Ryan Border wrote:
> Right now we're thinking that a frog(bug)-eye sprite might be the perfect
> car to get started with. Just fast enough to be fun, easy to work on, easy
> to get parts for, and (as far as vintage race cars go) very cheap. I'm
> hoping that it will be possible to get/build a car which can do vintage
> racing, club (scca) racing, and be (occasionally) streetable. Here where
> I'm at pre-1960 cars are smog-exempt, and so, with streeting the car
> now and then desireable, a pre 1960 MK1 sprite is what I've got my eyes
> open for now.
>
In my not so humble opinion:
Forget SCCA H production racing with a streetable car. the HP cars are
so incredibly beyond normal street cars it's hard to imagine. The
available run hours on a 7500+ rpm motor just dont fit in with going to
the grocery store. And if you had a more streetable motor you'd get
lapped every 2-3 laps. And a million other little things that if left
streetable would put you even more seconds per lap off the entire
field. I have several friends that race HP cars, they've been doing it
for 20 years, each. They have a great time, they are wonderfull folks,
but these are very quick cars that sound more like model airplane
engines than 40 year old Sprites.
Frankly, even most vintage racing Sprites are so wacked out that street
driving is questionable. However, in vintage racing there is at least a
really wide range of prep levels and one can get a good race at the far
end of a field of cars. There are several people on this mailing list
that hopefully can give you more and better insight into small bore
vintage racing.
Keep reading for more info. Note that some answers are based on
knowledge of SVRA and HSR attitudes and my not be true for organizers in
your end of the country, where ever that is.
> I've rebuilt a few old cars, including a 1960 Cadillac and
> a 1959 Jaguar (http://www.jag-lovers.org/saloons/ryan), and so the
> mechanical side of things doesn't scare me at all. After cutting my
> British car teeth on a Jag, it's been quite a surprise to
> see how inexpensively one can find Sprite parts.
>
> OK- Here's a few questions off the top of my head:
> 1) It's my understanding that for some (all?) vintage racing associations,
> that your car must have a (scca?) log-book showing that it has a
> racing history. What (typically) needs to be in the log-book for
> a car to qualify? ie: when car shopping what do I need to be checking
> for in its log-book (obviously vin numbers must match, etc.)
Most dont require a small bore car to have history. In SVRA or HSR,
they will issue you a logbook if your car can pass their tech
inspection. If you find a car with an SCCA logbook it will have a log
book number that is also stamped into the roll bar, that's what to look
for.
> 2) I assume that "period" modifications are mostly allowable. What about
> things like putting disk brakes on a Sprite. Allowable because old
> racers used to do it? Allowable only if I use period (not 4 piston
> Wilwood calipers) parts?
Depends on the organization. HSR will allow anything, literally.
Several have a sheet with a set of rules for each class and car type,
SVRA does that.
> 3) Are safety mods (for instance dual master cylinders) typically exempt/
> encouraged? What about something like a modern roll-bar/harness system.
Both encouraged and in some organizations, required.
> 4) If you stay within the specified tire size restrictions, are there
> typically other tire limits (do you need to run a vintage profile,
> tread, and compound)
Once again, organizations rules vary. Some require 70 series, some
allow 60s, some require bias tires.
>
> 5) Is it completely unreasonable to think that I could build a car which
> would be eligible for vintage events, but still be relatively competitive
> in the (less-restrictive) scca club events?
see my tirade above. I re-read my own writing and have avoided making
it sound even stronger on the street car issue. However, if you come to
some vintage events you will see a Sprite or two that are so fast that
they would dominate any SCCA club race. I suspect those cars might not
pass an SCCA protest teardown but don't know that for a fact. the local
SCCA guys might enjoy seeing a Sprite show up without flares and ground
effect shrouds, etc. Still not sure if you could be competitive without
wide tires and slicks.
>
> 6) What about driver licensing. What (roughly) is the procedure I'll
> need to go through to be eligible to start racing?
Well, if you do that SCCA thing and get their license, just about any
other organization will take it. Other than that, once again figure out
what organization you will race with and do what they want. Some run
their own schools and others recognize certificats from places like Skip
Barber.
>
> As you can see, I have a lot of things to learn. Right now I'm just
> trying to gather enough info so that I can start shopping for the right
> car. It's my intention, for now, to try and get a car that will be
> eligible for the most events... which I think means conforming to the
> rules for the 'strictest' vintage racing association.
Now that's a tall order! VSCCA doesn't even accept my TR3, no old
enought they claim. Heck, they dont even like Lotus 7's only 6s.
>
> aTdHvAaNnKcSe for any info-
> Ryan (rborder@cup.hp.com)
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