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Posted by: Sparky Nov 7 2004, 09:18 PM

Now that I'm back on track with my house remodel I've had sometime to do some thinkin'. Uh Oh. I'm selling my main 914 on EBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4501503428

And I'm gonna finish my 6 Conversion as a show car. That leaves me with a spare shell that I may be trading for another P-Car but I've been doing some thinking about doing some Formula Racing. It looks like I can get into a used car (watch the fat jokes I'm working on it!!) cheap. Anyone else here do Formula Vee or Formula S racing? All input welcome...

Thanks!
Mike D.

Posted by: Brad Roberts Nov 7 2004, 09:22 PM

I watched a whole bunch of them crashing at a SCCA race this past weekend. I think they look fun.. just dont touch wheels with anyone.

B

Posted by: Sparky Nov 7 2004, 09:30 PM

Hmmm touch wheels. Yeah I can see thats gonna be the hard part. I'm thinking Solo I and Solo II until I get a feel for it. Hell it can't be any mor difficult then vintage racing Shelby's!!

Mike D.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Nov 7 2004, 10:28 PM

how much does it cost to run a formula vee

Posted by: Brett W Nov 7 2004, 11:02 PM

If you are going to start out doing Solo 1 and 2 then why not buy a FSAE car from one of the colleges? You could probably get one for cheap and they can be really fast. Plus SCCA has set up a class specifically for them. There were more cars in that class than A-mod at the runoffs.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Nov 7 2004, 11:07 PM

Im too fat to drive formula vee.... i wouldnt be competitive at 6-3 220

Posted by: SirAndy Nov 7 2004, 11:28 PM

yeah, those things are *TINY* ...

i almost tripped over one this weekend!
Andy

Posted by: bernbomb914 Nov 8 2004, 01:34 AM

I used to have a 1967 autodynamics. raced it at Riverside and Ontario, willowsprings etc. one race at ontario had 53 entries, very busy, used to race for $200.00 a weekend. but that was a long time ago.

Bernie

Posted by: lawrencedesigns Nov 8 2004, 10:12 PM

I raced Formula Vees for about 8 years in the 80's. Riverside, Willow, etc. At 5/11" 175 lbs I fit in the Citation-Zinks very well. Also Lynx (now Caracal) makes a wide version that will fit most.
Since Formula Vee racing requires all cars be "ballasted up" to 1000 lbs with driver, you can be competitive. At 170 lbs I used to have to add about 15 lbs of lead to mine.
Back then, to be nationally competitive, I used to figure about $800-1000 a weekend to run up front. But a lot of that was in tires, and now that they use a "spec" tire there is no need for two sets per weekend.
The down side is that while I used to see 40-50 car fields in Vee, they are down to 5-6 cars in So Calif. N. California still has a lot of entrys...

Best of luck..Any questions, feel free to contact me.

Keeth Lawrence
76 914 2.0 (in restoration)
84 Alfa Spyder

Posted by: propricer Nov 9 2004, 12:38 AM

Check out the Formula Mazda ... much bigger fields, much faster, low maintenance, just about as cheap to run and you can get them these days for about $15k which might sound like a lot but they don't depreciate !!!

They will take BIG guys ... 6'5" 280# or something like that.

Open wheel is not as dangerous as it might seem because everyone is so aware of the dangers and tend to stay away from each other ... in some respects, it's safer !!!

FAST ... they will do a 1:35 or so at Sears and about 1:27 at Laguna.