M10TORINC wIth Nike siurgest Alfas, BM Ws, Datuns, Pintos and Fiais currently comi- prise the small sedan racing scene lin'B sedan. lt's no secret that Detroit's "officia-,lly" out of racing and local dealer sponsorship is nil. Nevertlieless Whitby's Jini Muir decided to race a Vauxhaîl Viva GT. So why a Vauxhail Viva GT you ask? WelI, the main reasons were; 1) one crunchcd Viva going cheap (courtesy of' Sandy Hawley) 2) one local dealer who would supply parts aît cost, 3) the fact thai Vauxhalîs were extremnely successful in England, and 4) mosi of al the fact that the Viva was diff'erent (it wasn't a Fiat, Pinto or Dat sun). To start off with J im Muir believed ihat a comibination of superior handling and torque is what would get a car aroLiId the Mosport course faster than the nexi guy. Always an important part of the car's overaîl handling; the weighit of the Viva was reduccd. First by rcmioving the seats, heater, rubber dash, mats, wiring, instruments, lights and anything else not essential to the rules. Because of the engine's type and size, a weighit handicap is carried in the form of steel plates. This resulîs not only in a legally weighted car, but one whose weight is evenly distributed. The car's suspension was next in line for treatmient. According to veteran race-car engineer B.W. Blydenstien (Shepworth, England) the Viva's stock suspension possesses good geomnetry to begin xith, so race preparation was aimed at maîntaining the unit's basic characteristics. Primarily stock rubber bushings were replaced with stiffer race" vers ions to ke ep the suspensions movemnent consis- tent. Completing the front suspension: an adjustable I sway bar wvas added. For the rear end, a hiall' inch sway bar was used. The shortened front and rear springs combined with Koni adjustable shocks at ail four corners coînpletes the suspension which is designed to lower the car and remnain' soft under high G-load cornerîng. Viva brakes remain stock except for Pepco mnetallic disc brake pads ini the front customnimade V-ýlatouch mnetallic shoes in the rear. Because the front brakes take so much of the punish- ment, 3" diamieter ducting was installed to bathe the discs in cool air. G.M. "i'mag" style 13 x 6 rins uounted with Fîrestone 4.25-9.50x1I3 "gumii-ball" tires puIts the car through the corners. Wl th suspension aund chassis mods complete, attention xvaS next focuIsed ou the Vîia's 2000cc 50F1C four-bauger. For this part of the project Blydenistein Enginieering xvas ala in cou tacted. The ir raice xvi uingi gron p twxo cars in Europe produce 280 lus horsepowveir vitl * fuel inject ion. Sitice fuel îijectîin is not alIlowed in ('a ada . they bazd tb go wi t t he normual type o ff iduct ion. i heI and c ran k WHITBY FREE PRESS, THURSDAY. APRIL 12, 1973, PAGE 5 j' Jim H is Muir's BiSedan Viva GT is a familiar sight at his home on Crocus Crescent as he completes preparation for the upcoming season. Mercury Auto Body sponsored car sports-seven coats of silver, blue, were leti stock but underwent magnafiuxing as did the rods, clutch and pistons. The rods were polished and the whole rotating assembly was balanced by Osborne Engineering lu Oakviile. Osborne aiso decked and unie bored the block, as weil as honed the bores. The engine's breathiug was deveioped on Biydenstein's airfiow bench and resulted iti a fuiîy ported head (with no valve guides in the port area) fitted with oversize intake and exhaust valves. The block is rnachined for a special head gasket giving the needed reiiability with the i1I to 1 comn- pression ratio. After three full seasons of raciug Blydenstein camne up with a proven catnshafî with a .400-INCH lift and 320 de- grees duration that provides strong power in a broad 4500 to 7000 RPM range. The Viva uses two 45mm DCOE Weber carburetors lu conjunction xith a specialiy desigued Blyden- stein Engineering intake mnanifold. The Viva was converted to right-hand drive so that the larger 1i!A- inch exhaust head- ers wouldn't have a steening box to clear. Surroundîng the mili inside the Viva's engine compart- mienit is a remote oA cooler and a Lucas sports coul. The electrical wiring is of' the quick'disconnect variety and has high teniperature insulation. The roll cage, ani esseltil part of' the Viva's safety equip- mntt, %vas fabricated l'romn two inch steel pipe. The cotn- figuration Used niot only provides the niecessary roli-over protection, but enhan.ces chassis st iffiness. Addit ional îutcnior preparation inicluded a iibregiass racig seat, Ainican safety hiarniess, Personel padded steer- ing wheel atid a W~iîîk fuI l-wid t1i racing niirror. The dash black and white lacquer which' has been buffed to a super shine. Photo by Mike Burgess was reconstructed 10 take the Stewart-Warner "Indy" type mechanical gauges inciuding oil pressure, oil temperature and water temperature. A 'Smith 4", 8,000 RPM tach centres the group. In conjunction with the oil pressure gauge is a large lighit on the dash which is coupled to a pressure switch which turns on the lighit should the oil pressure drop below 20 PSI. To withstand the highi temiperatures, stresses and strains that accompany racing, some of the Viva's weak areas had to be beefed-up. The stock four speed gear box gears had to be replaced with a set of straight cut (non-synchro) ultra- close ratio, gears from England. The rear axle housing was strengthened by weiding steel strapping aîong its length. Also on the order of special moGdifications was the Viva's trunk space. It houses the car's battery, Stewart-War- ner electrical fuel pump, fuel pressure and level gauges. byThe we finishied off by Mercury Auto Body in Whî- by. h ethewheeî weils were fiared, the bumper and side lighi holes were welded. The roll cage was also fabricated in their shop. Next they sprayed with seven coats of silver, blue, black and white lacquer, then buffed to a super shine. AIl of the credit for the Viva's great looks go t0 the guys at Mercury. The lacquer was finished off with "TIMES BOLD"' style lettering by Ontario Signs. And that's the Vauxhall Viva GT as it stands two weeks froni the opening practice at Mosport. But they're-not doue yet. fini Muir and Cavin Jones (teamn manager), are tryiîîg 10 scrounge up $200 for a limited-slip differential. Anyoîie want 10 sponsor a Viva rear-end? 'TiI next week, Happy Motoring! 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