Club FF operational costs

[holmberg]

Over on the General Formula Car Discussion topic, I've been conducting a survey of operational costs for each class. Here I'm only interested in costs that differ significantly between the classes, and not, for example, entrance fees, hotel, food, etc.

Drivers from some classes have responded with data for their class, and the result is a spreadsheet in Google docs.

Here's what I have for this class. If you have changes, please reply below, and I will update the spreadsheet.

Class name: CFF

Engine make: Ford

Engine model: Kent

Displacement: 1600

Power at crank, HP: 115

Torque at crank, ft-lbs: 110

Weight with driver, lbs: 1,110

Purchase new, $: 6,000 in 1974 = $30,000 today

Tires set, $: 490 (American Racer)

Tire competitive heat cycles: 13

Engine rebuild, $: 5,000

Engine competitive hours: 53

Fuel $/gallon: 4.50

Fuel gallons/hour: 6

Brake pads set, $: 188

Brake pads hours: 13

Other operational costs, $:

Thanks,

Greg Holmberg

[Eric Little]

My opinions:

Class name: CFF
Engine make: Ford
Engine model: Kent
Displacement: 1600
Power at crank, HP: 115

Torque at crank, ft-lbs: 110


On a good day from a really good builder. It is a just a touch less than that but not worth changing.

Weight with driver, lbs: 1,110


Depends on who you run with. Formula Ford The Series is 1100 (wish I could run that 10 pounds lighter again).


Purchase new, $: 6,000 in 1974 = $30,000 today



In my opinion, $20,000 race ready is a better number. You can find them for less but the work they need will likely have you at $20K by the time you hit the track. If you are looking for a vintage car of historical significance restored to perfection, you will pay more. If you are looking to race, reasonably competitively, count on $20K


Tires set, $: 490 (American Racer)
Tire competitive heat cycles: 13



Yes! And is why we should all be on them. Inexpensive, reasonably fast, long lasting slick, in a bias ply tire. Loved my time on the AR.


Engine rebuild, $: 5,000
Engine competitive hours: 53



Really depends on what you did to hurt it (don't ask how I know). I think this is really going to depend on how hard the driver is on equipment (again.... don't ask me how I know).


Fuel $/gallon: 4.50
Fuel gallons/hour: 6



If you have access to AvGas, I agree. If not, you will be running 110 LL from the track at $10/Gallon.


Brake pads set, $: 188
Brake pads hours: 13



Cost per hour is close but I get there in a different way. Doing front and rear is about $250 but I get a season and a half out of them (because braking.... who needs it... right?!?) (12 weekends at 2.5 hours per = 30 hours; $250/30 = 8.33)


Other operational costs, $:

Doctor's bills from slapping yourself in the head everytime someone asks you how fast it goes or offers to drive it, or tells you about this time... that their cousin drove a Camaro at 120.

Eric Little

[OneWayOut]

Engine rebuild, $: 5,000

Elite quoted me $7,500 before they even look inside.

If you can find someone else in the Midwest that will do it for $5,000, I'd love to hear a name.

I also run 110 Sunoco Standard for around $9 a gallon, which gives me about 10 mpg.

[DanW]

Elite quoted me $7,500 before they even look inside.

If you can find someone else in the Midwest that will do it for $5,000, I'd love to hear a name.

I also run 110 Sunoco Standard for around $9 a gallon, which gives me about 10 mpg.

Contact Curtis Farley.

	(816) 431-3550

[Sean Gallagher]

This was 1984 - 1993. Early Club Ford days in the North East.

I bought 2 sets of Hoosier "60" spec tires a year for around $450.00 a set as I recall
Rebuilt my own engine at the end of the year for maybe $400.00.
Oil & Filter change after every race $35 or so w/ $5.00 qt. Mobil 1.
Entry fees,food,gas,( tow van & CAM2 @ $3.25 a gallon back then),motel, $300 - $400 or so a race weekend based on how far I had to tow.

I didn't keep track of costs, and I didn't care.
I got to do something I always wanted to do for 10 years.

Raced at Bridgehampton - Fowards & Backwards.
The original Bryar - Fowards & Backwards.
NHIS.
Watkins Glen Long course before the Bus Stop..I guess the "Grand Prix Course".
The old Pocono IMSA course and some other tracks they thought of.
Summit Point
Nelson Ledges.
Shannonville.
Charlotte.
Boring Lime Rock..
There were a few race weekends I came home with less then .10 cents in my pocket, But I had a great time, won some races & a few championships... and the $15.00 trophy that went with the win.

If your worried about the money and not the Good Times. You picked the wrong hobby.

[DK540]

I race Club Ford vintage races... (check out Royale Formula Ford Challenge Series in the race org category) no interest in the costs associated with SCCA (and there is maybe more wear & tear in SCCA)
I copied your first post and my comments are all in parentheses.

Class name: CFF

Engine make: Ford

Engine model: Kent

Displacement: 1600

Power at crank, HP: 115 (if you're lucky and you've bought a $10K engine. 105-110 is more accurate for mid-pack)

Torque at crank, ft-lbs: 110 (see above - more like 100-105)

Weight with driver, lbs: 1,110

Purchase new, $: 6,000 in 1974 = $30,000 today (you can buy a vintage CF for $12K-$16K easy)

Tires set, $: 490 (American Racer) (Hoosier treaded - about $600 a set, but usable for 5 or 6 race weekends of 6 sessions/race weekend)

Tire competitive heat cycles: 13 (see above)

Engine rebuild, $: 5,000 (yes, as noted above, more like $7500 if you include the head and carb)

Engine competitive hours: 53

Fuel $/gallon: 4.50 (I buy non-ethanol 93 for about $3.50-$4/gal, add one gallon 110 leaded at about $7/gallon)

Fuel gallons/hour: 6

Brake pads set, $: 188

Brake pads hours: 13

Other operational costs $: (chassis setup $600-$1400 every two or three years or if you have an incident; $300-$800/yr - normal R&R, such as rod ends, spherical bearings, wheel bearings, spark plugs, oil & filter, hoses, lines, fittings, etc., and stuff you want to improve because you saw another guy had one/them - those fancy shift linkage joints are $100 a pop, for instance)

I note you have not included the trailer ... anywhere from a used $2500 trailer you then put another $500-$1000 into to get it like you want it, or multi-thousands $$$$ if you indulge yourself.

I can't afford it, but I do it anyway because, at 60 (2 years ago) I saw many friends who could no longer even attempt to do the things they kept putting off until "...some day." So, what Sean said above, for sure.

[holmberg]

OK, it appears that all the discussions in all the communities have died out, so you can find the results in the spreadsheet.