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| Category | Group C1 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Dome | ||||||||
| Successor | Dome RC83 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Engine | 3,297 cc (201.2 cu in)naturally-aspiratedCosworth DFLV8,mid-engined 8,000 cc (488.2 cu in)naturally-aspiratedChevroletV8 | ||||||||
| Tyres | Dunlop | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Dome Racing Devon Racing Direct Car Phones | ||||||||
| Debut | 1982 6 Hours of Silverstone | ||||||||
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| Teams' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
TheDome RC82 was aGroup Csports racing car built byDome in 1982 for the24 Hours of Le Mans. Initially fitted with a 3.3-litreCosworth DFLV8 engine, the car finished its life fitted with an 8-litreChevrolet V8 engine.March Engineering built the chassis, and one car was built. The car would prove to be unsuccessful, as it never finished a race, and was replaced by the marginally more successfulDome RC83 the following year.
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In 1982,Dome built the RC82 as their first effort in the newGroup C category ofsports car racing. The chassis was built byMarch Engineering, whilst the engine was a 3.3-litreCosworth DFLV8 engine.[1] Dome, with sponsorship fromAmada, debuted the car at the1982 6 Hours of Silverstone, and selectedChris Craft,Raul Boesel andEliseo Salazar to drive it.[2] It would not prove to be a successful debut, as the car succumbed to fuel pressure issues after 116 laps.[3] Dome then entered Craft and Salazar at the24 Hours of Le Mans, but the suspension mounting failed after 85 laps, and the team were forced to retire.[4] The RC82 was not used again until the1983 24 Hours of Le Mans;Nick Mason joined the team, but the car lasted 75 laps before succumbing to clutch failure.[5] Following the race, theRC83 made its debut in the1000 km of Fuji, with the factory phasing out the RC82.[6]
Dome then sold the car toDorset Racing, and the car returned to action in the1984 1000 km of Silverstone, whereRichard Jones,Mark Galvin andJohn Williams were selected to drive it; this time, a valve in the Cosworth DFL engine broke after 46 laps, and the team retired.[7]Nick Faure replaced Williams for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but the RC82's woeful reliability record continued, as the oil pressure dropped in the engine, forcing the team out after 156 laps.[8] Dorset Racing attempted to runMartin Birrane andTony Birchenhough at both the1985 24 Hours of Le Mans and the1985 1000 km of Hockenheim, but did not attend either race.[9] The team made one final attempt to run the RC82 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1986, but again failed to make the race.[10]
Mark Hales then bought the car, fitted it with aChevrolet V8 engine, and attempted to run it twice in theThundersports series 1987, at theOulton Park andDonington Park rounds, but this never happened.[9] In 1988, the RC82 was used in a race weekend for the first time in four years, as Hales entered himself andBill Hall in the car at the Oulton Park round of the Thundersports series, under theDirect Car Phones banner; the 8-litre Chevrolet V8 engine[1] failed, and prevented the team from starting the race.[11] The car's last ever entry came at theBrands Hatch round of the Thundersports series, but the team did not attend the event, and the RC82's career ended with it never having finished a race.[9]
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