PILBEAM 50 YEARS IN SPRINTS AND HILLCLIMS CELEBRATION DAY UPDATE
Curborough, 29th May 2024
The event will operate as a 'test day', meaning that cars may run individually for several laps of the top part of the course. There is a standard track restriction of 105dB. Cars which are deemed to be reasonably quiet may use the start as well, but we need to take care due to neighbours.
Being a 'test day' format, the track will be unmarshalled, but fire extinguishers will be set out. There is no scrutineering, so car owners are responsible for ensuring their car is prepared to an appropriate standard. Similarly, safety equipment will not be inspected, but participants are expected to be suitably and safely dressed (i.e. helmets, overalls and gloves as a minimum). All participants must sign on at the paddock hut before going on track.
The track will open at 10:00 for runs - cars will queue at the paddock gate and, depending on how busy the course is, will be expected to keep to 5 minutes or so (longer if there are no queues, shorter if we are very busy). The event is, in principle, free of charge, though for insurance we will make a nominal £10 charge for each driver. There will also be a voluntary donation to a charity of Mike Pilbeam’s choice. The event will finish at about 16:00.
Those who do not wish to drive their car are still very welcome to show it and join in the conversations. We intend to line up the cars during the lunch break for photographs. Journalists have been invited.
Gates open at 08:00, anybody travelling from a distance may stay inside the venue on the previous night but, for access reasons, are asked to book in first using the attached contact details. There is no electric hook up. Those wanting a hotel are advised to check on visitlichfield.co.uk. Additionally, there is a Premier Inn on the A38 that may be quite convenient. The café will be open for breakfast, refreshments and lunch and the classroom will be available for social interaction if wet. Normal Curborough facilities of toilets and changing rooms are available.
Any car with either a Pilbeam Type Number or on which Mike has worked as a designer is welcome, so that includes hillclimb single seaters, with which Mike is most closely associated, plus race and rally cars, and road-going Pilbeam-modified Lotuses. Mike will be inviting people who have worked with him in designing and producing the cars. Please would anybody who wishes to drive a car on track book in using the contact details below - this will help us to get an idea of numbers. If you wish to show a car and not drive on track, we would prefer it if you can let us know, but we won’t turn anybody with a Pilbeam away on the day. Spectators are very welcome and there is no need to let us know. There is a 105dB limit - please contact for details of how and where it is measured.
If there are any changes to plans due to weather, illness, civil insurrection or nuclear war, we will try to notify anybody who has booked and post a message on Facebook. The organisers thank Shenstone & District Car Club for its outstanding generosity in donating the venue for the day.
For more information, contact:
Tony Cotton
Mobile - 07795 601999
Email - Tony.Cotton@talk21.com
Facebook - Tony Cotton
SPECIAL EVENTS CELEBRATING PILBEAM IN 2024
Pilbeam Racing has been greatly honoured by the decisions of Enstone Car Club and Bugatti Owners Club to hold two special events celebrating the career of Mike Pilbeam and the successes of cars built by Pilbeam Racing Designs over the past 60 years.
These events came as a complete surprise to us but, of course, they present a very welcome opportunity to congratulate the drivers and teams who made all these successes possible.
Over all these years, it has been enormously pleasing to have helped those teams to achieve so many great results – something which present and past employees frequently speak of with delight. We are perhaps best known for our 18 UK National Hilllclimb Championships, but there are also likely to be cars from our years in endurance racing and at the Le Mans 24 Hours, as well as F1, F2 and F3 cars designed for clients and employers, such as BRM, Lotus and Surtees.
We greatly look forward to meeting our many customers, client and friends at both of these events:
Curborough Sprint Course - 29th May (contact Tony Cotton or Jeremy Bouckley for more details – Tony.Cotton@talk21.com, jeremybouckley@gmail.com)
Prescott Hill Climb - 7th and 8th September (part of the British and Midland Hill Climb Championships weekend – www.prescotthillclimb.co.uk)
A selection of images of some of the cars that Mike has either fully designed or worked on the design team, over the years, can be seen below (all photos by Rick Wilson).
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Photo by Rick Wilson - www.maisonblanche.co.uk.
Visit us at Autosport International!If you're visiting the Autosport International event on 10th /11th January 2019 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) near Birmingham, Pilbeam Racing will be on stand E270.
Centre of attraction on our stand will be the fantastic 1000HP V8 GT racer built around our carbon chassis.
Photo by Neil Lambert - www.lambosport.co.uk.
You can also see the very popular new carbon GT chassis itself built to a Pilbeam design by ACE Technology, suppliers of carbon chassis and bodywork to the racing and defence industries. The traditional hillclimb speciality is by no means neglected - new aero research has yielded some interesting possibilities as well as the well-known handling qualities.
Please call in for a chat if you are at Autosport, we’d love to see you!
Judd V10-powered MP88 launch test video clip.
Click on the screen shot below for a short video clip of the updated MP88 undertaking a start launch test at Blyton Park earlier this week.
Video clip by Rick Wilson - www.rickwilsonphotography.co.uk.
First test for MP88 with Judd V10.
Stewart Robb had his first chance to try the MP88 fitted with an incredible Judd 5-litre V10 at Blyton Park circuit this week. Pilbeam Racing has also designed in some new aerodynamic features resulting in reports of good handling and grip from both drivers, as Stewart Robb Jr also drove and may well be seen out in the MP88 during the season.
In spite of the increased power of the Judd engine, traction was excellent - it was almost disappointing that there was no wheelspin and tyre smoke as the car accelerated out of corners!
All photos by Rick Wilson - www.rickwilsonphotography.co.uk.
Pilbeam MP102 débuts at Autosport International 2017.
Our new MP102 carbon chassis will be on display for the first time at the Autosport International at the Birmingham NEC on Thursday 12th January 2017 - come and see it for yourself on Stand E883 to find out more.
It is fitted with Pilbeam suspension as supplied to many Elise and Exige racers worldwide and can accept virtually all the Elise components and can also be built with rocker inboard suspension - making it the perfect basis for an ultimate high performance road or race car. A further option is as the basis for your own GT race or road car with your design of body and suspension. The chassis can accept either transverse or in-line engine installation and the MP102 carbon chassis is half the weight of the Elise aluminium chassis.
Pilbeam at Autosport International 2017.
Visit us on Stand E883 - First release of fantastic new carbon GT chassis
The new MP102 carbon chassis will be on display for the first time at the Autosport International 2017. The first chassis will soon be in the Lotus 300RR with the 1000hp Hartley-Holeshot V8 built for Osler Engineering. This will be the second version of the famous Lotus GT which won many endurance races in Malaysia and Japan.
On the show stand it will be fitted with Pilbeam suspension as supplied to many Elise and Exige racers worldwide and can accept virtually all the Elise components.
Build your own perfect race car- lots of options!
The MP102 can also be built with rocker inboard suspension and would make the perfect basis for an ultimate high performance road or race car. A further option is as the basis for your own GT race or road car with your design of body and suspension. We are happy to supply a chassis only and we can even tailor the strength and stiffness if you need an even stiffer chassis for a modest increase in weight.
The chassis can accept either transverse or in-line engine installation. Full FEA study has been carried out to establish optimum strength and stiffness.
High performance by design
Notably the MP102 carbon chassis is half the weight of the Elise aluminium chassis: Weight is 45 Kg with torsional stiffness of 17,000 N-M /degree. This balance of stiffness, weight and strength is calculated to ensure that the handling gives fantastic performance.
As well as the more common torsional stiffness criteria we have made a careful study of other important stiffness factors which are often ignored and which we have found to make a massive difference to performance.
Of course we have also looked carefully at performance in an impact to ensure optimum security for driver and passenger.
Great value!
The cost of the new MP102 chassis is £28,000 +VAT for a single chassis: cost is reduced if more chassis are required. The options referred to can be made to suit your wishes.
Carbon fibre subframe for Pilbeam GT car
To match the strength and stiffness of the Pilbeam GT chassis we have also produced a subframe in carbon fibre which carries the rear suspension as well as the engine and gearbox and saves about 15Kg as well as being much stiffer than the standard frame. It has been built for the very special Lotus 300RR GT racer we have manufactured for Valerio Osler with a 1000HP in-line V8 engine.
Attention all Pilbeam hillclimbers and sprinters!
ROPS APPROVAL FOR 2017 - In accordance with the new MSA requirement we are arranging to produce ROPS certificates for MP62/72/82 and MP86/88 and MP97 race cars. Please contact us as soon as possible for details. The 2017 season will soon be upon us!
MP102 Carbon GT Chassis.
Our new carbon chassis is now available and the first example is currently being assembled into a GT car with Lotus 300RR suspension. It is also being adopted in new high performance road and race car projects by other manufacturers. We also offer our special version of the Lotus Elise suspension as shown on the photos.
An alternative version has a pure racer setup using rocker type inboard suspension. The chassis can accept either transverse or in-line engine installation. Full FEA study has been carried out to establish optimum strength and stiffness. Notably there is a huge weight saving compared to any comparable chassis: Weight is 45 Kg, but it also has great strength and stiffness which ensures that the handling will gives fantastic performance. Resistance to crash loads has been optimized during the FEA study.
Carbon fibre subframe for Pilbeam GT car.
To match the strength and stiffness of the Pilbeam GT chassis we have also produced a subframe to carry the rear suspension as well as the engine and gearbox. It has been specially built for the very special Lotus 300RR GT racer we have manufactured for Valerio Osler with its 1000HP in-line V8 engine.
New conversion for MP82.
Now there are a number of MP82 chassis racing, mostly using the strong but very heavy Hewland FGC gearbox, we thought an update was warranted. The first is now being completed for Andrew Dinner and promises a big improvement. The new gearbox is the sequential Hewland JFR which accepts all the existing wishbones and uprights but incorporates a better rocker system with an antiroll bar having more adjustment possibilities.
The whole package is lighter by about 25kg and as all this weight loss is behind the rear axle it will improve response and feel, i.e. it will lose any tendency to 'wag the tail', so we anticipate a new life for the well liked MP82 and a return to the superb feel of the original MP62 with the tiny LD200 gearbox . Of course the JFR can also accept our Geartronics paddle shift with all the benefits that gives too.
HANS Conversion.
Now that it is compulsory to use the HANS device we can offer a low cost adaptor that fits to the chassis and places the attachments in the correct place so that the HANS device gives the support to the driver's head and neck as it is intended. This is designed for Pilbeam single seaters from the MP62 up to the MP97. Call if you need help.
Seat belts.
At the same time as the HANS conversion it seems a good point to think of replacing seat belts which may be old or perhaps (never suggest it!) have experienced the odd nudge. We can offer the TRS belts as supplied on our new cars at a favourable price. They have been planned to be a good fit and to work well with the HANS on our cars, which has been done by specifying all details to suit car and driver, so they are not quite the same as 'off the shelf' items. Contact us for more details and prices.
New partnership on the MP102 carbon chassis.
Pilbeam Racing has joined forces with Osler Engineering Sarl to build this exciting new chassis which is already finding great interest as a thoroughly up-to-date and versatile basis for many new projects requiring a superior hi-tech solution, including the MP103 GT racer (see next news article below) and others currently planned.
Valerio Osler will take delivery of the first chassis which Pilbeam will build into a mega lightweight GT car using an 800hp V8 in line engine (photo below).
New MP103 GT.
The new MP103 GT race car now under construction at our Bourne workshops is the second design to use the new MP102 carbon chassis and will be ready to race in the 2016 season.
It is designed around the new chassis and will incorporate inboard rocker suspension and aerodynamically designed underfloor profile for maximum downforce.
Hillclimb developments.
Two new MP101 autoclaved carbon hillclimb chassis are being built for the 2016 season with improved aerodynamics. Weight is reduced whilst retaining the traditional secure Pilbeam primary structure and driver compartment.
New MP102 multi purpose carbon chassis
Pilbeam has designed a completely new carbon chassis as a major development for the Lotus Elise/Exige to take its excellent handling and roadholding another step forward or, alternatively, as the basis of new race car with a variety of possible layouts. The Mp102multi purpose carbon chassis features a big reduction in weight as well as increased rigidity when compared to the original chassis and translates into a fantastic final package which also looks great.
The MP102 can accept all the original Elise components including crash box, bodywork, heater, dash structure and engine mountings.
Specification:
- Adaptable chassis designed to accept Elise/Exige components or to form the basis of a new design.
- All carbon construction with honeycomb sandwich throughout to give maximum stiffness together with minimum weight.
- Accepts Lotus crash box, body, doors etc.
- Can use either original Lotus suspension or Pilbeam racing suspension system.
- Stronger roll hoop: a full cage can be fitted to increase stiffness and safety even further.
- Accepts Lotus rear subframe to use transverse engine.
- Front suspension uses mountings designed to give original Lotus suspension geometry; alternatively, different geometry can be used.
- Alternative installation is possible for in-line engine as on Lotus NGT (300RR).
- Larger fuel tank can be fitted or long distance events.
The chassis can also be built into any new type of sports racer or a road car with genuine two seat capability and true race bred design.
- Front suspension can be by pushrod and rocker suspension instead of conventional design. This allows the possibility to create a more aerodynamic shape with front or side radiators.
- Any new sports/GT project can be created with this extremely versatile "mother chassis" leading to a new range of rear-engined sports cars.
MSA approval for Pilbeam MP101 Hyabusa
Mike Tregoning has conducted a successful shakedown test with the new MP101. The car has also been presented to the MSA's Technical Officials and passed with flying colours so now has its MSA log book, ready to compete in the 2014 season.
