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PostPosted: January 31, 2021, 3:44 pm 
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Joined: January 31, 2021, 3:04 pm
Posts: 2
Hi everyone, my first post here after years of watching :-)
I've finally decided to build my own race car after many years of racing saloon cars etc. I have always wanted a historic racing sports car of the 70's and after some decision making I'm putting together drawings etc for the Duckhams LM that raced in '72.
It was designed by Gordon Murray for Alain de Cadenet and used Brabham suspension and a Ford DFV engine.
My build will be using 1" and 1.5" square tubing with bonded and riveted aluminium panels for strength and to give that monocoque appearence and I'm using Miata uprights and possibly driveshafts.
My main quandry is what engine to put in so hopefully you can help me decide. The car will be raced and it will probably be in an endurance type class where races are typically 4hours in duration.
So here is the big decision...
1. Bike engine from a R1/GSXR superbike either linked via chain or driveshaft to a Miata diff.....pros: lightweight, powerfull and not too complex to install. sounds great and has sequential shift. Cons: lack of torque, questions over whether it would last races of 4 hours long etc.
2. V8 coupled to a Audi 016 transmission, either using a Ford 302 or Lexus 1UZ (very cheap where I am)....pros: its a V8 so power and torque will be mindblowing cons: weight, the complexity of putting it all together and I'm worried that it would just be like taking a canon to a knife fight!
3. 4 cylinder engine mated to an Audi 016 engine. Using either a Ford Duratec, Toyote 4-AGE or a Honda K20....pros: good power, easier to squeeze into a small chassis and not too complex. Cons: it still needs to be put into the chassis and mated to the transmission and probably not much more powerful than a superbike engine without more mods.

Help would be appreciated!
[img]https://postimg.cc/YvfN3d75][img]https://i.postimg.cc/YvfN3d75/117769958-328209728559918-2729756519385119159-o.jpg[/img][/img]
[img]https://postimg.cc/gX0Kr8ff][img]https://i.postimg.cc/gX0Kr8ff/55.png[/img]
[img]https://postimg.cc/ZvBFxZYH][img]https://i.postimg.cc/ZvBFxZYH/56.png[/img]


Last edited by Roger39 on February 1, 2021, 2:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: January 31, 2021, 5:50 pm 
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Joined: January 1, 2012, 12:44 pm
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Location: Boise, Idaho
My $0.02
If the engines used were V8s, then use a mild Ford 302. They're narrow, so easier to package. Just keep the cam mild and it will be plenty of fun without killing the drivetrain. Use 930 CV joints. If you want to go 4-cyl, the 2.0 Duratec with a keyed crank could pass as period, and plenty of hop up parts available. Just say it's a replica of a Lola T492, a very similar looking car. If the Duckhams LMs were raced with a 2.0 liter you're golden.


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PostPosted: February 1, 2021, 4:13 pm 
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Welcome to the board.


Roger39 wrote:
The car will be raced and it will probably be in an endurance type class where races are typically 4hours in duration.


Who will you be racing it with? I'd start with their rule set and see how they would classify a car like this.

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PostPosted: February 2, 2021, 7:14 am 
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Joined: January 31, 2021, 3:04 pm
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Thanks for the welcome!
The class is a capacity class so there are cars ranging from a V8 Hyabusa powered Chevron to home built VW powered prototypes so its pretty much open to anything.
I think the biggest issue with the car is the wheels and tyres as its expensive to get 13" 13J wheels and tyres.
If I raced with a V8 Ford I could possibly race in the Historic series, the Duckhams car only ever raced with a DFV.

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PostPosted: February 2, 2021, 5:16 pm 
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Joined: January 5, 2010, 12:13 pm
Posts: 25
Location: Little Rock, AR
I recently completed a similar project (McLaren M8A/B), so my thoughts are, especially after Googling the Duckhams LM, are:
Drivetrain: I expect your project shouldn't weigh more that 700kg? Regardless, you can't beat a GM LS motor. They are light, nearly indestructible, and compact. I have one in front of an inverted 930 transaxle, and will never worry about either. The Audi transaxle is iffy for a decent V8 torque, but what your project would need, especially for visual likeness, is having the engine as low as possible, which means an inverted transaxle, like the 930 or other 911 transaxles (G96 is my next target for my next similar project). The 930 prices are not going down, like the G96 has been, and it's a 4 speed (but well ratioed gearing) with poor synchro design, BUT, it will handle any HP a N/A V8 will provide, and it weighs about 20kG less than the next lightest Porsche mid-engine option. With that option, the OEM manifold should still be below the deck of the bodywork as best as I can tell from the Google photos (but will need a dry sump).

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