-Calibra DTM real racer- info needed

[Joest DTM]

hi everyone
I've been looking for some specs, for more than a year, on the Calibra V6 DTM that Opel used for racing purposes on the DTM and ITC.
Nothing really interesting came up...

I'm doing some research on this car (favorite DTM race car and a Calibra T owner as well), and all i've found until now are:
-the engine they used
-the management they used
-the aerodynamic tunnel Cd study of the bodywork

But, i have NO specs for the chassis.
I know it sounds a bit funny,lol, but info like "who build it", images from the frame & rollcage, mods that have been done in order to run a longitudinal engine under the tunnel and front subframe, front and rear subframes etc.


Post it on here OR just pm me or email me with what you got.

Thanks in advance.

[lethal]

I *think* it was a longitudinal mounted engine driving the rear wheels on a spaceframe chassis with a composite Calibra replica body bolted over it.

The cars were very far removed from anything resembling a production car back then.

[Joest DTM]

I *think* it was a longitudinal mounted engine driving the rear wheels on a spaceframe chassis with a composite Calibra replica body bolted over it.

The cars were very far removed from anything resembling a production car back then.

That was what i thought as well....but i was interested in the whole idea and made a search on it.
They had a rollcage welded in, but they were based on the steel body chassis, even the last ones (96ishes) still had full sized doors
These cars were 4 wheel drive via a transaxle from the center differential to the front axle....and according to the rules applied by FIA they HAD to maintain the steel body chassis up to 1996 which was the last year for ITC (ex-DTM).

My knowledge stops to this:
From 1993 to 1996 they built 3 versions of these vehicles.
-1993 Calibras still had the stock suspension design and the shock towers of the production cars (and that's the year the drivers couldn't clock a 'good' lap time).
Also fenders and hood were separated like on our cars.

-1994 Calibras had custom made front shock towers, one piece composite front end and all useless sheet metal from the front to the shock mounts was removed. Rear shock tower must have been modified as well...not very sure on this one.

-1995 and up Opel race cars were build from the beginning.
Steel body again with one piece front end...but, there's no shock towers from now on, suspension with pushrods was used like on older F1 cars.
Carbon&Kevlar panels throughout and magnesium alloy parts everywhere.
Zakspeed with Opel made the study for one of the first projects.

[Joest DTM]

anyone plz??

[joppa]

i have pictures of engine and "gearbox", owner of the stuff (norwegian engine/car builder) claimed 540bhp at 14000rpm. 2.5l v6. i have no info to back up this, maybe you have?

sorry for the poor quality, i took them with my cell phone.















Stian.

[Gaz86]

/\ O M F G!

[Adpb]

Awesome pics of the engine! For what i know the calibra in dtm 1996 has 570hp @ 12750rpm!

[Joest DTM]

i have pictures of engine and "gearbox", owner of the stuff (norwegian engine/car builder) claimed 540bhp at 14000rpm. 2.5l v6. i have no info to back up this, maybe you have?

sorry for the poor quality, i took them with my cell phone.

Stian.

WOW!!
No need to be sorry bro....i should thank you for the pics!!!

The engine was developed by Cosworth....it's a Cosworth KF 75 degree V6.
Uses short stroke, something like 60mm.
Some left over parts are still for sale as far as i know.
(Try: Trevor Morris Engines & also try: Prolinx)


Don't really know if the rear axle is from these Calibras....
What did he say (the owner)?? Can you double check?


Thanks again!!

[lee866]

Some engine info


Standard
Power 168hp
Max rpm 6,000
Combustion pressure 70bar max
Piston load 3,400kg max
Piston acceleration 20,000m/s^2 max

DTM
Power 457hp
Max rpm 12,000
Combustion pressure 150bar max
Piston load 9,400kg max
Piston acceleration 65,000m/s^2 max

DTM CGI block was 20.4% lighter.
DTM CGI block used a bedplate design rather than conventional mains arrangement.
DTM CGI block had reduced deck height to accomodate a shorter stroke.
DTM CGI block had a revised cooling system:
Cooling channel around the bore was reduced in height. Cooling circuit within the block was changed from front-to-back, to an individual bottom-to-top flow around the bore. Coolant enters at the bottom of each cylinder and exits at the top.
DTM CGI block had a 4mm smaller bore-to-bore spacing and still acheived a 70% reduction in bore distortion due to the better properties of CGI.

[EY]

WOW! Awesome pics my friend.

[Violet]

Sorry, but how the hell does that work? I'd love to see the underside of it, in situ.

[unky666]

how/why does the engine rev tht high?

[Joest DTM]

Some engine info


Standard
Power 168hp
Max rpm 6,000
Combustion pressure 70bar max
Piston load 3,400kg max
Piston acceleration 20,000m/s^2 max

DTM
Power 457hp
Max rpm 12,000
Combustion pressure 150bar max
Piston load 9,400kg max
Piston acceleration 65,000m/s^2 max

DTM CGI block was 20.4% lighter.
DTM CGI block used a bedplate design rather than conventional mains arrangement.
DTM CGI block had reduced deck height to accomodate a shorter stroke.
DTM CGI block had a revised cooling system:
Cooling channel around the bore was reduced in height. Cooling circuit within the block was changed from front-to-back, to an individual bottom-to-top flow around the bore. Coolant enters at the bottom of each cylinder and exits at the top.
DTM CGI block had a 4mm smaller bore-to-bore spacing and still acheived a 70% reduction in bore distortion due to the better properties of CGI.

Cool specs

This output must be used on the 1993-94 era cars.
1996 ITC ones were a bit over 500horses.
I remember a comparison test they did back then. They compared a 911-993 GT1 to the Calibra DTM touring car over lap times on the Ring if i'm not mistaken.
The difference between those two were a few seconds (2-3secs).

Here's a pic:

[Joest DTM]

Sorry, but how the hell does that work? I'd love to see the underside of it, in situ.

I've been wondering as well...
I have a pic of the rear wheel arches from above though.

Earlier one:



1996:

[Nad]

Thats some awesome pictures there. Its a shame that they're hard to come by, would love to see more. Best place to get near these cars now is at the Goodwood Festival of Speed but I have yet to see any there.

[VOLKER]

Needing information! I read in 1997 that the 1995 1996 ITC cars costs were almost the same as a F1 car. Also that the v6 engine manufacturing cost were astounding. I know this is off the subject, but I have been looking for a long time for this information. If anyone knows I would appreciate it.

Thanks

[D4N-F]

[/QUOTE]

Porsche engine isnt mounted in standard position either 911's a rear engined

[Joah]

some awesome pictures here.

[Joest DTM]

Needing information! I read in 1997 that the 1995 1996 ITC cars costs were almost the same as a F1 car. Also that the v6 engine manufacturing cost were astounding. I know this is off the subject, but I have been looking for a long time for this information. If anyone knows I would appreciate it.

Thanks

There's a site out there by now, that starts collecting valuable information about these brilliant machines.
You will be AMAZED to see in what they turned the Opel Calibra into for the 1997 ITC season that never happened...almost looked like a batmobile!
There were some examples built for the tests, one is known to exist and was owned by ZAKSPEED as far as i know

I made a lot of research myself as well, leftover ex-race cars went to chosen collectors' garages, and those that were sold by the Opel Team were given to the owners under contracts which prevent the flow of information for 'some' years.
Unfortunately...

[lee303]

Sorry, but how the hell does that work? I'd love to see the underside of it, in situ.

old thread i know, but i found it to show someone some pics, but the above setup is actually the front end,not the rear as the calibras were AWD, also shows how low the engine was if you look at the axle line anyone got any more pics?

[GaryB]

There's a site out there by now, that starts collecting valuable information about these brilliant machines.
..

Do you have a link to said site?

[Joest DTM]

Hi again guys..

It's been some years
I'm still here though, I still love the Calibras..i also bought a rolling chassis to build my track racer sooner or later.
If it ends up being respectable i will make a thread for it.

The site is this one:

DTM Calibra 93

But i don't see much action going on, since they created it.

Some good pics can be found here:

» Opel Calibra DTM/ITC 1996 (Zakspeed) ScaleProduction

» Opel Calibra DTM/ITC Testcar ScaleProduction

Enjoy