nasaforums.com

is anybody going to or has run one?

I have an 89 xr4ti and am thinking about making it a track only car. i am not sure what direction I'd like to go with one of my XR4Ti's. It is a extremely solid car with no rot at all. It has an 8.8 IRS already, firewall cut out and set back 4", a t-56, etc, and I am thinking of making it a track only car. If I did that I would like to see what I could or could not do in whatever class so I didn't end up in a class with $200+K cars. I was also looking to see if it qualifies for any sort of vintage racing class. I am also looking for a 'fun' sort of class. I have rad that a lot of vintage guys 'drive' their cars at events rather than really being aggressive.

I did skip barbers school at limerock and I did new england lemons this past summer [11th out of 65+ teams Smile], which both were just AWESOME. It is actually a bit scary that some people who are hosting a track even will let just complete novices on a track with other people. I mean I just have this SFI 3.2 A5 suit and SA2005 helmet just sitting here waiting to be used

I have been trying to figure out what an XR4Ti could be a little competitive in. SCCA? NASA? or something else?

I would like to do some track events, like limerock or watkins glenn, not really autoX, but I would probably end up in a few I'm sure. This is not something I would really travel to campaign or anything.

The motor itself I can change. I have a few in various states and HP. I have a few of these cars and one currently with a ford 2.3L block with a volvo 16v b234f cylinder head modified to run

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYSlfU49kMY

would that qualify under these rules? I am located in CT.

thanks all,
pete

Oh yes. At least 3-4 drivers of Merkur's came out of the woodwork who were driving or building Merkur's when we accidentally left it off the approved marque list. If you don't hear anything soon, let me know and I'll see if I can dredge up contact info. Do a search here, you might find them that way.

Is it legal in GTS with that engine swap?

well its half ford/volvo

i have other heads i can use to make it all ford.

All you need to know:

http://85xr.com/85xr/index.php?option=c ... temid=19//

BTW, he is an official with NASA-MA and a GREAT guy!

Thanks Maduske, forget about me why dont you?

Hey Pete,
I also have a merk that Im building for GTS racing. GTS limits the car to the same marque engine as the original. so you could use the 2.3 originally found in the car or the Scorpio V6 engine but nothing else. Since the series is a power to weight series (meaning Transmission, suspension, driveline, etc is unlimited) you could easily make enough power to run in whatever class you wanted to with the 2.3T. Glad to hear another Merk wants to join the realm of road racing. Shoot me an email if you have any questions.









Matt Morgan
NASA-SE
Chief of Flagging and Communications
Race Control
Faster than Maduske

hmmm. in the rules section 5

"for the purposes of these rules, the engine is defined as the block"

http://www.nasagts.com/rules/2010%20GTS%20v1_1.pdf

so any cylinder head would be ok on the block?

Yes, that is what I understand that the block is what constitutes the "engine"per the rules. I wouldn't want to trust the seal provided by that alum.block that you had to weld or bolt to the back of the head but having never run that combo it anger I don't know how well it may survive. I only have run the cast iron head in NASA comp. but have 3 different Esslinger heads that I am looking forward to trying. I would want approval by Ian before I counted on running the Volvo head.
If you are looking for a great place to race your Merkur ,I believe that GTS is the only way to go. HP to weight classes,run what you brung and great people. Not like SCCA where we have to run with 800HP Corvettes in ITE just because we have a turbo car.

i have a virgin original SVO catalog "aluminum" 2300 head AKA esslinger i would probably use. the volvo head has more potential though with good cams [which there is a lack of]

what suspension mods have you done?

thanks,
pete

Konis coilovers up front with Afco double adjustables coilovers on the rear. Slotted inner swingarm mounts with rod ends replacing the rubber bushings in the swingarms (both mods help get the rear wheels at least pointed some what in the same direction.) Replacing the front subframe crossmember ,A arms, and new uprights with bolt on hubs (I had problems with the stock bearing setup. Front wheels kept wanting to part ways with the car, quite embarrasing! )all to let me lower the car to a reasonable ride height and have the roll center at a reallistic height. If I remember correctly you have installed a 8.8 which is a ton better than the stock 7" I want to install a quickchange but have to wait and see if $$ will be available. Look at the web site that someone posted Peter D.has a very nice Merkur and step by step instuctions on what he has done to get it competive.