Why did we chose to race historics

[delta]

Sitting in the Truck drivers restaurant on Ferry at moment"very bored" coming back from Portimao and Montiblanco.Ive always wanted to ask this question as to why Historic racing is so popular and a fair number of newcomers come into the sport straight into Historic,s and not race modern cars.My theory is that we all want to be like Steve McQueen in the film "Le Mans". Whats yours????

[simon drabble]

Apart from driving cars that often you have an affinity for, you are playing in cars that are technically less involved (and therefore in theory cheaper to run) and you are competing against fellow weekend warriors rather than pro drivers. This should lead to more gentlemenly driving standards.

However with engines ever more developed and an increasing amount of "invited" drivers, modern GT might be the new amateur gentleman drivers series!!

[Moosehead]

I like to drive cars that move around and not stick like Scalextric cars. Ironically the cost of CR65's mean that that I have to run in a series that allows the use of modern, stickier but cheaper tyre. BTW, don't take that as a negative against the CSCC as the Swinging Sixties is a great series to run in, its just that I'd prefer to be driftin at lot more

Also I want something I can fix at the track or at least stand a chance of fixing. I work with modern ECU controlled engines, PIA at the best of times!

[terence]

Agree with you Moose,moderns can be quite boring because they are so 'controled',nice to be in something you know wll 'move' when you want it too.

[midgetman]

I grew up around VSCC and what are now "classics", the chap my dad went around with raced an ERA, a Delage and an Itala so racing has always meant old cars to me. Then when I started competing I was in hillclimbs and sprints where none of the cars or drivers are in their first flush of youth.

Moving into racing with MGs, they were cheap reasonably-currrent cars, but as I've stayed with them both they and I have become ancient vehicles.

I did a spell in Thundersports and Thundersaloons but ran out of money, and really have stayed with the Histerics for all the reasons Moosehead outlines. so I guess "racing car" to me means "old car", and anyway at the mo that's where the scene is.

[skentellytubby]

Ah that's easy!

I went to my first Silverstone Classic in the Coys days. It knocked me sideways that people were willing to race such beautiful and valuable bits of kit at eight or nine tenths.

The cars were charismatic. They looked great, sounded great, were clearly lots of fun (if you enjoy the car moving around) and in some cases were extremely fast - and dangerous. You don't get that in moderns - in my opinion.

I went to see more and more historic racing and noticed that historic racing attracted a particular type of person who competes strongly but also enjoys pit lane camararderie.

So I bought in and I'm bloody glad I did.

I race right at the bottom end and get overtaken by everything, but it's still exciting being overtaken by sideways fire breathing beasts and racing against yourself in order to improve and improve until you can compete properly. Maybe one day I'll be in one of those fire breathing beasts?

....but yeah, it's also about pretending you're Steve McQueen!

[Colin McKay]

35 years ago I worked for a guy whose passion was Formula Juniors. I didn't know what they were but could see they were ancient (I was 20) and loved the thought of them being kept alive by essentially amateur enthusiasts - albeit with full time mechanics who must have been driven to distraction by my inane questioning. I still remember the look I got when I suggested the Tojeiro-Buick for sale up the road (at 7 grand!!!) might be a suitable purchase for a novice racer

25 years on, something was obviously still smouldering, I took some customers for a day out with Mithril at Goodwood, and that was it - hooked. I might yet try a Junior, but just love the irony of everyday family saloon racers.

[Nick JM]

Simon you have been most eloquent and summed up pretty much every sentiment I have as to why I started my racing career in historics.

The cars look and sound like real cars and rely on a significant amount of driver input without electronic aids. They also look like "proper" cars and are extremely varied in pace, handling and sound (which is very important!). Apart from that the people and the atmosphere at race meets always seem to be really "proper" - and I do not mean that in any way to be snobby, I mean that they have a respect for others and their machinery . People from all walks of life with many varied budgets and abilities coming together for a common purpose and to share a common desire just to be part of it.

I am at the bottom end of the budget and ability scale but I have been made to feel extremely welcome at every event and I have been encouraged by everyone's advice help and support, whether by other drivers, spectators, officials, enthusiasts and this forum through which I have made some great mates and hope to enjoy many more outings.

Cheers to all involved in historic motorsport

[Nick JM]

PS pretending your Steve McQueen feels pretty good too!

[Al Weyman]

Yeah but surely if you wanna be like Steve McQueen you have to race a big old V8? I race in historics because its technolgy I understand also most of the old cars are rear wheel drive and that is a big draw. Having said that I do wish I had built my IROC with the original GM Tpi injection computer controlled and all.

[skentellytubby]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Yeah but surely if you wanna be like Steve McQueen you have to race a big old V8? I race in historics because its technolgy I understand also most of the old cars are rear wheel drive and that is a big draw. Having said that I do wish I had built my IROC with the original GM Tpi injection computer controlled and all.

Indeed you do.

I had a 65 Mustang K code fastback this time last year and I was sorely tempted to convert it to a racing car, but I just couldn't get the cash together to do it justice. Had to sell it to pay for a ready-built job sob sob!!

[Al Weyman]

Oh dear what a shame! Mind you to prepare a Ford for Histos is a whole different ball game than a Chevy, a friend of mine is payin £12k just for a bottom end and he has to assemble it himself!!!! I could build a couple of good Chevy engines for that or three average ones.

[skentellytubby]

Originally Posted by Al Weyman

Oh dear what a shame! Mind you to prepare a Ford for Histos is a whole different ball game than a Chevy, a friend of mine is payin £12k just for a bottom end and he has to assemble it himself!!!! I could build a couple of good Chevy engines for that or three average ones.

Precisely Al!!!

Such a shame because I loved that car, even though it was a bit of a cart horse. Had a T10 in it. Perhaps £60K investment and 350+ BHP is a bit much for a novice!

[terence]

Originally Posted by skentellytubby

Precisely Al!!!

Such a shame because I loved that car, even though it was a bit of a cart horse. Had a T10 in it. Perhaps £60K investment and 350+ BHP is a bit much for a novice!

Very wise decision Simon,unfortunatly there are quite a few "novices" out there who clearly think differently to you.

[GORDON STREETER]

I need a car that I can work on at the track with a pair of mole grips ! Mind you I've seen a laptop being plugged into a couple of "historics" inside the garages

[delta]

This talk of Mustang,s is interesting. Jim is now looking at going up that road.Yep getting ever closer to looking like "Steve McQueen"

[simon drabble]

Whats wrong with his Galaxy? Galaxy driven by a ten tenther won the saloon cup in the 6 Hour this year!!!

[skentellytubby]

Ooh now a Galaxie, that I'd enjoy playing with. Not sure anyone else would like playing with me though - 8 foot wide with a novice sticker on the back

[simon drabble]

the ten tenther in question has won outrite several races with a cross on its back having only started last season.

[johngee]

From my point of view - simples
The people involved are just sooooo much nicer.

[jminsh]

Originally Posted by simon drabble

Whats wrong with his Galaxy? Galaxy driven by a ten tenther won the saloon cup in the 6 Hour this year!!!

I think you'll find he drove a Falcon !!

[simon drabble]

they all look the same to me!!!

[John Turner]

Millions of Mustangs about. Get something different.

[skentellytubby]

Originally Posted by johngee

From my point of view - simples
The people involved are just sooooo much nicer.

That reminds me of my very first race. It was Snetterton with the CSCC and my fuel tank had cracked ever so slightly during practice along the top edge.

My very experienced team mate told me we could get it 'repaired' with some ally strip and some epoxy resin (and an acoustic damper in the form of a Pipercross foam tank taped to the side of the fuel tank) and we'd would be all good for the race. We had the ally strip and just needed to borrow some epoxy from a friendly competitor.

So I went on a walkabout looking for some epoxy resin; I went first to the Tin Tops and Ferrari Pirelli Challenge guys, who seemed to all be dressed in matching overalls (even down to the trainers) and asked if they had any epoxy resin. I didn't say what it was for (obviously)

Everyone - bar none - looked at me as if I had come landed on earth and climbed out of a UFO. No epoxy resin. 15 sets of tyres each, but no epoxy. So I scuttled off suitably chastened.

Anyway, minutes later I bumped into BrianA - a fellow historic racer - told him the full story (including the bit about the fuel tank) and he gave me a shiny unused pack and told me "it'll be fine, calm down, go out and enjoy yourself"

So there we are, moderns v histos.

[Nick JM]

Originally Posted by johngee

From my point of view - simples
The people involved are just sooooo much nicer.

agree wit' dat