Totally new to Radicals: advice please
Discussion
DSL: Thanks for coming over to say hello and all the advice. Just read your post tonight.
Thanks for the chance to see your Prosport too!
I can't help thinking the Clubsport is the right Radical for the hills.
There was an SR4 racing today at Shelsley, and after looking hard at the construction it is obviously a very robust chassis and the quality of fit is exact and very tight. Perfect!
Thanks for the 2 seater pics, looks tight. The SR4 was very neat with its two seat moulding.
Had the opportunity to talk with a lot of prople about a Radical on the hills, and the comments were very varied.
The Porker was simply superb at Shelsley.
Slow, but magic. For anyone who has not driven an early 911 on the limit at a hillclimb you have missed an experience. Just so focused anf tactile.
I hope a Radical can thrill the nerves as completely.
Thanks for the chance to see your Prosport too!
I can't help thinking the Clubsport is the right Radical for the hills.
There was an SR4 racing today at Shelsley, and after looking hard at the construction it is obviously a very robust chassis and the quality of fit is exact and very tight. Perfect!
Thanks for the 2 seater pics, looks tight. The SR4 was very neat with its two seat moulding.
Had the opportunity to talk with a lot of prople about a Radical on the hills, and the comments were very varied.
The Porker was simply superb at Shelsley.
Slow, but magic. For anyone who has not driven an early 911 on the limit at a hillclimb you have missed an experience. Just so focused anf tactile.
I hope a Radical can thrill the nerves as completely.
Thanks to you all, and good to meet you DSL and for the sound advice!
LCM: will follow this with you if i get closer to using a Radical for the hills.
The Radical SR4 today was superbly made and a real credit to Radical.
Talking to a few at Shelsley, there is a mxed opinion to the suitablility of a Radical for the hills, but mainly 'too heavy'was said.
Not at all sure I agree with that as I drive 1000Kg and 1250Kg tin-tops normally!
Bert: The 911 was superb today, and I took a personal best again after 5 years of last racing it.
I think a Clubsport is the right car for me and with a stock 1100cc engine for now.
Regards to all, Graham.
LCM: will follow this with you if i get closer to using a Radical for the hills.
The Radical SR4 today was superbly made and a real credit to Radical.
Talking to a few at Shelsley, there is a mxed opinion to the suitablility of a Radical for the hills, but mainly 'too heavy'was said.
Not at all sure I agree with that as I drive 1000Kg and 1250Kg tin-tops normally!
Bert: The 911 was superb today, and I took a personal best again after 5 years of last racing it.
I think a Clubsport is the right car for me and with a stock 1100cc engine for now.
Regards to all, Graham.
Glad to help, if you want anymore info or contact numbers just let me know. Slightly off topic I know but have you considered a Busa powered Caterham, just as fast on the hills & plenty of sideways fun too. (Also nice & safe in a frontal crash, speaking from personal experience, not so good side on though)!
Considered a Bike engines Locaterfield, but not for me (too many hot shots in the class)
Seems that the Radical Clubsport has no or rather a weak reversing gear 'system' which bothers me as i'm not mauling the car back into a sloping grass wet paddock!
This could be the deal breaker on the radical direction.
Graham.
Seems that the Radical Clubsport has no or rather a weak reversing gear 'system' which bothers me as i'm not mauling the car back into a sloping grass wet paddock!
This could be the deal breaker on the radical direction.
Graham.
911hillclimber said:
Considered a Bike engines Locaterfield, but not for me (too many hot shots in the class)
Seems that the Radical Clubsport has no or rather a weak reversing gear 'system' which bothers me as i'm not mauling the car back into a sloping grass wet paddock!
This could be the deal breaker on the radical direction.
Graham.
Yep, the clubsport electric reverse is pretty horrid. I have just put mine back in with the bits it needs and it actually turns the rear wheels backwards - when the car is up in the air. Not sure it is man enough to do it on the ground though! The electric reverser is not fitted now. Looks like the prosport has the diff with reverse built in. Not sure when the change was made though.Seems that the Radical Clubsport has no or rather a weak reversing gear 'system' which bothers me as i'm not mauling the car back into a sloping grass wet paddock!
This could be the deal breaker on the radical direction.
Graham.
Bert
There is no way you'd get anything more than a bike engine in the clubsport chassis unless you re-engineer the whole back end. Even then it will be very tight. The Prosport also uses the same electric motor. The SR3/SR4/PR06 has a reverse diff. I guess this diff could be retro-fitted to the clubsport chassis but its £2k iirc so probably cheaper to buy a SR4
RobC said:
There is no way you'd get anything more than a bike engine in the clubsport chassis unless you re-engineer the whole back end. Even then it will be very tight. The Prosport also uses the same electric motor. The SR3/SR4/PR06 has a reverse diff. I guess this diff could be retro-fitted to the clubsport chassis but its £2k iirc so probably cheaper to buy a SR4
yep, if you look at the pic on the radical parts webby, the mounting for the reversing diff is totally different. It's alomost certainly poss to change, but not economically viable. You'd end up paying 3k for the parts and the mods.Re car-engine, then just not going to work. I would have thought the Jedi type route would be better. SR3?
Bert
If you don't ask, you don't learn!
From all the pics sent recently it looks very small down there and surrounded with a birdcage of tubes.
It is a must to have a good reversing gear in hillclimbs and their paddocks (pits) which are usually tarmac but can be bumpy wet grass.
The Zcars make use of a starter motor that is manually meshed with the diff sprocket I think. Crude, but ok if it works.
When I started on this tak I was looking for a Sports 2000 racer, an old one, and those have the Hewland Mk 8 box used in a zillion Formula Fords etc. Reverse is there.
Finding one of those cars is painful, hence the Radical route.
The basic Clubsport is the right spec...
The reverse issue will be a deal breaker.
As ever, thank you all for so much help so far.
This site really works thanks to the people!
Regards, Graham.
From all the pics sent recently it looks very small down there and surrounded with a birdcage of tubes.
It is a must to have a good reversing gear in hillclimbs and their paddocks (pits) which are usually tarmac but can be bumpy wet grass.
The Zcars make use of a starter motor that is manually meshed with the diff sprocket I think. Crude, but ok if it works.
When I started on this tak I was looking for a Sports 2000 racer, an old one, and those have the Hewland Mk 8 box used in a zillion Formula Fords etc. Reverse is there.
Finding one of those cars is painful, hence the Radical route.
The basic Clubsport is the right spec...
The reverse issue will be a deal breaker.
As ever, thank you all for so much help so far.
This site really works thanks to the people!
Regards, Graham.
Edited by 911hillclimber on Tuesday 6th May 21:13
I have done over 50 hills and sprints in my clubsport with no reverse as it is not needed in Sports Libre. It was the first thing to come off, totally useless and a lot of excess weight.
The Clubsport (and all Radicals) are heavy at nearly 500Kg, but only relative to the single seaters!
The standard 1100 is fast and great fun, but have now fitted a ZX14 and the car is a genuine class winner.
I hope to give LCM some better competition this year when our paths cross
The Clubsport (and all Radicals) are heavy at nearly 500Kg, but only relative to the single seaters!
The standard 1100 is fast and great fun, but have now fitted a ZX14 and the car is a genuine class winner.
I hope to give LCM some better competition this year when our paths cross
I can't be pushing and shoving in the crowded paddock, and the wife won't either!
Some of the paddocks in the hillclimbs I do are far from easy to move a car about.
As to a weight of 500Kg @ 200bhp
I'm used to a 911 @ 1060Kg/230 bhp and latterly an Impreza at 1260Kg @ 370 bhp.
Can only dream about 500Kg monsters!
Sportslibre: are you doing Barbon this weekend? There is a dual driven Radical there.
Some of the paddocks in the hillclimbs I do are far from easy to move a car about.
As to a weight of 500Kg @ 200bhp
I'm used to a 911 @ 1060Kg/230 bhp and latterly an Impreza at 1260Kg @ 370 bhp.
Can only dream about 500Kg monsters!
Sportslibre: are you doing Barbon this weekend? There is a dual driven Radical there.
911hillclimber said:
I can't be pushing and shoving in the crowded paddock, and the wife won't either!
Some of the paddocks in the hillclimbs I do are far from easy to move a car about.
Although the lack of reverse is irritating I wouldn't let it put you off altogether. Some of the paddocks in the hillclimbs I do are far from easy to move a car about.
I've sprinted/hillclimbed at many of the same venues as Sportslibre and none of the Radicals had (a working) reverse. As we're all in the same boat we just pushed each other's cars.
A bit more of a pain is that unless you fit a clever handle, taking the bodywork off is a two person job.
S/L - see you at Fintray, may even give you a run for your money.....
SportsLibre said:
911hillclimber said:
Sportslibre: are you doing Barbon this weekend? There is a dual driven Radical there.
I'm off to Fintray this weekend ( to beat Stiglet and gsinky 
)I would love to know how to get a standard clubsport down to 440kg?
Edited by SportsLibre on Wednesday 7th May 22:05
Stiglet: I am glad to hear you will be out again. It will be good to see you both soon. I probably won't be at Fintray though, as family duties call this weekend!
911hillclimber: I can asure you that should you ever venture north of the border you will be made most welcome and if you get that Clubsport, class C1 is a very friendly place to be.
For what its worth, I have no reverse gear fitted to my CS either (it is under my workshop bench in a plastic bag!), and as of yet I have had no issues at all. I have really enjoyed driving the Clubsport, like you I put a lot of thought in to changing my car before I went down the Radical route, and I am very pleased with my choice.
Go for it!
Edited by gsinky on Saturday 10th May 19:09
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