Looking for '84 Van Diemen RF84

[crimaldi]

Looking for an '84 Van Diemen RF84. Does anyone know of one for sale or one that someone would consider selling? My preference is for a car that is complete, but a project could be ok too.

Getting into road racing and this would be the twin car to my co-driver.

West Coast preferable.

There was a few years ago a pink RF84 for sale on here...that would be my dream car.

Courtenay
Mrs dot rimaldi @ gmail dot com
Or PM

[Garey Guzman]

There's an 83 on ebay for a very reasonable price:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234357114585

[dc]

83s and 84s are pretty different cars, no?

[problemchild]

There's an 83 on ebay for a very reasonable price:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/234357114585

The 83, while not as funky looking, is a better car. Like with street cars, the last year of a design platform, is usually much better than the 1st year of the next platform. VD thought so too, as they went to a new platform in 85. Unfortunately that 83 is a long way from the BC.

[Rick Kirchner]

Yeah, the '84 was about as wild/out of the box design thinking as a Swift.

The 85 is just a swift with side radiators.

Too much pressure to win right now vs develop the car, sort of like an 86 Reynard....

[Lotus7]

Sounds to me like the buyer is choosing the '84 based on emotion/convenience/commonality to a friends car more than anything else.

The '84 was a one-year design; to me that's an invitation to frustration when things go pear-shaped, but if it puts another FF on track, how can we not be happy?

[crimaldi]

I would ideally like to find an 84 Van Diemen so that racing would require less spares to keep with 2 of the same car.

I would entertain other Formula Fords, Van Diemens in 80s vintage preferred, preferably west coast.

[Rick Kirchner]

preferably west coast.

PM'd ya

[schiconst]

Talking with a friend I found that there were only 6 made. VD was trying to compete with Swift's DB1. Didn't happen! Not a bad starter car. I started with an 83 VD, then got a DB6. It was like an other world! John FF69

[billtebbutt]

Talking with a friend I found that there were only 6 made. VD was trying to compete with Swift's DB1. Didn't happen! Not a bad starter car. I started with an 83 VD, then got a DB6. It was like an other world! John FF69

I don't think your friend is near correct on that number. I can't find a reference from VD themselves, but there is an unofficial owners registry out there that shows at least 11 cars, and it doesn't include mine. I would be surprised if they hadn't made a good number in excess of that.

cheers,
BT

[Rick Kirchner]

I can think of several off the top of my head - the pink one sold here many years ago, mine, a guy named George that autocrosses in LA, Ben Martinez in the Bay Area, the OP's, the red one (Joe fishers old car?) a white/green one from FL with side radiator conversion, Bruce Faucetts old car, and a slime green one in the southeast. That's nine right there. More in the UK.

[crimaldi]

The RF84 I am currently co-driving is Joe Fisher's red car. My co-driver also has a spare chassis, not sure of the number, stored away. So there are 2 right there.

I have seen chassis #789 (believe that is George's) to the red car I co-drive #890. If the chassis # went in order, then there was at one point 101+ RF84s.

Yes, I am trying to look for a car of a very small number, but I am open to look at 84-89 Van Diemens. My preference on the 84 was to be able to pack around less spares for 2 same cars.

[dc]

Talking with a friend I found that there were only 6 made.

Based on how many RF84s have sold on ApexSpeed alone over the years, there are way more than 6 of them.

[Lotus7]

Just a thought, sell the '84 and buy a pair of another more popular year?
Stepping back to '82 or earlier puts you in the meat of Club Ford, more likely to be competitive and in bigger fields?

[billtebbutt]

I don't think your friend is near correct on that number. I can't find a reference from VD themselves, but there is an unofficial owners registry out there that shows at least 11 cars, and it doesn't include mine. I would be surprised if they hadn't made a good number in excess of that.

cheers,
BT

And, if you Google the start of the 1984 Formula Ford Festival, you'll see an RF 84 in second place on the grid. Some guy named Dale Coyne..... (other no-names like Hill, Irvine and Gachot were considerably further back in the grid). Couldn't have been *that* bad a car......

cheers,
BT

[tlracer]

Lowest and highest RF84 chassis numbers in the registry are 816/872. The factory was pretty good at consecutive numbering, so around 56 RF84's must have been built, at least.

That would seem reasonable, since they built around 100 RF87's, which were hugely popular back in the day.

[Rick Kirchner]

where's the registry?

[TimH]

http://www.vandiemen.registry.freese...whats_new.html

[billtebbutt]

Lowest and highest RF84 chassis numbers in the registry are 816/872. The factory was pretty good at consecutive numbering, so around 56 RF84's must have been built, at least.

That would seem reasonable, since they built around 100 RF87's, which were hugely popular back in the day.

I own 812, so the total production number goes up.

cheers,
BT

[helodriver]

Looking for an '84 Van Diemen RF84. Does anyone know of one for sale or one that someone would consider selling? My preference is for a car that is complete, but a project could be ok too.

Getting into road racing and this would be the twin car to my co-driver.

West Coast preferable.

There was a few years ago a pink RF84 for sale on here...that would be my dream car.

Courtenay
Mrs dot rimaldi @ gmail dot com
Or PM

Did you ever find your RF84? Dan J. danhighwing@gmail.com

[Adriancnh]

OP, I am in possession of an RF85 that could be for sale, I'm also in BC (Okanagan)

Pm if you see this and are interested.

[Rick Kirchner]

`Mine's still available...

[helodriver]

Looking for an '84 Van Diemen RF84. Does anyone know of one for sale or one that someone would consider selling? My preference is for a car that is complete, but a project could be ok too.

Getting into road racing and this would be the twin car to my co-driver.

West Coast preferable.

There was a few years ago a pink RF84 for sale on here...that would be my dream car.

Courtenay
Mrs dot rimaldi @ gmail dot com
Or PM

...

[nelson]

...

still looking, I do have an RF85 project almost complete with 0Hs engine might considering selling it...... nsp2@aol.com

[helodriver]

still looking, I do have an RF85 project almost complete with 0Hs engine might considering selling it...... nsp2@aol.com

I bought my RF84 in 2008. Raced some till 2012 and its been setting in my race shop ever since. Have not been able to afford to go racing. Did not want to sell it but I guess if I can't use it I can't really justify keeping it. Its a really nice car with LOTS of parts.
It would have to be a really good price for me to let it all go. I'm going to try to attach a photo, don't really know how to use Apex speed very well!

[billtebbutt]

Dan you managed to get the pics in just fine! It is a good looking car. If you want to sell the car on Apex though, you have to:

1. Become a Classifieds member (you already are one!)

2. List it in the FF Cars for Sale section. and

3. Set a price on it - no sales allowed without a price

cheers,
Bill