Journal: Shaun Holmes's Journal

YPE stated life as 1969 Automatic MGCGT, when I purchased her in 1982 she looked good and was very solid, only one previous owner so I took the plunge and dad and I travelled to Bristol in his new Ford Cortina V6 which overheated when pushed above 90mph.
Well the deed done and an agreement that the owner would deliver her to Lowestoft I was the proud owner of a classic, I had owned MGB’s before but always fancied the MGC despite its bad press.
The day she arrived she did look good but the delivery was not without a hitch, the water pump failed and the engine bay looked like well best not describe the brown stains all over. So there the demise from running car to a car in ice cream tubs started. The bodywork was fair but I sent her to have new sills and inner and outer rear wings plus some other rust spots removed, the car was returned and covered up. Now a house move started to cause problems and the car was moved to a friend’s house nearby before being entombed in its new home from 1986 to November 2006 when it was moved again to MGMOTORSPORT for rebuilding to a track day car.
SNETTERTON TRACK DAY.

Driving the car to Snetterton for an open pit lane day was something I have not done before so father’s car was stocked up on fuel cans tools and anything else I could find that may come in handy. My oldest son who was to be the second driver and the youngest a passenger for the day and myself were slightly nervous of taking to the track with other cars with a brand new untested car. However the guys and girls at Snetterton could not have been more helpful. Checking, briefing and noise test all went well, the 102db at 3500rpm was just within the limit, phew!
The first sighting laps out of the way I started to remember the circuit, the last time I was here was when XR3i’s were the in car.
I had asked for an instructor to run me through the circuit with the car and I must admit without his help I would have struggled with the car, by to much steering input and the inability to heal toe to get the engine revs right to stop the engine acting as a brake at the wrong moment. The pedals need to be adjusted to allow the foot to roll over the accelerator, the gap and height being incorrect. Both Clint and I did manage to spin the car, no damage except to the ego!
The car ran for the next couple of hours track time with both of us getting used to the car and beginning to enjoy the day, with some quick cars running it did show up the cars older heritage against a BMW M3 running slicks and a few fast 7’s even a hot hatch gave me a fright down the straight, not on the corners though.
Initial tyre setup was as Doug had left it 26 rear 30 front, eventually I settled on 28.5 front and 26 rear, the spax front shocks were left as was but could have been one or two notches harder.
The engine was fine no oil or water leaks and the temperature remained fine. Brakes after our initial concern worked very well stopping the car with ease and no fade as yet. The gearbox though started to play up dropping out of third on deceleration on odd occasions so rather than destroy the box, which was a standard box we called it a day and came home.
Checking the car at home found some oil around the overdrive and at the bell housing however the gearbox level and engine were fine. A call to Doug and the gearbox was arranged to be changed for the SCCR one as originally ordered.

Brake failure happened the day Clint took the car out for a quick run, coming off the main road towards a roundabout he slowed and braked when something under the bonnet went with a bang or explosion, thinking the engine had failed he clutched in and braked, well tried no brakes. Fortunately the roundabout was clear and he managed to get the car to a stop. A tow truck took the car home, the possible cause was fuel vapours being drawn into the brake servo, by a passing plastic valve on the servo.
Update on the car

With the car sent back to Doug to have a new Girling brake servo, sccr gear set fitted and a few odds and ends the time came to go to Snetterton again.
This time the car ran like a dream the new gearbox being noisy but sounds like I’m driving a BTC, great! and the paddy Hopkirk paddle on the accelerator made heal toe no problem. With lap times of 1.27 to 1.30 ( Ithink around 1.26 for a race B, 1.14 for the top modified V8) via the hidden stop watch in my sons hand!! I was feeling very pleased with myself knowing in the hands of a racing driver this car was upto the mark.
Now the new problems, the brakes are standard apart from the pads with a few heart in mouth moments when the back of a Porsche came up oh! so rapid and the brakes juddering I thought now I need brakes. I have ordered from the states (Little British car co $161 a pair) of drilled and slotted discs to try before going down the road of upgrading the front callipers.
The tyres Dunlop R84D track tyres have started to roll on the treads that means I have to get a setup on tyre pressures again now the car is going harder into the corners.
In the engine bay the catch tank had oil sludge in it on looking around the dip stick and distributor had oil drips around them, it was obvious that the engine crankcase pressure was to much for the one breather line. Again a call to the man, he advised that I was over revving the engine and to keep it at 6000 max. He would also send me a adaptor to allow the old mechanical pump blank to be fitted with a pipe to the catch tank, also the rocker cover may have to have one fitted. I have also bought but not fitted yet a rev limiter to ensure that I keep the revs in check, as this engine will just rev and rev.

Funds allowing I will keep upgrading the engine, roller rockers of 1.50 (1.42 std) ratio have been again found in the states and will be arriving soon, the dream is steel crank, Rods and new Cosworth/Omega pistons to allow the engine to take more and rev higher.
I must thank Mgmotorsport for all there patience and they have shown that if you take a interest and want something a bit different the enthusiasm bubbles over.



Specifications
Engine:
Gas flowed, lead free Peter Burgess cylinder head, block re-bored with new pistons and valve cut-outs in top of block. Cam re-profiled to high lift long duration, with Vernier cam gear. Crankshaft re-ground and balanced with front damper, lightened flywheel and high performance clutch cover. New triple 45DCOE Weber carburettors with cast alloy inlet manifolds, Downton style exhaust manifold and twin pipe exhaust system. Power appx 220 + bhp (standard appx 100 bhp). All moving parts balanced.

Ignition:
Distributor MGM modified, 10 degrees mechanical advance plus Magnecor Blue HT leads and Lumenition Optronic ignition. Rev limiter set to 6000 rpm

Fuel System:
Facet Red top pump with pressure regulator (3psi).

Transmission:
SCCR gearbox with competition overdrive. Completely re-built rear axle and Quaife torque sensing differential. Wheels will be 8” X 15” bolt-on Compomotive Minilite replicas, with 205/60 X 15 Dunlop Formula R D84 tyres.


Brakes:
Standard discs/slotted drilled to be fitted (Mintex 1144 pads) /drums, with servo assistance. All new aeroquip hoses and pipelines.

Suspension & steering:
Suspension all as standard, except Polyurethane bushes all round, 2° negative camber, Spax adjustable dampers, uprated torsion bars and 3/4" anti-roll bar at the front.. High ratio steering rack & pinion fitted to reduce turns lock to lock to 2.9.
Quick release steering wheel F1 style.

Bodywork:
Wings as Sebring Works MGC but in steel with fibreglass arches, with hand rolled aluminium front valance, and flush rear valance. Sebring headlamp cowls covering 100/80w H4 bulbs are fitted. Monza 3½” fuel filler on rear quarter. New laminated windscreen with safety glass in other windows. Finished in British Racing Green (GN29) with Snowberry White roundels and white valance flashes.

Electrics:
New wiring harness, later multi use indicator stalk/headlamp dip/horn.

Interior:
Fixed Ridgard RS9 seats, vinyl trim panels, rear seating removed, and complete tufted carpeting with moulded tunnel and arches. Standard style dashboard,with re-calibrated speedo and new 0-8,000 rpm tacho. Special Moto-Lita 15” steering wheel. New switchgear as necessary. Front/Rear roll over cage. FIA type battery cut-off switch and external tee pull. Fire extinguisher plumbed in with external pull. Additional fuse box and cigar lighter.
No heater fitted.



General:
Willans Club 4X4, 3" race harnesses in Red. Most parts new or reconditioned