Exchange of Performance info for Boxer engined cars

[roban]

There appears to be a lot of guys running boxer engine cars in a variety of speed events. I thought it would be good to start a thread that would allow a free exchange of information and photographs between those of us that are still pedalling the crap out of these great little cars. As a starter I am including some photos of an 8 valve head that i have just installed on my 1800cc engine. Let us share some of those hard developed well proven ideas. Show us all what you have been up to.

Bob

[bs15ti]

Hi,

There's a basic specification of my car of my car below. We built it in 1998 (from a road car) and have had lots of success - winning the upto 1800 class in the UK Alfa Romeo challenge in 1999 and 2001. I had four overall wins in 2001 beating 75's with upwards of 350bhp! Work commitments have restricted my outings to 5 or 6 events a year since 2001 and things have moved on with considerable investments by others into large capacity boxers - 2.0 16 valve screamers and large capacity V6's, etc. Aside from the time factor, my pockets are not sufficiently deep enough for all those valves. So now I run as quick as before but not as quick as those who have at least 70 bhp more (the aforementioned 2.0 16v boxers). Still, it's great fun to drive and the carbs still add a bit of old world charm...!

Chassis

Converted from Mk.3 road car (Mk.2 lights, grille and front bumper)
Sparco welded in cage. Extra tubes through to suspension turrets
Kevlar composite bonnet and tailgate
Fibreglass composite front bumper, front wings, door skins, wheelarch extensions and rear bumper
Perspex windows (side and tailgate) – slider unit in drivers window
Carbon rear wing (ARCA 2008 legal), front splitter and rear diffuser

Engine

1793cc 8 valve – 175 bhp at 8000 rpm
1700 crank – cross drilled
89mm forged pistons
Steel rods (H-pattern)
FD4 profile camshafts
Ultra big valve heads
Lightweight steel flywheel (new for 2007 season)
Large capacity baffled sump
Twin Dellorto 44 DRLA carburettors
Full width air intake box (custom made)
Omex control unit (controlling spark) with distributorless coil
Custom made 4-2-1 stainless steel manifold with repackable rear silencer
Custom made aluminium radiator

Transmission

5 speed close ratio straight cut gears
Quaife torque biasing LSD
Strengthened 16v casing with billet aluminium flat plate base plate
Pinion shaft supported with rear bearing and additional rear plate brace
Helix 7.25” single plate racing clutch (new for 2007 season)
AP Racing concentric slave cylinder
Lightened shift remote

Front Suspension and Steering

Modified 16v front crossmember
Tubular wishbones (fabricated) with rod ends
Koni double adjustable McPherson strut inserts (2 races old)
Eccentric top mounts
Tubular adjustable front anti roll bar
BLS quick rack and Momo steering wheel

Rear Suspension

Modified 33 rear beam
Re-located panhard rod with nylon bush/rod end location
Watts linkages with nylon bushes
Bilstein coil over dampers
Adjustable rear anti-roll bar

Brakes

Front – Ventilated discs with lightweight Alcon 4-pot racing calipers
Rear – Solid lightened discs with lightweight Alcon 2-pot racing calipers
Fabricated pedal box with bias bar
Twin master cylinders and remote reservoirs (no servo)

Fuel System

Fabricated alloy tank – 30 litre capacity
Twin electric pumps
Pressure regulator and filter in engine bay
Aeroquip lines throughout

Wheels and Tyres

7”x15” 5 spoke alloys – front and rear
Dunlop slicks and Dunlop wets

Interior and Safety

Plumbed in extinguisher system (new for 2006 season)
Sparco 4 point belts (new for 2006 season)
Cobra Evolution seat (new for 2007 season)
Battery located inside cockpit

Regards,

Bryan.

[bs15ti]

Another shot of the engine bay without the airbox:-

[roban]

Hi Bryan :

Thank you for going to all the effort to write up the specs on your car. There are lots of interesting components on the list that would be the envey of most boxer racers.
I find it interesting that although we are half a world apart our cars have lots of similarities.
Weight is the same, within a couple of kilos.
Engine is the same capacity
Horesepower the same: 178HP @ 8100RPM.

I will put a list similar to yours, of the specs for my car so that we can get a more direct comparison.
One area where your car excels is the presentation, great looking car.

Regards...Bob

[alfasprinter]

anymore info on your spectacular sprint Roban? id put some up about mine but there is nothing in it fancy.

[roban]

Hi Alfasprinter: Funny you should ask about my Sprint as I am doing some more work on it at the moment. I will take some more photos in the next couple of days and post them.
I have been having a problem with what i think is fuel starvation @ 7300rpm. So I have had the heads reported and installed weber 44idf carbs plus converted to an electric fuel pump. Trying to get the linkage sorted for the new cabies, will be done in a couple of days. Then off to the dyno to sort out the jetting. Will let you know how it all works out.
Regards.....Bob

[Javajive]

Anyone have any experience as of how large carbs can effectivly be put on a 16valve 1.7engine ? is 44 the limit, og could some 50-55mm work, provided i get the custom piece between the head and the carb made myself. Granted, the heads, pistons, valves, cams n such will get some work done aswell, this is just regarding the carbs usable on these engines. Any clue as of how high its been done so far ?

[baldy]

Hi, i have carbs on a 16v road car i am running 40 idf carbs with 32 chokes my max power is at 6200 150bhp driveability really good try this little program it worked great for me i run .45 idles idleing good at 850/950

http://greend.com/jetting.exe

[andy97]

I have bought an ex UK ARCA & Auto-Italia Championship Production Class winning car, previously owned & raced by Roger Donnan.

The Spec of the Alfa is as follows:

1. Car originally built by Colin Flanagan and “Auto Point”

2. Auto-Italia Production Spec engine circa 115 Bhp when last rolling road tested about 3-4 years ago

3. Flat Head 1500cc engine, Dished Pistons

4. Balanced bottom end

5. Bottom end virtually new – new pistons, bores and rings from Bianco

6. Bianco Head. Ported and jetted within the production spec regulations

7. Chassis and shell seam welded. Welded in multi-point roll cage

8. Rear geometry adjusted to stop understeer – set up by “Auto Point”

9. Reinforced front sub frame

10. Stiffened up rear gearbox mounting

11. 1200cc Alfa Sud gear box (closest ratios of the Alfa sud range, I think)

12. Spare 1300cc Alfa Sud gear box

13. Fuel tank is half size at approx 25 litres (to allow the bespoke exhaust to be fitted).

The car is VERY scruffy, having had a couple of shunts in my last few races (not my fault!!) but it handles VERY well. However, it could do with a bit more power. I now run it in the up to 1600cc class of the Classics Sports Car Club's "Tin Tops" mini enduro series - any suggestions of how I can improve power out put relatively cheaply? The regs are very free but the £ are not!

[Alfablogger]

I finally got around to installing my Squadra chip to my 16v 33 today. I did the exhaust (2.25 inch plut hi-flow cat) and fitted a K&N air filter shortly ater getting the car a few months ago, but the chip was the final piece in the puzzle. The car is running brilliantly - just what I thought a runabout Alfa should be when I got it. Couldn't be happier.

Am interested to read about others' mods as I'm always looking for a good reliable and inexpensive way to get a little more poke.

Next up for me are braided brake lines. I've just got the car to go quite a bit better. Now I need to get it to stop!

[raff_gta]

With regards to the heads, can more power be made from the heads that have the combustion chamber in the head or in the piston? Obviously assuming same cam specs, valve sizes, engine capacity etc etc...