40 replies to this topic

[I 8 a 4RE]

I have no idea (in general ... in life) ... But it sounds like a good idea and a lot of bang for your buck. Does anyone have any experience with Radicals? I would use it solely as a trackday / some grassroots events (potentially with getting some paid drivers to co-drive, Mark you know who you are... It will be expensive too!! LOL, just kiddin). Where would I start, who do you speak to, running costs, where do you learn about what's good and what's not, etc etc. Any advice much appreciated, just dipping my toe into this pond and doing some very early stage due diligence so any advice is much appreciated!

[techieboy]

RobNA is your man.

[Nev]

Does RobNA work for Radical or something? How come he is the man?

[Scuffers]

IMHO, they are a shed load of cash for what they are and the running costs are not exactly peanuts

[I 8 a 4RE]

IMHO, they are a shed load of cash for what they are and the running costs are not exactly peanuts

Any details on those running costs? Needless to say; miles / £ will be way more than VX as that's also a road car... But it's nice to know what you are driving was built for the activity you're undertaking, bit like a VX on a B road

[SteveA]

Radical parts are waranted in hours not miles. If you replaced each part after they expired in Radical's eyes you would be shelling out quite a bit for a car that saw decent use. It's been a long time since I looked but I remember a figure of around £15K per year to run a decent SR3 at 10+ track days. Just be aware that a decently specced SR3 will be faster than almost anything on track so is not a great track day car (an excellent race car though)

 

As an example I was once out in an SR3 with full downforce pack and the speed differential between it and a normal track car (VX etc) was so big that it was terrifying how quickly you came up on people in corners. IMHO you could never drive it to anywhere near it's full potential unless the track was empty.

[Scuffers]

15k is probably light of the real figure... And they are not that fast...

[Kieran McC]

15k is probably light of the real figure... And they are not that fast...

 

I believe they have to have a full engine rebuild after 40 hours

[SteveA]

And they are not that fast...

 

I suppose it's all relative but anything that can pull lateral 2.5g is always going to be restricted by whatever else is on track if it is driven correctly.

[I 8 a 4RE]

Radical parts are waranted in hours not miles. If you replaced each part after they expired in Radical's eyes you would be shelling out quite a bit for a car that saw decent use. It's been a long time since I looked but I remember a figure of around £15K per year to run a decent SR3 at 10+ track days. Just be aware that a decently specced SR3 will be faster than almost anything on track so is not a great track day car (an excellent race car though)   As an example I was once out in an SR3 with full downforce pack and the speed differential between it and a normal track car (VX etc) was so big that it was terrifying how quickly you came up on people in corners. IMHO you could never drive it to anywhere near it's full potential unless the track was empty.

  Flip me! £1.5k per trackday! That's insane! Hadn't read that anywhere yet!!  

15k is probably light of the real figure... And they are not that fast...

They may not be THAT fast, but until you are setting lap records Vettel-style; it doesn't matter. Perception is king and due to the low to the ground feel, tub feel, seq box and indeed 2.5G it feels fast and since we're all doing this for the fun of it ... That's my main objective.

[Scuffers]

 

And they are not that fast...

 

I suppose it's all relative but anything that can pull lateral 2.5g is always going to be restricted by whatever else is on track if it is driven correctly.

 

my old ProSport can do better than that, and did not cost £££££ to buy or run (whole engine was £150 from a scrapyard).

 

(infact, I have seen Mike Millards one demolish a factory Radial SR8 round Brands GP cct).

 

if you really want to 'win' at a trackday, go buy a Juno, way better designed and built than Radicals, and a heap load faster.

[SteveA]

I would have a ProSport in a heartbeat if they did a two seat version. Part of the track day experience for me is taking people out and it's also useful for tuition.

 

Juno's are nice but IIRC start from £50K, if I had that sort of money to spend it would be Ligier JS49 all the way.

 

Like this one

 

http://www.speedeuro...t-le-castellet/

 

 

Edited by SteveA, 10 July 2013 - 08:16 AM.

[Scuffers]

I would have a ProSport in a heartbeat if they did a two seat version. Part of the track day experience for me is taking people out and it's also useful for tuition.

 

Juno's are nice but IIRC start from £50K, if I had that sort of money to spend it would be Ligier JS49 all the way.

 

Like this one

 

http://www.speedeuro...t-le-castellet/

 

 

??

 

ProSport LM3000, not another Radnail POS

 

 

and just how much do you think a Radnail SR3 is?

Edited by Scuffers, 10 July 2013 - 08:32 AM.

[SteveA]

The OP didn't specify which SR3, I've seen good 1300's go for £20K (and even as low as 10K for a really old one) but even a newish 1500 is about £35K.

[I 8 a 4RE]

... And back to earth! SpeedEuroseries is way way out of my league! Yes an SR3 for £20k is top-end of my budget. I cannot imagine building a VX up to proper fast would be much cheaper than that and I reckon (maybe wrongly) a SR3 has better sale-ability down the line. I'm addition i thought it be more of a 'stock' animal than a SC/Turbo VX with exotic internals. Also much lighter, smaller tires et all. Lastly a 500kg SR3 would be easier to tow with a lighter SUV than a 800/900kg VX. But ... These running costs have burst that bubble, so need to start thinking of other venues now that are more palatable

[Scuffers]

be an idea if you could list outward prioritize your needs/wants?

[RobNA]

 

And they are not that fast...

I'm not going to get caught up in a scuffers arguement, but as you like to do. Lets talk lap times. Oulton park in an SR3 last weekend. Pole time was 1m36. What can lap faster for the money?

if you really want to 'win' at a trackday, go buy a Juno, way better designed and built than Radicals, and a heap load faster.

In 2011 I think it was when I was working in dubai at the winter sportscar series which was mostly Radicals apart from one Factory run Juno driven by Rob Barff (a pro). The SR3 driven by a friend called Jordan (who is not a pro driver) was level pegging on lap times and won more races than he lost. That season the Juno suffered with lots of reliability issues too.

[Scuffers]

 

And they are not that fast...

I'm not going to get caught up in a scuffers arguement, but as you like to do. Lets talk lap times. Oulton park in an SR3 last weekend. Pole time was 1m36. What can lap faster for the money?

if you really want to 'win' at a trackday, go buy a Juno, way better designed and built than Radicals, and a heap load faster.

In 2011 I think it was when I was working in dubai at the winter sportscar series which was mostly Radicals apart from one Factory run Juno driven by Rob Barff (a pro). The SR3 driven by a friend called Jordan (who is not a pro driver) was level pegging on lap times and won more races than he lost.

That season the Juno suffered with lots of reliability issues too.

 

problem is that the cct has changed a little in recent years, so I'm stuck trying to find recent laptimes for stuff that has not raced competitively for several years.

 

(I assume your looking at Bradley Smiths 1.36.041 couple of weekends back?)

 

realistically, your going to have to pick another cct that's NOT been changed in the last few years.

 

for example, Silverstone international (before the last big change) Mike Millards managed a [color=rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;]1:18.605[/color]

same car at Brands GP [color=rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;]1:23.621[/color]

 

[color=rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:small;]back to Juno's, depends what Juno your looking at?[/color]

 

reliability is a moot point, radnails are hardly the paragon or reliability, Juno's early issues were down to questionable engine builds.

[I 8 a 4RE]

be an idea if you could list outward prioritize your needs/wants?

Return to multi-class, non single model/cup spec racing in a series that is palatable i.e.: trackday trophy and gives plenty track time. Same car should be useable for trackday use,not public roads. Building a VX is an option, but for reasons stated above, factory spec would be desireable as no reliability issues. Given I have small budgets, past experience dictates that self-development cars cause many issues and that is extremely demotivating for driver, volunteers and bank manager. Especially as I do not have the skills, knowledge or tools like you Scuffers - I wish I had!! In the past I spent more time on logistics and mending cars than actually driving. That woul have to change...

[Scuffers]

ok, that makes sence not really sure what to suggest, just about all road car based stuff usually ends upsetting expensive unless you can pick a series that's very tied down on specs... old race cars are cheap, things like old clio cup cars etc....