Rolling Roads For Historics

[HiRich]

Can anyone recommend a rolling road company that's experienced with historics and methanol?

We're having a problem with our Cooper JAP (500cc F3), oiling the plug and losing all power. My suspicion is that the problem is a combination of oiling (always an issue with the JAP motor) and possibly the carb running very rich. Due to:
- the vagaries of the Cooper design
- the fact that none of us trust ourselves with carb tuning (make that "I expect big brother would lean it out too much and burn the piston"!)
- more tracktime is pointless: the car will stop out on track, and to be honest we guessing about the cause, so an expert would be money well spent.
So a rolling road would allow us to replicate the problem as it happens on-track, and tweak it there and then. We are certain that the problem is somewhere in the setup, so we don't want to ship the engine to a tuner (better to check the complete installation as well - it would be a real bummer if spent all that money and then found it was a dodgy fuel pipe or something)

Some requirements:
Where: Watford way (of course we'll travel, so Reading, Oxford, Northampton is fine)
When: mid-August. Saturday availability would be extremely useful
Capacity: only 50hp, so not an issue

And of course, they must be skilled with 50's kit and methanol. We would also want to be on hand, to advise, assist and learn.

Thanks in advance

Rich

[Tim Falce]

I don't, but if you do find someone that knows what they are doing, please let me know.

[gfm]

G-Force Motorsport would help but 500cc experience they won't have. Good engineers though. 01296 434084.

[Adam43]

And they share the same initials as you!

We are going to John Noble's place in Chesterfield. It has a good reputation (although I don't know about 500c stuff.). I'll report back.

[275 GTB-4]

Hmmmmm, how about a little lateral thinking.

Whilst a rolling road might be a useful diagnostic tool, I can't help thinking you could end up on the thing for hours without much progress. If it twere me, I would be looking around for a JAP/Historic Motorcycle tuner to have a good look at your set-up. I assume you are running something like an Amal Monobloc or such device. These instruments are much more familiar to the Historic Motorcycle fraternity.

Just some thoughts...good luck

[HiRich]

275,
You're quite right that we really want an expert to take a look. Since I'm all at sea with carbs (Hey, I'm Team Manager, which means I'm in charge of getting timesheets and bacon butties!), and my brother's approach is "If I can't fix it with a hammer, it must be beyond repair". A good JAP man would probably spot problems before his fag ash dropped into the methanol.
But I would still like to see it on a rolling road, mainly because the problems appear under load, and you need to have those wheels spinning to drive the fual pump. It would also allow us to get it just right, and learn a bit by watching.

Still looking, if anyone else has ideas.

[D-Type]

Doesn't every garage that does MOT's have a rolling road? I'm sure they did at the last place I went to. i won't recommend them as they know less than me about trouble-shooting - and I know nothing!
I also think 275GTB's suggestion of a historic motorcyclist could bear fruit.
Good luck!

[Tim Falce]

D-Type, MOT stations rolling roads are for testing braking efficiency, not engine power. The actual rollers drive the wheels of the car and the brakes are applied to stop the rollers.

[D-Type]

I knew it couldn't be that simple or HiRich wouldn't have needed to post the question.
Now I know why!
Thanks for the information.
Note my signature

[Tim Falce]

D-Type,
An easy mistake, but with a screen name like yours i'll forgive you

[HiRich]

For the record, I've found these two mentioned on vintage & historic sites:
Beaufort Restoration Services (UK) Limited
Bexon Lane, Bredgar, Nr. Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8HG, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1795 830288
Clifford Cox Engine Services, 21 Milford Road,Reading,RG1 8LG. 0118 9677799 (www.rollingroadtune.co.uk)