Landracing Forum

Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => 2017 and before: SW & WF => SpeedWeek 2014 => Topic started by: Milwaukee Midget on March 21, 2014, 10:39:39 AM

Title: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: Milwaukee Midget on March 21, 2014, 10:39:39 AM
What I'm hoping is that there might be a team coming over from Great Britain with enough spare room in their container to fit an MG/Rover K11, K14 or K16 engine.  It would likely be on a pallet.  I'm working on sourcing one - they were not sold in the United States.

I'm not asking to have it "smuggled" in - I'll take care of all duties and paperwork.

If you would be willing to help, contact me either through PM via these boards, or via e-mail at teleblaster@hotmail.com .

Thanks!

Chris Conrad
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: desperate on March 22, 2014, 11:59:19 AM
Hi Chris. Yes, I'm part of a UK team coming over. We came in 2012 with 6 bikes, it was filmed by the BBC (Speed Dreams) and such was the impact of that film that we'll be back this year with 10 bikes. We've hired a 40ft container this time, 2012 we had a 20ft one, so there might be room, but I'd have to OK it with the other teams. Doing the shipping carnet might be tricky but there are ways around things. Here's my email address editor@britchopper.co.uk or this one, 999desperate@gmail.com or my UK phone number (44) 1493 733695.

All the best, Chris Ireland (supercharged Indian 741B).
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: Briz on March 23, 2014, 10:14:41 AM
Hey! if we just put 'car engine' on the carnet, maybe we can bring home a LS1 or something on the same pallet!
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: Milwaukee Midget on March 23, 2014, 11:37:43 AM
Chris Ireland -

Thank you - I have sent you an e-mail.

As far as an LS-1 going back - well, I guess I'd rather stay in the zone of "plausible deniability", but yes, they would be a lot cheaper on this side of the pond.
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: desperate on March 23, 2014, 12:03:10 PM
Hey! if we just put 'car engine' on the carnet, maybe we can bring home a LS1 or something on the same pallet!

Briz isn't joking, in 2012 the pallet with his bike on weighed twice as much going home as it did coming over!
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: mexican jon on March 23, 2014, 01:06:22 PM
I can't see any problems with it  :-) If there's space in the container we may as well fill it up  :-)
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: thefrenchowl on March 24, 2014, 09:48:58 AM
Hi Lads,

If it's on a one way ticket, it don't need a carnet, that's for temporary imports, just need papers and taxes.

See you all there very soon... We're a 4 man team this year, the 2 Richards brothers, Joe and Mark, as last year plus one of their friends, Cory, and meself, with hopefully, an improved steed...

Patrick

Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: Milwaukee Midget on March 27, 2014, 05:34:40 PM
Okay - I've pulled the trigger.

I've made arrangements to have this shipped over -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251443838396?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

I appreciate ALL of the offers of help with this.  I also realize that while I could have saved a few bucks by putting it on a container already coming over with a team, it would have been a pain in somebody's buttocks getting it to Bonneville.

Thanks for the gracious offers of help - I may impose upon you for some other sundry items, but the lump is away.

Thanks again!

Chris Conrad
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: Stan Back on March 27, 2014, 06:10:10 PM
Great!  Now tell us semi-Pollacks what it is.  2.5-liter?  Bought it for the head?
Title: Re: Any racers from Great Britain coming over for Speedweek?
Post by: Milwaukee Midget on March 27, 2014, 06:32:28 PM
Great!  Now tell us semi-Pollacks what it is.  2.5-liter?  Bought it for the head?

1.6 liter DOHC 4 valve, used in 1990s MGs and Rovers in Great Britain.  Replaceable liners, which we'll likely have to have custom made in order to get the size down to 1 liter - provided the valves will clear a smaller bore.  We'll also need a custom crank, but we'll be looking at common bearing sizes to focus on some sort of Honda or Toyota rod.

I've never seen one in real life before.  We're going to take it apart, measure everything, go through the books and see what we can come up with for possible rod and piston options, keeping an eye on common dimensions used by Honda and Toyota for bearing sizes and ring sizes, and reengineer the whole thing from the inside out.

Essentially what we did with the Grenade, but with double the valves, double the cams, and in aluminum.

And if after the exploratory work we come to the conclusion that we can't make it work at 1 liter in the Midget, I'll do a mild rebuild on it, punch it up to 2 liters, shove it in the MGB and chase down Mazdas.