F1 Pace cars?

[*Al*]

Whilst watching the F1 GP this morning and seeing the fantastic Mercedes Pace car i was wondering what happens to the older models? Are they sold off to collectors, can they be put on the road? Does anyone on PH own one?

[i remember]

Think some of them are used at like centres like porsche with skid pans and stuff, or used in other race series.

I think someone on here owns an AMG used as a pace car ( SL63? )

[ALawson]

I think I saw a C55 AMG Estate advertised as F1 spec a few months ago, not sure if it was ex F1 or just a sales thing.

Edit quick google found this.
http://www.iceposter.com/posters/cars/Mercedes-Ben...

Edited by ALawson on Sunday 4th April 20:27

[moffspeed]

"Safety Car" rather than "Pace Car" in modern F1 PC terminology. They've come on a long way since a standard Opel/Vauxhall Vectra ambled painfully slowly around Imola on that fateful day when Senna lost his life.

Over in the USA they definitely are "Pace Cars (or trucks), even the first Indy 500 in 1911 featured one.

OK, so going back a few years ago, what UK race series featured a Pace Van ???

[Racefan_uk]

moffspeed said:

OK, so going back a few years ago, what UK race series featured a Pace Van ???

VW Series had a van as it's Pace Van I seem to recall.

[moffspeed]

Racefan_uk said:

moffspeed said:

OK, so going back a few years ago, what UK race series featured a Pace Van ???

VW Series had a van as it's Pace Van I seem to recall.

I was thinking of a slightly quicker van...

[Sway]

Don't know the race series, but Ford Supervan?

Lovely bit of kit....

[moffspeed]

Sway said:

Don't know the race series, but Ford Supervan?

Lovely bit of kit....

That's the one ..Ford Supervan 2 circa 1984. Used a few times as the pace car/van for the Thundersports series.

How can A Transit van be used to head up a field of powerful sportscars including old Can-Am cars - well a Cosworth DFL ( long stroke version of the DFV) sitting in the load compartment helps...tripped the Silverstone timing beams at 174mph . Happy days.

[skwdenyer]

moffspeed said:

"Safety Car" rather than "Pace Car" in modern F1 PC terminology. They've come on a long way since a standard Opel/Vauxhall Vectra ambled painfully slowly around Imola on that fateful day when Senna lost his life.

I had thought it was an Alfa - has my memory failed me?

[skinny]

i asked the FIA guy who is the passenger in the safety car what happens to the old cars - unfortunately they don't get sold, at least not for a while. Merc keeps them for demonstrations, events, shows, and sometimes their museum

[moffspeed]

That's the one ..Ford Supervan 2 circa 1984. Used a few times as the pace car/van for the Thundersports series.

How can A Transit van be used to head up a field of powerful sportscars including old Can-Am cars - well a Cosworth DFL ( long stroke version of the DFV) sitting in the load compartment helps...tripped the Silverstone timing beams at 174mph . Happy days.
[/quote]

This it without the light bars on top >

[StevieBee]

moffspeed said:

Sway said:

Don't know the race series, but Ford Supervan?

Lovely bit of kit....

That's the one ..Ford Supervan 2 circa 1984. Used a few times as the pace car/van for the Thundersports series.

How can A Transit van be used to head up a field of powerful sportscars including old Can-Am cars - well a Cosworth DFL ( long stroke version of the DFV) sitting in the load compartment helps...tripped the Silverstone timing beams at 174mph . Happy days.

Designed by Tony Southgate - then at Arrows IIRC. There was talk about a proper Supervan series!