Minors Racing

[speedbox24]

Some may be interested in knowing that Minors are still racing in the UK with some success. Our 1959 saloon "Bluebell" races in the HRDC (Historic Racing Drivers Club) series for 1950s Saloon cars, and the HRDC fun promotional video is here.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZunM2kaE7Y

Bluebell is just 998cc and not modified much - she's just a great little car, getting class wins pretty well every year since she started racing 36 years ago.

You may see links to other on-board videos from "Bluebell" too - enjoy! We have raced at Silverstone and Oulton Park already this year, next stop Donington Park on 1st June, then the full Brands Hatch circuit on 7th July.

Andy

[irmscher]

Looks good fun is this an expensive hobby

[speedbox24]

It's as cheap as racing can be. People tell you racing is never going to be cheap.... I argue (to my lovely assistant) that it's less than most people seem to spend paying for a dull modern car each month. But I do virtually everything myself. Some don't and spend silly money on engines, then we finish and they don't!
Come and watch, and say heloo. A

[irmscher]

Is Bluebell the one at Goodwood

[speedbox24]

Yes! We were invited for the first and probably only time last year, after so many years of believing we weren't in the same league. An amazing event and such an honour.[frame][/frame]

[irmscher]

I thought it was you I was chatting to you about the car like many others were as its a lovely car

[bmcecosse]

Looks like fun! 'Not much modified' - hmmm - straight cut gears...and quite a 'cammy' engine I think!! What is the spec of the car? What brakes - what tyres??? And - why do the bl**dy A 40s keep streaming past????

[speedbox24]

Nice to hear from you all and thanks for the interest.
She's got good bits where they are vital, I admit, because she is a race car, and I want to finish, not break down. So a quick spec: The 948 engine is fitted with Powermax pistons to 998 Mini Cooper size, on rods I prepared which have teflon buttons instead of circlips. The crankshaft was prepared by Oselli in 1984, and it has steel main bearing caps. The camshaft is an old BMC race one called a 649 profile. I did the head myself and built the engine. There are ordinary points in the distributor, because they are simple. She sometimes runs on the 1 1/4 SU, on an old Oselli manifold, which works amazingly well and has won Championships and Class wins like that but now it's a Weber 40 which we are allowed because we race other 1000cc cars on Webers (Fiat Abarths). Still only about 65 BHP at the wheels though, at 6800 RPM.
The gearbox is a Spridget straight cut close ratio one (your ears are right, sir!) and the diff is 5.55. The whole car is steel (and a heavier 4 door) and we have discs but no servo. In 20 years, believe it or not, two sets of brake pads! Old lever arm dampers, a thin front anti-roll bar and one anti-tramp link at the back. Period crossply tyres are great fun!
The A40s have 1300 engines that cost about 10K from professional companies and give well over 100 BHP - madness! No way can I compete with that so we stay in the 1 litre class with a couple of other Minors, occasionally an A40 and two or three Fiats.
She's our baby and I don't think I could race anything else! Andy

[irmscher]

K10 engines that's just buying trophys I like the belt and braces genuine racing

[bmcecosse]

Good spec - although I found my 998 (mini) engine was much better on the 544 camshaft -I tried both, gained nothing at high revs with the 649 and lost lots lower down. You could try it..I don't think you will be disappointed. I was running a modified Cooper S head - is that allowed ? And I had 2 X 1.5" SUs on long inlet manifolds. A 40 Weber is only equiv to 2 x 1.25" SUs at best. I estimated 85/90 bhp from that engine - but at v high revs, judging from the way it could easily run away from 'standard' 1275 Cooper S Minis! Must you use standard wheels /crossply tyres - are van wheels allowed ? Are you allowed a limited slip diff? Or can you weld the diff solid???

[speedbox24]

Thanks BMCEcosse. Yes we have to have steel wheels but tend to run 13" ones from Weller now rather than old Midget ones. It's a 4.55 diff by the way, oops, not 5.55! I used to change diffs all the time but rarely do now. Sometimes we could use a little more top speed so would liked to try a 4.2 or maybe some van wheels, but it peaks nicely on most straights and anyway its the intermediate gears you have to get right. And the tyres have to be Dunlop historic spec CR65 type in the tall L section. They look like tyres but don't know the meaning of "grip". Which is the right recipe for entertainment in racing!
[frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

Excellent! The good old CR65. Is there a 'wet' and a 'dry' compound version? I thought top speed must be a bit limited with a 5.55........ I would stick with the 13" if they are allowed.

[George Coles]

Great to meet the "Bluebell" team at Silverstone today. Good racing with tricky conditions as the rain came. Agree with Andy 100% that some of the A30-35-40 are so trick with megabuck powertrains; that destroys the purpose of classic saloon racing. Now I am retired will try to come to as many meets as possible. Look forward to the in car footage with more shouting at Fiats!!!
Best wishes for the season from George, Georgina and "Rosie" the Traveller who shall be re-born.

[philthehill]

At least you can feel the drive through the tyres. With slicks they loose the grip without telling you beforehand.
I used to use wide Avon Super Safety tyres (nearly as good as Dunlop racing tyres but not quite but a lot cheaper) on my Minor and they were a pleasure to drive with. You could feel the road surface and drive by your pants as the saying goes.
Best of luck to your team for this season

[merlin01794]

Great to meet the "Bluebell" team at Silverstone today. Good racing with tricky conditions as the rain came. Agree with Andy 100% that some of the A30-35-40 are so trick with megabuck powertrains; that destroys the purpose of classic saloon racing. Now I am retired will try to come to as many meets as possible. Look forward to the in car footage with more shouting at Fiats!!!
Best wishes for the season from George, Georgina and "Rosie" the Traveller who shall be re-born.

Great to meet you and Georgina at Silverstone - come and see us and a repaired 'Bluebell' at Oulton Park! - See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIFG4SMK60c.

Mark

[bmcecosse]

Do you mean 'Avon Wide Safety' tyres Phil? I had them for my Minis - with tread for Rally car and without (much) tread for my Sprint car - and 'inbetweeners' for my road car! They were excellent - better than radials for handling, I thought !

[philthehill]

bmc
Yes those are the ones.
The Minor has Michelin radial slicks fitted at the moment but when it gets back to the point of returning to competition I will fit Avon cross ply slicks which are even better. I consider that cross ply tyres are better for reading the road through your pants than radials.
The wets are radials too with the Dunlop racing block tread pattern.

[Matt Tomkins]

Great to see you on here!
I'm with the OUMF team www.oumf.org and our little riley 1.5.
Your bluebell is just such a lovely little car! I am considering a 998 build for my convertible before too long i think. Am i right in thinking your head is a 12g940?
Matt