[Fot] New Cars, New Parts

Tue Mar 13 22:11:04 MDT 2018

Vintage racing is the best.  You get to make your own rules and no one notices, because they need to get more people involved in the sport and keep the entry cost down.

Yet, I'm still having fun with my estimated 125 at the crank HPs in my TR3.  13 events and I really haven't touched it.  Tires, gas and basic maintenance.  Same engine, same transmission.  I qualified 5th in my second race and got my first pole in the wet in my 7th race.  Thankfully, no one can see when I hit the nitrous button and then blow by everyone on the straight.  If you've seen my videos, you'd be familiar with this part.  Even the cars that I blow on by, can't see me.

I think we'd all be having more fun, racing together, under the same rules...and tires...and axles.

All smiles, DH

> On March 13, 2018 at 1:44 PM Steven Belfer via Fot <fot at autox.team.net> wrote:
> 
>     I was lucky enough to drive Ken’s TR4 and I’m pretty sure it’s got rocket boosters in there somewhere. 
> 
>     ~Steve
> 
> 
>     On Mar 13, 2018, at 12:51 PM, John Styduhar via Fot <fot at autox.team.net mailto:fot at autox.team.net > wrote:
> 
> 
>         > >         I agree with Ken. As long as my car will pass the safety tech inspection, I should be able to "fix" my TR any way I like if it keeps me interested in this hobby.  If I want to shoehorn in a SBC, just put me in a different class.
> > 
> > 
> >         On Tue, Mar 13, 2018 at 2:08 PM, Kenneth Knight via Fot <fot at autox.team.net mailto:fot at autox.team.net > wrote:
> > 
> >             > > > 
> > >             It is good to see that other clubs are allowing newer cars into their races.  VARA has been doing this for several years so that we could survive, keep the club solvent and the cost of racing reasonable.  The future of vintage racing is an expansion to cars from the 80’s and 90’s, they are long past their prime in other venues, cheap and they bring in new drivers.  They are in fact ‘vintage’, like our cars were in the 80’ and 90’s.  More important, these are the guys and gals that lusted for a certain hot car of the that era and now have older kids and the bucks to go racing.  Without these folks our sport will pass along with us.
> > > 
> > >              
> > > 
> > >             The same is true of parts.  Much of our equipment is worn out and not maintainable without great cost and effort any longer.  Gear boxes are an example.  I am down to my last good transmission case for my dog box.  When that goes, or the gear set is toast, I am making the switch to a modern box (same ratios) that I can maintain.  Like many of us I have missed races because of transmission failures.  Tony runs a Ford 8” because he doesn’t want to get hurt, and it is bullet proof for racing, even has a weight penalty.   A gear box switch is inevitable if we want to keep our cars on track at an expenditure of time and money that makes sense.
> > > 
> > >              
> > > 
> > >             There are tons of other parts that make engines last longer (and yes they make more power).  An old TR motor is nothing but half a Chevy Small Block; those guys spent hundreds of millions developing motor parts that we can take advantage of.  Same is true of blueprinting techniques, there are much better ways to build engines than ‘back in the day’ and if you read a book and learn how to do it the bloody lump lasts twice as long.  Last time I had my motor out I could have put the coated bearings with 25 races on them back in.  At 36 races I had <5% leak down on the rings and valves.  Started out building the old school way, with old school parts, those days are over as I don’t have the time to spend five days in the shop for every day at the track.
> > > 
> > >              
> > > 
> > >             Oil.  There is no such thing as cheap racing oil.  Modern oil is the best it has ever been and makes the motor last.  I had technical help from Lake Speed who is the ‘man’ for Joe Gibbs Driven race oil.  The stuff is $18 a quart but will last 500+ miles in the car (4-6 race weekends).  Just change the filter after every race and add on quart, total cost $30.00.  I can run all the way down to 27 wt. (mixing) but just run the 30 wt. racing oil even at +100 degrees in the desert and the oil pressure is always spot on.  Tight clearances, light oil and great bearing life, well worth the cost.
> > > 
> > >              
> > > 
> > >             My point in all of this is that “vintage” racing is changing, both the cars and the people.  We are going to have to accept and adapt or slowly see our sport fade.  They will always be a special place for those cars with a 50 year race history, prepared exactly like it raced in 1965.   For the rest of the grid, and those of us that don’t have cars with history, there are going to be cars with certain changes that get us to the track.  Besides some of us are just SoCal Hot Rodders at heart with a touch of ‘good ole boy’ NACAR ingenuity.  Now I need to get back to work on that 85% scale TR-4 body in aluminum, or possible carbon fiber………..Everyone have a great 2018 season racing!
> > > 
> > >              
> > > 
> > >             Ken
> > > 
> > > 
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> > > 
> > >         > > 
> > 
> >     > 
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