DawnTreader Performance
@dawntreadereng.bsky.social
Restoration of F1, Indy and LeMans cars. Also work on MotoGP and WSBK's. Based on Sywell Aerodrome, Northampton.
20 odd years after we worked on Kenny Roberts XM2, Harry and I still have matching team kit. For the record, I don't think I did a terribly good job team KR. The bike was exquisite, but there were things about the V5 that still haunt me.
October 28, 2025 at 5:38 PM
20 odd years after we worked on Kenny Roberts XM2, Harry and I still have matching team kit. For the record, I don't think I did a terribly good job team KR. The bike was exquisite, but there were things about the V5 that still haunt me.
Last of the PC19 fire up vid's. The 265A is such a crisp sounding motor, more so than it's later derivatives.
October 24, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Last of the PC19 fire up vid's. The 265A is such a crisp sounding motor, more so than it's later derivatives.
Fired up the PC19 on Saturday around 6pm GMT. If you know, you know. (But don't worry if you don't).
October 22, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Fired up the PC19 on Saturday around 6pm GMT. If you know, you know. (But don't worry if you don't).
Had a wonderful day filming for the upcoming REC 106B watch with Peter Stevens. Peter not only designed the iconic Canon livery for the Porsche but was instrumental in the aero program for Richard Lloyd Racing.
September 30, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Had a wonderful day filming for the upcoming REC 106B watch with Peter Stevens. Peter not only designed the iconic Canon livery for the Porsche but was instrumental in the aero program for Richard Lloyd Racing.
Had a happy week going through this superb ex-Toesland CBR600 FX WSS bike. Running it fir the customer at the Sywell Classic tomorrow.
September 19, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Had a happy week going through this superb ex-Toesland CBR600 FX WSS bike. Running it fir the customer at the Sywell Classic tomorrow.
So... a degree of success after an awful lot of messing about. Crank trigger looks good on the scope, triggers spaced as expected but RPM in the HUD looked unstable then disappeared for no apparent reason towards the end of the day. I did manage to log some data. Some head scratching to do #PC27
September 2, 2025 at 4:08 PM
So... a degree of success after an awful lot of messing about. Crank trigger looks good on the scope, triggers spaced as expected but RPM in the HUD looked unstable then disappeared for no apparent reason towards the end of the day. I did manage to log some data. Some head scratching to do #PC27
Some time ago we noticed the front damper cover was no longer sitting flush with the chassis post paint. Darren at MCT produced a very neat internal rib that's pulled it back into shape.
September 1, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Some time ago we noticed the front damper cover was no longer sitting flush with the chassis post paint. Darren at MCT produced a very neat internal rib that's pulled it back into shape.
Step 1 of flywheel rig - cam trigger will be step 2. Used Lego as had some at home and 3D printed a mock flywheel with steel tooth inserts.
August 29, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Step 1 of flywheel rig - cam trigger will be step 2. Used Lego as had some at home and 3D printed a mock flywheel with steel tooth inserts.
Ongoing flywheel investigation. The engine calibration defines the angle between the first tooth and TDC Cyl 1 as 65deg. Current guess is the trigger sees the trailing edge of the tooth and acounts for a degree and a half of lag... have drawn a new flywheel but looking into mod options.
August 27, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Ongoing flywheel investigation. The engine calibration defines the angle between the first tooth and TDC Cyl 1 as 65deg. Current guess is the trigger sees the trailing edge of the tooth and acounts for a degree and a half of lag... have drawn a new flywheel but looking into mod options.
Mockup headrest for the #PC27 the actual item will be made in Kevlar. Fits will, some very minor adjustments on trim lines required but overall a very good start.
August 27, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Mockup headrest for the #PC27 the actual item will be made in Kevlar. Fits will, some very minor adjustments on trim lines required but overall a very good start.
The offending 10 tooth flywheel. Still formulating plan B but making progress. Note the curvic coupling that mates to the crank via an intermediate crank gear (i.e. crank / gear / flywheel all with curivc's). The expense of reproducing that detail is a bit scary... #PC27
August 13, 2025 at 4:07 PM
The offending 10 tooth flywheel. Still formulating plan B but making progress. Note the curvic coupling that mates to the crank via an intermediate crank gear (i.e. crank / gear / flywheel all with curivc's). The expense of reproducing that detail is a bit scary... #PC27
I think we've realistically done everything we can prior to a #PC27 fire up attempt mid next week. Will wait until Monday to add methanol, then start cranking for triggers, fuel and oil pressure etc. Nice to see it on umbilicals ready to go... hopefully!
August 8, 2025 at 12:22 PM
I think we've realistically done everything we can prior to a #PC27 fire up attempt mid next week. Will wait until Monday to add methanol, then start cranking for triggers, fuel and oil pressure etc. Nice to see it on umbilicals ready to go... hopefully!
The Cam drive on the 'D' was at the rear, 'E' in the centre (driven via a shaft from the rear) and the 'F' from 2000 at the front. Centre drive does make the head and overall engine length about 20mm shorter as you loose the width of the gear and cover hanging off the end.
August 7, 2025 at 9:15 AM
The Cam drive on the 'D' was at the rear, 'E' in the centre (driven via a shaft from the rear) and the 'F' from 2000 at the front. Centre drive does make the head and overall engine length about 20mm shorter as you loose the width of the gear and cover hanging off the end.
Engine and gearbox oil in, so far no leaks. Heated water system to 70C on the heater rig, again no issues. Finger crossed the same is true tomorrow morning! Voltage fluctuations have 'magically' gone away which is concerning, it seems to be wheel speed sensor related so will keep an eye out. #PC27
August 6, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Engine and gearbox oil in, so far no leaks. Heated water system to 70C on the heater rig, again no issues. Finger crossed the same is true tomorrow morning! Voltage fluctuations have 'magically' gone away which is concerning, it seems to be wheel speed sensor related so will keep an eye out. #PC27
LH chassis loom now final fitted. Coolant, engine and GBX oil temps look right for the ambient today. Coolant and GBX oil pressure both read zero, which is encouraging. The PI 5 Star is pulling the voltage about so need to look into that... #PC27
August 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM
LH chassis loom now final fitted. Coolant, engine and GBX oil temps look right for the ambient today. Coolant and GBX oil pressure both read zero, which is encouraging. The PI 5 Star is pulling the voltage about so need to look into that... #PC27
Had a new toe link heatshield made, I suspect only one side was run, but it offends my sense of symmetry. Seeing the unused mounting lug was bothering me #PC27
July 29, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Had a new toe link heatshield made, I suspect only one side was run, but it offends my sense of symmetry. Seeing the unused mounting lug was bothering me #PC27
Size comparison 1997 IC108D vs 1998 IC108E. The 'E' really was tiny.
July 25, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Size comparison 1997 IC108D vs 1998 IC108E. The 'E' really was tiny.
IC108E plenum is one piece and hard mounted to form a stiff spine to the #PC27 Throttle and trumpet mechanism is achingly beautiful and loaded from the rear of the plenum. Trumpets were anodised different colours for road course, short oval and super speedway lengths.
July 24, 2025 at 7:17 PM
IC108E plenum is one piece and hard mounted to form a stiff spine to the #PC27 Throttle and trumpet mechanism is achingly beautiful and loaded from the rear of the plenum. Trumpets were anodised different colours for road course, short oval and super speedway lengths.
IC108E centre driven cams and pendulum dampers. The damper reduces overall torsional vibration by quelling the stab torques of the valves. As the inlet cam drives the exhaust cam dampers on the inlet works to supress both, a retro fit, the original intention was for a single damper in the centre V.
July 24, 2025 at 6:59 PM
IC108E centre driven cams and pendulum dampers. The damper reduces overall torsional vibration by quelling the stab torques of the valves. As the inlet cam drives the exhaust cam dampers on the inlet works to supress both, a retro fit, the original intention was for a single damper in the centre V.
A few IC108E engine photos from the rebuild.
July 24, 2025 at 6:19 PM
A few IC108E engine photos from the rebuild.
LH exhaust now fitted. A particularly difficult job for Mark Pemble and Ady Matthews to produce but they have done an outstanding job. Another step closer to fire-up. #PC27
July 23, 2025 at 7:23 AM
LH exhaust now fitted. A particularly difficult job for Mark Pemble and Ady Matthews to produce but they have done an outstanding job. Another step closer to fire-up. #PC27
A few adjustments needed on the LH wastegate to tail pipe joint. It doesn't quite fit, or at least it's loaded up. Removing the short joint tube shows a bit of misalignment. Shorter wastegate manifold and longer joint tube should do the trick. #PC27
July 16, 2025 at 3:42 PM
A few adjustments needed on the LH wastegate to tail pipe joint. It doesn't quite fit, or at least it's loaded up. Removing the short joint tube shows a bit of misalignment. Shorter wastegate manifold and longer joint tube should do the trick. #PC27