Posted By : Andy Cook, 19-Jul-2004,
12:45pm
Although the TR7 V8 racer and Herald drag racer would have been faster, Colin's Cossie GT6 was probably the fastest pure road car at the event. I
wouldn't fancy doing a 2000 mile european tour in either the TR7 V8 racer or the Drag racer Herald, however I've been on several long journey's in
convoy with Colin's car and as far a field as Switzerland and I know we have covered over 2000 miles in a week in Europe. It's even almost as
economical on petrol consumption as my standard GT6 at touring speeds.
Colin's car is really useable as a day to day road car and is the latest development of the "Chaos Tune" GT6 which has evolved over more than 15
years and is actually quite refined as well quick!
I've been a good mate of Colin's for about 15 years and have witnessed this car go the many changes first hand. It started off in about 88/89 as a
2.5 litre with triple webbers and a stage 3 head(fairly standard Triumph Tune type spec) then he added nitros injection which made it pretty damn
quick if not that reliable. Then Colin built the original "Chaos tune" Triumph Turbo Engined beast which was about 2.3L with a cossie turbo and a
big single SU (carb (about 2" choke), I remember the Carillo con rods alone cost the best part of a grand!, the lump had a strong enough bottom end
but it kept blowing head gaskets particularly when he wound up the boost pressure. Then he had a couple of special solid copper headgaskets made up
from a race car company which cured the head problem. Then he put the nitros back on and it was pretty reliable but not that refined! The whole
thing was then redesigned again with a twin choke webber and intercooler set up, a custom built exhaust manifold from "Mike the pipe" and a one off
rad built around an Aston Martin Core! Transmission was still a bit weak though being through a Triumph Big Saloon based gearbox and GT6 diff with
swing spring back end!
Then came the radical change, out with the Triumph Engine and Transmission, in with a Sierra Cossie Engine and box, Toyota diff, custom built rear
end with coil over shockers and double wishbones. It's now as reliable as a Sierra Cossie and handles the power with control through the back end.
It's even refined inside with seats, carpets, decent stereo etc.
So how fast is it, as far as I know Colin's only had it on the track once and that was when he left me for dead on the Nurburgring, I know he
pulled well over 130mph uphill on the straight there and I think he's hit a good 140 on the road when there are no coppers about. Yes this is short
of the 175mph of the TR7V8 but then the GT6 is geared for the road rather than top speed. Anyway, I know it's not fast enough for Colin though, and
he's now getting his need for speed from his MV Augusta bike which would wipe the floor with most things on four wheels.
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Posted By : Don Cook, 19-Jul-2004,
01:01pm
Cor, Andy - I love it when you talk dirty!