1969 RCA resurrection

[CharlesVsWorld]

Hello everyone - long time lurker making the transition to active poster having finally found a project after years of looking. It's a 1969 RCA FV that I aim to restore to it's former-or-better, period correct historic glory. I live in San Francisco and I'd love to drive this classic at Sonoma and Laguna Seca to name just a few.


I purchased the car late last year not far from the manufacturer in Azusa CA. I have been periodically trawling FB and this site in search of a historic vee that can fit a large person - I'm 6'3" and 210lbs before dinner. When I saw it come up I jumped on it the blower, hired a UHaul and UHauled my arse down to socal after an encouraging chat with the seller who was extremely helpful. Here it is as I picked it up:



No real identifying features on the car that I've found yet, looking for a chassis build plate to figure more out about it's history. But most of the body panels are present and need some minor repair work. The engine and gearbox are complete and there were some spares and accessories.

Once I got it home to my tiny garage/workshop setup I was able to un-beech it from the jetski trailer situation it came on and see how the bodywork fit. Not too bad at all...



Did some fettling to the engine cover to make it sit low/correct on the roll bar. The seller has assured me he has the original snorkel piece and will send it up to me so let's see what happens there. I started tearing it all down and got the engine and trans out pretty easily. In the process I found: all kinds of strange imperial fasteners, mismatching gaskets, lost sockets and nuts, a half-installed remote oil filter, JB-welded fuel fillers amongst other surprises. Nothing too crazy given that the car has obviously not seen a racetrack for quite a while.

So I would love to hear if anyone recognizes this car or knows how to find out about it? It has some faded event stickers on the roll hoop that I can try and decipher and I also imagine the SCCA would be able to provide a history with some identifying information.

Which brings me to the engine.

It does not have anything stamped in the normal VW type one ID locations on the dizzy or oil filler castings, just this plate on the sump that to me read as a 1600cc engine? The openings in the case measure close to the 90.5mm spec which perhaps disagrees with that? I'm new to the VW type 1 game so any tips appreciated. The connecting rods and camshaft IDs read as stock type 1 items.



The pistons feature a small indent (maybe from a valve) and had a few broken oil control rings so I'm glad I started the disassembly. An initial compression test yielded a max of 80psi wet and min of 46psi so definitely some wear and tear on the engine as it sits.



The heads feature a RON CHUCK stamp so perhaps this was actually raced with this engine at some point? There is also signs of some repairs to the cooling fins both on the heads and barrels.



So I'll close this first post before it becomes a ramble but wanted to say hi and watch-this-space for project updates and of course dumb questions from yours truly. Thanks for reading.

[brian styczynski]

Yep, Ron Chuck stamps means you are starting with a FV engine. Good luck

[BLS]

Yep, Ron Chuck stamps means you are starting with a FV engine. Good luck

Also appears the flywheel has been turned to lighten it to the minimum weight...

I *think* the AS41 Brazilian case is a universal that works for 1200-1600 engines.

Interesting project, good luck with it!

[CharlesVsWorld]

Thank you both for the replies, always good to hear some corroboration for the story I was told!

Adding to the anaemic information I already possess about the car - what do people make of this?



To me, it looks like a scrutineering artifact from a CSRG meet in 2006. I wonder if the records could be recovered to ID the car? I have sent some emails into the void to find out...

[DanW]

Contact this gent, Dietmar.

He should be able to help you fill in the gaps.

https://www.quixoteracing.com/

There is also local support with Ron Chuck Engineering in Redwood City.

650-367-7(four)98

There is a small but mighty group of FV guys in the Bay Area. I will PM you some info

[BLS]

"Contact this gent, Dietmar."

X 1000

[CharlesVsWorld]

Something about these FV people, so damn helpful! Thanks for all the suggestions here and in DMs, I've chatted to Blake and went to visit Ron's shop so knowledge and understanding about the car have progressed considerably. I still haven't hit the holy grail of a chassis number or SCCA number despite searching all over the left side of the roll bar.

Here is a summary of the research I've done over the past week:

* Ron Chuck build the heads and most probably the motor
* Among the many carbs I have, the SOLEX PICT 28 has been modified correctly for racing by Cornish Enterprises, just needs a rebuild
* The pistons and cylinders are good to go, it had dykes rings that do not seal until the engine is running so no point to a compression test
* The cam is probably an Elgin grind and also good to go

So all the parts are good and the thing just needs a good clean up and go-through. I've also started drawing the car up so I can check the fit on any new parts I'm adding like fuel cell and pedals. I have all the measurements for the chassis done thus far:

[SteveG]

... I still haven't hit the holy grail of a chassis number or SCCA number despite searching all over the left side of the roll bar.

Check the right side of the roll bar too because that's typically where the tech folks used to stamp it. The tell tale is typically a 3/16" hole in the bar where the thickness is checked.

Steve

[DanW]

Something about these FV people, so damn helpful!

They are all enablers or co-dependent.....

If it had never been raced in SCCA after 1971, it likely would not have had a stamp on the roll bar, a hole drilled in the roll bar, nor given a log book. It doesn't have any of the expected chassis/suspension mods other than a 'Z' bar that dated from the late '60s through the '70s and '80s.

When I was a wee lad back in the Pleistocene Age, I would ride my bike to Azusa to watch the go-karts running around the track at Bug Mfg., the original go kart factory. Almost driectly across the street was "Race Car Associates" with a bright yellow FV in the front window. Of course I left with the brochure in my pocket. My old man just shook his head in disbelief that I was his kid....

I will PM you contact info for Gary Hortskorta. He is the region historian for both SCCA and CSRG.

[Mark_Silverberg]

I will PM you contact info for Gary Hortskorta. He is the region historian for both SCCA and CSRG.[/QUOTE]


I would definitely start with Gary to try to find information on this car.

The only person I knew in the san francisco area who was running vintage formula vee at that time was Richard Ryan. He passed away well over ten years ago. He did have two vintage FV and I think his second car may have been a blue RCA. the car he drove mostly was red as I recall. This was a long time ago and my memory is not what it once was. He was a taller individual so it fits with the roll bar height.

[Steve Davis]

...
* Among the many carbs I have, the SOLEX PICT 28 has been modified correctly for racing by Cornish Enterprises, just needs a rebuild
...

I suspect that the carb you have is more likely to be a 28PCI - the most commonly used FV carb. The PICT does NOT have a removable venturi and cannot be modified for max performance. The PCI has a 'removable' venturi and, though it cannot be removed and 'left removed' (MUST in there), it can be freely modified - mostly 'thinned' to create a larger than 28mm diameter. If Ron built that engine, it almost HAD to have a 28PCI to go with it.

If Ron saw a PICT, I'm sure he would have mentioned it and the reasons for it. Of course, your car is pretty old, but I doubt many would have run a PICT even in those days. The PICT was from a later model bug.
Steve, FV80

[CharlesVsWorld]

Almost driectly across the street was "Race Car Associates" with a bright yellow FV in the front window. Of course I left with the brochure in my pocket.

I love this story and thanks again for the contact, I'll get in touch.

I heard from Blake that RCA could also stand for a designer/builder's initials (ala TVR) possibly Rich or Rick Allen? Or maybe both could be true...

[CharlesVsWorld]

I suspect that the carb you have is more likely to be a 28PCI

Steve you are dead right, I got the model wrong. It's a PCI, thanks for the steer.

[CharlesVsWorld]

Bit more progress on the frame measurements. Took the bladder out of the fuel cell, it's a Fuel Safe custom job so emailing them for a replacement.

[Mark Bee]

Bit more progress on the frame measurements. Took the bladder out of the fuel cell, it's a Fuel Safe custom job so emailing them for

Great progress! I’m following closely and considering taking the leap. What’s your plan when finished?

[Bruce]

Is located just down the peninsula is Redwood City. (650)367-7498. You might want to open https://norcalfv.proboards.com/ for open wheel racing in the west.

[CharlesVsWorld]

Is located just down the peninsula is Redwood City. (650)367-7498. You might want to open https://norcalfv.proboards.com/ for open wheel racing in the west.

Thanks for the links, will definitely keep an eye on that forum!

Have visited Ron, what a legend, very helpful.

[CharlesVsWorld]

What’s your plan when finished?

Pretty much any vintage racing event I can make it to! Sonoma and Laguna Seca are high on the bucket list.

[CharlesVsWorld]

Alright, bit of a quiet week with work getting in the way but I did hear back from CSRG that the sticker is from 2006.

Finished the chassis modeling and happy to figure out fitment of a stock ATL fuel cell FC152 to replace the custom FUELSAFE one that can no longer be manufactured.