[alfa] Racing Alfetta brakes - long - so what's new

[alfacybersite <acs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

While not promising, I plan to fade away like a good old soldier 
regarding this subject....after the following.

Richard Welty, while he wasn't quite this blunt, suggested I stay out of 
this discussion since I don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

And good advice it is since it is between 98 and 99% true.

I'm going to go back to my original argument. One has to work pretty 
darn hard or be terribly unlucky, or most likely overdrive their car 
into a corner, to roll that sucker. In other words slow down (just as 
everyone who has replied Strongly suggest one do when one's brakes begin 
to fade) and remove roll bars and Especially roll cages since it is 
obvious they - (a) are not original (b) give the driver somewhat a 
feeling of invincibility, and (c) especially in the case of roll cages 
add significant strength to the chassis allowing for more suspension 
tuning (and yes, even within the spirit of the rules) "can" allow for 
considerably higher corning speeds.

Richard also mentioned club politics. I'm well aware there are various 
factions within clubs. While not in the past few years but went to a 
number of VARA (Vintage Auto Racing Assoc.) races held at Willow 
Springs. It was interesting to see some cars prepared almost stock and 
others which looked considerably different than when they left the 
factory. I picked up that there was a great rift within the club members 
between complete originality (except for safety considerations) and 
those who came to win and wanted to be free to modify.

Eleven years ago when I moved to this location, my first project was to 
complete a '67 Alfa Spider to be used in VARA. I'll say right here, I 
don't feel it was in the spirit of any vintage racing organization's 
rules but did enjoy the process (not to mention the business). It came 
with the windshield posts cut off which apparently had been done many 
years before. The client had designed his own asymmetrical roll bar 
which was very well reinforced including a long bar from the "hoop" to 
the passenger side footwell. Obviously the car had been totally gutted.

I was given a very low, molded dark tinted acrylic "windshield" which 
had to be ground to fit and then find a way to mount. The major job was 
the client wanted a dual braking system. I suggested, but left it up to 
him if it would be allowed, that we go with a later pendulum type Spider 
clutch / brake system along with the more" modern" brake booster. Not 
sure whether the booster was a good idea, but needed somewhere to mount 
the MCs.

I installed the quite warm two liter engine with remote oil filter and 
oil cooler along with 45 DCOE Webers. Suspension included Konis, heavy 
duty springs, larger brake calipers, and a rear sway bar. It went on and 
on, the brake line to the rear ran inside so an infinitely adjustable 
brake bias handle could be installed.

It passed tech inspection first time out with only the comment my trick 
oil catch tank was a bit small.

To repeat, in my opinion, it was over the top especially for a vintage 
racing venue and might might possibly be banned today.

I did go out with the AROSC group to Willow Springs myself in the GTV6. 
The front donut blew late on the first day at the long track, and the 
brake fluid boiled whilst on Willow's short track. I'll take complete 
responsibility for both, especially the latter since it had been a long 
time since the brake fluid had been changed. I will say though, Tess, 
once the fluid decided to boil, it was a pretty short time from having a 
slightly soft pedal to one which went to the floor.

About then I retired from "racing". (Hark! Methinks I hear loud cheering 
in the background).

I especially enjoyed Richard's comment: "... i know that if i go to Kurt 
Weiss (a friend of mine who also happens to be chairman of the SCCA comp 
board) and ask for some rotor allowance, he'll want to know if i've done 
everything i can to cure the problem within the rules first. right this 
minute, i can't honestly say that i have."

He does appear to leave open the possibility of Alfetta GT's being 
allowed to use ventilated rotors - at least in the front - or possibly not.

In reply to Thomas Washburn's comment: "Triple-throwdown ventilated 
carbon-carbon brakes with 8-piston calipers, for example, would offer a 
significant competitive advantage over stock brakes" - my original 
suggestion was "Good lord, why not at least allow ventilated brake discs 
for any car being raced anywhere, though must be of the same diameter as 
original and the calipers used must be "similar" to the original? If it 
doesn't already exist and assuming it is feasible, why couldn't a 
sophisticated rebuilder manufacture (laser cut) spacers for calipers to 
allow for the additional width? If feasible and readably available for 
most any caliper, then change the rules to mandate original calipers, 
but can be modified as to width only."

(Okay, I added the final "only" just now).

Biba
Happy motoring all
Irwindale, CA USA

http://www.alfacybersite.com/BR67AlfaSpd.html
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided