2004 Season

[Mackmot]

Do Formula Zip, the car is dead simple to run and Hines will help you find a driver if your serious. You just need to get a car, workshop, transporter, tools, and pay one mechanic. Within a couple of years you could be making a bit of money.

[johndpeat]

Not a bad idea Mackmot I'll look in to it a bit more.All the sugestions will be concidered.Big Jags that could be fun.Radicals are also a real possibility.I am going to have a look at what MAD will do on the radical front.Thanks to all for your suggerstions.Watch this space i will post more details about the team and what route I am taking.Next year could be real fun for me and my mate.

[andy97]

Johndpeat

If you are not career minded but want to have serious fun I definately recommend the single seater route. I have nothing against the saloon car/ roadsport series' (in fact I very nearly entered the Porsche 924 series) but I just think that some of the single seater series are fantastic value, AND PERFORMANCE per pound. Series such as those run by the Monoposto Racing Club and the BARC-SEC are really novice friendly and the experience (as someone else commented) is definately more Spitfire than Dakota). 12 months ago I was in the same position as you and after much thought I was persuaded by a Formula Vauxhall Junior, trailer, spares, mounted wets and essential things like a quick lift jack for 5 grand - the car has been fantastically relable and I have just bought a set of F Ford Zetec tyres (approx 40 laps old at Donington this weekend) for £30. Apart from entry fees and fuel I have spent just £300 on parts (after a suspension and driveshaft damaging off at Oulton Park). I admit that my car is a bit scruffy round the edges but it is a real racing car and even though I am at the back of the grid I do not regret my decision for a minute. Johndpeat, come to Mallory on Sept 28th (Monoposto championship round) or Silverstone Stowe circuit (BARC-SEC Single Seater Series; £100 for practice and 2 races) on 5 Oct and have a look round.

[zefarelly]

the other consideration for me was that with a bloody good cage in a saloon I feel safer than in a spindly little single seater . . . .I hope it doesnt happen to anyone but your first few races are probably the the most likely time your going to loose it or ding it anyway.

I reckon Ill be out racing for under £10k, thats building the car myself, and includes suit, all my safety gear and doing my Ards. I've got a reasonable record of costs, so when I get out I'll add it up. one of the most expensive things for historics is the tyres, well over £100 a corner

[JustinDawkins]

Originally posted by Chris Y
My current saloon choices would be:

BRSCC - Mighty Minis
BARC - MG owners club / 2CVs (don't write them off because they look comical - they produce some of the best racing out there!)
750mc - Stock Hatch (although be prepared for a big damage budget!)

If I were to choose one, I'd say MGOC racing with a Maestro or an MGB. Cheap as chips racing, with performance to boot.

That must be a Dakota!

[Chris Y]

All depends on what you can afford, Mr. Dawkins. When people post here asking for advice on their first competing car, they're generally on a budget. No use telling them to go straight into National FFord if they then can't afford to race it.

[JustinDawkins]

It was only a joke, but I actually I don't race in UKFF, and I think you would be supprised how cheap FF1600 is.

[zefarelly]

Im just reading a book calle go formula ford . . . .even that says, you can styart cheap, but unless you spend big you'll ba at the back, I think thats the case for most series . . . .not all necessarily, but especially if you have no racing experience per se

[JustinDawkins]

That book is about 20 year sold isn't it? Its not the case in regional Formula Ford, you can be competitive for 3-4 grand a season.

[JR Ewing]

That book relates to what was then National FFord, being 1600!
Regional FFord and even cheaper things like Monoposto always look more expensive than sports/saloons but rarely actually work out so in my experience as the cars are so simple and easy to work on.

And they are FAR, FAR more rewarding to drive, in MY opinion of course.

Anyone who thinks a saloon is 'safer' is deluding themselves to a massive degree. Single seaters are designed for racing and racing accidents. Saloons aren't.

[simon drabble]

sports racers are the best compromise, designed as race cars but no chance of interlocking wheels (which is what stops me from doing single seaters call me a wimp...!)

[JR Ewing]

wimp!







































(joke)

[andy97]

I don't really want to get in to an extended debate about which is safer, sports cars, saloons or single seaters etc as they obviously all meet with MSA regs. Nevertheless, I do have to agree with JREwing. If I was to have an accident I would rather it was in purpose built racer than an adapted road car, particularly if the road cars are older types such as minis, MGs, Porsche 924's etc (that will ensure that I have upset a few people, although I do not mean to). Single Seaters are designed to shed energy in an accident rather than transmit the shock through the structure as is inevitable with a road car. Sure, it is spectacular when bits start flying but that is what is meant to happen, and then new parts can be put back together afterwards, (usually) far more cheaply than having to completely re-shell a car.

[JustinDawkins]

To decide whether single seaters are cheaper or more expensive in an accident. If you are 'mixing it' at the front then the chances are you are going to crash every so often, if necessitates a new shell then the cost is driven up considerably.

[zefarelly]

I guess its 6 of one half a dozen of the other (takes the middle ground ) if you interlock wheels in a single seater at speed yout in the ****e! a nudge in a saloon isnt going to be half as bad, having said that I wouldnt want to be in a mini with a Galaxy coming at me!

from a side impact point of view, surely even an old saloon with door bars etc gas got to be safer than most single seaters ???

from a rolling point of view there shouldnt be anything in it if everyone has a proper hoop/cage

[JustinDawkins]

Single Seaters are pretty safe, a saloon would be onlt safer if it was in the passenger door. Single seaters are safer by far, they are also quicker(look better in my humble opinion) and the difference in cost is small, some would argue it is cheaper.

[JR Ewing]

[i]
from a side impact point of view, surely even an old saloon with door bars etc gas got to be safer than most single seaters ???

[/B]

No chance - look at how Keith Odor was killed.

[Maisie]

People have died in both types of car. I would suggest that not only is it pretty much 6 of one and half a dozen of the other to debate which is safer, but also disrespectful to hijack someone else's thread doing so.

[JustinDawkins]

I think "Disrespectful" and "Hijacking" is a bit on an exaggeration! The topic simply evolved on to a different subject briefly, as so often happens.

[Maisie]

So why not start a new thread to discuss which are safer?

[Chris Y]

Agreed. Thread closed.