'85 Reynard issues

[Kent Sawyer]

I've heard that the '85 Reynard (Swift look-alike) design had some serious problems. This design was slightly changed sometime in '86 and then a complete redesign for '87.

I'm looking for info on what the problems were and possible fixes. Especially related to FF 1600 application.

Thanks

[Purple Frog]

Do you already own it?

[Douglas Kniffin]

Please say you don't own it.

[Kent Sawyer]

I sincerely appreciete your concern... luckily I'm only trying to help someone else. It will actually be for an autocross application, but I want to understand the problems from a road-racing point of view and THEN think about how that may apply to autocross.

Kent

[Tim FF19]

There are a number of DB-1's for sale at reasonable prices.

[Douglas Kniffin]

We had a 85 for a season or two, you raced Bryan Pacelli in it in the NYSRC series for a year. I don't know what specifically made it so bad I think it was combo of the pushrod suspension and chasis design. We had overheating problems continually with it. I could have the years wrong but in concept but the car devoloped like this. In 86 they dumped the pushrod suspension that was on the 85 and went back to the rocker arm suspension that was on the 84. In 87 they came out with a new chasis which you are familiar with. Is this a 2 litre car? There was no 2 litre car built in 85. It is a conversion that was done by an importer here in the US which was supposed to be a bomb. I had looked at one car and everyone told me to run.

[Purple Frog]

I guess in an autocross it would be more fun than my Honda Civic si, but then again maybe not. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'm not an expert on the beast. I don't think there is a living expert on the beast that will admit it. But, for autocrossing you could put together a fun package...(better than a FV)... IF you do a lot of homework.

You really need to bone up on suspension theory, get a handle on that suspension, then design a spring shock package that would work. As I remember the front and rear rockers are the same dimension. While a great concept for stocking spare parts, it didn't work to well, especially in the rear. And since David Bruns had already started producing Swift DB1s by then, no one cared to sort out the Reynard. End of story.

But, realizing you could be on a low budget, and autocrossing probably won't introduce you to 125 mph sweepers, go for it. Study up on Mitchell's suspension programs, figure out what springs and sway bars to put on it, and have a blast.

I suggest that the best $300 you can spend is to attend one of the ICP courses, then try to apply it. Steve Lathrop needs another challenge. [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Kent Sawyer]

Tim, hello... I need to know about design issues of '85 Reynard, not where to buy a DB1. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Anyone? Doug, I know you must know something and probably you too Frog. While I am interested in possible ways to overcome some of the issues, I mostly just need to know what those issues are.

Kent

[Purple Frog]

Maybe Larry Oliver. Hell, he probably has tons of parts for one. Keith Averill was alive back then, maybe check with him.

[Kent Sawyer]

Oops, I see you already replied. Thanks for replying. I've already attended the ICP seminar once and got some good stuff out of it.

This is not one of the 2L mods. This '85 FF was recently purchased (not by me) and is already doing quite well. In fact, it might even be seen at the Topeka nationals ("Runoffs" of autocrossing) in a few weeks. I just thought those hard-learned lessons by some of the road racers (i.e. Bryan P.) could provide some insight to the handling characteristics in an autocross application.

Thanks,
Kent "It's not mine... Really!" Sawyer

[Barry Haynie]

I could not resist commenting on this. No seemed to mention that Jackson Yonge won the Runoffs in one of these "beasts" beating the new all conquering DB-1's in the process.

[Dave Hopple]

Originally posted by Barry Haynie:
I could not resist commenting on this. No seemed to mention that Jackson Yonge won the Runoffs in one of these "beasts" beating the new all conquering DB-1's in the process.

Barry, Jackson Yonge won in a 84 FF (or what they called at the time a 84 1/2), he couldn't get the 85 car to work either, from what I remember.-Dave

[Tim FF19]

Kent, I apologize for the snide remark. I am confident that the handling problems can be fixed but most likely it would require moving pick-up points or similar surgery, springs and bars are not enough to fix it. A friend of mine that was very fast in a CF bought one of these and was never able to make it work. He sold it and later bought a DB-1 and promptly got back to the front in Nationals in FF. There are many similar stories for this Reynard. However, if you make it work, you will be a hero...........Good Luck at Topeka

[Douglas Kniffin]

Repairing that car was and still is way beyond where I am. I'm still in the buy a good fast chassis and tune it stage of my developement. I'm not up to re-engineering stuff.

When I bought my first car, I bought at Lola T440. The Lola equivelant to that Reynard. I'd recommend your friend just suck it up and write it off as experience and buy something else if he wants to go fast.

[Kent Sawyer]

Thanks for the input... Tim, no apologies, I thought it was funny. Also, this is not my car and I'm not going to Topeka (no kidding!!) I'm riding a '97 FC this year in the northeast.

Maybe I'll take some measurements this weekend and try to see what the big deal is. The guy that designed the car should've picked up on it in time if it was/is that far off.

Later,
Kent

[D.T. Benner]

In England in the 80's the compatition between Van Diemen and Reynard was so hot that they would redesign a car every year as all the front runners wanted the next great thing! I went to see Ralph Furman after the Formula Ford festival in late 1984 and he was ready to sell me the top 84 car for a song as he was already taking orders for 85 cars and needed the room! Thank god i called someone in the states and found out the Swift DB-1's would kick my butt when i got here! The fact that Reynard went BACK to a rocker arm car sayes a lot about the 85 cars shortcommings.

[Larry]

It's true that the 85 Reynard wasn't much of a performer, but one did make it to the Runoffs even in the mid-90s. I can't remember who, but the suspension pickup points and geometry had been modified. I'm pretty sure that Steve Cole did the engineering and the fabrication.

Tell your friend to run the car as-is, and figure that if he's good, he'll be within 2 seconds/lap of the top cars. When he's there, it's time to buy another car. The Reynard can be a cheap time-builder. It was a tough, dependable car, and, in the hands of a talented driver, it can still embarass quite a few club drivers!

Larry Oliver
International Racing Products
...and yeah, I've still got a few parts for 'em!

[Adriano]

Check your pm's...

[Kent Sawyer]

Looks like the car in question won the SCCA Solo national championship today. However, there's always room for improvement!

Thanks,
Kent

[-pru-]

Please see http://www.scca.org/amateur/solo2/na...groups/cm.html for full CM results from the '03 Solo2 Nationals...