looking for a car

[lucky13]

Ugh......I've been away from cars for so long. Roadracing motorcycles have kept me occupied for a bunch of years but now I'm looking to get back into cars and FST looks like a good place. I 'm looking for fun - never was fast and I sure won't be now. I've tried the usual sites for cars that might be for sale but haven't seen much. If anyone knows of something for sale and could let me know, I'd appreciate it. I'm in Pittsburgh and if I had $15-20K to spend on a car I'd be buying something else....price is important but my wrenching skills are better than my driving so a car in need of TLC is OK too. Fun is the goal. Thanks in advance.

[tjcezar]

So what kind of car are you looking for fst only ? and what is your price range

[TimH]

FST might be a good choice but there are so many reasonable formulae these days that the thing you need to do is visit your local tracks and see what other folks are running in your area. And with what kind of folks you'll be sharing the track and paddock. Find the right group and buy one of what they have.

[Pop Chevy]

I hope you buy a car ! It would be great to have someone to run with out at BeaveRun . They have Flatout days once or twice a month, but like more than one formula car to have separate sessions. I been running with FRCCA, great group of guys. Might want to look at their classes. Pops

[lucky13]

I've been on BeaveRun on my bike in the past but that was a bit ago. What kind of car do you have, Pops? Good? Bad? Ugly?
Matt

[lucky13]

FST might be a good choice but there are so many reasonable formulae these days that the thing you need to do is visit your local tracks and see what other folks are running in your area. And with what kind of folks you'll be sharing the track and paddock. Find the right group and buy one of what they have.

All good points. One of the big reasons I'd like to get back to cars is recalling all the fun times and fun folks I used to hang-out with at the track.

[RobLav]

I'll be listing for sale my RF93 FC in a couple weeks for about $8K. It currently needs a lower right rear A-Arm repair due to a broken rodend, but the car ran great for me over the past year + (about 8 races plus two while rented out). Ask Don Armenoff here on Apex how he liked the car when he drove it. In CT.

[tjcezar]

Plenty of good folks with the FRCCA LUCKY13 and lots track time. You definitely need to come out to Summit Point Oct. 15 & 16th and check out the event.

[tjcezar]

What are the details on the car Rob. $8k is a nice price.

I'll be listing for sale my RF93 FC in a couple weeks for about $8K. It currently needs a lower right rear A-Arm repair due to a broken rodend, but the car ran great for me over the past year + (about 8 races plus two while rented out). Ask Don Armenoff here on Apex how he liked the car when he drove it. In CT.

[RobLav]

Pretty much bare bones Jason. 1 set of wheels, gears in the box, needs a battery and transponder. But everything is negotiable. Has RF95 bodywork on it and comes with its original RF93 bodywork (would make a great FF). Two way Penskes, a diffuser I made for my FB and cut down to fit on this car (works quite well). Engine block was recently re-sleeved and engine rebuilt just before I got it (original Ivey). I've had the head off it to clean up the valves. It has the nicest gearbox I have ever shifted. There's a few spares in a box or two, but I'd have to go through it. I've only run NHMS with it and have been in the 1:05's when the tires have low heat cycles. Car easily makes weight with 185 lb driver and gear.

[Pop Chevy]

Hey Matt, I've got an older Citation FC car. It was pretty rough when I got it but am slowly repainting all the body panels and it don't look too bad now. What a BLAST to drive though !! I rode bikes all my life and have the plates and pins to prove it, I feel safer in my racecar. And the cornering power is incredible, I'm still getting used to it. This is my 1st season in it. IF at all possible, come down to Summit Point on the 15th or 16th. I would be glad to show you around and let you try a few cars on for size. Where do you live? I'm about 25mi north of The Burg. Pops

[Pop Chevy]

Check this out ! http://www.formularacecarclubofamerica.com/

[lucky13]

Thanks, Pops. I'm near the airport (North Fayette). I'm with you on the plate/pins....

I worked on a Reynard FC car years ago and loved it but the newer cars are much more sophisticated....not that it's a bad thing but I'm thinking that I'd like to stick with something a bit simpler (slower) at this point. I've always loved FF cars and FV but F-First looks to be a very cool class. All the benefits of Vee without the drawbacks.

I have been looking over the FRCCA site. It looks like you get a lot of track time for the money. I haven't seen any F-First or Vees in the pics from events though, mostly FF, CF, FC cars and Banshees. What is the turn-out for a weekend usually like? My sister lives not far from Summit and I haven't been there in a long time. Maybe I'll make the drive next weekend.

Thanks for all the advice Pops, and everyone else as well!

[butch deer]

Formula first would be an excelent choice. Having raced vees for 48 years I really enjoy my first. Every time I drive the car I have am smile on when I get out. At 71 I've thought of retireing from SCCA and just vintage racing my 1963 FV but the first is so much fun to drive that I carry on. The FFDA series runs some races at tracks in your area. The racing is competitive and the comaroderie is terific.

More info at www.formula-first.org and www.racecarsupply.com

Butch

[lucky13]

Thanks, Butch. Yeah, I keep checking the websites daily to try and find something that suits my needs but not much has been posted lately. No worries though, I'm going to try to sell-off a couple of bikes in order to fund the car so I have some time.

[wake74]

I looked hard at the Formula First class when I bought my first car last winter. However, I struggled with the lack of class participation in the mid-Atlantic area. It honestly seemed like the "right" car for me, but I didn't want to race in a class of 1. Look hard at who you are going to race with, and what classes have participation, unless you want to be the first one.

I ended up buying a CF (an 82 Reynard) that fit within my budget. It turned out to be a good choice for me and my racing goals (learn, have fun, etc.)

Gregg's suggestion to come by the FRCCA race this weekend was a good one. I'll be there in the Reynard with the ugly white paint job. I'll be the one with the blue pop-up, and the 5 year old there (probably playing Leapster and ignoring his father).

Stop by and say hi.

Glenn

[lucky13]

Glenn....I love the early Reynards and worked on an F2000 of that era for a few years way back in the day. I would LOVE to have an FF or CF, particularly one like what you have but I think the operating costs of FF/CF are significantly higher than FFirst both in routine expendable items and even more-so when it comes to crash damage.

I don't think I'm worried about running in a large group or being the only car in my class. I never was going to be a national champ and the days where I could have tricked myself into thinking that are way way way behind me . I want back for the fun of prepping the car, being at the track, the camaraderie, and competing against myself.

I'm hoping to get to Summit Point this weekend. If I get there I'll definitely look you up. Thanks for the advice.

[butch deer]

Sorry but 50 years of road racing experience tell me that no club ford or ff (including fit engined cars) cost anything close to a FST to operate. Crash damage is also in the same ball park.
Butch

[lucky13]

Wait a minute, Butch. My point is that a CF or FF is much more expensive to operate than an FST car both from a perspective of routine/expendable maintenance and from the perspective of crash damage. Are you saying that you disagree with that? If so, I'm missing something somewhere and we need to talk before I make a bad decision.

[FV07]

I have a very nice Womer EV-3 FV for sale and I'm not too far in Baltimore. Make an excellent base for an FST if that is where you decide to go. Very active FV group in the MARRS series always looking for new talent. Keep it as an FV and your ready to go.

Jim
410 370 5282

[lucky13]

I have a very nice Womer EV-3 FV for sale and I'm not too far in Baltimore. Make an excellent base for an FST if that is where you decide to go. Very active FV group in the MARRS series always looking for new talent. Keep it as an FV and your ready to go.

Jim
410 370 5282

Pics and a price to mbcmr@aol.com please?
Thanks,
Matt

[problemchild]

Some people are content to "drive" race cars. Others want to "race" cars.
Some people want to race at their local tracks. Other people want to travel around and race on the great American tracks. Today, with the cost of travel, the travel approach may double ot triple the cost of your racing.
FST is absolutely the cheapest formula car racing in North America, but if you want competition, then you will have to travel. As I found out, having a race car that cost me $500/weekend to race, was not for me, if I was putting a $1000 worth of fuel in my RV to get to races with other cars.
As Glenn pointed out, if you want competition, find out what's popular in your area, meet the people racing those cars, and join them.
Jim's Womer would make an excellent FV too!

[Clyde]

LUCKY13; If you can make it to the FRCCA races on October 15 &16 you will see the FRCCA in action. You may find the 3 divisions of their way of running a Club Ford racecar much more "Common sense" oriented. PLUS, I have two club legal racecars for sale and they are here at the track, one is a 1982 Reynard fully up to the FRCCA regulations for $8,000.00 the other is a 1974 Lola 342 and it is also up to spec and it costs $6,500.00. They are not listed on the apex site because these are competitive FRCCA racecars, no aluminum heads or F-3 clutchs and they have all the extra safety stuff that the FRCCA requires. You can race affordably with competitive racecars because our regulations in these three divisions have been working for many years!

[TimH]

1974 Lola 342 and it is also up to spec and it costs $6,500.00.

If I lived out there I'd be all over this, first renting and then probably buying. Otherwise some Kiwi is likely to grab it.

[lucky13]

If I lived out there I'd be all over this, first renting and then probably buying. Otherwise some Kiwi is likely to grab it.

I hear ya'. The T342 and T440 were two of my favorite FFs.......of course. Waiting on more information and pics!

[lucky13]

OK, wait a minute. I get it now......Clyde, you're with Formula Haus, right? I saw those two cars on the FRCCA page and on your website. Both look interesting.

[jim murphy]

Since you are a former MC rider you might want to consider the new SCCA MC formula car class, requested by the CRB/BOD, called F600 where stock 600cc drivetrains are used in modified F500 chassis. Individual Inlet Restrictors (IIR) will keep them equal. We hang out here and on the forum at www.formula500.org . If you want to see some video go to the media tab at www.formula600racing.com - this website is still under construction. More about this new class will be announced shortly in Fastrack. Jay Novak is the chair of our F600 committee.

Jim

[lucky13]

Thanks for the advice. I love the idea and I've been fascinated by F500 cars since way back in the early F440 days when they were a real freak show (no offense intended). The move to 600 4-stroke is really interesting to me but I'm still a bit spooked by the cramped size and the lack of suspension. Maybe I should look closer.

Side bar: I think I "met" Jay way back in the day. I think he threatened me and threw me out of his pit because apparently I was looking too closely and taking pics of his car.

[jim murphy]

Thanks for the advice. I love the idea and I've been fascinated by F500 cars since way back in the early F440 days when they were a real freak show (no offense intended). The move to 600 4-stroke is really interesting to me but I'm still a bit spooked by the cramped size and the lack of suspension. Maybe I should look closer.

Side bar: I think I "met" Jay way back in the day. I think he threatened me and threw me out of his pit because apparently I was looking too closely and taking pics of his car.

Some of the chassis will be changed for the new class - I cannot say more as the ruleset is still being worked out. You will like what you see. Keep an eye out for it in Fastrack.

Jim
Been messing with these cars since 1982

[lucky13]

OK. Thanks for the heads-up. I'll pay attention.
Matt

[Comp89]

http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48431

[lucky13]

http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48431

Saw it, love it (anyone noticed a pattern yet?) and it's well-worth the money being asked but it's more than I can afford.

[Clyde]

Lucky13; Please resend PM; my skills on this site are AWFUL! Thanks.