vintage-race
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Strange mixture of a car.

To: vintage-race@autox.team.net, JISBELLJR@mail.utexas.edu
Subject: Re: Strange mixture of a car.
From: simon@LSIL.COM (Simon Favre)
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 95 16:35:14 PST
An interesting problem. In SCCA, there is no Formula 70s. The engine
rules for Formula Atlantic cover a lot of ground, however. The problem
you may have is that the safety standards for FA were jacked up a few
years back.  If the car was never homologated as an FA with SCCA, they
will require you to have extra safety stuff. I remember something about
footwell protection, and crumple zones? They also want a front roll
hoop on Formulas, fuel cells, etc. etc. In SCCA Solo II (Autocross),
you could find a place for just about anything. I ran my '58 Formula
Junior as an unhomologated Formula Atlantic in B Mod at a Solo II. In
Solo I (time trials), you may be able to squeak by in a similar
category. To actually run it as an FA in SCCA club racing, would be
instructive, but a losing proposition. The current FA crowd would be a
lot faster. I have seen FF cars in autocrosses running as Atlantics,
because they had been modified beyond FF rules, but Road Racing rules
are more strict.

If track time is what you're after, FA may be an option, but I suspect
it would take a lot of work to get the car passed at Tech. There's also
a Formula Continental, but I'm not sure what it encompasses. The best
way to get a judgement on a car you are trying to homologate is to call
one of the local SCCA travel tech guys. For a modest fee, they will
come out and tech your car.  They can tell you what you need. I would
put the wings on it and try to sneak it in as a Formula Atlantic,
saying that since it was originally a FF, it already has a crash-proof
front end. ;=) You can contact your local SCCA office for a copy of the
GCR and the Formula Car Spec book. Study the books, and have a good
story ready.

...
> From: JISBELLJR@mail.utexas.edu (Jim Isbell)
> Subject: Strange mixture of a car.
> Sender: owner-vintage-race@triumph.cs.utah.edu
> Reply-To: JISBELLJR@mail.utexas.edu (Jim Isbell)
> Content-Length: 2584
> 
> Since the topic around here seems to be about "Where can I race it?", I have
> a simular question.
> 
> I have a 1979 Lola T540.  (orriginaly a FF)  Before I got it it aquired a
> 1789cc water cooled VW that is a fantastic runner so I hesitate to remove it
> while it is still in good operating condition.  It has a 5 speed Hewland MK9
> and a Formula Atlantic tear wing.  It has aerodynamic side pods and though
> not yet finished it was to have a new nose cone with spoiler.  The ignition
> is an MSD system.  This is the way I aquired it. 
> 
... {SNIP}

> One person suggested that it could race in all its finery as a Formula 70s,
> but I have been unable to find out what that class is or where they race or
> what the requirements are.  Aparently it is not raced here as the local SCCA
> people never heard of it.

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>