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AUTOWEEK

OCTOBER 30. 1976

ended up just behind Spade at the finish, but with the class win. The final event of the day showed some brute power, as Mike Allen easily lapped the field with his A-sports racer. This McLaren-like special set a new lap record for the clas. He was trailed by the A/ SR Parsche of Ted Field, who went off course early in the event and came back to finish second. The B-production Corvette was taken by George Allison. Dave Gott easily took the Formula Vee event with his gleaming Lynx. Terry Stringfellow trailed, with John Adkisson taking third. Dick Gamble of San Diego led the Formula Ford race from the green flag with WilfBeckerfinishing second. John Ulner put on a fine drive in this event, moving .steadily through the field to finish third. Thetewere no accidents in this race, perhap;; due to stern words before the event by chief steward Phil Binks. Only two cars turned out for the Formula SCCA race, but it was one the best dices of the day. Marc Bahner driving a March formula B locked horns with Gerald Payvis driving an ex-Penske Lola 1'-300 F / A. The two cars turned nearly identical lap times, the traction of the Formula B making up for a p ower disadvantage. The cars swapped the lead several times, and the issue was totally up for grabs until lap 10. Then the revs appeared to go well over the red line on a shift, and the Lola came around trailing smoke. After Payvis pulled off, Bahner received an early checkered flag for the win. The race for D, E, F-production, Bsedan, and C-sports racing went to the Datsun 510 of Tom O'Connor. Tom had a good dice for the lead with Rug Cunningham's BMW until the Bummer retired. The Porsche of Ira Lindenfeld set a new lap record for the E-production class in qualifying, but did not finish the race. Only two new records were set during the weekend, 'perhaps due to hotter than average temperature. Nobody even approached Rich Amick's lap record set last year in a Formula A Surtees.

Inland/Castrol Winter Series Begins With SS Sedans

By Fred Puhn The Inland Oil/Castrol Winter Series got off to a succcessful start at Holtville with a spirited race for showroom stock sedans. This annual event put on by the San Diego Region of the SCCA was the first of a six -race series of Regional races, leading to a Winter Series points championship in each class. The new SCCA Showroom Stock classes were well subscribed at this event, providing some of the best racing of the weekend. Race Four for the sinalI' bore cars was won by local favorite Fuzzy Stuart driving a Datsun in G-production. He as followed closely by Sam Fellows. Hproduction winner in a bugeye. The big race was between four showroom stock sedans. Blasting off into the SSA lead was the Alfa Romeo Alfetta of Ron Christensen, who came all the way from Salt Lake City. Behind Ron ran the SSA Mazda of Sam Spade, the SSA Alfa of Bob Greene, Richard Wood's VW Rabbit, and the Renault of Bob Brown. These four swapped positions during the race, fighting for position in every corner with streeet tires howling. The little SSC Renault of Bob Brown was nipping on the heels of two SSA cars down the straights, just ahead of the SSB VW. Attheendofthe race, Brown made his move to tuck in ahead of the two SSA cars. Cornering next to Spade's Mazda it was interesting to see the solid rear axle of the Mazda judderingfor traction, while the front wheel driver Renault neatly drove around him on the outside. The power of the rotary told on the straight and Brown Engine maintenance is also decreased because virtually no particulates or organic acids are generated. The one major disadvantage at present is the availability and cost of hydrogen. Currently it is seven to eight times as expensive as gasoline. Once gasification of low grade coal becomes commonplace. says Billings Research, hydrogen can be generated at a cost of 16 per gallon. This compares to a 1974 cost of 19 per gallon for refining gasoline. And, points out

More On:

MGB Fan Setup Changed

Energ, Fair
Continued From Preceding Page tO ol and adding a water injection system. The latter is to reduce nitric oxide ("the only polutant possible with hydrogen") and flashback. or pre-ignjtion. Hydrogen is stored in two tanks. where

Engineering changes are limited on the 1977 MGB, but British Leyland claims they are productive changes.

Almost unrecognizeable under the extra plumbing is a 440cid Chrysler engine, power source for the hydrogen powered bus displayed at Energy Fair 76 .

it is chemcially bonded with irontitanium particles, forming metal hydrides. When the hydrides are heated with engine exhaust, the hydrogen frees itself in gaseous form. There is enough hydro gen in the tanks for about four hours of operation and they can be brought up to an 80(>0 "recharge" in 10-to-15 minutes. Billings engineers note that the increased tuel efficiency of hydrogen largely makes up for the heavier tanks used.

engineer Ed Davis, once solar plants are in operation, the cost will be even less. Billings researchers caution that "it will be years before an adequate distribution and generation system will be available, making possible the conversion of private automobiles" to the use of hydrogen. But, they add, the important thing is that " an alternative is on the way: ' And that was pretty much the theme of Energy Fai:r '76.

British Leyland Motors claims improvements in performance, economy and noise levels in the 1977 MGB, all from a singie engineering change: a pair of thermostatically-controlled electric cooling fans in place of the single fan driven by belt from the engine. According to the company, the change eliminates power drain-off from the engine, and because the fans operate only at controlled engine temperature, warm-up from cold is quicker. This is the source of the improvements in the car's performance and economy. Also new in the 1977 MGB are front and rear anti-roll bars, said by British Leyland to improve roll stiffness giving more precise handling. A smaller steering wheel has .been fitted, and the steering
Art Director/Roger Szalwinski Ad Art Directorl JelTY Stinson Classified Ad Manager/Joan Puckett Production Manager/Rick Musser Circ ulation Manager/ Shelly Lescott Display Ad Manager/Thomas Chinn Autoweek is published weekly 52 times per year. Second class postage paid at Reno, Nevada, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please direct all nondelivery inquiries to Postmaster, Reno, Nevada 89506 and please send notice 3579 to AUTOWEEK, Reno, Nevada 89506. Autoweek Welcomes unsolicited manuscripts and photographs, but cannot be held responsible for their return. Published by Real Resources Group, Inc. President/Robert Fermoile Editorial Director/Miles Ottenheimer Circulation Director/R.E. Thomas Art Director/Bill Moore Marketing Director/Thomas P. Chinn .Limited numbers of back copies of Autoweek are available for .75 cents per copy. Requests for back copies should be sent to Autoweek Back Copies, Box A, Reno, NV 89506. Money to cover the number of back copies requested should accompany the order. Autoweek will cover the postage and will return your money if the copies you request are not available.

ratio has been changed from 2.93 turns lock-to-lock to 3.57 turns. MGBs equipped with the optional overdrive-suggested price, $240-now have the operating switch mounted in the knob on the shift lever. Previously it was located on the steering column. Power for the car comes from the 4cylinder 1798cc ohv engine, the standard powerplant since the MGB was introduced more than a decade ago. The EPA estimates for the car are 17.6mpg i.n the city and 28.9mpg on the highway. With the overdrive, the highway figure is increased to 33.7mpg. Cars meeting California specifications were rated at 18.4mpg city, 28.9 highway and 32.8mpg highway with overdrive.
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