The General Leif, 142 endurance racer

[itb-volvo]

I didn't have time to post anything while this was being built. But I thought some of you would get a kick out of it here it is.

First off I would like to thank Reeferman and KRL142 for helping me get this done. I couldn't of done it without you.

A brief history of the car. I had seen this car on CL for a while for $1000. While it looked like a decent car it was not a $1000 car. It did however have all the IPD goodies on it and receipts for about $2000 in a engine rebuild. One day the owner lowered the price to $500and I bit. I bought this car originally to part out and make a little money to fund my race car. Soon after that I helped build and care RSI's 245 for the 2009 race in Portland. I had so much fun with the car I decided that this would probably make a great ChumpCar.
So this is what I started with.




I first put it up on the scales and started to strip the car. As I stripped it I would take note on what I pulled out of the car and the weight. The car started at 2611LBS and got it down to 2279 with all the glass still in it and the dash. I am guessing that after the cage was installed and that stuff taken out the car was raced around 2500LBS
Stripping the car

Trunk lid stripped


I pulled out the engine and tranny. Getting rid of the M41 in favor of a M40. With the engine out I tore it completely down to clean it up and check the bearings. I ended up changing one cam bearing and just rotating the rode and crank bearings. I also honed out the cylinders and re ringed it. I was planing on balancing the bottom end but found out that it had already been balanced in the rebuild. Other than that I used all the stuff that was on the engine when I got it.

After that I started going through the suspension and making sure it was some what up to the task of racing for 12 hours. Along the way I decided to make some new bushings for the lower control arms.


Then it was time to put the cage and fuel cell in.






After getting the cage in we discovered that the stock dash would no longer fit and we would have to make our own. KRL142 did most of this.




OK that's enough for now I'll get more on the build later.

[JERIC]

need lots more of this that looks like a fun toy.
Eric

[dhallilama]

rad... i vaguely remember the car from CL...
like seeing more and more 142 projects around

2279lbs with glass and dash... is it a carbed car, or D-Jet? Undercoating?
I got my d-jet, stripped interior, no undercoating, 1/4 tank of gas '72 142e down to 2217lbs. thats with both front seats (audi 4kq).

[WillettRun?]

nice dashwork, sweet car

[Tanglefoot]

I love seeing builds like this. Are you racing only in the Chump Car series? Or are you also going something a little more serious with it?

[skunked]

nice

what else is done to the motor?

[varg]

You may want to take a grinder to the corners on that dash Looks cool though.

[itb-volvo]

2279lbs with glass and dash... is it a carbed car, or D-Jet?

Car is running D-jet.

[itb-volvo]

Originally Posted by Tanglefoot

I love seeing builds like this. Are you racing only in the Chump Car series? Or are you also going something a little more serious with it?

I built the car with a SCCA legal cage in it so if at some point if someone would like to race it another series they could.

[itb-volvo]

OK so I have been wanting to bring you guys up to date with whats going on with this car for quit some time but free time in my life is about non existent. I'll give you a quick rundown of whats we have been doing with the car.
We ran the fist race with it in October of 2010. We did finished the race. I don't recall what position but I was not disappointed with the car for its first time out.
this is what it looked like at that race.


between that race and the next race in October we had the car painted and that was about it. The car was then known as the General Leif.

Unfortunately that race did not go is well as the last. On Saturday we went through one transmission and with about a hour left in the race I grenaded the engine. Not to self, check the oil every time you pit .

While my over team mates started to pulling out the engine I ran home to grab a spare engine and the engine hoist. By 11pm we had the engine in and running. First thing in the morning with little time before the next race we tried to get the new engine tuned up. Well long story short we didn't get it tuned properly. About a hour or two into the race we melted a piston, our weekend was over. Now it was time to get ready for the next race that would happen in April of 2011.
Here are a couple of other pictures from that race.


I'll get you updated with what happened at the April race soon.
Marc

[John2x240]

Did you gut the doors, hood and trunk lid? You can add a few more pounds of lightness there.

[itb-volvo]

Ya its its to the point if it was to loose any more weight it would be a ounce here and a ounce there. If anything I think in the future there will be weight added such as bumpers and a air dam/splitter.
Marc

[klr142]

Brake upgrade discussion.
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=250943

Also, FYI, the latest updates, pictures, video and standings are shown on our Facebook page linked to in my signature below.

[itb-volvo]

So after blowing up one B20 and melting the other at the last race we decided to rethink our drive train. As a side note, I personally never really expected the B20 or a 40 year old unknown D-jet system to hold up to the first 12 hour race let alone another 5 or so at the next. I have no doubt that had we done a better job of checking the oil what happened would not of happened. Our fault not the cars. The truth is, though while fun, I don't think we ever thought we'd be a front running car.

So after some discussion we decided that we should try and do a swap of some sort. After a while Kyle found a 89 244 on OVT for sale for $250. It was perfect, it was one of those "I'm not sure why it stopped running" deals with a M47 and the LH2.4 that we wanted to try and make work. After towing it home and unloading it in a matter of minutes Kyle had it up and running. I don't recall what all was wrong with it but I think the timing was off a bit and might of needed a main computer. After pulling of what we needed and selling off anything we could to help pay for the project the car was scrapped.

Next was to put in the engine. We decided to run the engine as Volvo wanted it, at a slant. That way we could run the M47 and not have a funny looking intake and exhaust manifold. After much hacking on the X member to get it to sit where we wanted it we made some engine mount. It was nice that drive line bolted right up as did the center support bearing. After rewelding the X member, putting in engine, and all the LH2.4 stuff Kyle fired it up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlPOqRwYsZg
Here is a early picture of the install. Lots to figure out still at this point like where the alternator will go, figuring out what to do about a brake booster and trying to use the intake off a B21.

couple pictures of enlarging and baffling the oil pan.


Luckily Kyle has a coworker that had some fabbing experience and was able to help us weld in some injector bungs into the B21 intake manifold.

That's all I have time for today
Marc

[itb-volvo]

So a couple of the bigger problems we had with the engine swap was mounting the alternator and what to do about the brake booster. We tried to mount to a stock Volvo alternator but where not able to make it fit. Not enough room in the stock lower location and the steering box and other stuff was in the way when we tried to use the 740 mount that puts it up and to the right of the engine. Finally after much searching we where able to source a little alternator that was able to sit between the engine and the frame rail on the lower left.
On the brake booster we used a smaller booster from a Japanese car. I had picked it up at a swap meet years ago and have no idea what the stock application is. I wish I did in case I ever need to replace it. Oh well, guess I'll worry about that when the time comes.
Here are a couple of photos of swap done.


So while we where getting the car setup we where also rebuilding another engine to hopefully have done before the next race that was quickly approaching. Nothing too special on the engine just a basic rebuild with new rings, bearings and seals etc.
So there where lots of little things to get the car ready but in the long run we were able to get the car done with the rebuilt engine and all. I think we had a week to drive it around town to help make sure to get all the bugs out, witch none ever showed up. In fact the car ran flawlessly the whole race but more on the next time.
Marc

[spe1983]

Originally Posted by itb-volvo

Finally after much searching we where able to source a little alternator that was able to sit between the engine and the frame rail on the lower left.

did you use the small denso alt? How did you mount it? Also what are you using as a throttle cable? Great looking car

[NChoy]

Was over at Marc's house today... that car is looking great! Can't wait to see it out on the track again...

[itb-volvo]

Originally Posted by spe1983

did you use the small denso alt? How did you mount it? Also what are you using as a throttle cable? Great looking car

We tried to use the small Denso but where not able to make it fit. There really is not a lot of room down there. I finally found a small unit that is probably not much bigger than your fist. Not sure what its original application was but it might have been for a boat. I had to make my own mounting brackets too.
Marc

[pat244ti]

I remember a local back in the day [Volvobub] had a b21ft slanted in his 145. He used a Hyundai Excel alternator IIRC.

[itb-volvo]

Car is all ready to go.

So when it was race day last October we basically showed up and just drove. Here are a couple of pre race pictures.


Kyle ended up taking the green flag witch instantly put us in first. We held that position well past the half way point of the race. The only car that was able to get around us was a 69ish Datsun roadster that had a motor swap. I don't recall what engine was used in the swap. I chased him awhile after he passed me. I was able to out handle him in the corners by a slight margin but he was just too fast down the straights. I also set our fastest lap of the day on lap 142 how fitting.

Didn't get a whole lot of pictures during the race but here are a couple.


I jumped in the car for the last two hour stint to the finish. There was no catching the roadster and we had a two lap lead on the third place car. All I had to do was stay ahead of third place. Shortly after taking the wheel I noticed sparks coming from the front wheels while under braking. We where running out of brakes. Luckily there where a bunch of yellow flags and a 30-40 min period where we were stop with a red flag. Pictures of what was left of the brake pads.


So after 12 hours of the car running pretty much flawlessly we took 2nd place.
Post race inspection.

The team and the car.

The car.

And the trophy.

As we speak we are working on a brake upgrade and with any luck maybe a little dyno time to get a couple more pony's out of the engine and a little aero work so we can be a little faster down the straights.
Marc

[hackster]

Great build and I love the car!!!

I have a friend who campaigns an orange fox body mustang in the chumpcar series. I may need to build a volvo for this.

Your car is really a great setup for racing. Light, small, handles well and now with the 2.4 its dead reliable.

I think you are pretty close by. I am in Garden home (Pat pointed out your place one day as we were out and about) If you ever need a hand with anything give me a shout. I have a pretty descent fab shop here at the house.

Sean

[PEGASUS 6]

what a great way to end the night. great write up great story.

[itb-volvo]

I think you are pretty close by. I am in Garden home (Pat pointed out your place one day as we were out and about) If you ever need a hand with anything give me a shout. I have a pretty descent fab shop here at the house.

Sean

Might take you up on that offer. At some point I hope to get a air dam and splitter on the car. I have some ideas on a simple solution but its always nice to get a second opinion. When we get to that point I'll invite you over and we can talk about options. Or if you just want to come over and check the car out (work on it?) that would be cool too.
Marc

[itb-volvo]

Just a FYI a while back I started a Facebook page for the General in hopes that when its race day there is a central place that everyone can post updates. Also I am probably more apt to post updates on the build of the car there. Check it out if you like.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Genera...38575516219662

[itb-volvo]

Well three weeks till the next race and work continues on the General. Got the braking system done and if life would slow down a little and the rain would let up I could get out and take it for a little test drive and make sure it's all working properly. Basically we are using 240 caliper and 164 rotors.

We needed to make up some custom lines to adapt the 240 metric caliper to the 140 SAE fittings.

When I find myself waiting on parts or just need to kill a little time I have started working on weight reduction. I got this from Harbor Fright to start on stripping off some of the undercoating.

It took me about 15-20 minutes to strip off abut 1.5LBS in this fender well.

Metal that is no longer needed in the door.

Also working on trying to clean up the aerodynamics of the car a little. We will see how and if it works.

Also put in a poly rear window and rear 1/4 windows that are kicked out a little to help a airflow over the drip rail and relieve any back pressure that might build up in the car. Other than a few little odds and that need to be tended to the car is ready to hit the race track. Hoping for another uneventful and maybe podium finish this race.
Marc