More ponderings about the SCCA nationals:
After most of the races, I walked through the scruteneering
area, so I could get a real close look at the cars and saw
a couple of interesting things :
1- there were a couple of Midgets and Spitfires with what looked like
"distributorless ignition systems". Neither of the engines had
distributors, but instead had an elecrtonics box just under the coil
with 4 HT leads going to each spark-plug. Has anybody every seen
these contraptions ? They were obviously not home-made because they
all looked exactly the same, but I could not find a company logo.
The top of this box had two black round plastic(?) buttons
(about 1.5" diameter), I assumed these were for fine tuning the
ignition (static & dynamic timing ?????). The A-series engine just had
the distributor hole covered up and the Spitfire engines had a
an aluminium adoptor covering the distributor (I assume because the
oil pump is run from the distributor/camshaft). I could not find
any pick up, so I am assuming that this "black box" is reciving signals
from the flywheel. Any body can elaborate ? how much ? what are the
advantages ? who sells them ?
2- I looked at the rear-end (:-) of a couple of the Midgets and
noticed that they did not have leaf-springs. Unfortunately they sat so
low that, I could not see how the car was suspended. I am assuming
that they were using some sort of coil spring/radius arm arrangement.
3- All of the Spitfires had steel bars with sphericals ends going
from the top of the shock towers to the fire wall. Is this to stiffen
the front suspension, much like a World Cup crossmembers on MacPherson
strut type cars ?
ThanX
Gerry
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