what do I have and what can I use?

[saje]

First time poster and 'Renault' owner hoping for a little info from those more informed than myself.
I bought a little open wheeler race car powered by what I have been told is a bog standard Renault 12 engine and box. The engine plate says 810-05. It seems to be in good condition, but from what limited info on the 12 I can find on the net, it inly has 60hp. This will be fun while getting to 'know' the car, but obviously I will want more power down the track.
First question is, what is this engine exactly and second question is, what other engines ( preferably budget friendly) can i bolt up to this gearbox directly?
Thanks

 

[Shoji]

Welcome Saje
Yes it's a r12 motor alright. You have a nice bit of kit there. 4 speed box? Twin SU's I think. Could you track down the history of the engine builder maybe? interesting what's been done to it. More photo's please.

 

[jaahn]

Hi saje
Good looking bit of kit there. The Renault motors are pretty tough and respond to all the usual ways of getting more power out of them. Perhaps a play in that direction would be a bit of fun if it is standard inside.
Being a bit lazy now I would consider a supercharger which is an easy way to get an instant increase in the effective size
good luck Jaahn

 

[Frans]

Welcome, from what I can see is; it looks like a modified Renault bottom wishbone. The rack & pinion steering arm are at huge angles which might make it twitchy with bump steer. A R12 engine and gear box because the engine pulls the drive wheels as in a R12. Definitely twin SU Carbs. Will be nice and noisy. It might have a few mods from looking at the carbs and a little extractor, so you may have an extra horse or two. I can't identify the brakes but it looks good from far away.

I am curios about the cooling system. A radiator behind the seat and a huge air intake in front. How do you get the air to the radiator?

You can turn a similar engine, but 1400 or more into a 100hp plus engine reliably with some proven mods. That could scare you with the power to weight ratio.

 

[saje]

Thanks for quick replies!
This is a true budget job. Very simple and breaks quite a few engineering rules but also some clever stuff done to build a cheap racer using as many R12 bits as possible. Don't think builder knew what triangulation is. Lots of basic mods to bring safety and rigidity up. Already made gearshift linkage with less throw and slop than the previous. Almost finished rewiring the birds nest.
SU carbs are off as twin 1 3/4 " seems a little over carbing and manifold was a really poor home made effort, completely unmatched with nice puddle collectors at manifold face. I put the weber which came with it on and runs much better.
Not too worried about suspension geometry YET , though will eventually be fully Rose jointed, lighter A arms and revised geometry etc. Steering rod angle easily reduced by mounting outer end UNDER steering arm though i conditioning hink it was mounted above as arms are fully wound in so no other way to toe in except mount high.
This will remain a very tight budget car. If this is an R12 am i correct in thinking it's pumping out a whopping 60hp. I'm not able to spend several thousand to get an extra 20hp. I'd rather sell this one ( it's in great condition - what might it be worth as a means of helping pay for the next engine?) bolt on a different bog standard larger cc Renault engine already putting out higher numbers. If that option costs more than $500 then might as well go motorbike engine.
Brakes are single pot and use original unadjustable master cylinder.
I think the front opening was an effort at downforce. Second owner added those 'wings' (air brakes Front is a piece of flate composite something and rear is a curved piece of aluminium, not airfoils. Will be making a new nose and wings at some stage.

 

[Sunroof]

What class would it compete in and how did it perform previously?

 

[edgedweller]

onya, saje

stepping straight into interesting in post 1

welcome and seems your set for tons of fun, congrats and best of french motoring ...


ed

 

[Shoji]

Look what they've done with the front drive shafts. Please keep the engine Renault, maybe 807 - 84" series for more hp

 

[Sunroof]

Look what they've done with the front drive shafts. Please keep the engine Renault, maybe 807 - 84" series for more hp

Agree. Please saje and keep us updated once your competing.

 

[COL]

There must of been a few of these things built around the country, remember seeing it at the Brisbane French Car Display in 2010.

Here is a pic of it.

 

[saje]

That's the beast!!! Thanks Col.

It would be eligable for track days, sprints, hillclimbs and lots of laughs from those more well heeled in the paddock.

 

[saje]

Col, did you take any other photos?

 

[COL]

Col, did you take any other photos?

Yer I have about 8 pics of the car, I can put the rest up later.

 

[COL]

Brisbane French Car Display 2010

The pics that I took in 2010

 

[Shoji]

Great pics Col. A lot of Renault 12 in there. Thanks for posting

 

[COL]

Great pics Col. A lot of Renault 12 in there. Thanks for posting

Yer when I was looking at it and taking pics, I was adding up all the Renault 12 parts that were used

 

[Shoji]

They certainly cut up one and needed to borrow from another for all the front end gear that's for sure. Bowes would like this.

Sent from my Moto G Play using aussiefrogs mobile app

 

[JohnW]

Wow. You know, I'm amazed at the hours that someone must have put into getting that car together. It's easy to say "R12 etc" but that is hundreds of hours.

Do we know who did it and the history?

Lovely work.

 

[saje]

Thanks for great pictures Col.
First owner and i believe, builder, was Bryan Morrow.

BTW, are there any alternative oil filters to the Z71? If not, where can i purchase ghe Z71 (i live in Blue Mountains NSW).

 

[seasink]

Give EAI at Thornleigh a ring, and see if they can match it with a Purflux. They are a major source for French car parts in Sydney. Purflux are very high quality and not expensive. Next day courier.