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The TR8 Turbo Le Mans


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Hi Lee,

 

great to hear a mention of the old Goodwood days !

 

The TR8 is now sorted after its initial Bruntingthorpe forays - the second Bruntingthorpe outing was successful, in so much as the minor issues highlighted by the first session were satisfactorily resolved. I gather that the ancient slicks in the wet were challenging . . . .

 

Everything works properly, it goes properly, it stops properly. Next stop Silverstone, to see how it behaves on a modern circuit with real corners and decent tarmac, and on its new Avon rubber of course. Yes he does have wets as well as slicks, so weather shouldn't be an issue. This will be towards the end of June.

 

Bert has the offer of a race at the FISC Euro round at Zolder in July . . . http://www.fisc-eurotour.org/

 

But he won't be in a position to confirm an entry until after the Silverstone test, for obvious reasons. The TR8 hasn't been used in anger for 27 years, no data has survived in terms of race set-up, so it's very much a case of intelligent guesstimates - suck it and see, in other words.

 

There will be an update in Classics Monthly issue 153, next month.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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Hi Alec

 

Thanks for the update.

There are a few of us from the NLG who are waiting with baited breath for its reappearance.

 

Lee

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  • 3 weeks later...

A pleasant surprise to see a page on the TR8 in the new TR Action . . . . and thanks to Tim Sharp for the workshop pics and Paul Hogan for the Bruntingthorpe shots.

 

A few minor comments/updates might be in order.

 

Bert is unlikely to be looking for a co-driver or suchlike, before there's a rush to form a disorderly queue, despite the impression that might have been given. A specialist test/development driver may be a possible requirement in due course, but that would be a pro.

 

The likelihood of the TR8 running at Classic Le Mans is not that great, possibly about as likely as MPs giving up their salaries and expenses - and serving their electors on a voluntary basis. Don't ask me why, it's a French prerogative.

 

Meanwhile, there seems to be some difficulty in terms of the powers-that-be accepting the TR8 at all - in a motor sporting world full of 'historic' replicars, the TR8 is one of the minority of genuinely authentic old race cars. I've known the car for more than 30 years, since it was first built by Janspeed, and I've followed its ownership and progress ever since. There isn't much detail about the car and its evolution that I'm unaware of. It's unique, and always has been - OK, the TR8 Drag Car is a replica to some extent, and uses surplus or superceded Janspeed panelwork from the early days of the LM car, but that's about it - all components accounted for. Evidently that doesn't count for much.

 

So why the sudden official inquisition ? Who knows, maybe someone somewhere with more money and influence wants a fraudulent facsimile to pass off as the real deal. Stranger things have happened. C'est la vie, officialdom is based in France too, and look at what a mess they make of F1.

 

Test date at Silverstone is June 26, Bert should be having a proper go in a general test session, fingers crossed. Then we'll have a better idea of how well it really does go on proper rubber. A big learning curve, no set-up data has survived from the 1980's, so it's start from scratch - only the tyres have changed, everything else in terms of the rolling chassis is just as it was. A day at Alton Towers might look pretty tame in comparison to a day grappling with the TR8.

 

If all goes well, a race at Zolder in July . . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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Ha Bert - read the bit on it in the TR Mag yesterday - look like a really nice job.

 

If you want to race it (occasionally), why not run it in the AMOC Super GT race series. Car might need a bit more power to run at the front, or if it is a tad over a ton it would be perfect as is for their class B (<450bhp/ton).

 

http://www.amocsupergt.co.uk/ cahp to contact at the AMOC is Martin Atack comps@amoc.org

 

I plan on doing this sometime in the future when my Griff is finished. Only 4 or 5 races per year.

 

Cheers

Jon

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Thanks Jon,

 

a really useful suggestion, it seems that the good chaps at AMOC are only too ready to tweak their eligibility rules to give Bert a race later in the season. Now that's what I call creative thinking, fingers crossed.

 

Meanwhile the TR8 is now definite for testing at Silverstone Friday 26 June, booked, paid for and confirmed . . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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Thanks Jon,

 

a really useful suggestion, it seems that the good chaps at AMOC are only too ready to tweak their eligibility rules to give Bert a race later in the season. Now that's what I call creative thinking, fingers crossed.

 

Meanwhile the TR8 is now definite for testing at Silverstone Friday 26 June, booked, paid for and confirmed . . . .

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

SGT is like the old Can-am bar the car has to vaguely resemble a road that once existed - that is it!! The Top 2 Astons are bonkers. They will welcome Bert with open Arms (feel free to mention me to Martin Atack ;)).
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The TR8 will be testing at Silverstone Friday 26 June.

 

Unfortunately there is no provision for spectators, short of booking a private suite at £25/head . . . . and neither Bert nor I can afford that sort of outlay. Sorry about that.

 

Much as Bert would appreciate a posse of TRs to encourage his efforts, it doesn't seem a possibility, unfortunately.

 

Health and Safety, security, the usual stuff . . . . . you've heard it all before. Excuse my sounding cynical . . . .

 

If all goes well at Silverstone, the TR8 will race at Zolder in July. Decision to be made after Silverstone testing.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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  • 2 weeks later...

As detailed in the Silverstone thread, Bert and the TR8 made an impressive showing on Friday, better than we might have hoped.

 

We’ve now had an opportunity to review the situation and assess progress thus far, and to guesstimate just how much more remains to be done.

 

The TR8’s modest racing history has been well documented over the years. In 1980 it didn’t work, other than demonstrating a fair turn of speed and potential for improvement. 1981 went better in testing, but on race days the Armco proved an irresistible attraction – handling issues primarily, getting all that grunt down with such a short wheelbase and wide track. The car was then significantly evolved for its planned final attempt at Le Mans in 1982 – final in so much as it would be the last year of eligibility. In the event, the main sponsor pulled out Spring 1982 as track testing commenced, and that was the end of the TR8’s competition career.

 

Since 1982, the Le Mans car has been used for no more than a handful of brief demonstration runs, the 1982 specification in effect unchanged and unassessed. After Bruntingthorpe and Silverstone testing it is all too clear that a there is a lot of detail work to be done. Obviously there will be no major changes, it is a historic race car after all, but the devil is in the detail.

 

Suggestions have been made of reverting to 1980 or 81 spec – unrealistic, I’m afraid. Racing cars evolve from race to race, let alone from one season to the next. Discarded parts are skipped, recycled or reutilised elsewhere, last year’s data is binned etc etc. The TR8 was more or less frozen in time in Spring 1982, that’s what has been rebuilt, that’s what Bert has to work with.

 

Bert’s hopes of running the car at Zolder have been dashed, the TR8 is going to need more than just a couple of test sessions to sort it into a raceworthy package. It’s now back in Belgium for a few weeks whilst Bert and his father attend to cosmetic and detailing issues. Then it will return to the UK for further race development and track testing.

 

Needless to say, an expensive process trucking the car around with a couple of pro race engineers, Bert coming over from Belgium, track fees, and even fuel – race fuel is £3-4/litre, one litre might last a mile at testing speeds, or just a kilometre racing. Think a whole lot more than a grand per day all told . . . . which is where the volunteer TR crew come in so useful. Chris, John, Diane, Tom, Ant and all the other TR folk who’ve devoted time and effort and enthusiasm over the past 4 years. Their contributions make the difference, just as their predecessors did back in 1980.

 

All being well, the TR8 is still on course to race this season in the UK. Fingers crossed. Probably in the AMOC Super GT series . . . and thanks to Jon for that suggestion, and to Martin for opening up the series. Watch this space, I'll keep you posted.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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Hi Alec

 

Just got back from hols and good to see that the testing is still coming on.

It's a long and thankless task, but the reward will be to see the TR8 racing in anger after all these years.

Keep up the good work and lets hope it won't be too long before it makes its debut.

 

Regards

Lee

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Bert, saw a write up on your car in Autosport last week saying you have contacted the AMOC regarding SGT. Glad to see you did this.

 

Hopefully it will make a cracking addition to the series. Justthe type of car they are after. Perfect fit. :D

Be a while before I'm out in it in my next bonkers TVR, but I will be.

Edited by jellison
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hi guys i was at brscc race meeting 2 weeks ago and she was resting in a pit garage looking splendant cant wait to wave blue flags at other cars as she comes to overtake them at the classic at silverstone at the end of the month. unfortunatly the international weekend but hey ho racing is life.

yours in sport marshal

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Hi Marshal,

 

the day after testing the TR8 - Bert was racing his Sports 2000 car, the Silver Juno.

 

The TR8 won't be at the Silverstone Classic, I'm afraid, sorry to have to disappoint you !

 

I was at Bert's workshop last weekend with Ant and Tom, en route to the Spa Summer Classic. The TR8 is coming along nicely, a lot has been learned from the testing, Bert and his colleagues are patiently working their way through the 'jobs to do' list.

 

It'll get there. Thanks for the support ! :D

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

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