October 25, 2022: The second annual MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna,an endurance race open solely to lemons costing lower than R50,000 – kicks off this weekend at Red Star Raceway in Delmas.
Proudly supported by Insurisk insurance coverage, fuelled by Siyanda Petroleum and pushed by Tyremart and Davanti tyres, this occasion is the one competitors of its type on the African continent and it demonstrates that you simply don’t want armfuls of money to reside out your wildest Le Mans fantasies on the racetrack.
The MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna 2022 line-up
Here’s a listing of 5 of one of the best (or worst) entries that may line up initially this weekend. Whether they make the end is one other story, as this can be a race of attrition like no different.
Nissan NP200 | Team Rim Runners | #33
Bakkies. South Africans love ‘em and so do the Rim Runners who’re rocking a tricked-out Nissan NP200 that not too way back appeared destined for the scrapheap.
“It’s an old security vehicle that had its whole front smashed to pieces,” explains driver Gavin Thiele. “We rebuilt it with an assortment of pirate parts and then set about tuning the chassis and suspension for maximum corner speed. The 1.6l engine and five-speed manual remain stock standard.”
Wearing a coat of contemporary white paint, this reborn workhorse is stanced to perfection with 95mm of experience peak up entrance and 115mm on the rear. Thanks to some fettling from Big Boss Auto and race automobile builder Stan Black, this little Nissan must be dynamite by means of the twisty bits. It’s positive to earn kudos from the discerning Boksburg trustworthy.
Volkswagen Beetle | Team Short-Shifters | #71
The oldest and solely air-cooled automobile on the grid, Team Short-Shifters is once more getting into their quirky nineteen-sixty-something VW Beetle that stunned many within the first half of final yr’s occasion earlier than a leaking gearbox seal noticed it spend over 4 hours within the pit lane.
“The great thing about these Beetles is that they’re super easy to work on,” explains driver Wernher Hartzenberg who may fairly simply go for a member of The Doors circa 1969. “You can literally drop their engines and gearboxes out in a matter of minutes. But hopefully we won’t have to do any of that this year. We have fixed and double checked everything that broke in the 2021 race and we’re hoping for smoother sailing this time around.”
With its retro SoCal-inspired livery and fire-spitting exhaust, this Volkswagen is certain to be a fan favorite.
Fiat Palio | Team Fiatrarri | #88
If there have been ever a machine that embodies the true iLamuna spirit then the light-weight Fiatrarri could be it. The drunken love little one of two revered Italian producers, this lesser identified hot-hatch was picked up for R15,000 – about the identical because the drinks invoice at your year-end workplace occasion.
“This one happens to be the rare Gulf Edition model,” driver Rob Darby is fast to level out. “The stripes got delayed in the mail but, don’t worry, we’ll be reapplying them in time for the race. The team and I have also worked tirelessly in making the car as light as possible. We managed to strip away 100kg of body putty; a trick that pays dividends through the corners. Topped off with a fibreglass bonnet we brought the car’s kerb weight down to exactly 851kg.”
According to an outdated again situation of Octane Magazine, reliability has by no means actually been a Fiatrarri sturdy go well with however, hey, if it manages to hold going then there’s hope for everybody.
Mazda Astina | Team King Asstina the third | #236
The Nineteen Nineties gave us many nice issues however the Mazda Astina wasn’t one of them. Having mentioned that this specific instance was purchased from a person who was gutted to see it go.
“The dude had tears in his eyes when I arrived to take it away,” recounts driver James Derbyshire who paid R12,000 for this universally unloved Mazda. “It was his pride and joy.”
Since that unhappy day the group has spent numerous weekends fettling the Astina for life on the observe. While the cylinder rely was restored from two and a half again up to 4, the chassis was upgraded to function a set of budget-blowing 17-inch alloy wheels and a set of upgraded shocks to hold them planted. As for the livery, properly, it reads like a scene from the primary circle of hell the place flames merge with painted outlines of useless our bodies.
“This year we’re going to outline the chief scrutineer on the car’s roof as a subtle reminder of what might happen should he not accept our bribes.”
Be afraid, be very afraid.
Mazda MX-5 | The Gentleman Drivers | #227
Looks might be deceiving. Smartly attired in chinos, crisp white shirts and matching bow ties, the Gentleman Drivers on face worth look like sticklers for automotive originality. In actuality this couldn’t be farther from the reality as their first-generation Mazda MX-5 is one of the zaniest creations on this yr’s grid.
“We bought it as a total write-off,” explains driver Mike Dodd. “The front end was non-existent and I rebuilt it using a mixture of Opel Corsa and Sports 2000 parts. Everything else was fabricated including the fixed fibreglass roof, which is inspired by the MX-5 tuning scene in Japan. It’s a one of a kind design and helps to make the car a lot more aerodynamic, which should help us down the long Red Star main straight.”
The little roadster rides atop commonplace suspension and nonetheless sports activities its authentic 1.6 engine (“1.6 plus VAT” in accordance to Dodd). For higher weight distribution the Gentleman Drivers transformed their steed from right- to left-hand-drive in addition to relocating the gas tank and battery. These unassuming darkish horses are actually in it to win it.
How to watch
The 2022 MF Autobody 24 Hours of iLamuna opens for timed observe on Friday 28 October (together with an evening session to get drivers’ eyes tuned in for the darkness) with the race set to start with a real Le Mans-style standing begin on the afternoon of Saturday 29 October. The race might be streamed reside on the National Motorsport Mzansi YouTube Channel and followers can keep posted on Facebook or Instagram.
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