Racing Classics?

[ntiz]

Hi everyone was hoping I could have some honest advice.

I have loved classic car racing since I went to my first Goodwood revival when I was 15. I have harboured ambitions to get involved myself.

I’m hoping in the next couple of years I will be in position to do it. Budget for the car would be up to 100k it’s the how much to run one I’m totally unsure about? Do you need to turn up with a team of engineers or is there less expensive ways of doing it?

Probably because of Goodwood I find myself drawn towards Stuff like Lotus 18 fj, Lotus cortinas, Mini’s etc how do you decide which direction to go in?

It’s really cringe but I would love to get on the Goodwood grid before I die (I’m 29 so plenty of time).

I have a couple of friends who race newer stuff that spend a fortune which makes me nervous, but I know they both tend to do everything to excess.

I know there is no such thing as cheap racing I guess in my head budget 50k Max to run the car. Is it sensible to sponsor your own car with your own company?

I guess ultimately am I just dreaming and it will be out of my league and I should lower my ambitions?

Hope I don’t seem to much of a Walter Mitty.

[ntiz]

Thanks everyone for all the advice!

I hadn’t even vaguely considered the safety aspect. Would I be right in assuming a tin top with a full roll cage is safer than a single seater? It’s not a deal breaker but I’m sure my wife will have an opinion

I didn’t realise that there is different levels. I will check out the suggested series.

Is it possible to run a car by yourself or is it not even possible to start one without 2 people? What is the going rate for an engineer for the weekend?

I would call myself a keen amateur with regard to my own mechanical skill. I have interest would be more than happy to get my hands dirty but wouldn’t have the confidence to be rebuilding my own engine.

How much testing do you need? I know the answer is sort of as much as possible. But I have a company to run, a disabled son and a wife that likes to see me every now and then so I’m not going to be able to do days and days of testing.

Travel wise was planning on saving bit of money by buying a trailer towing it my Range Rover which is my company car and getting very familiar with premier inns.

Erm I have loads more questions but will stop there.

[ntiz]

pablo said:

It’s a bit left field but hillclimbs with the VSCC would be fun in an old 500cc F3 car, or maybe something a bit more modern. For me it’s about the event and the atmosphere, not winning, being competitive or going fast.

Edited by pablo on Thursday 28th January 21:44

I have actually looked really hard at the Cooper 500s they have a really good series that I have wondered about starting with as the cars don’t seem mega expensive and from what I understand pretty much everyone is self spannering. My father in law also happens to be really into building classic bikes with JAP engines, which would be handy.

My Dad also has a Bentley 3 litre that I have tried to commandeer for VSCC but to convert to a race car spec would be around 100k because of the parts. Plus we kind of like it the way it is at the moment.

[ntiz]

WickerBill said:

Depending on the series you race in, there will be professional teams that can maintain your car/ mechanic it at the circuit for you....it’s pretty common in Caterham racing, Elise cup etc just checking the Elise website for instance, there are teams charging between 300-500 per day for full trackside support, mechanics, transporting your car to and from the circuit etc.

In terms of rebuilding engines etc, I’m my experience most people send their engines off for a refresh rather than doing it themselves, certainly from the formula ford side of things anyway.

Testing wise, as much as you want. Obviously you’ll need your ARDS licence first, my advice is to get some lessons with a driver coach at your local circuit in the school cars and then when you get your own car you’ll have some idea of lines, braking points etc.

When I raced, I did a test day pre season to blow off the cobwebs then the odd one on a Friday before the race meeting...I’m down there anyway so might as well make a long weekend out of it!

Just depends on how competitive you want to be really!

Edited by WickerBill on Saturday 30th January 18:36

My general plan was once I have the house I’m building out of the way, was to get myself a Lotus Exige (always wanted one) and get down Snetterton with an instructor. My mate is fortunately an instructor who has offered to sit with me for a few beers here and there. Although I have a sneaky suspicion he has ulterior motives that start with “do you want to go halves on”

What is the difference between a test day and trackday? Can you do a trackday with a race car?

The how competitive I want to be bit is erm interesting. I keep telling myself I will be happy just to be there. But then I was at the sharp end of my chosen sport for 5 years fighting for national championships so I kind of kind of know when I get there I will want to be in with a chance. I will probably be bitterly disappointed with my skills and accept it’s not something you just jump into my expectation starting will be low.

[ntiz]

Getting into Goodwood isn’t everything to me at all. Would just like to be involved in something that could potentially lead to that. Like U2TC, formula junior. For example formula junior alternates with F3 at the members meeting the. Rotates between the disk brakes cars, drum brakes and front engines from my understanding. So by my terrible plotting with decent car performing decently well there is the potential to get an invite.

Cooper 500 are another example they get a slot every 4 years most of the time.

I do fancy the motor racing legends series but don’t know much about it. My intention is kind of pick one and do all the events and that’s it. I would love to be racing every weekend of the year but there is one thing more expensive than racing and that’s a divorce.

I hope I’m not too crazy. I apologise if I seem a bit to keen to jump in at the deep end but I have quite unique home life. That puts me in the position where I don’t know what the future holds and I don’t know how long I will be able to do this for.

I am taking all your advice on board and will be researching all the series that have been suggested.

[ntiz]

Total loss said:

pablo said:

Someone else has said this recently and it’s just not true. You can’t build a replica or clone an existing car and race it whiilst keeping the original, two cars bearing the same chassis number can’t exist. As I’ve said there are a few 250SWBs that were previously 250GTEs as an example but I don’t know of any historic car racing today that is a clone (ie bearing the same chassis number etc) of a car the owner has in storage.

I am not talking of GTE to GTO conversations, I am talking of clones that do exist & is true as much as you say they can't.
How do I know? I have worked on 2 of them when they were being built, 1 of them belonging to a very very famous owner, the other being 1 of only a few originally built very famous race cars.
And I know of quite a few more.

Just my 2 pence but even in Chris Harris video racing 250 at goodwood he says it’s a replica of owners real car.

[ntiz]

Seamus54 said:

I've been racing for nearly 40 years and in that time I have had 2 divorces, racing most definitely cost me more!

The best advice that I could give you is that when you select the championship or series you wish to race in is to buy the winning car off the champion at seasons end.

Edited by Seamus54 on Thursday 4th February 17:42

Well that’s fking terrifying

I have been given Similar advice before. Apparently it’s much cheaper to buy a race winning car than building or in the long run?

[ntiz]

WickerBill said:

Was the kart better? Sure.....was the previous owner the one making the biggest difference? Most definitely!

Buying a championship winning car doesn’t garentee success! It just means you spend less developing a midfield car....as I said above though, if you go into it with the mentality of having a starter car to find you feet and enjoy, knowing full well you’ll sell it when the time is right then it’s not a problem

Edited by WickerBill on Thursday 4th February 19:02

I probably need a bit of change of mentality, i was brought up to hold out for what you really want then keep it. My Dad has owned all his cars for over 10 years.

I’m not used to the idea of buying a car as a stepping stone but I guess it’s not really about the car it’s about the racing. So a bit different.

[ntiz]

Thanks again!

So on balance don’t spend a fortune on a winner because I won’t do the car justice, but make sure not to get pup......... sounds easy

Speaking of cars what the difference between racing touring cars, single seaters and sports cars? I like them all so how do you decide what suits? It’s not like you can go for test drives.