Race van or truck for club racing
Discussion
Next year will be my first year in club racing I currently have a Navara and a trailer that Ive used for last 4 years to trailer my kit car around for sprints and track days. The limits of this is lack of space for spares and for last 2 years with sprinting ive been staying in hotels over night leaving car at the track however the cost of weekend soon ad up specially if its a long weekends with few nights stay and food and drink on top.
Atm I'm in a dilemma between a Lwb van converted camper with a enclosed trailer or a 7.5 ton truck with room in the back for the car and living area in front without need for a trailer. Got a budget of about 10k.
Upside of the van and trailer option is I can use the van for weekends away and picking other vehicles up when not racing however vans in my price range seem too be either rust buckets or rough as hell. Also more chance of a trailer being pinched.
Also the trailer I want is around 5k with part ex of my current one which leaves only 5k for the van.
7.5ton truck too me seem more secure, more room inside them for spares and insurance and tax wise cheaper than a van. They also seem to be cheaper overall than the van and trailer option. On the downside worse fuel consumption and due to size I would have to give it too someone else too maintain and fix also not suitable for weekends away.
My father being an old git can drive bother the van trailer or the 7.5 truck however ideally I would get the license for either option with the towing license being cheaper than the class 2 I would need for the truck.
Any advice or opinions of either option is much appreciated.
Atm I'm in a dilemma between a Lwb van converted camper with a enclosed trailer or a 7.5 ton truck with room in the back for the car and living area in front without need for a trailer. Got a budget of about 10k.
Upside of the van and trailer option is I can use the van for weekends away and picking other vehicles up when not racing however vans in my price range seem too be either rust buckets or rough as hell. Also more chance of a trailer being pinched.
Also the trailer I want is around 5k with part ex of my current one which leaves only 5k for the van.
7.5ton truck too me seem more secure, more room inside them for spares and insurance and tax wise cheaper than a van. They also seem to be cheaper overall than the van and trailer option. On the downside worse fuel consumption and due to size I would have to give it too someone else too maintain and fix also not suitable for weekends away.
My father being an old git can drive bother the van trailer or the 7.5 truck however ideally I would get the license for either option with the towing license being cheaper than the class 2 I would need for the truck.
Any advice or opinions of either option is much appreciated.
Personally I'd go for a coachbuilt camper van with a rear garage under the bed. Much nicer living accommodation and much easier to sell when the time comes.
People always cart around a mountain of spare parts in their first year so think they need a huge vehicle to transport it all but you need to ask yourself what you're actually prepared to do at the track.
I've lost count of the number of people I've seen working like dogs to get a new gearbox in or repair accident damage etc only for the car to break down on the first lap because they missed something or, even worse, chuck oil everywhere causing multiple crashes because they missed the oil cooler damage while pulling the front out etc. I've even seen two destroyed by fire because oil lines weren't done up properly after replacement.
For me anything more than a driveshaft change means pack it all away and live to fight another day. So all I need is a small toolbox and two collapsible crates for small parts.
People always cart around a mountain of spare parts in their first year so think they need a huge vehicle to transport it all but you need to ask yourself what you're actually prepared to do at the track.
I've lost count of the number of people I've seen working like dogs to get a new gearbox in or repair accident damage etc only for the car to break down on the first lap because they missed something or, even worse, chuck oil everywhere causing multiple crashes because they missed the oil cooler damage while pulling the front out etc. I've even seen two destroyed by fire because oil lines weren't done up properly after replacement.
For me anything more than a driveshaft change means pack it all away and live to fight another day. So all I need is a small toolbox and two collapsible crates for small parts.
I did my first few years with an estate car and trailer, camping at circuits which doesn't bother me as I can sleep anywhere but can understand why others wouldn't do it.
I ended up with exactly the same dilemma as you, there were pro's and cons to both, if I'd been happy to use a van everyday I think I'd have opted for that but as I need a car what ever I chose was always going to be a 2nd vehicle.
Like you say most of the cheaper vans looked pretty ruff in the adverts so god only know what they were like in reality, I ended up buying a reasonably cheap 7.5t truck for £5500 which had been converted by the last owner to a degree, has a sleeper cab which is comfortable enough, loads of space in the back for spares and often keep the car in their out of the way.
Maintenance hasn't been too bad as they're built to do high millage the few thousand a year I do causes very little wear and tear, I'd budget around £1000-1500 for an annual platting to include some maintenance. road tax is cheap as is insurance (from memory its about £280 a year) I wouldn't consider running it without break down cover which I pay about £180 a year for, and having suffered 2 punctures have been very grateful for.
I keep thinking about building in some living accommodation in the back to make weekends more comfortable but still haven't got round to it
I ended up with exactly the same dilemma as you, there were pro's and cons to both, if I'd been happy to use a van everyday I think I'd have opted for that but as I need a car what ever I chose was always going to be a 2nd vehicle.
Like you say most of the cheaper vans looked pretty ruff in the adverts so god only know what they were like in reality, I ended up buying a reasonably cheap 7.5t truck for £5500 which had been converted by the last owner to a degree, has a sleeper cab which is comfortable enough, loads of space in the back for spares and often keep the car in their out of the way.
Maintenance hasn't been too bad as they're built to do high millage the few thousand a year I do causes very little wear and tear, I'd budget around £1000-1500 for an annual platting to include some maintenance. road tax is cheap as is insurance (from memory its about £280 a year) I wouldn't consider running it without break down cover which I pay about £180 a year for, and having suffered 2 punctures have been very grateful for.
I keep thinking about building in some living accommodation in the back to make weekends more comfortable but still haven't got round to it
Hi
Don't know if this'll help but, after looking at chunky trailers and a 4x4 to tow it, big vans that got complicated in terms of storage, maintenance etc etc I ended up doing this:-
I use a 3.5t Vauxhall Movano van (Lo-loader luton body) and it takes the car inside it.
Car goes in on fixed ramps which are circa 18inch above the floor (to clear the wheel arch's) when car removed these convert to seating and a drop down double bed for the evening's, has a couple of windows and personnel door in the side, drop down food prep area, telly, night heater etc..
Two spare sets of wheel fit on the walls and everything else goes under the ramps.
Loading is by a pair of 10' alloy ramps & winch if I'm not brave enough to drive it in..
Has an EzUp which clips to the side too.
Overall footprint is about the same as a large trailer.
It'll take a Sylva Striker / Westfield easy, Reynard F3 hillclimber with front wing removed and you could go bigger, with an internal reorganise.
Cruises at 65-70, does circa 30mpg, insurance is cheap, maintenance & MoT local garage, I'm not having to tow anything, and if I'm really desperate/knackered the wife will drive it..
Don't know if this'll help but, after looking at chunky trailers and a 4x4 to tow it, big vans that got complicated in terms of storage, maintenance etc etc I ended up doing this:-
I use a 3.5t Vauxhall Movano van (Lo-loader luton body) and it takes the car inside it.
Car goes in on fixed ramps which are circa 18inch above the floor (to clear the wheel arch's) when car removed these convert to seating and a drop down double bed for the evening's, has a couple of windows and personnel door in the side, drop down food prep area, telly, night heater etc..
Two spare sets of wheel fit on the walls and everything else goes under the ramps.
Loading is by a pair of 10' alloy ramps & winch if I'm not brave enough to drive it in..
Has an EzUp which clips to the side too.
Overall footprint is about the same as a large trailer.
It'll take a Sylva Striker / Westfield easy, Reynard F3 hillclimber with front wing removed and you could go bigger, with an internal reorganise.
Cruises at 65-70, does circa 30mpg, insurance is cheap, maintenance & MoT local garage, I'm not having to tow anything, and if I'm really desperate/knackered the wife will drive it..
When my family started racing we went from a 4x4 and covered trailer, to that with a pop up awning, then the 4x4 was replaced with a van and finally to a 7.5t truck with a proper awning.
The 4x4 was too cramped by the time you'd got everything loaded, and if the weather was foul everything got wet and everyone was miserable.
Adding the pop up awning helped keep the car dry, but still not space to shelter out of the rain except inside the covered trailer.
The van gave us more room to bring tools and parts, served as accommodation and shelter as well.
The truck however allowed us more room - there was place for people to sit, you could have more tools and parts.
Fuel consumption on a 7.5t was broadly similar to a beefy 4x4 or van towing.
The 4x4 was too cramped by the time you'd got everything loaded, and if the weather was foul everything got wet and everyone was miserable.
Adding the pop up awning helped keep the car dry, but still not space to shelter out of the rain except inside the covered trailer.
The van gave us more room to bring tools and parts, served as accommodation and shelter as well.
The truck however allowed us more room - there was place for people to sit, you could have more tools and parts.
Fuel consumption on a 7.5t was broadly similar to a beefy 4x4 or van towing.
Thanks for all the replies after posting a post on a racing fb group a guy that races in the series I will be joining who Ive known for a few years is upgrading too a new truck so his old 7.5 ton merc is for sale. Was used too run 2 cars so plenty of room all I got too do is build a living area up front which won't be too much of a hassle. Already got the electrics installed and its got a beavertail back too it for loading the car. So the plan is to get that and build a living area up front and get my class 2 sorted so I can drive it.
Can't wait too get out next year in it now.
Can't wait too get out next year in it now.
Nampahc Niloc said:
Those of you who have gone the 7.5 tonne route, where do you keep it? Do you have space at home or do you store it elsewhere?
For me I got a unit where I store the car and at present trailer. I'm a mechanic by trade so a place too work and store things comes in handy.IF you've got somewhere secure to store it, id go for a truck. im lucky in that i can store mine at home.
your also going to want power to stick the batteries on a conditioner charger, race truck tend to sit around a lot over winter and bugger the batteries.
weight it an issue even on a truck, mine had a big box, sleeper cab and a 2000kg tail lift. and its heavy.. doesnt leave much after 2 people, spares, tyres and the car.
so needs careful choice of lorry to give you the right capacity. some boxes are a lot heavier than others. and if you live in the lez you will need something modern or it will cost you £500 quid everytime you move it in the lez !!!
a tail lift is great but adds a lot of weight so a ramp may be better
your also going to want power to stick the batteries on a conditioner charger, race truck tend to sit around a lot over winter and bugger the batteries.
weight it an issue even on a truck, mine had a big box, sleeper cab and a 2000kg tail lift. and its heavy.. doesnt leave much after 2 people, spares, tyres and the car.
so needs careful choice of lorry to give you the right capacity. some boxes are a lot heavier than others. and if you live in the lez you will need something modern or it will cost you £500 quid everytime you move it in the lez !!!
a tail lift is great but adds a lot of weight so a ramp may be better
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