Where to shop for race cars

[RobC]

Hi All

Just after a bit of advice, I have been sprinting my Lotus Elise this year with some good results. But I want to progress to track racing again (used to race bikes) next year and have been looking around at the different classes I can enter. As usual the budget is the bigest factor and being local to Castle Combe the Special GT's looks like fun. Did toy with the idea of FF1600 but the risk of damage is a lot higher, thus expensive.

Question being where would I look for race car sales?

Cheers for any pointers!
Rob

[avro]

Try www.racecarsdirect.com

[RobC]

Splendid....that should keep me busy for a few hours

Any other suggestions? magazines worth buying? probably the wrong time of year atm but I'd like to be prepared.

[kickstart]

Rob, let me assure you that running a FF1600 even including some accident damage will be a lot cheaper than running anything even vaguely competitive in Castle Combe GT's.
A typical crash in a FF1600 normally involves saying knocking off a corner - this should cost £400 ish and a lot less if you get a car with a decent spares package.
As for cheaper forms of motorsport - stock hatch in the 750MC is very popular and i think that these types of cars can be bought for a few grand.FF1600 and FF1800 are great fun, very good value for money and you can race in lots of championships.
I would look at autosport, the 750mc website, the monoposto website and if you have won the lottery Motorsport.
Have fun

[ActiveMS]

RobC,
Dont buy anything until you have attended a few rounds of various types that interest you. Meet the drivers & organisers, ask questions etc. They will also know of any vehicles for sale.

Good luck.

[bbr73]

Classfied adverts in the back of Autosport, 750 Motor Club / BRSCC Newsletters or even at race meetings themselves. If you wonder around the paddock of a few club meetings you will soon get an idea of where to buy from or whose selling one.

[RobC]

Thanks for all the advice guys...keep it coming. As you guys suggest there are so many options out there. I spent a day with one of the CC FF1600 teams last year learning all about it and that was a real eye opener. I'll have a look at the stock hatch stuff. I looked, again, at the CC saloon championship and that was very expensive to be competitive so I ruled that one out. I know one of the competitors in the GT series so will have a chat with them at the next meeting.

Right I'm off to buy my lottery ticket

[darcym]

who did you spend time with last year in the CC FF1600 paddock,

[RobC]

Wayne Pool - good bloke as well

[andy97]

RobC

I certainly would not dismiss the single seater route. As Kickstart says, it is a lot cheaper than you think, the racing is cleaner than you think and spares are readily available at very affordable prices anyway. Much Much cheaper than buying and running a GT car. I would recommend having a look at a 3 year old FF Zetec or a F Vauxhall Junior to campaign in the Monoposto 1800 series. Cars can be picked up for as little as 4 grand, are bullet proof and very cheap to run. eg Used tyres (about 30-40 laps old) can be picked up from one of the national FF teams for £10 each & they will last 2 or 3 races - try that with your Castle Combe GT!! (I am told that used tyres will be about 1/10 of a sec a lap slower than when new and are therefore considered useless to the next Finnish hotshot but I am not good enough to care!!)

Anything used in Monoposto is also eligible for the BARC-SEC single seater series where entries are £110 for practice & 2 races at Silverstone Stowe whilst a Zetec car is also eligible for the 750mc F4 series.

Drop Dermot Healy an e-mail, dermothealy@btinternet.com, if you want to talk about cheap single seaters, he usually has a few available.

[RobC]

Hi Andy

Many thanks for that, after reading what you and the guys above have said maybe I should be looking at the single seaters. The Monoposto series sounds like fun, I'll have to do so research on it to see whats involved but the budget is certinly apealing.

Thanks again
Rob

[RobC]

I am trying to find about the series's above but don't seem to be having much luck. Can you tell me who runs the championships?

[andy97]

The Monoposto Racing Club run the series, although they usually (but not always) run on BRSCC meetings. check out www.monoposto.co.uk

I am currently working in the Bristol area so if you are local to C Combe you may not be far away. Drop me a PM and we can meet up for a drink and a chat about racing single seaters from my (novice) point of view.

[RobC]

Thanks Andy - you have PM!

[Spinner]

If your looking for a championship winning Monoposto 1800 Vauxhall junior please e-mail me, its going cheap! Need space to concentrate on VW-Cup Beetle!

[R59]

Berrrrr single seaters pah! (except F5000 - cars that you can 'feel' as they go past)

Get a roof over your head! Why not get something for Formula Saloons (it needs more cars desperately) SuperTourers, ex-Thundersaloons, BMW M3's for class C, etc... www.formulasaloons.com

You could race the Elise is the 750MC roadsports......


Rob.

[RobC]

Thought about using the Elise but way to expensive to bend and would cost an arm and a leg to get it competitve.

Will have a browse around the f-salons site, thanks

[R59]

If Roadsports in the Elise is too expensive, then F-Saloons will be just a tad out of your price range! (ex-Thundersaloons and Super Touring)

Still, they are the fastest saloon cars in the UK. Shame they are not very well supported this year.

[blue nose]

Originally posted by racing59
Berrrrr single seaters pah! (except F5000 - cars that you can 'feel' as they go past)

Get a roof over your head! Why not get something for Formula Saloons (it needs more cars desperately) SuperTourers, ex-Thundersaloons, BMW M3's for class C, etc... www.formulasaloons.com

You could race the Elise is the 750MC roadsports......


Rob.

Thats a good Idea if you are not quick enough in a single seater then a saloon is the way to go.

[JohnMiller]

Right on AP!