WTD Lola T540 parts

[GreginCanada]

Looking for any Susp. parts and lower rear removable frame member. {or a drawing of the part , it doesn't look that hard to make}. All for a Lola T540 auto x project. All I have is a near junk bare frame but I figure it might yet have life as a cone killer. Control arms can be bent or cracked, I just need patterns so I can fab some new ones. Also 1 rear upright and stub axle. I am Canadian but I have a Washington State address.

Thanks

Greg

[Bill Manofsky]

Looking for any Susp. parts and lower rear removable frame member. {or a drawing of the part , it doesn't look that hard to make}. All for a Lola T540 auto x project. All I have is a near junk bare frame but I figure it might yet have life as a cone killer. Control arms can be bent or cracked, I just need patterns so I can fab some new ones. Also 1 rear upright and stub axle. I am Canadian but I have a Washington State address.

Thanks

Greg

Get with Pat Prince for all suspension parts. He has the jigs. To save money you can have him weld them up for you in bare steel that you can then paint. Otherwise nickel plating will be an extra $45 per a-arm. You can buy the uprights from the apex speed member in new Zealand for a reasonable price. I can also take a photo of my loer rear with a ruler so you can have one made up. It is a fairly simple part. Do you have the sump tank? If not you will have to have it made up or you can just buy a 6in dia can sump tank from Speedway or other suppliers and hang if ogg the back. Bill

[GreginCanada]

Hi Bill, thanks for the advise. New A arms sound great but will be beyond my budget. This is intended as a low cost as possible, father and teenage son; Auto X project. Think along the lines of a locost Lotus 7 only using used up FF parts instead of something like a Miata. No way it will ever be used for regular wheel to wheel racing. Or even SCCA solo , just locally organised club auto X. It will be powered by the spare Renault engine and transaxle out of my Lotus Europa.
I would be very appreciative if you could post some photo's of the lower rear frame member , esp if you can provide a measurement showing the position of mounting holes and the lower arm pivot holes.

All the best Greg

[Bill Manofsky]

Hi Bill, thanks for the advise. New A arms sound great but will be beyond my budget. This is intended as a low cost as possible, father and teenage son; Auto X project. Think along the lines of a locost Lotus 7 only using used up FF parts instead of something like a Miata. No way it will ever be used for regular wheel to wheel racing. Or even SCCA solo , just locally organised club auto X. It will be powered by the spare Renault engine and transaxle out of my Lotus Europa.
I would be very appreciative if you could post some photo's of the lower rear frame member , esp if you can provide a measurement showing the position of mounting holes and the lower arm pivot holes.

All the best Greg

Send me a PM with your phone and email so I can send you photos of the front upper A-arms that I have.

Bill

[Bill Manofsky]

Photos of the of the rear lower member. The center to center distance between the pickups for the lower rear A-arms is 10 3/4in. They are offset 2 1/2 inches to the rear of the main frame. You can essentially fab anything you want to get these dimensions without having to duplicate the original Lola part.

Also are photos of the front upper A-arms I can sell you. I removed them from the car. The car originally had outriggers as designed by the MOSPORT driver's school in Canada for use on their school cars that ran radial tires. You can see the outriggers on the yellow/green car from the school.

The car then went to a girl's school in Nova Scotia where they removed the outriggers and riveted on the large ball joints shown on the photo. I will sell you that set up for $150 plus shipping. That is very cheap considering how much it will const you to have the same setup fabricated. It will work fine for knocking over cones. I would not trust the welds on a real track. So the reason why I removed them and repaired the frame and returned the car to original livery.

Bill

[GreginCanada]

Thanks for the photos and measurements , they will be very helpful. Are the arms standard T540 or are they something that was fabricated to work with the outriggers / riveted brackets ? I still have the standard mounting tabs on the frame so as long as the arms will work with the standard set up I would be interested. In other words are they more or the less the same size and shape as your new arms ?

Greg

[Bill Manofsky]

Thanks for the photos and measurements , they will be very helpful. Are the arms standard T540 or are they something that was fabricated to work with the outriggers / riveted brackets ? I still have the standard mounting tabs on the frame so as long as the arms will work with the standard set up I would be interested. In other words are they more or the less the same size and shape as your new arms ?

Greg

The a-arms in the photo are shorter that the US version of the front upper A-arms. They were fabricated by a conrtactor to the tire company that sold the tires to MOSPORT for their race series. They made them short for more camber change needed for running radial tires. They will only work with the ball joints that rivet on to the frame as shown in the photos.

I can almost guarantee you that you will have difficulty finding suspension parts for your 540.

Lola made two types of 540's. One was the narrow track for the US market. They also made the wide track for the European market. So the reason for the 540E designation.

If you get them mixed up, you will have camber problems with your car that you will not be able to fix without significant rework.

You will have better luck in the US finding the narrow track a-arms. But you are going to pay at a minimum $150 per a-arm. That is the low end for old rusty ones. Nice shiny nickel plated a-arms can run you $250 to $300 each.

Take my advice. I build race cars. I know what you are trying to do, but you will spend more money in the long run trying to piece a car together. This is an expensive game you are getting into. You will be better off selling your frame to a 540 driver and then looking for a basket case Formula Ford with all the parts together minus the engine and tranny. You might get lucky and pick one up for less than $4000. There are a lot of 1980's junk cars sitting in people's garages. The money is in the engine and tranny, so go for a bare slider for you engine and transaxle. Or you can look for an old Formula Vee. There are several 540 drivers who are on Apexspeed.

Also piecing one together will take a very long time which will take you away from driving. I have seen too many guys do this and get burned out on the project and never get to drive. Your goal should be to get a car as fast as possible and start knocking down cones.

Otherwise you end up with a long term science project. Been there done that.

Hope this helps.

Bill

[GreginCanada]

That sounds like good advise. I would like very much to find a cheap roller and go from there. The problem is that I live in Western Canada. There are very few FF cars left in these parts and they never sell at the sort of price that would make them within my budget.
And bring a car in to Canada from the U.S. these days seems to be nearly impossible. The problem is all the documentation that U.S. customs requires to approve a "motor vehicle" for export. A title, which of course no race car has is regarded as pretty much a must or at least a document stating that the sellers state doesn't issue titles for that type of vehicle MIGHT be accepted . It's a red tape snafu that is nearly unsurmountable. Especially for the sort of semi derelict I would be looking for. If it can be done at all the costs pile up quickly. Purchase, transportation, brokerage{now mandatory} exchange , tax at the border. That cheap $4000.00 roller is at least double by the time it is sitting in my garage, and it's no easier to earn a $ on this side of the border than it is in the U.S. You guys in the good old U.S.A. have it so good compared to us up here north of the border.
If any Canadian has imported a older race car from the U.S. within the last year or two I would like to hear just what was required to satisfy U.S. customs that the car could be exported. The U.S. customs website has no specific information other than stating a title is a near must.

Greg

[GreginCanada]

Bump-- Still looking for T 540 parts. 1 rear upright complete or any separate parts, upright casting, stub axle, drive flange for cv. A arms front and rear , even damaged that I can use for a pattern, rear portion of a front crashed frame, almost anything T 540.

PS, Bill. Still looking for a better starting point but as I mentioned above very hard to find in my local area.


Thanks, Greg

[Westroc]

I think it must be WAY different out there than here in Ontario. And it shouldn't be as I live in Canada (Ontario) and it is not nearly as complicated as you make it out. I have now just about finished up 32yrs in racing and have done cars both ways between the US and "us". The first thing I would tell you is find someone other than who you have talked to so far that has experience here. All of them may have zero actual experience with a Race car but look the stock car guys go back and forth don't they? So do we. Generally a brokerage house has no experience with this and ours here is the busiest border in the world and they do not. However there ARE people who can direct you properly. First thing is a racecar almost in every case was imported into the US as a racecar. If it got in it can get out. You do not NEED a brokerage as clearing it yourself is done every day. Look when we go over for vacation or business over 48 you are allowed what $800 clear now? So how much are you gonna pay on $4K NAFTA? Not much.Whatever you choose to do do not lie at the border. On the other hand there have been literally hundreds of times I have been waived thru w/100-200 bills in hand-which they look at and I get waived in paying zip .Also do not get creative with just showing partial bills, or worse, it just adds misery. Like anything else it does take homework.

[GreginCanada]

The best source for information is the U.S. Customs web site dealing with motor vehicle export requirements. It primarily details the process and documentation required for everyday road vehicles, but also states very concretely that ALL motor vehicles regardless of condition or value are subject to the same requirements and process. Miss a step at your ,and your wallet's peril.
Self importation / export might still be possible however one step in the process is to submit AES documentation {Automated Export System}, and this must be done by a U.S. citizen or a U.S. based agent {broker}. Probably little extra cost to let the Broker handle the whole thing.
It's not a Canadian customs thing, all these new rules are from U.S. Customs. The Canadian end of the process is more or less the same as it has always been.

Greg

[Crowe Composites]

Greg,

We have complete body molds for the Lola 540 including long main body one piece mold.

Let us know if we can assist.

Michael
Crowe Composites LLC
423-303-6318
crowecomposites@gmail.com
www.crowecomposites.com

[Bill Manofsky]

Greg,

We have complete body molds for the Lola 540 including long main body one piece mold.

Let us know if we can assist.

Michael
Crowe Composites LLC
423-303-6318
crowecomposites@gmail.com
www.crowecomposites.com

Do you have the molds for the narrow european T540E nose like the one in this photo? if so how much for a nose?

[GreginCanada]

Greg,

We have complete body molds for the Lola 540 including long main body one piece mold.

Let us know if we can assist.

Michael
Crowe Composites LLC
423-303-6318
crowecomposites@gmail.com
www.crowecomposites.com

Thanks for the information Michael. It's great that parts for older cars like my project are still being made however this is intended to be a bare bones, minimum cost auto-x car and as such will not use anything other than thin sheet Aluminum for bodywork. I would love to have a real Club Ford some day and Lola would be my first choice so sometime in the future I might need a proper body.

Thanks , Greg in Canada

[racersonly]

Greg,
I might have a couple of those things you're looking for. I know I have 2 front uprights, a rear stub axle and possibly a rear upright. (I'll need to check on that one.) interested?

[GreginCanada]

Yes, I am definitely interested. I will PM you for details.

Greg

[GreginCanada]

Hi racersonly, I PM'd you about the Lola parts . Did you get my message? I am definitely interested in your parts. Please respond.

Thanks Greg

[racersonly]

Sorry Greg, I've been preoccupied. I will photo the parts and zip them off to you.

[GreginCanada]

Bump / still looking. I have picked up a few things but my want list is still substantial. The A arms need to be T540 but most of the other Susp. parts can be from most any Lola FF T 340 and up. I am not picky about condition.I am interested even in non- serviceable parts that I can use for a pattern esp. the A arms. I am well set up for welding, fabricating and machining but I need to have something to work from.

Greg

[GreginCanada]

I am still looking for any T540 parts. I took Bill's advice and bought a Royale basket case however it has serious frame rust problems and will need a major re-tubing. So for the time being I am using what I can on the Lola frame and still looking for several T540 parts. Anyone have a badly damaged T540 frame ? I need the forward {instrument panel} hoop and forward braces or a template of the hoop shape so I can form one. Also the rear section from about the roll bar back on the LH side. And lots of small parts.

Greg

[Bill Manofsky]

[QUOTE=GreginCanada;561864]I am still looking for any T540 parts. I took Bill's advice and bought a Royale basket case however it has serious frame rust problems and will need a major re-tubing. So for the time being I am using what I can on the Lola frame and still looking for several T540 parts. Anyone have a badly damaged T540 frame ? I need the forward {instrument panel} hoop and forward braces or a template of the hoop shape so I can form one. Also the rear section from about the roll bar back on the LH side. And lots of small parts.

Greg,

You may want to try this guy if the car is still available. The car is a T540 with the back end chopped off and modified for a motorcycle engine. This is an original MOSPORT T%$)E school car like mine. It I HU53. Mine is HU52. The only thing Lola on it is the frame and body the suspension parts came off some other Formula Ford. The Wheels are not 5.5in. Be careful becasue you may get stuck with a bunch of parts you don't need.

Lola Formula Ford project for sale ... 2500canadian asking price, 416-618-6706 (Ken).

https://www.facebook.com/RoyaleFFChallengeSeries/photos/pcb.1655984424456773/1655983704456845/?type=3&theater&ifg=1

[GreginCanada]

Thanks Bill, that might be just what I need. It's a long way away but at least no border to deal with. Do you recognise any of the suspension ? The owner seems to know very little about it.

Greg

[Bill Manofsky]

Thanks Bill, that might be just what I need. It's a long way away but at least no border to deal with. Do you recognise any of the suspension ? The owner seems to know very little about it.

Greg

no clue as to what the suspension is. I recognize it as a MOSPORTs school car because of the long rivet patterns on the top of the front frame. They mounted outriggers to pick up shortened upper A-arms. I assume when they removed the outriggers and also modified the rear fro the motorcycle engine they decided to change out all the suspension....

I was told that this was for a specific class in Canada where they cut up old formula cars and mount motorcycle engines.

PM me with your phone number and we can discuss more.

[Bill Manofsky]

Thanks Bill, that might be just what I need. It's a long way away but at least no border to deal with. Do you recognise any of the suspension ? The owner seems to know very little about it.

Greg

Did you get a tranny with the Royale. I need a spare MK9 tranny for my Lola 342 project.

[Bill Manofsky]

Thanks Bill, that might be just what I need. It's a long way away but at least no border to deal with. Do you recognise any of the suspension ? The owner seems to know very little about it.

Greg

Here is a photo of a MOSPORT school Lola T540E with the outriggers on the upper front A-arms. This one you are looking had originally had the same setup. The rest of the suspention was LOLA T540E wide track. MOSPORT had an engineer at the tire company design this set up because they ran the tire company's radials at the school. The shorter upper A-arm allowed for more negative camber change in the turns to supposedly make the tires bite more.

[GreginCanada]

The motorcycle engine in a formula car set up was popular in Eastern Canada. I don't know exactly what the class was called however there were new construction cars along with converted older cars.
Out here in British Columbia during that era there was a dark period for circuit racing following the closure of B.C.'s main track , Westwood. There was still a bit of racing on Vancouver Island however for the most part the sport was at a real low point. Quite a few of the local cars were sold out of the area as there were very limited motorsports events in which to use them. Years later there is now a usable track at Mission B.C. , it's no Westwood, however at least there is a place for motorsport.
All this has made race cars and parts comparatively scarce locally. We are isolated by distance from Central Canada, and we are isolated from the main stream of racing by the International border.
Importing parts from the U.S. is not a difficult situation, except from the point of view of our lack luster $. Race cars however are as far as I can determine quite a bit more involved.