Ralt Chassis

C Sports Racer

Bill Ironside's car

July 23, 2004

This is a 1982 Ralt RT5 Formula Super Vee chassis, believed to have been re-tubbed in 1999. The car is currently powered by a Mazda rotary engine.

It was previously Jim Stinehelfer's white car which finished 3rd in CSR at 2002 Runoffs. Bill believes that Jim did (or had done) most of the conversion work to CSR in the early 1990s.

Bill knows that Jim did the conversion to Mazda power from the former Cosworth engine, but isn't sure who did the previous conversion from VW to Cosworth.

The car started its life as a Formula Super Vee (Bill believes it was owned by Jim Cristian Racing out of Colorado).

There are tons of Beasley parts on the car, but it's not a Beasley conversion.

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Tunnels

Fire, then Re-build

July 18, 2004

Bill Ironside reported, "Last March my Ralt RT5 CSR caught fire in the paddock prior to qualifying at the Memphis National race. As you can see from the photos [on the right], it was a real mess and I probably gave it less than a 50/50 chance of ever making it on the track again, mostly because I was not sure if I wanted to put that much effort into trying and I figured it would be easier to part it out and buy something else - which, of course, I didn't have the money to do anytime soon.

But, after many nights and weekends working in the garage (and a few dollars sent off to Messrs. Drummond, Taylor and Penske to rebuild the mechanical end of things), I finally have the car back together again and ready to try it one more time!"¹

Bill Ironside further reported on 7/21/04

"After the fire I took the car apart down to the last nut and bolt, repairing and replacing as I went until the car was back together. I don't consider myself a great mechanic (I run a telephone company for a living) but the repair work was very therapeutic, not only to relieve my frustration but also to erase the memory of sitting in a race car engulfed in flames while wearing a tee shirt and shorts (I was warming up the engine before changing into my driver suit for qualifying ... boy did I EVER warm it up!).

I have my fingers crossed that when I get to Pocono, that I put everything back together the RIGHT way."¹