valve seats all done. Flywheel's been on a serious diet...see below.

IMGP3644.JPG (3.11 MiB) Viewed 201230 times

So the bottom end and the top end will hopefully be reassembled by the end of the week, and the two should have a happy reunion at the weekend.....lets hope they have a long and contented relationship.

[Stickman]

Wow
It gone on a full vegetarian diet as it has obviously cut out all meat

[Farmer]

Hi Mark, great that you are able to make great progress.
I assume you will have that wheel balanced? I don't want to nag, but I saw what that one I mentioned above did to George's GT, and you don't want that. Very scarey stuff. 35 years ago, but I still remember it. I'm no engineer, just an observer.
Cheers, Matt.

[Pombellett]

Appreciate your concern Matt, and totally understand. I saw something happen to an MG Metro, probably similar to George's scare...all very violent, and it's lived with me for about 30 years.
Funnily enough, after close inspection of the newly machined 1800 flywheel, we decided to start again using Rolie's original flywheel....this allowed us to run closer to the pattern we were using, but also to go down a much safer route.
Needless to say, it's been balanced, along with pretty much anything that moves in the engine.

Whilst the work on the bottom end has been done, the head work has been going on back at Bellett Central, and everything is going back together at the moment.

As long as luck keeps going with us, we test on the 13th Aug.............

[Stickman]

I'm eagerly waiting to hear the results.......

Hey Matt, it's like I always say.... "If your not living life on the edge, you're taking up way too much space!!"
LIGHTEN AWAY!! (squeaky bum moments guaranteed)

[Pombellett]

Cheers Sticky...your unique input is always valued

The run up to the test was a little fraught, as a few days before we discovered that whilst in the States the TOP of the head had been machined down by a few mm.....we assumed in a cock-eyed attempt to increase valve lift.
All it did though, was to totally upset the angles of the rockers and their attack on the tops of the valves....you can just about see this on the rocker second from left.

IMGP3653.jpg (2.84 MiB) Viewed 201045 times

The solution was to cut a spacer

IMGP3647.jpg (3.32 MiB) Viewed 201045 times

A laborious process to say the least, especially when we realised we hadn't take into account rocker ratio into our calculations and had to do it all again.
But it worked, and when attached to the block....

IMGP3652.jpg (3 MiB) Viewed 201045 times

....it all dropped into Rolie without any fuss.

Running in was done on the trailer on the way to the carb guru! on the morning of the test.

And after a few teething troubles the test went OK Good pressures and temps, but lacking in revs. So hopefully we can dial a few in before we test again on Thursday.

[Stickman]

I love hearing about these types of "out of the box thinking" solutions.
I file them away into my little box of tricks for that just incase I need it one day

Good to hear that development on Rolie is still progressing

[Pombellett]

After a bit more fiddling around, the second test revealed that we had indeed got a few more revs from the engine, and although (as always in racing) we could do with a few more, this will have to do.

With just two weeks to go there'll be no more major tweeking...we're good to go.

Those of you who've been following the adventures of Rolie will know that the Revival has two races for the saloon cars, Saturday for a 'celeb' driver and Sunday for the owner.....and guess what? My celeb this year is from Down Under...it's none other than David Brabham...

...so the Aussie connection continues!

[Dick]

Great news Mark, and let's see who of you 2 scores the best lap time! I will be following the races on the internet Goodwood website.
Gr Dick

[redback]

Well done on getting it all done in time and scooping a Brabham to steer it.

Good luck and have fun.

[Asroc66]

Drive it like you stole it
Dave will
Cheers and enjoy
J

[PR91]

Bellett's and Brabham have a long history.
The only GT imported to th UK was raced by John Sprinzel...... The car was prepped by Brabham Racing Cars tho.
And last year, only a month before his passing, I got a pic of the late great Sir Jack sitting in my car at the Phillip Island Classic.

[Redzone]

on youtube right now with david brabham!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4sGzQKKzVc

[67GT]

Hi Pom,
Did Rolie have engine problems ? Or was Mr Brabaam just not comfortable in the car ?
I didn't get to see your race, but he didn't even seem to have any bodyroll through the corners....... as he was being overtaken. And I have seen you have Rolie further up the field than that too.