JB

[johnbull]

Off to Sicily again Thursday, managing the Malta team. Nine cars going this time, including 5 single seaters.

I've just been on the phone with the organiser who tells me they have a pretty decent entry, including the Italian Hill Climb champ, who 2 of our lads, Zach and Josh beat a couple of months ago.

Here's Josh at a recent hill climb here in Malta.

[Steven Roy]

I know I have seen pics before but that soes look like a very neat car.  Is that roll hoop legal/safe?  From this angle it looks very low but it may be the camera angle.  I wouldn't want the poor boy to get squished.

[Scott]

I was going to say Josh looks pretty tall.  Can't you get him down into the car a bit more?  Those rock walls look nasty - what's on the other side?

[johnbull]

The roll bar is strong enough - it's passed plenty of scrutineers - and the back (diagonal) stays give the whole car lots of rigidity. I agree it's a bit on the low side. It just passes the regulation 2 inches from the top of his helmet ........ if he crouches a bit

Scotty ........ yes you guessed, there is a low wall on the other side with a drop but we also put a tyre barrier there. That's one thing about the Italian Hill Climbs, they are much safer - proper double barrier everywhere.

The car has been absolutely brilliant. With it's rear spool and high ratio rack it handles just like a go kart. It weights 450 kilos with driver - Josh accounts for over 90 of those and with over 200 bhp from that Kawasaki 1400 it's pretty quick.

It's up for sale at the moment and there are a couple of Sicilians interested. We've just bought a 2003 Formula BMW less engine and gearbox, and will be putting another Kawasaki 1400 in it for next season. The new car will be alot safer and hopefully also quicker.

Interestingly we bought it off ex F1 racer Emilio De Vilota of Spain. Both his son - Emilio junior, and his daughter have raced Formula BMW for 2 seasons and now I understand young Emilio is graduating to F3, thus the 3 identical cars being put up for sale. It should be here next week - something else to get my teeth into.

[cosworth151]

A good looking car, JB! Best of luck in Sicily.

[Steven Roy]

A formula BMW with Kawasaki engine.  That sounds like a good combination.  Have fun with it.

[johnbull]

A formula BMW with Kawasaki engine.  That sounds like a good combination.  Have fun with it.

Ye, the BMW engine gives about 150 bhp, weighs a ton, and it's gearbox / diff unit weighs another ton. The Kawasaki 1400 unit with gearbox weighs 90 kilos and develops 60 more brake. A Quaife LSD weighs some 15kg maximum.

It's a no brainer.

Incidentally the Formula BMW rolling chassis are made by Tatuus in Italy, where we have a couple of good contacts for sourcing parts - wings, wishbones, you know, the things that get broken easily.

There are a couple of guys around here that would be better buying front wings by the dozen !

If you want to sede pics of Malta's hill climb cars go to www.islandcarclub.com click on gallery, photos, then choose a photographer. David Axisa and Pen of Life have some good ones, with Pen of Life's being the most recent.

[Steven Roy]

The first thought that strikes withh those figures is that if you take all that weight off the back is it not going to understeer like a pig?  Still I suppose the Kawasaki's centre of gravity will be further back to counteract it a bit.