PSA coming to channel 4 soon, this Youtube video popped up today.

Short synopsis:

Guy Martin, transit van, engine in the back, Nurburgring lap record attempt.

Could be interesting……

Old school

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/anything-goes/throwback-thursday-driving-fords-supervan-6-may-1971

And presumably terrahawk as ballast swinging out on the corners? 🙂

Trying to beat that German woman who embarrassed Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear?

I’ll watch it chief.

🤦‍♂️

Trying to beat that German woman who embarrassed Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear?

I think that was a production Trannie with a bit of ballast thrown out. This is going to be a mite quicker .

Anyone remember this Espace?

I think that was a production Trannie with a bit of ballast thrown out. This is going to be a mite quicker .

Yeah, IIRC they stripped out everything that wasn’t structurally important then taped over all the panel joins to  improve streamlining (It’s a breezeblock on wheels!), then let her thrash the hell out of it.

Dunno what motor they’re planning on using, but the 3.5ltr V6 Ecoboost that they put in the US Transit would be a good start, it’s possible to get upwards of 400bhp* out of it, with less weight than a V8.

* I have a vague recollection of more than 500bhp, but I’d have to search online.

edit – yeah, 600bhp is considered a ‘safe’ build, it can go higher, but with doubts about the ability of the transmission to cope…

https://www.fordnxt.com/tech-stories/engine/ecoboost-build-600-plus-horsepower-from-a-livernois-built-3-5-v6/

I think that was a production Trannie with a bit of ballast thrown out.

Which, coincidentally, was beaten last month by Rob Austin (BTCC) in a similarly modified ‘rental’ VW Transporter.

Dunno what motor they’re planning on using, but the 3.5ltr V6 Ecoboost that they put in the US Transit would be a good start, it’s possible to get upwards of 400bhp* out of it, with less weight than a V8.

Looks like a mid engine, V, twin turbo, twin charge cooler

Hmmm its a silhouette racer, appears to have nothing except the body shape in common with the original van.

Looks like fun though.

The Espace F1 was demonstrated at Silverstone in 199-something, cool as but didn’t handle too clever, porpoised like a beeyatch. Best of the supervan things, for my money. 🙂

But how will he get his bike in there? 🙂

Van looks a lot more “normal” than when he used ut for the NORC challenge…..

Well from the outside anyway 😁

So it’s a race car with transit body bolted on top

He did say its not production class. Cue STW losing their shit because its not a production van. I dunno…

This one is a bit more subtle, till you fire it up, obvs…

I read his new book recently where he talks about the van – it’s the same one that Krazy Horse built for him to race in the states, however he’s obviously moved the engine to the back.  It’s not a silhouette but it has obviously been space-framed.  All done by him in his shed which is pretty awesome.  Originally he’d planned to do TimeAttack in it but for some reason didn’t and ended up going to the Ring to break the record.

His new book does make him out to be a bit awkward and not a little angry, however he’s making money from racing bikes, driving cars, trucks and tractors and building stuff in his shed – I’d say he’s winning…

losing their shit

Always with the faecal matter on STW.

The XJ220 powered Transit was actually the test mule for XJ220’s drivetrain. That thing was driving around regular roads.

The Ford GT and it’s race car equivalent uses a 3.5 V6 ecoboost too.

Will be interested to see.  I think the main difficulty will be learning the track.

But how will he get his bike in there?

Ha! That was exactly my first thought. A vehicle you can’t put a tonne bag of gravel in isn’t a van IMHO.

I think the main difficulty will be learning the track.

pretty sure he’s learned the track.

Apparently a Mr K Block has put an ecoboost in his hoonigan truck. 914BHP….

Hmmm its a silhouette racer, appears to have nothing except the body shape in common with the original van.

As flange says, if you actually look closely at the interior shot of the van, you can clearly see the shell is a stock Trannie with a steel space-frame for structural rigidity. Which is exactly the same as pretty much any saloon car used for circuit racing or rallying.

I read his new book recently where he talks about the van – it’s the same one that Krazy Horse built for him to race in the states, however he’s obviously moved the engine to the back.

Is the one he did the “drive really fast in a straight line” thing in? I might be wrong (I regularly am) but I thought that WAS mid-engined.

Apparently a Mr K Block has put an ecoboost in his hoonigan truck. 914BHP….

And 702lb ft of torques.

Nice.

I saw Guy in a pub on Sat night and asked him about the van. He’s put a Ford V6 twin turbo in it. A company from Norfolk who usually do Landrovers have done the suspension. He’s ok with the track but they have had lots of problems with the set up. In other news, Nigel the dog is doing ok. He’s got another one called Steve now too.

I saw one of his old vids on YT the other day when he visited Judd where they were rebuilding that Ford / Cosworth F1 engine. When he said in the trailer 500Bhp (same as the Cosworth) I crossed everything they’d use one for this, probably a daft idea in real life, but it would have been so, very, very cool.

EcoBoost makes sense, I liked the EcoBoost Pantera F n’ L made.

All very interesting chaps, but when is it on?

This Sunday 9pm Ch4 istr

I thank you.

Don’t forget : 9pm Ch4…

“Right, chief”

”Tea”

Thanks for the reminder. Enjoyed that, especially the bit where [no spoilers] …. [/no spoilers]

You could just about hear that beast of an engine barking away behind the conversation in the cab, but why didn’t they get the soundman to let us hear it properly!

Like the previous record holder said,  it’s one of the loudest vehicles he’s been in yet you can only get a hint of what it sounds like when it changes gear!

Did he do it then?

I got bored, had it on in the background…

pretty sure he’s learned the track.

> spoilers <

Anyway, lots of interesting stuff in the driver prep for this one. Enjoyed it.

Enjoyed that. I’ve met Andy Carlile a few times and I was pleased to see him on the telly.