Chevron GR8 Challenge

[Helen Chevron]

Hi Everyone, Just thought I would tell you about a new race series for 2010 from Chevron Racing Cars & the BARC called the Chevron GR8 Challenge. Basically a car styled on the Chevron B8 but with a V8 in it, so plenty of noise & exiting driving for everyone. The two sprint race format will be a race for seniors over 28 yrs & one for juniors 17-28yrs so you can share the car but score individual as well as team results. Let me know what you think.

[chevronb37]

Sounds well good! Are you guys producing it?

[Helen Chevron]

Yes, we will make the cars during 2009.

[chevronb37]

Are you intending it to be a part of the historic racing world, or contemporary club racing? The B8 is a stunning car and a V8 would make it an interesting proposition.

I spoke to you at some length at this year's Gold Cup, Helen. Mostly about the Simon Hadfield intimidation factor and Shadow GP cars...

[flemke]

Helen Chevron said:

...Basically a car styled on the Chevron B8 but with a V8 in it, so plenty of noise & exiting driving for everyone...

The B8 continuations that your competitor is offering are not exactly inexpensive.
Any indication of price, and any images you could share with us?

[zac510]

A B8 with a V8, that would be awesome. Even a modern B8 with a 4 banger would still be great.

I didn't know companies were doing recreations.

[Helen Chevron]

It will be more along the lines of the Chevron B12 basically the B8 styling but with a modern twist with a longer tail to accomodate the V8. It will be an entirely new car hence the different name. I am aiming to come in at the £40K mark but the beauty of it is that you can share a car at the race meeting between the senior & the junior driver. Will shortly have photographs which will go out on a Press Release & on our website. We will carry on still supplying new Continuation B8, B16's + restorations etc., but this is an entirely new departure. I was listening to some people on Piston Heads last year & realised what we all like to race is a car with plenty of 'shock & awe' !

Edited by Helen Chevron on Tuesday 16th December 20:21

[freedman]

Sounds a good idea

Fabulous classic racer with a modern twist

A grid full would be well worth watching

[Helen Chevron]

Sorry missed a couple of answers. BARC will be running it as a contemporary modern series. I've contradicted myself by saying like a B8 & then like a B12 - it is a B8 with a V8 but a longer tail.

[anonymous-user]

Thats an interesting development Helen, it should be an awesome piece of kit. What engine are you going to use, level of tune expected?

I hope Vin, yourself and the guys have a great Xmass.

[Helen Chevron]

Thanks John for the Christmas wishes. It will either be a Ford V8 4.something - Ford telephoned us from PRI in the USA & I couldn't quite catch what they said, 350bhp dry sumped etc. or a GM Chevy LS1 or LS2 (but a bit concerned GM will still be around in 2010 - even so can't see the Chevy engine not surviving somehow)!

Edited by Helen Chevron on Tuesday 16th December 20:42

[anonymous-user]

A friend of mine is just finishing the install of a Chevy LS6 into a silhouette special Esprit, mated to a DG300. It's a similar size in the engine bay to the B8/B16 so should make a great package in a slightly stretched version of the B8. The LS6 should be around the 500BHP mark, but you have a lot of options available with those LS series engines, especially if you want to grow the power levels later.

[Helen Chevron]

Thanks John I'll look at that LS6. I was amazed at the number of different Chevy engines once you start looking into it. Basically it needs to be plenty of power, inexpensive & easy & cheap to maintain. Weight doesn't seem to come into it as they all weigh quite alot........

[anonymous-user]

The modern V8's are nice pieces of kit, pretty unstressed as long as you don't go mad with the power levels, they are a cheap power source by comparison to some of the engines we work with in historics. The packaging is pretty good, the main issue i think my friend has faced was getting the starter motor to work with a Hewland based bellhousing plus the crank trigger is a pretty bespoke pattern, but it's all doable.

[bordseye]

sounds like fun but it also sounds expensive - not so much the original cost though thats not cheap, but the inevitable arms race that will happen with the engines.

is there such a thing as a 20k race car with a sealed engine supplied by the builder and limits on chassis changes. I guess the Caterham academy cars might fit .

[Helen Chevron]

I would love to be able to come in at 20K but think it will be impossible mainly because the combination of engine, gearbox, diff, & ancillaries just push the cost up but as I said before the beauty is you can share the car so it is kind of 20K each!!

[Graham]

20k for a race car is almost impossible but a nice thought... My sagaris with an ls6/3 in it is going to come in at around the 40k mark and thats building it myself !!!


the Chevy ls motor does seem the way to go. more power than the ford and a lot less weight ( about the same as an rover v8)

the crank trigger is a bit of a pain but there is a company in the uk that supply an alternative.

[bordseye]

you do wonder though. maybe the engine and gear train from a common fwd car like the fiesta installed in the back of a square tube ladder frame, clothed with a simple grp body. standard wheels off a common car. got to be able to get something like than under 20k.

mind you the thing that kills it for me isnt the 40k cost of the chevron but the reality that you wont get anywhere unless you spend megabucks keeping up with the engine arms race. in other words its the running costs

[anonymous-user]

It depends how you want to run the series, you could have a mandated and sealed engine spec and ECU so it's run like a single make series. That would stop you spending silly money and make it a driver, chassis setup series.

[Helen Chevron]

I agree it is important that costs are kept down. The idea behind the engine is it is cheap to run, so there won't be any gizmos allowed & I will take on board your thoughts on sealed engines etc. I'm glad I have access to you guys at this stage as you have been very helpful!