Richard,
Here are some answers to your questions.
Your Toyota Van can tow a Formula Ford on a light open trailer, but you'll
soon want a enclosed trailer. You will want to to carry tools and parts,
and have a place to go when it rains that you can stand up in. Once you get
an enclosed trailer, the van won't be enough to tow it. Once you start
towing an enclosed trailer, you will long for a bigger and bigger truck.
You might as well bite the bullet and buy an 18 wheeler from a NASCAR Team
up front.
Typically, except for formula Vee, Formula Ford is still the cheapest
vintage class, considering initial cost and maintenance. A good car, ready
to race can be bought for under $10,000. A good Vee can be bought for
$6,000, maybe less. Sprites and Midgets are in the same ballpark. Tires
are spec and can last more than ten race weekends. Since the FF engines
are basically stock, they last a long time between rebuilds, compared to a
full race motor in a production car.
Crash protection is hard to judge. They are certainly easier to repair
after a crash than a production car. They are a whole lot easier to work
on. When you take off the body, everything is exposed and easy to get to.
There is no contact permitted in any vintage class, so the drivers of
production cars and formula cars are equally careful not to hit each others
cars.
There are an equal number of races for formula cars as production cars.
You should be able to do 20 events per year, east of the Mississippi, and at
least 10 per year in the southeast. Look at the current VMC schedule on the
vintage-race web page. Next years schedule will have even more races.
The Formula Ford guide you speak of is by Nickless, and is still
available.
Vintage Formula Ford is growing by leaps and bounds. In the east, 40 car
fields are not unusual, and 30 car fields are common. In five years, you
will have larger fields.
Hope this helps.. as Rick says.. see you on the funway!
Vaughn
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Grayson [SMTP:rgrayson@atlanta.com]
> Sent: Monday, June 29, 1998 7:52 PM
> To: vintage-race@autox.team.net
> Subject: Newbie F.Ford questions
>
> Hi. My name is Richard Grayson and I'm considering taking the plunge into
> vintage racing. In particular, I'm looking at Formula Ford. This class
> appeals to me because:
>
> They're light....so my Toyota Previa van should be able to tow one.
> They're simple and accessible....so maintenance/repairs/tuning should be
> easier.
> They're designed for racing, without any "street car" non-necessities.
> They're very responsive.
>
> What are the disadvantages? I can think of:
>
> They're more expensive to purchase than Spridgets/Coopers/Spitfires. (My
> 2nd choice of class.)
> They offer little crash protection. Is it true that drivers in this class
> are more wary of contact?
> Fewer cars in class at each event?
> Fewer events to run in? I'd like to stay within a day's drive of Georgia.
>
> My plan is to do more research and perhaps buy a car in the next 12
> months.
> Part of my research will be to check out the Challenge at Road America in
> July, and also to attend a 2 day class at Skip Barber to experience a
> formula car. To date my track experience is a 2 day Intro to Road Racing
> at
> Road Atlanta, and 6 Porsche Club Drivers Ed events at Road Atlanta and
> Roebling Road.
>
> My daily driver for the last 5 years has been my old reliable '85 Porsche
> 911. Over the years I've modified it for the track, to the extent that it
> is no longer comfortable for street use. But, I'm not interested in the
> investment to get into Club Racing or even vintage racing with an older
> 911
> or 356. (Dollars plus big tow vehicle, etc.)
>
> I've heard a reference to a Formula Ford guide of some sort that compares
> the pros/cons of the various makes. Undoubtedly out of print. Does anyone
> know of this guide? Any recommendations for good "beginner" cars?
>
> This might be a dumb question. but what is the origin of the 1972 "cut
> off"
> year for many vintage cars? As time marches on, will this date ever move?
>
> Finally, what's the trend for participation in vintage F. Ford? Is it
> declining? Steady? Increasing? If it's declining, are there particular
> classes that folks are shifting too? I'd hate to get into this and 5 years
> down the road find out that no one else wants to play!
>
> Thanks in advance for responses!
>
> Richard
>
>
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