[Fot] VTR & FoT

[Jim]

Ultimately vintage race groups are going to look at grid numbers.  If
numbers (read $$$) fall then it's time to accept more modern cars.
 
The group I ran with in the mid-90s evidently had trouble filling grid
spots.  So it was a "run what ya brung" kind of mentality.  Once the sport
got poplular they could afford to enforce vintage rules.. to the point that
they're about the strictest vintage group around.  They've starting cutting
off the Lotus 7 copies as it was a means of also cutting off all the AC
Cobra copies.
 
So, if they're allowing cars without history to race.. there's always
another Spitfire or TR6 lurking out there (my barn is full of them ;) ) to
keep the '72 and older grid full.
 
On the flip side.. if they enforced a history requirement on vintage
racing... how many of us have cars with sufficient history to keep running?
 
So... unless you can convince your local racing group to start accepting
Yugo YV1s...   keep looking at the pre-73 vintage legal car projects.
 
 
Cheers,
 
Jim
Dallas

  _____  

From: fot-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Greg & Alison Blake
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 10:23 PM
To: 'Kramer, Robert'; 'John Macartney'; N197TR4 at cs.com
Cc: fot at autox.team.net; bdischer at blakedischer.com
Subject: Re: [Fot] VTR & FoT


Hey.  There are a few of us out here still in our 30's, at least for a
couple more years.  The challenge for me seems to be completing my car
before I turn 40.
 
I know this was battered about some time ago, but I agree with Bob that
locking in a hard cut off date for "Vintage" is designed obsolescence. 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: fot-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Kramer, Robert
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 5:43 PM
To: John Macartney; N197TR4 at cs.com
Cc: fot at autox.team.net; bdischer at blakedischer.com
Subject: Re: [Fot] VTR & FoT
 
I was born in 1956. My interest in Triumphs starts with the TR6 model I saw
as a teen and led to my exposure to the earlier cars, eventually racing a
TR3, 4 and 4A. The local clubs are the not so secret solution to our future.
We need to support the TR7/TR8 late Spitfire contingents in our local clubs
and we can still grow the marque. This is one of the problems we have with
vintage racing. By cutting off in 1967 or even 1972 we cut off the younger
generation, you know the 40 year olds. 
 
  _____  

From: fot-bounces at autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces at autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of John Macartney
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:40 PM
To: N197TR4 at cs.com
Cc: fot at autox.team.net; bdischer at blakedischer.com
Subject: Re: [Fot] VTR & FoT
 
Andy Mace wrote:
This does raise an interesting possibility, were FoT members so inclined:
perhaps we could become some sort of "Special Chapter" or "Affiliate" of
VTR? 
 
I take a very 'broad church view' on issues like this, essentially
summarised as follows:
 
1. It doesn't really matter how you use your Triumph (or Standard) and
because of that, there should be room in your local or national club to
accommodate your usage preference.
2. The vehicle parc is getting smaller each year and current owners are
getting older. This largely explains the diminution of club memberships
3. A surprisingly large number of cars will outlive their enthusiast
custodians and will need to have 'a home'
4. Clubs (national or local) need to recognise this - and its my perception
in the UK that clubs don't adequately do this
5. There will come a time when the vehicle parc and custodian base is so
small that clubs as they currently stand will probably not be viable as
heretofore. This begs the question
6. What plans are national clubs making to address that inevitable
eventuality?
7. No-one can confidently expect to substantially 'grow club membership.'
The vast majority of cars that will survive are already known. Barn-Finds
will become ever more infrequent
 
With regard to point 6, my perception of the evidence as it relates to the
UK (and probably elsewhere too?) is "nothing at all." Additionally, for as
long as clubs and others continue to provide 'free' technical information on
"How to .....?" projects via the internet, clubs will continue to diminish
in size.
 
Rant off
 
Jonmac
 
 
 
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