Bringing a retired race car back into service

Bringing a retired race car back into service

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Discussion

Order66

Original Poster:

6,726 posts

248 months

Saturday 15th June 2019
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So I want to race my car, it was previously a competition car (2yrs ago) so I know it is generally up to standard, however my problem will be dates, for UK club motorsport what has to be in-date? I know the UK rules are a lot more lenient that the FIA rules, so:

Fire extinguisher - its still in the green, but I guess it needs to be serviced?
Bag tank - out of date, but I read this is ok?
Belts - out of date, do I need new ones?

The seat is a molded fibreglass unit that is somewhat integral to the car (Radical) and doesn't appear to have dates or FIA approval, is this ok?

Apart from that I've spent a lot of time making it is all mechanically sound, so if I can get the dated stuff straight I should be ok to race...I think....

Turn7

23,502 posts

220 months

Saturday 15th June 2019
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Pretty sure the belts will need to be in date.

HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Saturday 15th June 2019
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Check championship regs on the fire extinguisher, in Caterhams we didn’t need them to be in date- until the annual overseas round came around.

You will need belts, seat I imagine is ok.

Check that your towing loops comply, there have been some changes here I believe.

ETA: Oh and HANS is now mandatory.

andy97

4,691 posts

221 months

Sunday 16th June 2019
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Belts definitely need to be in date.
Rules on extinguishers changed a year ago and now need to have been serviced within last 2 years (any authorised fire extinguisher engineer can do this)
Seats don’t need to be in date for UK club racing; not sure about bag tank rules.

ChevronB19

5,737 posts

162 months

Sunday 16th June 2019
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Order66 said:
Fire extinguisher - its still in the green, but I guess it needs to be serviced?
Bag tank - out of date, but I read this is ok?
Belts - out of date, do I need new ones?

The seat is a molded fibreglass unit that is somewhat integral to the car (Radical) and doesn't appear to have dates or FIA approval, is this ok?
Somewhat echoing previous replies, but:

Extinguisher: until 2020 it needs to be serviced every 24 months, so long as that particular car was a race car before 2018 - see blue book. If it was only raced after 2018 it’s more restrictive.

Tank: not sure

Belts: definitely need new ones

Seat: not 100% sure, check blue book

By the way, in response to a previous poster, HANS is not mandatory for historic (yet), but it doesn’t apply in this case of course, I’m just being petty!

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Monday 17th June 2019
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ChevronB19 said:
Seat: not 100% sure, check blue book

By the way, in response to a previous poster, HANS is not mandatory for historic (yet), but it doesn’t apply in this case of course, I’m just being petty!
Seat is fine. No dates.
For 'historic', I think you mean Period Defined Vehicles (non-rally) where HANS is recommended not mandatory. Eg here https://hscc.org.uk/hans-devices/

Order66

Original Poster:

6,726 posts

248 months

Monday 17th June 2019
quotequote all
Hans isn't a problem, got that anyway.

For the fire ext - can I just get the same bloke who does the ones in the office to do it? I see the likes of merlin do it, but they also say if it hasn't been serviced for 6 years then its scrap - no evidence mine has been serviced since new, so they'd declare it scrap, whereas the local fella will happliy service and sticker it.

Belts aren't a problem to replace - that's good about the seat and the tank as they would have been the expensive items. Thanks all.

AdeRacing

31 posts

69 months

Monday 17th June 2019
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For the belts/harness it depends on what certification they are and what the expiry date is. With 8853-2016 belts MSUK allow them to be used for five years after the expiry date if they are used in national events. So 10 years in total.

andy97

4,691 posts

221 months

Monday 17th June 2019
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Order66 said:
For the fire ext - can I just get the same bloke who does the ones in the office to do it? I see the likes of merlin do it, but they also say if it hasn't been serviced for 6 years then its scrap - no evidence mine has been serviced since new, so they'd declare it scrap, whereas the local fella will happliy service and sticker it.
Yes, you can get it serviced by the “office extinguisher person” as long as he is qualified. Mine was done by Oheaps in Derby. I have an email from the MSA which explains that they don’t have to be done by the manufacturers or the manufacturers rep.

drmotorsport

739 posts

242 months

Tuesday 18th June 2019
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On top of the car, don't forget the personal clobber too. HANS and fireproof gloves/boots now also mandatory in the last few years for UK club racing.

PaulV

292 posts

225 months

Tuesday 18th June 2019
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Probably worth checking the exhaust packing material.

Would suggest replacing with Acousta-Fil, as that is very good and lasts well.


Order66

Original Poster:

6,726 posts

248 months

Tuesday 18th June 2019
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PaulV said:
Probably worth checking the exhaust packing material.

Would suggest replacing with Acousta-Fil, as that is very good and lasts well.
Already done, didn't make any difference to my ears, but the meter at Oulton said it was ok

Order66

Original Poster:

6,726 posts

248 months

Tuesday 18th June 2019
quotequote all
drmotorsport said:
On top of the car, don't forget the personal clobber too. HANS and fireproof gloves/boots now also mandatory in the last few years for UK club racing.
No problem - currently race in another series so got all the gear....

mat205125

17,790 posts

212 months

Monday 8th July 2019
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HustleRussell said:
Check that your towing loops comply, there have been some changes here I believe.
Good shout, albeit worth noting that the wording in the blue book still uses the word "should" rather than "must", in relation to the 4 metal strap regs. Shouldn't have a problem if the car was correct a couple years ago.

Kraken

1,710 posts

199 months

Monday 8th July 2019
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Check them though. One of the reasons why they want to move to the metal ones is that the stitching on some of the cloth ones rots and, although they can stand up to a hand pull, they fall apart when the tow truck pulls on them.

Order66

Original Poster:

6,726 posts

248 months

Monday 8th July 2019
quotequote all
mat205125 said:
Good shout, albeit worth noting that the wording in the blue book still uses the word "should" rather than "must", in relation to the 4 metal strap regs. Shouldn't have a problem if the car was correct a couple years ago.
Its just got the standard radical big metal loops that are attached front and rear to the chassis. I see all the "new" cars still have this setup and I'm not sure if a radical would fall under the same exemption as a single seater anyway as the underneath structure isn't hugely different (i.e. only one place to attach it).

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Monday 8th July 2019
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As a thought, there are things that are lifed on the Radical. But you probably don't have any history to go on. Apart from the motor and gearbox, the uprights are very expensive to replace and are lifed so noone changes them based on hours. But if you suspect they are old, it closely for cracks and keep an eye on them.

The other thing is the driveshafts which if they are the non heavy duty ones only do a full season of racing. Perhaps worth replacing or rebuilding.

Bert

Order66

Original Poster:

6,726 posts

248 months

Monday 8th July 2019
quotequote all
BertBert said:
As a thought, there are things that are lifed on the Radical. But you probably don't have any history to go on. Apart from the motor and gearbox, the uprights are very expensive to replace and are lifed so noone changes them based on hours. But if you suspect they are old, it closely for cracks and keep an eye on them.

The other thing is the driveshafts which if they are the non heavy duty ones only do a full season of racing. Perhaps worth replacing or rebuilding.

Bert
Thanks, got all that under control - all uprights have been thoroughly examined for cracks and driveshafts are new and HD

BertBert

18,953 posts

210 months

Monday 8th July 2019
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Good stuff! What series are you going to race in?
Bert

Order66

Original Poster:

6,726 posts

248 months

Tuesday 9th July 2019
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BertBert said:
Good stuff! What series are you going to race in?
Bert
SMRC Saloon and Sports Cars....if TRS ever get back to me about the belts!