Monoposto in the UK

Flat Out & brok · 1 Oct 2003, 17:29 (Ref:736930)

All

Thinking of competing in the monoposto series next year so looking for peoples thoughts etc.

What class is best ?

What is the racing like ?

What's the best car ?

What are the costs like ?

Cheers for any info

Ian Sowman · 1 Oct 2003, 21:45 (Ref:737215)

You could do worse than a 600cc Jedi Formula Honda, I believe Andy Roberts (who posts here sometimes) may be able to help you there! With that you could do F Honda, Monoposto and probably the Single Seater series that runs on Silverstone Stowe. It would be competitive in the 600 class, which tends to race alongside the 1200s at most meetings. The 1200s are generally a bit quicker in the right hands but I'm sure you'd have just as much fun in a 600.

Jensen · 2 Oct 2003, 08:01 (Ref:737614)

Monoposto is a great championship, before moving to Formula Renault I ran a 5 car team in mono, running 4 Formula opel cars and one formula ford, we won the championship in 2001. It is great stuff but getting more competitive and expensive, good to go for a Formula Vauxhall car, loads of mods permitted and great fast learning car, tons of second parts available too.

Good luck.

jensen

:

jonathanc · 2 Oct 2003, 08:14 (Ref:737627)

Flat Out & Broke,
Mono is an excellent series to get into.
I run a jedi chassis thus have the choice of over 30 races in a year (mono + formula honda + BARC SS). You dont have to do all of them as its a sort of pay and play type scenario. But of course if you want to win the series/championship then you need to compete in as many as possible. Normally points from 10 out of 15 races count towards the end result.

In answer to your questions though:

What class is best ? Personally I think mono1200

What is the racing like ? Very close and good fun. Not too *****y as everyone tries to help eachother where possible.

What's the best car ?
Again, Im biased, but a jedi chassis. There are a few on the market at the moment for around the 8k mark (ready to race). Parts are not too expensive and still supplied by the factory (many older cars do not have factory support anymore although there are parts around). The cars are easy to work on and engines are cheap and quite easy to get hold of. You dont need much modifications to the engines either (normally just a clutch upgrade). Call the factory and have a chat (they wont be there tomorrow as they are testing at Snetterton). Phone John Corbyn on 01933440774.

What are the costs like ?
Expect a good car from between 5 & 10k depending on what you go for and in what condition. You can realistically run from about 5k per year if careful.

Look at www.monoposto.co.uk as there is a adverts section.

The next Mono meeting is at Brands on the 1/2nd Nov if you want to pop along.

Hope the above is of some help.
Rgds
Jonathan

JustinDawkins · 2 Oct 2003, 09:48 (Ref:737717)

I have a friend who races in it too, he loves it, he does 2.0 class with our sportsman friend Jonnie Comtec.

DSM · 2 Oct 2003, 10:32 (Ref:737768)

My F Honda 600 will also be for sale after this weekend's meeting at Snetterton.
8 races this year, 7 wins, 1 second, 7 poles, 6 fastest laps, 2 lap records.
PM me if you want to know more.

Lola · 2 Oct 2003, 14:10 (Ref:738081)

Monoposto is fantastic.
I race in the 2000 class in an F3 Reynard fitted with a VW road going engine. Its fun, cheap (I spend £2000-3000 a year), not too many nutters, affordable cars and very quick.
There are not many club series where you can lap Mallory in 44 secs on that budget!
I don’t know if you have any experience but if you don’t...
Depending on what your aspirations are you can’t go wrong with a FF1600 as a learner car. My first rule when buying a racecar is one day you got to sell it. Fact.
You will always get a good re sale on these as it has a wide range of options to race.
I wouldn’t buy a bike car. Not saying that are not good but that’s my personal opinion.
Mono 2000 engines SHOULD all be standard road going units so they can be maintained quite cheaply. My VW has been fantastic. The fist year in 2000cc we just found the engine in a scrap yard, dry sumped it, bolted it into a car and went racing.
Come along to a meeting and speak to people. I’m not sure I’ll be at Brands (its too cold in November)

Or look at the website etc..

Good luck whatever you do.

JR Ewing · 2 Oct 2003, 14:30 (Ref:738107)

Quote:

Originally posted by Lola
Mono 2000 engines SHOULD all be standard road going units

Very funny my friend, very funny.

And I bet I know which cars your are talking about - mind you think most of them aren't in Mono this year?

darcym · 2 Oct 2003, 15:36 (Ref:738158)

all I know is I was in the 1600 class at SPA, and another car that had dropped behind me out of la-source (excuse spelling) suddenly came from about 3 car lengths backs (I was already on full throttle) and just beazed past me like I wasn't moving, and my engine is no slouch.

you work it out, I'll leave that one dangling saying that my podium position was taken on that lap

Andy Roberts · 2 Oct 2003, 20:08 (Ref:738441)

Flat Out: I have got two Jedi Formula Honda 600's for sale if your interested. 1 is £8k and took 3 wins, 1 pole, 9 podiums and 2 lap records in 2002 and the other car is £7k and has only done 3 races as it was bought as a spare car. Both are in excellent condition and I used the first car to qualify 5th in the last Mono race at Mallory beating most of the 1200 cars!

If your interested drop us an email at andy@andyroberts.uk.com and I'll give you my mobile number and we can have a chat if you like.

Flat Out & brok · 2 Oct 2003, 20:19 (Ref:738450)

darcym

You reckon their is a lot of cheating or engine bending ? I was told it is a very well policed to keep it a level lo cost field. It evens has it own scruit ? Do they check engines etc through the year ?

JohnMiller · 2 Oct 2003, 21:06 (Ref:738479)

Hmmm, in Mono 1800 last year. We were at a track and I was in my Zetec (in Mono 1800). I was running under the lap record, then a 1600 car came up behind me and just drove past me on the straight. Supposedly his 110hp against my 150hp!

I also saw a couple of Formula Vauxhall Lotuses with blown engines. Close inspection showed that the internals of their engines did not much match my own FVL engine.

jonathanc · 3 Oct 2003, 07:56 (Ref:738930)

There were a few upset people last year. However this year it seems to be running well with minimal 'invisible modifications'.

darcym · 3 Oct 2003, 15:21 (Ref:739488)

Flat out, no idea. I only did 1 race.

It was VERY well run, very friendly good racing can't fault it. As Jonathanc says the cars don't look like there is anything amiss. there where a couple of cars out there that did go like the wind, the ammount of times I diced with a car and got past him on the back twists and then he just flew past me on the straight was annoying.

Give it a go, if you don't like it you can always race elseswhere. I found it great fun and well orginised.

Yunis · 5 Oct 2003, 12:12 (Ref:740980)

Yeah this is the series im hoping to do, good value for money imo, just got to save up a bit more for a FVL car.

BTW, Is john lord still racing in the series?

JR Ewing · 6 Oct 2003, 08:05 (Ref:741603)

With respect, if you need to save to buy an FVL you are going to find it very difficult to run it.

Perhaps you should start out in Mono 1600 with an older FVJ or similar?

Flat Out & brok · 7 Oct 2003, 16:28 (Ref:743164)

All

Not many racers / people from monoposto replying on here. Do they all write elswhere. Just looking for more ideas from them.

Andy Roberts · 7 Oct 2003, 18:09 (Ref:743258)

What sort of ideas you after?

DALY · 7 Oct 2003, 20:14 (Ref:743333)

I raced in Mono2000 and also Mono 1600 with my SoM car. Really good fun and quite sociable. Highlight is the Spa race in July.
If you get a FF1600 you can race in many places. I race the FF1600 on the ACB10's with a standard kent engine, I think some mono 1600's can have a mod to the engine and some race on slicks or wets. ACB10's will keep your costs down.

Spinner · 8 Oct 2003, 14:12 (Ref:744115)

I competed in Mono last year in Mono 1800 and won the championship with my Vauxhall junior. The car is now for sale if your interested. The championship is a fantastic starting ground for anyone wishing to race single seaters.

Lola · 9 Oct 2003, 14:00 (Ref:745273)

Mr Daly is right. To be competative in mono 1600 you dont need slicks, modified engines etc.
For a first car a 1600 is ideal. They are not too expensive to run and simple to mantain.
For 4 seasons i ran a very old Lola T642E FF1600, rebuilt my own engines, mantained the car my self and was championship runner up twice!
You will always sell a FF1600 and with such a variety of championships to enter you will always have options.

darcym · 9 Oct 2003, 14:54 (Ref:745317)

see the user RMR on 10/10ths he has a good RF89 for sale.

andy97 · 25 Nov 2003, 08:05 (Ref:793642)

Flat Out & Broke

Sorry for the tardy reply but I have been working abroad.

Every one will have their own thoughts as to which category in Monoposto is the best depending on their own level of experience, talent, racing ambition, technical ability, budget etc and as usual, you pays your money and you takes your chance. There is no right answer but I have found it to be an excellent club series to be part of and I would recommend it to anyone.

I have not run in that many races but everyone is very friendly and helpful, and appear to be tolerant of a novices mistakes, lack of pace etc.

Its the ideal series for a novice but don't think that means that the series is full of novices, on the contrary there are some excellent racers taking part with years of club racing experience behind them. The racing can be very competitive and entertaining (at least from my position "spectating" from the back of the grid!). What I suspect this means is that, as experience and confidence is gained, you can still enjoy racing in Mono without thinking that you have to spend more money on changing categories or buying the latest car etc. Mono is therefore a category that the clubman can enjoy over many years and this makes the initial investment in a car etc even better VFM.

I was in a similar position to you about a year ago and chose to race in Mono 1800 as I think it offers just about the best value for my (very limited) budget that is possible. I bought a 16 Valve Vauxhall Junior - the car and a trailer, spares and some pit equipment cost me 5 grand and I know of similar deals available today. The car has been completely reliable, (is faster than I am but extremely good fun to drive!), running costs are very low, parts are easily available and second hand F Ford Zetec tyres for it can be picked up for 10 pound each from the national F Ford teams (30-40 laps old). If I had to make the same decision again, I would have no hesitation – my car has allowed virtually “turn key” racing.

The Mono 1800 category is not that well supported, unfortunately, but older FF 2000's, F Ford Zetecs and 16 Valve Formula Vauxhall Juniors can all run in it. Buying a F Ford 2000 may mean that you can also enter URS/ Classic F Ford 2000 or the 750 MC's F4 series and if you buy a Zetec car then this is also eligible for F4 and the N & S championships etc, however eligibility for a number of championships may be the reason that these types of cars tend to be that much more expensive to buy than an FVJ in the first place (the same is also true of FF 1600 cars, I reckon).

Be careful about Buying Jedi 600's – I am not 100% sure but I think that the category is being deleted from Monoposto in 2004 due to lack of support. If you do buy a 600 car, then it will need a different engine to be competitive. Check the Monoposto web site to make sure of the details.

Talk to Dermot Healy at dermothealy@btinternet.com - he has usually got a few cars for sale and has an excellent knowledge of costs etc. Drop me an e-mail if you want to chat or look over an FVJ in the E Mids area.

Regards

Andy

PS remember that all Mono cars are also eligible for the SEMSEC series and the BARC-SEC's Single Seater championships. The latter, in particular, is excellent value for money for a novice seeking confidence building seat time - practice and 2 races for GBP100 at Silverstone Stowe.

andy97 · 26 Nov 2003, 07:43 (Ref:794742)

PPS

I should be out in te BARC-SEC's Single Seater Series at Silverstone Stowe on sunday if anyone wants to chat. Obviously not a Monoposto Racing Club race but several of the Mono runners will probably be out.

Andy

gadgit · 26 Nov 2003, 11:50 (Ref:794939)

Hoping to run in mono to a small degree next year. The Dallara I'm after has a VW spiess engine which has just been rebuilt. I will have to change the head and mybe other engine parts to get it back to road car status.

If you are there Lola, what did you have to do to your Reynard with the VW engine to allow it to run in the 2000.

I am hoping to just have to change the head which is a high compression one with a special cam. Its only an 8 valve engine, and do you think any thing else might have to go down the drain!

This is the only problem running in mono, new engine (rebuilt) just fitted and it may have to come out! provided I don't have to do to much I might have the car.

gadgit.