Ff1600

[JR Ewing]

What is happening to FF1600??

At the end of last year you couldn't move at the Festival for 1600s but now we have the Brands series with six runners, Midlands with about a dozen, Combe with slightly less than before and only Oulton still with its usual 4,612 entries in 18 classes.

Where have all the cars/ownders/drivers gone? Why?

Before someone suggests it I am sure that there is more to it than just £15 or so on some race entries....

[Stephen Green]

I was wondering the same thing!

FFord has always been one of the best formula to marshal and spectate, good close racing with pretty evenly matched machinery, allowing the skill of the driver to come to the fore.

There must be hundreds of cars in garages just begging to be used?

[darcym]

hundreds of championship fees, travell costs, race costs, transpoder costs too !

[darcym]

oooh and club memberships too

[Stephen Green]

It's a bit like being a marshal then?

[goughy]

At Oulton there is only 2 classes as in 2002. Class A for post 86 and class B for pre 87. So far for this weekends meeting there are 33 cars entered, so at least in the North-West the class is still strong.

[formulafordster]

The cost of FF1600 has been driven up if you wan tto be at the sharp end, with the advent of Zetec Chassis (15,000 instead of 6,000. This os coupled with the tact some people have been doing it for 20 years, it makes it a rather unattrative proposition to new people. Why spend 20,000 a year winning a FF1600 championship, against people with illegal chassis, bent engines (probably half the grid!), and people who were doing it before your were born, Kestenbaum, Wills etc. You can do Formula Zip, or Radicals or mono for that sort of money. FF1600 needs to get back to its roots. No bent engines (maybe check them at start of season and seal them?), Proper Kent chassis, no Zetecs! Big grids, lower entry fees. FF1600 used to be the best racing by a long shot, but people throwing too much money at it, with illegal cars are killing it!

[JR Ewing]

A Zetec RF00 roller is about £5,000 with conversion costs of about £1,000 plus engine - that's not £15,000??

[formulafordster]

15 probably is a bit on the otimistic side, but a roller is at leat 9-10, conversion kit is 1500, engine 2000, New bodywork(some is different)300, new dampers(can't use 3-way) and modifications to geabox £200. Total: 13,000. A very competitive VD RF90 with engine is 6000-6500.

[formulafordster]

A Kent car from the factory, new is 27,500

[JR Ewing]

I can tell you of at least 4 RF00 cars available right now for £5k - perhaps plus a little bit.
I've been offered one recently c/w Scholar engine, ECU, loom, Ohlins, Madins, spares for £9,000. Nobody wants the ****ing things!

For FF1600 you want the Bilsteins, Wellers and the only new bodywork you need is the engine cover...

The new Kent price you have quoted is for an Aussie spec car I think, which is not eligible for UK FF1600, hence Jadlam had to make some significant changes to their cars last summer.

I am not convinced that the Zetec conversion is quicker. It should corner quicker being very wide track but straightline speed is down as the car is wider and also with the ******* great sidepods that MUST be run for the UK regs.

(I have also heard that the BRSCC are very seriously thinking of banning such conversions from most series as this would **** off about 4 people but allowing them to run is ****ing off dozens of 90 to 95 owners)

[formulafordster]

That price is UK spec not aussie, VD can do them. I think they must be faster, probably not a huge amount thought, 0.5 sec? The wider track and stiffer chassis should make the handling a lot better, I wouldn't have thought that they are any slower in a straight line than a 88-92 Reynard, as thay have large side pods too. Admittedly the Swifts/VDS are slippier.

I can't understand how they get away with the wider track?

[copse]

I spoke to ed moore at silverstone he said that he had not gone as quick in hes rf00 as he did in his 93 swift at castle combe!

[formulafordster]

I spoke to him too, to be fair he said he was still trying to find his feet. They are definately quicker, Just look at Gavin Wills, The guy in the brands Championship (can't remember his name!) I think Gavin wills is around 0.3s quicker so far, but he will get quicker.

[copse]

JR EWING


I will buy one of those cars for 5k

[formulafordster]

Have two for that price, a spare!

[copse]

Gavin would still beat most quys just with his experience and car set up knowledge

[copse]

Ill sell the old rf92 and buy 3

[formulafordster]

He would always be near the front, but the are s of mids people that are close this year, and he didn't whitewash last year with his swift.

[copse]

You need to pay bold now then

[darcym]

don't know About Ed at Silverstone but he did some great laps at Combe, last meeting. he is normally quick (as you say even in his swift) however he glided past me on rails if thats finding your feet.......(plus it was a very cold morning)

[formulafordster]

Wills will be beaten at some point this year, Daly, Dawkins, Jackson are all very quick. Wills Can't win the championship I don't think because he misses too many because of Ascar.

[copse]

Looks like we all need to raise are games and show these old boys

[copse]

theres now more jackson is there and whos dawkins?

[copse]

darcym are you doing the king of kent at silverstone gp?