Lola T-340 Vintage?

[Scotty]

Hey guys!

I've had my Lola T-340 (# 110) for about 15 years now, and usually have run with the SCCA & ASRA, here in Az.
Am seriously looking into VARA, and was wondering if the T-340 is eligible. Do they ever run in Az?

Thanks!

[Murray]

With VARA the T-340 is a legal Club Ford running with American Racer Slicks. The Club Fords are on the track with the Vintage Formula Fords, but run as a separate class. Come on out, the fields are usually between 15 and 30 cars and run as a separate run group (FF and CF).

[Dan Mullin]

With VARA the T-340 is a legal Club Ford running with American Racer Slicks. The Club Fords are on the track with the Vintage Formula Fords, but run as a separate class. Come on out, the fields are usually between 15 and 30 cars and run as a separate run group (FF and CF).

speaking of Lola t-340/342 parts...I am looking for a left rear lower A-arm..it seems mine is a bit bent when the wall on the backstraight at Portland jumped out and bit me. Anyone know of any for sale?
Dan Mullin danm356@yahoo.com

[Dan Mullin]

speaking of Lola t-340/342 parts...I am looking for a left rear lower A-arm..it seems mine is a bit bent when the wall on the backstraight at Portland jumped out and bit me. Anyone know of any for sale?
Dan Mullin danm356@yahoo.com

well i found the left lower rear A-arm...now the search is on for a wheel. new or used in good condition..looking for a Revolution 4 spoke, 4 bolt, 4-1/4 inch pattern, 5-1/2x13.
I have tried Tom T..no luck with his phone in AZ. Anybody have any leads of wheels?
Dan Mullin danm356@yahoo.com

[Scotty]

With VARA the T-340 is a legal Club Ford running with American Racer Slicks. The Club Fords are on the track with the Vintage Formula Fords, but run as a separate class. Come on out, the fields are usually between 15 and 30 cars and run as a separate run group (FF and CF).

Thank You Murray!
Sorry for late response. (helluva time logging in)
Vara & local groups might be the route I have to go.
I've presented the mandatory "front roll hoop" question to the SCCA, and will see what they say. (my 340's cockpit is stock and I would have to re-design stuff just to fit this front hoop in)

Dan, I believe I saw your 340 on the registry page.....

Beautiful!

[Jonathan Hirst]

I've presented the mandatory "front roll hoop" question to the SCCA, and will see what they say. (my 340's cockpit is stock and I would have to re-design stuff just to fit this front hoop in)

I'd be interested in what they say too. Post the response if you have a chance.

Jon

[Scotty]

I'd be interested in what they say too. Post the response if you have a chance.

Jon

N/P Jonathan
The car is basically ready to go, except for this front roll hoop rule in the GCR. I'm 100% for safety, and can certainly see their concern. But, I believe that the SCCA has overlooked the fact that alot of the CF's are now vintage eligible. Not many of us are going to cut, hack, wack, bend, re-design, weld, etc., stuff, just to run a few regionals, and take away from the original-ness of the car.
I almost get the impression that they're saying "we don't want older FF's racing with us. Go buy new ones, or go buy one of OUR SCCA enterprise spec cars".

If they come back and say "sorry. need to do it", well, I guess I won't need to join then.

They're not the only game in town. Proautosport, ASRA, NASA, want money also.

And attending the last SCCA Regional & National races they held here, in AZ, looks like they could really use an extra car, in their 2 & 3 car FF fields.

[Jonathan Hirst]

Scotty -

I am in a similar situation where my next project is a Club Ford that was well ahead of its time in cockpit safety in many regards but does not have a front roll hoop (f.r.h.). I do not have the original log book and thus will need to go through the homologation process in order to procure one.

I can't convince myself that I wouldn't benefit from a f.r.h. were I to to go on my head and have resigned myself to the fact that I am going to do this anyway. My goal is to come up with a design that is sympathetic to the current design and keep it underneath the original bodywork. On this car it seems possible but on others I have worked on I know it would not be.

As for the SCCA hard-line on older cars that do not meet the current GCR's, it is probably an insurance eligibility issue as much as anything. You are correct in saying that there are many options as far as running the car in its current configuration and I also plan to attend events where a front hoop isn't mandatory.

In my case however, I am targeting joining the Cen Div East West Challenge (Go East!) and thus will require one.

jon

[Scotty]

Best of luck in your venture Jon!

And I will post the response, as soon as I hear word.

[Stu Pidd]

I understood that SCCA accepted cars (FF) as originally constructed up to around 1984.

[Roland V. Johnson]

SCCA will not allow you to race the car (Reigonal or National) without a front roll hoop and forward facing roll bar braces.

[Wooly]

Somebody should share pictures of how they added the hoop to thier car.

Wooly

[Larry]

Roland is 100% correct. Anyone that has been allowed to race w/o the front hoop was passed by a poor tech inspector!

I was going to say that you need to get a copy of the GCR, but you can now read it on line. Take a good, close look! It is clear on most things, and there is nothing that talks about waivers for technical requirements.

Larry Oliver
International Racing Products

[Scotty]

Stu might be referring to 17.1.13

"Homologation is required for all Formula and Sport Racer Cars registered after January 1, 1983"

[Jonathan Hirst]

The key word there is registered.

Since the logbook for my originally non-SCCA registered Club Ford is long gone, so is the records showing that it occasionally competed (legally) in the US when new.

Without this proof of original SCCA "registration", I need to apply for homologation and thus my car need to meet the GCR's as intended for a brand new chassis. Specifically there are tube sizes for the roll bar and the support bracing that differ by the date of original registration. The differences are minor though and really a non issue when starting the job froim scratch.

If you are interested Wooly, I can send you some pictures of my current project and the intended retrofit for a front roll hoop. The installation will not take place until later this summer as current projects are lined up.

Jon

[Jonathan Hirst]

Double post. Ain't dial up a peach?

[Steve Demeter]

Yes, You most likely will have to rehomologate the car.

The roll cage "get out of jail free card" expired several years ago for older cars. So regardless, any car competing in SCCA club racing must have a roll care per the GCR.

[rickjohnson356]

I got a basket case Crossle35F with no logbook.

Before purchasing, I talked with Neil Porter and he assured me that this chassis would not need to be homologated (read: crush box) since it already had a frh and forward braces from rollbar.

He seemed to think that if I had any problems, the approach would be to show the tech inspector the number stamp on the rollbar (format is 'region-sequence' 035-xxx in my case), as proof that the car was registered at one time with SCCA and therefore only needed a 'continuation' logbook. region 35 is South Bend. I contacted their folks and the tech record retention is iffy, as they stopped being a racing region in the 70's-80's.

This car had run with RCCA in NEDIV most recently, so I checked with their Director. He said that in order to have been registered with RCCA, which it had been for quite a while, it would have had to be registered with SCCA before having been allowed in RCCA. There was no problem with the registration for the Previous Owner

I am also a big safety freak, but would have a hard time putting a front crush box on these soon-to-be vintage eligible cars just for homologation paperwork.

Check with your local chief of tech to work with him.