|
| Site Partners: | SpotterGuides | Veloce Books |
| Related Sites: | Your Link Here |
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 12:38 (Ref:693158)
|
#1 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
 |
FF1600 Conversions
Hi all
As I am converting a Van Diemen to kent spec - and there was a long thread last time this topic was brought up - any interest in me putting a post up from time to time on the ease, expense etc of doing this conversion?? If not, no worries. |
||
|
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 12:50 (Ref:693175)
|
#2 | |
|
Racer
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 146
|
JNWRF01, yes I for one would be interested in your progress,
did you buy the car with the intention of converting it, or have you already racined it in Zetec spec, also a cost brake down would be interesting too? |
|
|
|
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 12:54 (Ref:693185)
|
#3 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
|
ok - i have raced the car in sffc zetec...
i will give a full brake down of costs etc etc and also ease of finding parts and expertise in converting.. |
||
|
|
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 13:00 (Ref:693196)
|
#4 | |
|
Racer
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 146
|
Why have you decided to convert it, I was looking at Zetecs a few years ago 750MC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 13:13 (Ref:693223)
|
#5 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
|
Barny - this is just my opinion - but i don;t really find them too enjoyable to drive! Also, they eat tyres (but against that the engines are very equal and reliable).
But the biggest downside is that there isn;t much choice in racing...in FF1600 there are 4 champs near enough for me plus the king of kents races etc etc. I race around work commitments (and family!) so when you only have one meeting a month you end up missing big chunks of the season if you can't make the monthly outing. So the simple answer is to why i am changing - more choice on racing, lower tyre bills and most importantly something more fun to drive ... |
||
|
|
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 15:12 (Ref:693364)
|
#6 | |
|
Racer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 356
|
JNW, do you already own an FF1600 engine, if not that's about £1500 to start with. Wouldn't it make more sense to sell the zetec and buy a good kent (RF90-92, reynard or swift)or are you keen to see how easy/hard the conversion is? As a minimum, I guess you'll need engine + ancillaries, exhaust, wheels + tyres, brakes, some bodywork, springs, etc. Can the g'box be used, what mods are needed ?
There are some who want to ban these cars from the regional champs - are you sure your efforts won't be wasted ??? |
|
|
|
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 15:26 (Ref:693385)
|
#7 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
|
It seems a little silly to ban them as there are already several out there racing..
why don't i buy a older car - mainly because they are older and not as good value - and prob more important for me - they are not as safe.. |
||
|
|
|
|
20 Aug 2003, 15:38 (Ref:693400)
|
#8 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,765
|
JNWR - sounds interesting at what stage are you in the conversaion? I think you miss the power of a Zetec!
|
||
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 11:41 (Ref:694241)
|
#9 | |
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
Think they'll all be pushed towards one series by way of a class year distiction, like post-98...
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 12:53 (Ref:694371)
|
#10 | |
|
Racer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 356
|
I've not heard too many complaints about the safety of 90-95 FF's, apart from the silly small roll hoop on the RF90 (why did the MSA allow that?). I agree the converted zetec's may be better still, since the wider track means that the wheels are further from the driver. Is there a maximum width limit for ff1600's, or does it just depend on how much room those in front leave !
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 13:43 (Ref:694424)
|
#11 | |
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
180cm
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 15:06 (Ref:694494)
|
#12 | |
|
Racer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 356
|
.... and how far off that are the RF00's JR ???
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 15:09 (Ref:694498)
|
#13 | |
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
Nothing my friend, they are right out there in Zetec spec, Maybe Kent an inch or so due to the narrower wheels. Mind you, if I recall, Swifts of 92 to 95 vintage could be upto 175cm so not a lot of difference really...
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 15:17 (Ref:694502)
|
#14 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
|
Out of interest....how much support is out there for a national king of kents series??
|
||
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 15:19 (Ref:694503)
|
#15 | |
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
Plenty who talk it up, but would they enter, as there are quite a few who like to tell you how quick they are but then won't stray from their normal hunting ground for fear of being shown up...
|
|
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 15:57 (Ref:694524)
|
#16 | |
|
Racer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 356
|
Yes, all 3 'KOK' races this year are/will be well supported (but not many FF races at Silvers GP or Thruxton). But make it 15-20 rounds at some of the smaller circuits, and interest and numbers will soon drop off.
I agree they need to make sure SOM and NW rounds don't clash. If they are expanding KOK, they need to keep number of rounds sensible and avoid clashes with Combe and NW races. |
|
|
|
|
|
21 Aug 2003, 16:08 (Ref:694530)
|
#17 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
Quote:
|
||
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 08:48 (Ref:695254)
|
#18 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
|
OK - here are the costs etc so far.
Buying a car - you need (ideally) a RF00 (so you don;t have to change the uprights)...there are cars out there for around £5500 or a RF01 for £7000. Usually these will have some bits you can sell (dampers, wheels etc) - which should put a few thousand back into the kitty. So in effect your donor RF00 chassis will stand you at lets say £4000. Conversion - so far I have bought the following from V-D exhaust (£450), sump (£450) engine mounts (£100), rear engine pannel (£400 with airbox etc), loom (£125), clutch piston (£50) water system (£300), throttle bits (£100) - basically £2000 so far. Ontop of this I need two sets of wheels £350, exhaust bracket (£50) top engine mount (£50). So lets assume by the time you have had all the parts you would have spent £3000. So your roller now stands around £7000 so far. I am not going to include the engine side - but there is a need to change the gearbox final drive to kent from zetec (about £600). I am converting a RF01 - managed to swap my uprights/calipers over and bought some second hand bilstein to start with. I think by the time i would have finished i would have spent about £3000 on bits + lets say my chassis is worth £7500 + engine - so the roller owes me £10,000. Now I now this is not going to be the cheapest way into FF - but you are getting a modern car - in my case very low miles - which would serve you well for years. In the context of a Radical/Caterham etc etc it is still a good value club racers car... Anyone looking to convert one - beware of the time lag to getting your bits from VD (approx 3-4 weeks) - so best to do over the winter. FYI I had my car advertise in Autosport/Internet to see if there was any demand for Zetec cars - I had not one call about buying it as a zetec -but about 10 calls from people wanting to convert it. I think thats answers what is going to happen to regional zetec - hence why i am going kents..... |
||
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 10:26 (Ref:695340)
|
#19 | |
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
JNW. Thanks for this good info - but think about keeping the Zetec final drive as it will allow more flexibility with ratio choice and you will also be able to use more of the Zetec sets...
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 10:28 (Ref:695343)
|
#20 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
|
...but i am told its very slow off the line..swings and roundabouts i guess...also is it going to make the laptime anyquicker - prob not and its another £600 to waste!!
|
||
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 11:00 (Ref:695389)
|
#21 | |
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
no - you'll save £1600 if you keep it!
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 13:15 (Ref:695600)
|
#22 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,765
|
Talkimg about the speed off the line, I think that is the achilles heal of a newer car, both Ed Moore and Gavin Wills are consistantley slow off the line, and out of slow corners. Is this final drive related?
|
||
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 13:20 (Ref:695609)
|
#23 | ||
|
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 675
|
In a simple answer ...yes!! I hear that Gavin lost 4 places at the start at Rockingham....
|
||
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 13:22 (Ref:695611)
|
#24 | |
|
Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,537
|
interesting. I dunno the answer Justin but want to find out!
|
|
|
|
|
|
22 Aug 2003, 16:09 (Ref:695745)
|
#25 | ||
|
Racer
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 207
|
If Gavin lost 4 places off the line at Rockingham, he would have been last into the first corner.......
|
||
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Similar Threads
|
||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
| wht resulst is zetec conversions the way to go | STEVE MAGILL | Club Level Single Seaters | 27 | 12 Nov 2004 23:29 |
| Conversions | Flatspot | Cool Sites | 7 | 4 Nov 2004 22:22 |
| Zetec to Kent conversions | Redracer77 | Club Level Single Seaters | 128 | 2 Oct 2004 07:07 |
| FF1600 conversions | JR Ewing | Club Level Single Seaters | 121 | 13 Mar 2004 21:36 |
Linear Mode
