Ralt RT4 Sidepods

[dereklola]

RT4s have been largely absent from SCCA racing for some time now but are starting to turn up at vintage/historic races. Does anyone know of a source for sidepods, or anyone who has any decent molds? Other body parts as well of course but sidepods always seem to be in the worst shape due to years of banging, scraping and patching. I know there are different configurations but we've got to start somewhere.

Anyone?

[RussMcB]

Al Beasley may have molds and be able to make new ones. I can look for his contact info if you need help finding him. Also, didn't Charles Warner have some advertised recently?

[Allan Davies]

I have a bunch of RT5 skirts that I was generously given, but they don't fit my Anson. The Ralt skirts are clear lexan and new. Actually quite trick compared to the folded aluminum pieces I use on my car.

If interested, let me know and I'll happily send you images, dimensions, etc., whatever info you'd like.

RT5 owners: they're yours for the shipping/packaging costs via FedEx.

Regards,

Allan

[RussMcB]

Allan, generous offer. Thanks. If you haven't heard from anyone who wants them badly after a few days, I'll be happy to pay for the shipping and have you send them to me. Send me an email message when you're ready and we can discuss details.

[Ben Beasley]

I do not have molds, But I do have several used body parts, and other parts, mostly RT-5 but some RT-4. I will look them over and let you know what I do have. Ben Beasley 440 357-6644

[Charles Warner]

I will have a pair of 86 pods with extended tunnels as soon as the new(er) car gets here. As far as skirts on a RT-5, use plastic house gutters cut in half. They are cheap enough that you can wear them out every session if you wish.

[Bart Perlman]

You might want to give Brian Utt at Motor Sport Composites a call. I purchased an engine cover for my RT 5 from him. I know that he has the sidepods for the RT 5, but I was told that he has all the original Ralt moulds. Engine cover was of good quality at a fair price. And it was shipped on time! 262-375-1930

Forgot to mention that the RT 5 sidepods where available in fibeglass, or carbon fiber.

[Bart Perlman]

Allan, I would appreciate it if you would send me the dimensions and images or your RT 5 skirts. I have been looking for a source, so that I can finish my project. Thanks in advance.
Email address is floorman9@aol.com

[Allan Davies]

Russ, I'll be happy to send them along to you. E-mail your shipping address to afdavies@ix.netcom.com and I'll figure out what the shipping charges will be and get them on their way.

Bart, I'll measure them up and take some digital images to send along to you. They have some intrigueing angles...not at all like the straighforward 45/45/45 degree ramps on the Anson. I've never looked closely at the Ralt sidepods to see how the skirts mount, but they must be a bit different from what I've got. Anyway, I'll send you what I have on them.

This'll all be next week as I'm off tomorrow morning to Sandia in Albuquerque for the last race weekend of the season in the Rocky Mountain Division.

Regards,

Allan

[RussMcB]

Allan, send the pictures to Bart and he can have first dibs if he needs them. I have some, but your offer was too good to let slip by. If Bart doesn't want them, I'll send you my shipping address (zip code 30062).

When you send pics to Bart, cc: me (russmcb at bellsouth.net). I'm interested to see the intrigueing angles.

The fairly simple design that I've come up with is the simple 1"-45 degree-1"-45 degree-1" strip of clear lexan, with 1/2" thick white high density plastic bonded to the bottom. It has worked well for my RT-5 side pods. If I keep an eye on them, I can replace the worn lower rub strip material before the clear Lexan part is disturbed.

When I first got my car it had skirts held on with wood screws into the fiberglass! My first attempt was aluminum secured to the fiberglass. Looked sharp but I didn't like that because a simple off course would do fiberglass damage. My current attachment method is kind of a sandwich arrangement - secure, but can break away without too much force. I have an aluminum strip with nut plates on the inside of the side pods. That's what the exterior bolts screw into. I slide the skirts in from below, them tighten the bolts. It's a 2-3 minute job to remove/attach them.

I'll be happy to share pictures if anyone is interested.

[formulasuper]

Russ must be planning on running vintage with all those extra sideskirts!

[dereklola]

OK - he's what I've found out - Brian Utt does indeed have molds for sidepods and other body parts for the later [1986] models - RT4 and RT5 - not sure just what the differences are. At least it is a start! Brian himself is out of the country until the end of the month [I heard he was setting up an F1-type operation in China!!] but it sounds like it would be worthwhile for someone with good knowledge of the Ralt models and changes to contact him and share the info.

Brain Utt [or nice lady called Wava]
Motorsport Composites
1220 Falls Rd
Grafton WI 53024-9701
[fairly near Road America]
tel 262 375 1930
email info at carbir.com

[RussMcB]

<snip> sideskirts!

Well, I call them skirts because that's the commonly used term, but really they are rub strips to protect the underside of the car. That's their only purpose. Oh, and they look neat.

[Bart Perlman]

Russ,

I would gladly split that skirts that Allan has generously offered. I recently borrowed a couple of beat up old skirts that a friend of mine salvaged from a damaged car. One appears to be the half of a plastic/pvc rain gutter that Charles Warner mentioned. The other is the 45/45/45 that you discussed. Both are in pretty bad shape. Let me know if that's okay.

Thanks to both you and Allan............................................. ........Bart Perlman

[RussMcB]

I'm out. It's okay with me if Bart gets them all. I've got enough to last a while, and supplies and a process for making more.

Here is a picture of some of the variations of skirts I've gone through:

http://russmcb.dominodeveloper.net/m...ictures/Skirts