Gavin Watson

Gavin has been preparing a Borgward Isabella Saloon for Classic saloon racing.

The car is running with the standard engine as the race one is not quite ready yet. The car is fitted with a floor shift from a B1500 truck

"A picture of some bits you won't have seen in a Borgward engine before. Those rods and pistons are 350g lighter than a standard rod/piston .I have no idea what power we're going to get. I think will be 100-110hp only really because Bill Blydenstein did know what he was doing! And I've spoken to various people; Javier and a knowledgeable specialist in Australia who reckoned he got 120hp at the wheels so I think that's going to be it.

Although my engine guy I think will be pretty disappointed if he only gets that!

The other area we have lost a lot of weight; standard starter motor 8kgs? I think I remember, we now have a lightweight axial starter motor which is 2.5 kg's and a VERY machined flywheel and modern clutch cover. I have the figure written down but we lost some 24lbs just with those 3 components.

We don't have any delusions about how competitive this car will be. We are missing 50 years of development to our rivals who are circulatiing round here some 25 seconds quicker than they did in period! The hot cars with the A series engine, minis etc are revving them to 10,500 rpm

Regards, Gavin"

More information soon.