F500 in varying conditions

[bcvinar]

I am looking to buy an F500 car. Doesn’t need to be perfect as I am pretty handy and don’t mind a project. After a bit of research and YouTube videos, it’s hard to resist just how much of a bang for the buck these cars are. My budget is no more than $3000 for starters.

Let me know what you got laying around..

[mcenhillk]

Are you wanting to autocross or road race? Cars built before '94 (I think) don't have the proper roll hoops to be legal for road racing so they can be picked up pretty cheap for autocross. That's the route I took. Road racing cars are going to be more expensive because of the additional equipment and prep that goes into them.

$3000 is a little on the low side but not unheard of. It just takes time. I spent 2 years looking before the car, life, and the bank account lined up for the car I bought.

The 'SCCA F500 & FModified' FB group would be a good place to hangout as well (if you're not already there). Cars show up there occasionally.

Good luck!

[bcvinar]

Are you wanting to autocross or road race? Cars built before '94 (I think) don't have the proper roll hoops to be legal for road racing so they can be picked up pretty cheap for autocross. That's the route I took. Road racing cars are going to be more expensive because of the additional equipment and prep that goes into them.

$3000 is a little on the low side but not unheard of. It just takes time. I spent 2 years looking before the car, life, and the bank account lined up for the car I bought.

The 'SCCA F500 & FModified' FB group would be a good place to hangout as well (if you're not already there). Cars show up there occasionally.

Good luck!

Thank you for the info! I was under the impression already that autocross cars were going to be cheaper. I am actually still interested in them for the right price. I'm pretty wide open to fit the budget. I even have a 600cc bike engine I can use for a roller if one is out there.

I was not aware of the FB group. I will certainly join!

[mcenhillk]

Most of the cars autocrossing are using snowmobile engines with the CVT instead of the motorcycle engines with sequential transmissions. My car is a two-stroke and as long as the transmission is tuned properly (which isn't that hard, just takes some testing) it gets the job done. The one car I know that autocrosses a four-stroke mentioned that he shifts a LOT going around a Nationals level course. In road racing, you get a new corner (or complex) every 10-15s (that's a guess) leaving you time to address traffic, track position, and prepare for the next corner. Autocross eliminates the traffic but the corners are MUCH closer. I'm guessing but for a Nationals-type course of 20-25 corners/elements, you are probably going to be shifting 20+ times during a 60s run. That's a lot of time off throttle and thinking about the car when you need to be thinking about position and the upcoming course. I like the CVT because I can shift all of my thinking about the transmission to before the event through testing and tuning. Once I'm dialed in (and I'm not yet) I don't have to think about the transmission any more. I think some people consider CVT tuning to be a "black art" and can't actually be tuned well. As long as you realize you are racing a snowmobile on race tires and tune the engine/transmission like a snowmobile, it's not that bad. It's just different than a car. Motorcycle drive trains have more in common with automotive drive trains so there's more shared knowledge.

Don't get me wrong! If you have a 600 and a roller, by all means, get that thing on an autocross course and have a blast! All I'm saying is don't think you have to go 600, there are other options.

[GBugg]

And a word of caution...

There is a LOT more involved to converting to MC power than "dropping in" a 600cc bike motor! I'd suggest talking with folks that have done the conversion and make sure that's the direction you want to go before starting the project.

[Tom Grossmann]

In 2014 I paid $2000 for an 87 Novakar plus $1300 to have it shipped from Michigan to Nevada. It is an older car that was no longer SCCA legal. I autocross it as well as vintage road race it.

I once ran another class (DSR) with a bike motored car. I road raced that as well as autocrossing it on occasion; the CVT is the way to go for autocross.

At $3000 your obviously not looking to do more than local events and as such I'd go with the 2 stroke CVT car. Having now road raced and autocrossed a CVT powered car and a bike motored car I can tell you it doesn't matter. I don't miss the gearbox on a road course and the CVT makes autocross even better.

If you enjoy projects and fabrication there's nothing wrong with putting a bike motor in the car.

As for setting up the CVT; I simply went with a set up that works 95% of the time and left it alone. I simply maintain it....that's it.

Good luck on your search.