RS fabrications

Mrs V has kindly loaned her Cooper S to RS Fab for some exhaust development work.

” We are currently devloping a Twin Box Stainless Steel Exhaust System with Vecchio Engineering,”  Russell said ” with the Vehicle currently running a standard exhaust sytem, we went to B Tec Racing to get a baseline figure from Sarah’s Cooper S on their Vehicle Dyno.”

Putting out a respectable max power at 192.5 bhp @6,978 rpm with the standard set-up, work is underway on the Twin Box System back at the workshop.

 ” looking at the temps and power figures, the Cooper S could really benefit from a front mounted intercooler,” continued Russell ” the standard intercooler is mounted directly on top of the motor, which doesn’t help much with heat transfer from the top of the engine. This is something that Shane and I will be looking into.”

“We may also look into spinning the supercharger faster, somewhere in the region of 15-20% increase, so along with a re-map & the Exhaust System we expect to really boost the output from the 1600cc lump.”

Associated Websites:-

http://www.vecchio.co.uk/ 

http://www.btecracing.co.uk/

Anna, local Bicester VW Van enthusiast, dropped in to RS Fabrications in search of a set of custom Roof Bars.

Anna’s T4 Transporter van has been finished to the highest standard and the Roof Bars have added to the overall package.

Anna worked with Shane and explained exactly what she wanted. Shane then proceeded to manufacture and polish the finished item. The Stainless Steel full length bars were then fitted at the RS Fabrications facility in Banbury.

While at the workshop, Anna enquired about an RS Fab Exhaust System for her Van.

“We have talked with Anna about the system required and have looked at building a bespoke single silencer box with twin exit tailpipes,” commented Russell ” and once we have completed the Stainless Steel System, we will be looking at an ECU re-map to get more BHP for her.”

Look out for Anna and her Van at the 2009 Vanfest, 11,12 & 13 Sept. The Three Counties Showground, Malvern.

http://www.vanfest.org/default.asp

James and his father Paul, managed to get their hands on this ex Seat Cupra Cup Racing Car, originally run by Mark Hunt and Team Pyro.

The neatly prepared chassis has been a delight forJames, currently running this year in  the LMA Euro Saloons Series.

Unfortunately at a very wet Donnington Park, start of race 2, James was collected by two other race cars in the start mayhem.

“I was concentrating on the start of race 2,  picking up a couple of grid positions, and I was suddenly taken out by these other 2 Muppet’s that had spun off and bounced back across the track” stated James “ after that point I was just a passenger arriving at the scene of the accident!! ”

“I know all about racing incidents, but it was a long walk back to the pits to de-brief with my Dad & David Abbot” continued James ” David does a fantastic job with the preparation and the set-up of the chassis and it all went horribly wrong at the start!!”

The Cupra sustained Front LH corner and Rear LH Quarter panel damage, and was subsequently stripped out and sent over the RS Racepaint in Banbury.

“We had the Seat on our chassis jig and pulled the front back into place, replacing the chassis leg and other damaged components” commented Russell. “the rear quarter panel was also pulled and replaced, along with other superficial panel damage that was repaired”

The repaired Cupra was then colour matched and painted at RS Racepaint.

James will be running in the LMA Euro Saloons Series, inbetween his studies at Brighton University.

He is also currently formulating his racing plans for next year, with a full winter testing program pencilled out, he intends to focus on the Ginetta Series for 2010. He is pushing like a madman to secure sponsorship, so expect to see some fireworks next year!!

Regular to RS Fabrications, Chris brought his immaculate Morgan +8 to the workshop in Banbury for a pair of bespoke Stainless steel Sidepipes.

The Silver V8 was originally a Morgan Motor Company show car at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show and was built for use on the Morgan Stand for the duration of the show. [see link below]

The vehicle had rear exit pipes and Chris was specific in his requirements.

” I wanted de-cat pipes [for competition use] with RS Fabrications 4″ Silencers” stated Chris “The exit pipes, I specified a 1.5″ slash cut exit pipe,  just forward of the rear wheels. These would have to be fitted into the running boards on the vehicle”.

Shane cut the exit apertures into the running boards and subsequently fabricated the full Stainless steel System to Chris’ requirements.

Gas Purged and Tig welded, the system was manufactured to accept the Factory Catalytic Convertors [for road use] and the original silencer mounting brackets were retained.

The resulting twin system has increased BHP and fits in nicely with the original Morgan concept.

While in the RS Workshop, new brackets were fabricated for the luggage rack. With the rear bumper removed and the overriders retained, new stainless steel brackets were required.

“RS have done a fantastic job on my Morgan” Chris continued “and next on the list are a set of Lightweight centre lock wheels”

Associated Links:-

http://archive.cardesignnews.com/events/geneva2000/gallery/pages/morgan-roadster528.html

The RS Fabrications Battery Recycling Boxes continued delivery this week to Cherwell Council.

The 1st unit, from the production run of 30, was located outside Morrisons prior to recycling week in Banbury, and now the Cherwell District Council are positioning them throughtout Banbury, Deddington, Bicester and as far away as Kidlington.

“Its robust and an ideal size for domestic battery collection”stated John Smith from Cherwell Council “you will start to see these bright blue boxes popping up everywhere as you drive around the county”.

A further 8 units have been ordered by the County Council, for installation a various recycling collection sites, and these will be finished in a Bright Green, to fit in with the  depots requirements.

RS Fabrications will be on Stand 264 at the Recycling & Waste Management Exhibition, N.E.C. Birmingham,15-17 September 2009

Keith Murry from Dialynx Performance contacted Russell on a customer vehicle, an original Audi Sport Quattro.

Keith was after a full stainless steel system, from the downpipes back, incorporating an oval rear silencer with twin rear exit tailpipes.

The Audi Sport Quattro was a Quattro programme car developed for Homologation for Group B rallying in 1984. Of the 200 units manufactured only 164 were sold as road cars and were reputed to have cost Audi £250,000 to build each car and they were sold as production cars for only £40.000!

Dialynx’ customer found this example in Canada, and original specification for this Short Version Quattro produces 302 BHP.

Dialynx Performance can modify this vehicle to be closer to 500!

Twin 2.5″ centre sections were fabricated at the RS Fabrications Banbury workshop and then the system merged into a 3″ over the rear differtial & running gear. 3″ laser cut 3 bolt flanges were used to get the system on & off the vehicle and a 3″ stainless steel rear silencer box was hung in the original location at the rear of the car. Twin 2.5″ tailpipes were added to finish off the system.

“Having owned a UR Quattro myself back in the 80,s, it was a pleasure to have the Sport Quattro in our workshop.” said Russell “having seen, but never worked on one of these, it’s was a serious bit of kit back then, as it still is today.”

RS Fabrications can offer this Exhaust System to all Audi Quattro owners, not just the Sport Version. Call Russell on 01295 266655 for further information.

Keith at Dialynx can be contacted on 01793 772245

www.dialynx.co.uk

It was last year when a customer walked into RS Fabrications to have modifications made to the exhaust silencers on his Ducati Monster. Once the Ducati had been booked in and the customer had left, Russell turned to Shane an said “I know that Bloke from somewhere.” and after much deliberation Russell continued “I think he used to be my College Lecturer at Windsor & Maidenhead Technical College.”

When Mike Ormond returned to RS Fabrications to drop of the Ducati, Russell asked the Question “Do I know you from somewhere?” to which Mark replied ” I may have taught you” and then looking at Russell continued “Varnals! You F***er!”

After chatting about old times and Engineering College, i.e. the time Russell road his XT 500 up the front steps of the College, into the canteen, and back out again, they both had a good laugh. “I was suspended from college for a week for that one.” commented Russell “Mike’s sense of humour seems to have got better!”

Mike then commissioned RS Fabrications to manufacture  an equal length primary manifold for the Bristol Engine in his 1950 Frazer Nash, along with a full stainless exhaust system for the vehicle.

“Obviously Russell has been taught very well, look at the quality of the RS Fabrications product” said Mike   “sometimes the most difficult, can be the most creative!”

The 6 Cylinder Bristol engine received 2 tuned length manifolds with racing 3 into 1 merged collectors and spring retainers. The system then passed through the Frazer Nash bodywork into external side mounted secondary twin pipes, again feeding into a 2 into 1 merged collector. The remaining exhaust then passes under the rear axel and into a 5″ X 14″ Stainless Steel Silencer with a rear exit tailpipe.

As you can see, The Pupil has become The Master!

Alan Lewis can often be seen, knee down trying to control a tank slapper on his 1939 Triumph Twin around the racing circuits of Great Britain.

The Triumph Twin was originally designed by Edward Turner in 1938 and was modified in 1939 to incorporate an 8 stud barrel. The design continued after the war and ultimately became the Triumph Bonneville.

Alan Lewis “Big Al” started racing his 1939 500 Twin [number 48] in 1976. Vintage racing allowed modification of the internals, so the bike received Racing 3134 Cams, Morgo Rods & High Compression Pistons. Mated to a Five speed gearbox, the original 1939 bike managed 100 MPH in road trim and now it is capable of in excess of 125 MPH!

“With girder forks, ridged rear end & mininmal brakes it can be an exiting ride!” commented Alan “but when you are out on the track, with good rubber these old twins are a blast!”

“I purchased a spare Triumph Twin road bike in 1980, reconditioned it to concourse standard, and low & behold one of my son’s, Simon ” Long Pockets”, wanted to race it!  We stripped off the accessories, installed a Race Engine, and that became 49″ added Alan,“we all have great fun at the circuit, the most is seeing Simon trying to get into his leathers!”

With increasing restraints on noise levels in the UK, the Edward Turner 500 Twin was braking 107 dB, when “on song” [the current limit being 105 db] and small silencers were required  to bring both bikes to within the noise regulations.

Alan has been associated with RS Fabrications since its initial conception at the end of 2005, and subsequently called Russell at the workshop. The bikes were picked up and silencers manufactured, fitted and tested at the Banbury facility.

“We fabricated small stainless steel end silencers to fit the original exhaust pipes,” said Russell ” and we had to bump start them to run them up to get the noise readings. After the initial warm up, 48 ran at 102.4 dB with 49 peaking at 102.8, well under the limit.”

Look out for Big Al & Long Pockets, at an Historic Racing Event near you this season.

Purchased in Nov 2007, everything finally came together and Russell’s R1 was finished on Saturday.

“After a total rebuild spanning more than 18 months, I had to get Jonathan, one of the RS workforce, to sort out the LED indicators, fit the bodywork and fire the old girl up” said Russell.” with workshop commitments at RS Fabrications,  I never seemed to have the time or effort to finish the project off! At the end of a long working day I would rather be home with Mrs V, than dicking about with the Yamaha R1″!

The Virgin Mobile livery was sorted at RS Racepaint, and the R1 underwent a complete rebuild at the RS Fabrications workshop in Banbury. Sporting Carbon Fibre wheels, Ohlins dampers [steering & rear suspension] and fully adjustable CNC billet machined “rear sets” , the completed package was “taxed & tested” on saturday, and Russell rode it home for its initial shake down.

“Apparently, RS modified the Akrapovic Titainium Can & Exhaust System” commented Mrs V ” but I knew when Russell would be home Saturday afternoon, I could hear the R1 coming from the other side of Wappingham”!!!

“After my Blade, its like stepping into the 21Sst century with the Yamaha. Only 8 years seperate my Honda Fireblade and the R1, but how fast things have changed” continued Russell ” with the extra 50 HP,  scrubbing in that Dunlop Sportmax 190 rear tyre was interesting on the ride home. I’m not sure the front was in contact with the road much, must be the weight saving with the Blackstone Tek Carbon wheels!! Its like riding a 600, but with twice the Horse Power! Yeah Baby!!!!!!!!

Buckingham businessman Tim Price, from Axion Electrical Services, had trouble with the dB reading on his Toyota/Striker Raw.

RS Fabrications subsiquently manufacture a 6″ Silencer, so that he could continue with his track day projectile!!!

Having  helped Tim before on a V8 equipped vehicle, time was short, due to a planned dyno session, but a silencer was fabricated to use in conjunction with the planned re-mapping of the engine ECU.

Primary lengths have been retained, but Tim maybe back for a full custom manifold later in the year.