Radical SR8

Hi there folks

You might think this is a very odd car to have in CGTI Members Section but I have recently bought this following about 12 years owning, developing, and racing my 1996 Seat Ibiza 16V GTI. The car started off as a trackday car, then single venue sprinting, then some hill climbing, and finally multi venue sprinting in the Liverpool and Chester MC Speed Champs (probably the premier champ of its kind in Northern uk). Towards the latter years of ownership I got increasingly interested in aerodynamics and tried to improve my Ibiza with flat flooring, splitter, air dams, side skirts etc. This interest certainly contributed to buying the Radical but other factors were

• Sharing a garage with Matt Carter and his Radical PR6 at Anglesey British Sprint Champs round, and sitting in it, and drooling
• spending too much time talking to Jim Belt (Juno TR400) and sitting in his car, with more drooling
• being too broad across shoulders, and having too big feet for all single seaters I have sat in
• having a wife who would like to come round the track too (sr8 will soon have 2 seats), and two lads who will also be interested once they get a bit bigger
• a second seat means it's easier to get instruction in the art of aero...
• right car came up at right time! fairly local

So I ended up buying a 2009 Radical SR8, with 2010-onwards spec 2.7RPX 430hp engine. This is an ex-Radical factory car that was driven very successfully by Greg Hart. Being ex-works it has all the bells and whistles:

• Largest brakes available, 300mm fully floating front and rear
• all data logging options, f/r brake pressure, suspension movement, steering, engine, transmission, video
• pneumatic paddle shifters with blipper for clutch less up and down changes, also latest software to prevent down change if it will over rev engine
• air jacks
• 77L ATL bag fuel tank with quick fill connectors and dump churn
• single seat conversion to centralise driver mass in car (including centralised batteries)
• engine oil and water pre-heaters

RPX engine, again with all options fitted
http://www.radicalperformanceengine...=28&l=radical-performance-engines-rpx-2.7l-v8

Greg Hart at Imola:
http://www.msvracing.co.uk/msvrtv-popup.aspx?videoId=2452

After leaving Radical Christmas 2011, the car was owned by Lindsay Mercer who intended to develop it to run in the British Sprint Champs. The car was also given a full factory rebuild including engine and gearbox. Lindsay is a very experienced campaigner and has held numerous track records over the years. He has several cars including a stunning carbon Force LM001, which his son now drives. The Radical was sold as unfortunately Lyndsey has had back problems (following a Dukes of a Hazard moment) and has been advised to race a car with more upright seating. However, since taking ownership, Lindsay has developed the suspension and aero to use Avon Radials used in sprinting (Dunlop radials are usually used in radical circuit racing), so this is a significant advance for it's main intended purpose. Gearing was altered also. He has also slimmed down the oil and water cooling systems to save weight. After rebuild, only 2hrs had been put in the car (massive benefit of engine preheaters to minimise engine 'on' time) so it should be in mechanically A1 condition.

So, after trying the car out and been blown away, we had it away

Ongoing jobs:

• Fit twin seat and move batteries to stock location in sidepod
• refit air jacks
• refit second radiator (I intend to do some trackdays to learn the car so need the extra cooling)
• refit transmission oil rad
• top to toe check of car, all bodywork off, so far found only a broken seat mount, some wiring to tidy, and some spare holes to seal up
• full service, oils, fluids, plugs, filters
• repair underside of sidepods with Kevlar to protect from further stone rash
• get to know ecu and data logging software, activate some options not allowed in radical series racing
• 4-way adjustable dampers off to my suspension man for baseline data and suggestions for dry/inter/wet settings
• 2.5kw petrol genny sourced to power heaters and wheel gun
• 240v 3/4" drive wheel gun sourced
• airjack lance, hoses, regulator sourced, just need a bottle now with right thread to take reg, have about 300bar limit, and be easily refillable from a local source

More as it happens and I will put some pics up.

Other relevant threads:

http://www.clubgti.com/showthread.php?254890-Kiwi-Seat-Ibiza-Sprint-Car

 

Put a club gti sticker on it and we'll forgive you for the alien invasion lol

 

I think it's going to be great having a car like this in the club

Thanks Rob

 

I am learning so much presently about running a car like this, it's absolutely fascinating, happy to share if others are interested since I think my missus is bored of me talking about it already

Sat in garage a couple nights ago on a deckchair, with a beer, looking at the TITANIUM bodied dampers......yeh

 

Beast!!! Where's the photos????

 

Really? You need to ask? Get on with it already!

 

More details and photos added. Couple interesting points already, brakes are Radical branded but are HiSpec calipers and are good enough to go round the ring in under 7mins so cannot be that bad. Expected something like AP or Brembo but they feel awesome. Other thing is diffs...this is fitted with a Quaife ATB diff....so much for them not being up to full race spec....

 

I want one!!!lol

 

Seriously cool !, seen a few at track days and always liked the idea of them, but way out of my price range

But having been overtaken by them at a vast rate of knots ( look in wing mirror , oh oh Radical - move out the way )

Bet its going to be fun to learn how to corner it properly , happy days
I would love to drive one round the ring , mind numbing G i expect it can pull round corners

 

Congrats , great buy ...
Might be good to talk to Henk Thuis, owner of Intrax Suspension and Benelux importer for Radical cars.

www.radicalbeneluxcup.nl
www.intraxracing.nl

 

Looks awesome Rob- videos required of it doing this:

[video=youtube;bbmDKZ78MOU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbmDKZ78MOU[/video]

 

Rob you need to change your avatar

By the way Mike Cooper who I knew years ago runs a web site called driver tuition.com
Sent him a text before but not heard from him yet maybe tomorrow.

 

I can't imagine how, fast this must be! 430bhp in something so light is nuts!

 

wow



that is all.

 

This f*cking awesome. Nuff said...

 

Crikey! Not for the faint-hearted. A bit of an adrenaline junkie?

 

My Uncle raced an SR3 in the championship. He gave me a passenger ride in the wet, so I didn't get to feel the full force. The brakes were the most impressive thing for me. I imagine the power of the SR8 would feel rediculous.
You may feel the need to fit spoilers to your helmet.... Mine was trying to lift off my head....

 

Porn. NSFW.

 

You at work today?

 

A serious piece of kit. Love it!