2005 Barras/Van Diemen RF89
This is a “one off” built in England in 2005 by Karl Barras in 2005. Two seat sports racer utilizing Van Diemen RF89 suspension (stock geometry), LD200 and a Sierra 8V 2.0L motor.
I traded for the car and a Nissan race truck. After getting the car ready to run again (fluids changed, new front pads, repair clutch master cyl/linkage, fresh (ish) Hoosiers and revised gearing) and running a few autocrosses, I find I want to go back to a center seat car. As such, I will offer it up for sale. The car would be a good candidate for P2, or just a great sturdy track day car. As it sits it weighs approx. 1400 lbs w/fuel, no driver – she’s a big girl! Size wise the car has a 98” WB, 13’ 4” O/A Length (from tip of splitter to rear tip of wing) and an O/A width of 67”. O/A height to top of rollbar is 44”. I’m not sure of total fuel capacity, documents with the car listed 3 gallons, but I added 5 gallons to the cell once the fuel pump started scavenging air. I don’t know if/how much more it may hold. Car drives well, feels very stable and solid – understeers at low speed/tighter corners, probably still some understeer at higher speeds but minimal. This is based on a few autocrosses – car came to me with radial F2000 tires and was horrid to drive – the return to bias Hoosiers is like night and day! Car has 6” F / 8” R Compomotives mounted w/R25 compound Hoosiers (20x7x13 F and 22x9x13 R) and one spare set of the same wheels mounted w/ new Hoosier R25 hand grooved “Intermediates”(stored a few years). Current gearsets in the car are 14:36 Fixed layshaft 1st / 17:35 2nd / 19:32 3rd / 21:30 4th. Included are a 22:28 and a non integral 1st gear layshaft. Ring and pinion is a 13:36. In addition, I have 1 unmounted set of new Hoosier R25 hand grooved “Intermediates” (have been stored a few years)Also included are a few sets of Hoosier R35 S2000 takeoffs –again a few years old – good if you just want to run some track days with the car. Also included are molds for the front and rear bodywork and the air intake “scoop”. The current body work is very heavy. The car has a CASC Logbook with annual inspections in ’08, ’10, ’12 and ’14 but only shows one race in 2008. There is also a book of calculations done during the original construction of the chassis – a bit over my pay grade, but interesting reading for the engineer. Car is “ready to autocross”, probably should go back on a set of scales and have the alignment checked along with a “nut & bolt” before going to a track day. If one wanted to go P2, lighter bodywork and an MZR motor would likely net close to a 200 lb weight reduction. For track days, modify the Sierra or go a mod Zetec and have fun for a LOT less than a Stohr/Radical/Speeds.
Now included with the car 2002 SVT Zetec (108K mile take out) w/stock wiring harness & PCM - Hewland confirms this is a "bolt in" replacement for the Sierra (as far as the transaxle mounting). Also included are the following spare gear sets:
15/30 1st, Uppers: 16/35, 18/33, 20/27, 23/28