I think the way I got into vintage racing and built my car might be the
best of the two alternatives.
Since I was an old Bugeye and Sprite nut, I was checking out all the
Spridgets at the 1987 Mitty at Road Atlanta. One of the nicest Midgets
there belonged to Bob Van Kirk. He and I struck up a conversation at the
track and he invited me over to his house the next week to see his shop and
talk cars. I ended up crewing for him for four years, working on the car at
his house and traveling to races at Sebring, Roebling, Mid-Ohio, and Road
Atlanta. Not only did I learn a lot about the car and racing, I also made a
great friend in the process.
When I thought I wanted to join in the fun and try racing, we decided to
build a car that would be a copy of his and we formed the Safety Fast
Vintage Race Team. We found a ' 67 Midget that a guy had planned to
restore for the street and then changed his mind. Rust free and complete,
it cost $300. All the development we did on Bob's car was transferred to
mine. We already knew which parts to buy and from whom because we had gone
through the process with his car. We also knew what didn't work. Things
like the size of sway bars, suspension bushing materials, settings and
adjustments, carb work, fuel cell, all the many things that go into a race
car. Working nights and weekends, we had the car on the track in less than
five months. The two cars looked virtually identical from the outside, his
was red, mine was BRG. It was not fully developed yet, but it was a
relatively stock, ready to race, car. And I had a ball. We ended up not
wasting any money or time experimenting, because every thing we did to mine
had been tried first on his.
Since then, our two cars have each been developed separately depending on
each of our desires, money, and time. Bob Van Kirk and I are still team
mates and Safety Fast Racing is still going strong. He is a much better
driver, having been at it his whole life, and his car is much faster, but
we each have a tremendous amount of fun and satisfaction in what we do. I
never could have done it without his help and direction.
I recommend to anybody just getting started in vintage racing to try to
link up with someone with an attitude and a car similar to what they want,
volunteer their time and talents and learn from their mentor as I did from
Bob. The great thing about the vintage racers I know is that each of them
is willing and eager to share his knowledge, his tools, his parts, his
time, and his excitement for the sport. Maybe not to the extent that Bob
Van Kirk did with me, but at least enough to help a new guy get off on the
right foot.
Bob Spruck
SafetyFast Racing
Sharpsburg, GA
At 09:51 AM 08/09/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>Malcolm,
>
>I think we agree on this issue. Having gotten into vintage racing only
>five years ago myself, I am certainly not the ultimate authority. I
>have purchased two "race ready" cars and without being the least bit
>surprised spent a lot of time and money on both of them getting them up
>to my standards (which may be peculiar). You probably never get the car
>quite the way you want it following this "old rule", but you may get on
>the track faster.
>
>Early this year we bought a 1959 TR3 which was raced in the early
>1960's, but was a true basket case when we found it. We hope to build a
>vintage race car the way we really want it this time, but the project is
>a long way from finished. Time will tell!
>
>Thanks once again for the Monterey Historics tape you sent me last year.
>
>Richard
>
>MalcolmCox wrote:
>>
>> Since I started racing almost 5 years ago, I have heard and given this
>> familiar advice many times
>> : its always cheaper to buy an old race car than to modify an old car
>> into a race car.
>>
>> Then I started thinking about all the work I have done on my (raced
>> since 66) MGA.
>> Over the decades, it has had many owners, and a broad spectrum of
>> ham-fisted manglers.
>> For years now I have been trying to de-botch the car and I will never
>> get it to be just the way I would like it.
>>
>> So, you may well be able to buy a car cheaper when ready made, but
>> theres a good chance you will spend a lot money and time stripping out
>> the stuff you dont like and re-engineering someone elses botched
>> midnight engineering!
>>
>> Just a thought
>> Malcolm, still mangled MGA
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