Unfortunately, our last performance dates back to the Sezoensrally 2019 and this of course does not only have to do with corona. We had been hanging on the sucker for a while, did not find the right feeling and the understeer lever continued to worry us with many a hangover as a result. Our task with a broken topmount in the 2019 edition was a bit of the low point, but also the trigger point to realize that the R-Box M3 was struggling with a fundamental problem.
After the electrical perils of the TAC rally, this time we were more determined than ever to make it to the end of the rally. The BMW got a thorough check-up supplemented with a few updates that had been planned for some time.
(Photos Wim Becker, Juha Bos)
With a few minor updates to the BMW but especially a series of important changes to the service truck, our lives should become a lot easier and more efficient. In addition, the weather gods had also foreseen a bright blue sky for Saturday morning, so more than enough reasons to be super motivated at the start.
(Photos Wim Becker, Birger Vuylsteker)
After a very hectic winter update, with some radical changes, we were of course very much looking forward to a first confrontation with the Haspengouw concrete strips.
For the observant media watchers it had been clear for some time that from now on Isidoor Smets will knit the notes together and that we decided to focus on the full M-Cup. Through Isidoor’s experience, the bar is indirectly raised a bit higher, even though it is not the intention to put more pressure on myself. And even though I don’t know anything about knitting myself, I’m going to do my utmost not to drop stitches.
(Photos Wim Becker, Jérome Deskeuvre, Frank Pacqué)
Personally, I’ve always had something with the EBR that I couldn’t find in other matches, even as a spectator. Maybe it’s the beautiful surroundings, the East Cantons mentality, … I don’t know but it’s hard for me to describe how much I’ve been looking forward to this match.
(Photos Wim Becker)
If we are to believe everyone, the first time is always a bit special. Fortunately, the conditions were ideal, plenty of sun, bone dry and assisted by a very experienced co, Isidoor Smets, who stepped in last minute for Luc Geenen. Add to that a super nice car, 4 super mechanics and mega coach / cooking mom and numerous sympathizers, in short the perfect ingredients for a fantastic rally.
It has been quiet for a very long time on the R-Box site, this was on the one hand a very conscious choice and on the other hand we have been working very diligently on the car, service truck and other infrastructure, so that there was very little time left to add stories here.
Because we have now reached an important milestone, it might be nice to post something new again. GOOD news this time!!
We have already had some sleepless nights but we are on the right track despite the failure of our homemade laser alignment tool.
We had conceived the bright idea of placing a laser module in the center point of the drive shaft on the Vbak. The theory was then to raise the Vbak until the laser cross was projected into the center point of the differential. However, turning the Vbak exit taught us that the center point did not stay in place. We attributed it to the lack of precision of the lathe but it could just as well have been a faulty turner because we had made that tool ourselves 🙂
But don’t worry we’ll get it right. On Monday, 12mm uniballs are ordered, the rubbers to give the box a very small amount of freedom of movement we have already turned and then we only have to think about making a height-adjustable Vbak support.
Too long ago that an update has happened on the site but this has everything to do with a chronic lack of time.
Fortunately, the BMW does get shapes even though it does not go as fast as we would like, but we have to row with the resources we have. Fortunately, in recent weeks we have become a lot more numerous on Saturdays, which is highly privileged.
Despite a few small problems, the entire back is now ready. We still had to adjust the plate of the ATL tank because we didn’t really get away with the flexible. We also modified the fuel cap, which was a screw version. The goal was to elliminate everything that can be lost, not that we don’t have confidence in our mechanics 🙂
We also struggled a bit with the bolts of the topmounts, but after redrawing them 3 times and a multitude of assembly attempts, we can finally make peace with the result.
As you can see, the cablage has been able to remain very limited. All rear lights + the 3 petrol pumps are controlled by 1 PWR-Box
Because we were not raised from home in an imperial world, this is really 1 big puzzle. I still don’t understand what those American army men think about that now.
I ordered about 2 A4 pages full of different nipples. With Frank’s nightly assistance, we even tried to put that schematically on paper. Phase 1 is now behind us. All coupling pieces have been assembled and now we can start measuring all the pipes to order them as soon as possible.
We assume that the assembly of the leads is super fast so the biggest work is done here.
