Monoposto in the UK - Page 3

Dermot Healy · 9 Dec 2003, 23:40 (Ref:807899)

Just respectfully bringing to the attention of all you eager monoposti that I've got Mono cars available for hire..or sale. Ideal for Boxing Day Mallory meeting. Qualify & 2 races.

Quite keen to avoid the joys of Christmas so even clearing gravel from sidepods at Mallory in the rain seems preferable. Details 07703-162409

Comtec Renault · 12 Dec 2003, 06:46 (Ref:809832)

The power of the 2ltr engine we ran in 03 was 172bhp and it only lacked a bit on the top end tracks such as Snet and Spa.But saying that if you slip streem the faster cars you can still win with 172,so I do not think that you can get 200 or more Bhp from a 2ltr motor as per the Mono rules !

Bob Pearson · 12 Dec 2003, 10:11 (Ref:809964)

Comtec, was your 172 bhp from an 8 valve, and if so was it in BARC trim? I assumed up to recently that Mono rules allowed engine modifications above those of the car's parent formula. I take it that that isn't the case.

JohnMiller · 12 Dec 2003, 10:18 (Ref:809974)

Think it was a Zetec Bob.

Bob Pearson · 12 Dec 2003, 12:37 (Ref:810095)

The "Renault" part of Comtec Renault fooled me!

Comtec Renault · 12 Dec 2003, 16:23 (Ref:810341)

It was a Scholar 2 Ltr Zetec twin cam totaly standard ,with twin 45 Webers MBE ignition pack small flywheel and cluch and a dry sump.it has benn a very good motor as it never missed a beat all season and the 2 Ltr motor is better for missed shifts ie piston to valve clearance.

gadgit · 13 Dec 2003, 17:20 (Ref:811039)

Have spoken to a engineer today about the prospect of the Dallara I previously spoke about.

Bad news! Cost of just buying all the parts for a standard head replacement is £1k plus about the same to have it all fitted. £2000!
If I did replace the whole lot the work could be near £3000! and this is only for an 8 valve VW engine, as it seems the 16 valve will not go in without major work being done first. Apparently, the Dallara was built round the 8 valve system. Anyone who's seen the 16 valve will know the head is the other way round (would you believe it)
Plus of course the price of the car £7500, plus a trailer, plus all the race wear etc etc. Can't get me head round this at the moment, and it would appear buying a car ready to go will be far cheaper!

Don't get me wrong, I did not think this would be cheap, but did not think it would rattle up to £11000 ish to get all the bits and bobs.

Might have to change me thinking for a season. Trouble is, if I buy the car and don't do the work for mono, apart from the odd area, I will have limitations on where I can run it! and then who's going to buy it when i'm done.

Any suggestions!!!!!!

Gadgit.

Comtec Renault · 13 Dec 2003, 18:03 (Ref:811065)

why not get a Vauxhall Lotus car ! on the Monoposto web site there are about 3 good ones for sale,or biuld a Van Diemen 2LTR car yourself, if you do it right you could come in at 10K ?

kickstart · 13 Dec 2003, 18:46 (Ref:811099)

I think you would save yourself a lot of money by buying a mono legal car to start with. There are lots of Vauxhall lotus's for sale and even some already converted F3 cars on the mono website.

andy97 · 14 Dec 2003, 10:43 (Ref:811483)

Gadgit

You can buy a F Vauxhall Junior for £4500-£5000 and run it in Mono 1800 and save yourself a fortune (I know where there are at least 2 available and maybe more). The cars are great fun to drive and very cheap to run; you can pick up barely worn F Ford Zetec Tyres for £10 each from the national F Ford teams (40 laps old) and parts are easily available.

Unfortunately Mono 1800 is not the most popular of the Monoposto categories at the moment but it only needs one or two people more to come out to play in FVJs or F Ford Zetecs and it could provide a foundation for the category to really take off.

Get in touch if you want to find out more.

kickstart · 14 Dec 2003, 18:21 (Ref:811722)

Does anyone know the likely calendar for next season ?

gadgit · 14 Dec 2003, 18:37 (Ref:811729)

Afetr the shock of the F3 head rebuild cost, thinking of taking another route. Been thinking that as my son and me are both novices, we could start in the Jedi 600 series for the first year as by comparison they appear to be far cheaper to run. The 600 class (honda) seem to have the most reliable engines and they don't cost £2000 for a head and carb rebuild. More like 2-£300 for a engine from an old bike seems more appealing all of a sudden.

What are the pitfalls of this type of car!

What do you all think of this idea for the first year, seems I can get a car ready for mono will little fuss!

Gadgit.

SPBRacing · 14 Dec 2003, 18:56 (Ref:811741)

Kickstart where roughly in cheshire are you and what do you race ?

Gadgit
If doing Mono the 600 class is no longer but in the new untuned and with a wieght of 370Kg as 400Kg for the 1000cc the 600 could do well at some rounds if not all. It is a good cheap way to start.

kickstart · 16 Dec 2003, 16:06 (Ref:813196)

Does anyone know if the club will be running a race at Spa next season ?

Old Ropey · 16 Dec 2003, 21:31 (Ref:813460)

Gadgit
I would thoroughly recommend Formula Honda, particularly if you are a novice. We, that is my son driving and me doing the hard bit, have done it for 2 years and I'm hooked.
The cars are pretty cheap to buy, secondhand, very cheap to run, you're quite right about engines from bike breakers, and they are quick. Also easy for a diy mechanic.
600cc may not sound much, but 100bhp in around 300 kg saw 133mph at Snetterton and lap times generally comparable to Formula Ford Zetec. They also sound tremendous.
I see you are talking about Monoposto, but there is also the Formula Honda championship, full status national for next year, so there are plenty of races to do.
A simple annual rebuild to do valve seats and shells if oil pressure has dropped is all that's necessary, and reliability has been very good in the 2 years we've been racing.
SPBRacing is correct about a quick 600 beating 1000 cars, we've done it regularly.
We can probably fix you up with a run at Donington or Mallory if you're interested.
Let me know if I can help further.

DSM · 16 Dec 2003, 21:37 (Ref:813468)

I'd endorse everything Old Ropey says. The FH's hold their heads up in most company, within reason. Last September the corner speeds were very close to the Palmer Audis and the faster 1000cc Jedis'lap times would have put them well up the Palmer Audi grid.
All that on a 1/10th of the budget.

louis · 16 Dec 2003, 21:45 (Ref:813480)

any body know the formula honda calendar for 2004?

Old Ropey · 16 Dec 2003, 22:47 (Ref:813558)

Louis not yet there's a wee note on its way
Mike

Lola · 17 Dec 2003, 13:48 (Ref:814061)

Stick to mono for a learning year. Buy a FVL or FVJ which come at very good money. You can buy an FVL off the mono site for £5500!!!
To run the engine and car is almost road car technology. Dead simple.
Mono is a great learner series. WEveryone is willing to help out and muck in if you have a problem. I recomend it. Ask mr Comtec what he thinks of it!

jonathanc · 17 Dec 2003, 14:43 (Ref:814103)

If you fancy doing mono next year I would personally steer clear of the 1200 class. The new minimum weight limits will mean smaller grids for this particular class as a large number of cars are jedi chassis vehicles (well under the new 400kg limit, approx avg. 385kg) and not many will want to participate if it means having to add balast and slow them down. Especially so when they can go and race in their own series (Formula Honda) without the weight problems.

Also Ive found with a class made up of very different cars (performance) it is very difficult to gauge your driving ability as you improve especially against those with bottomless pockets to invest in their cars and engines.

Good luck in whatever you do next year.
May be worth going to the AutoSport show to get some more ideas.

Comtec Renault · 19 Dec 2003, 08:39 (Ref:815849)

The new Monoposto/750 car from Comtec will be at the Autosport show, So will the old Championship winning car, on the 750 club stand.

andy97 · 21 Dec 2003, 10:15 (Ref:817318)

Its a pity that the Monoposto 2000 class winning car has to be displayed on the 750 MC stand but I do realise that the Mono club does not have the same funds available as 750. I also realise the cars can be built to either Mono or F4 regs, but I just hope that the literature/signage that accompanies the cars gives more than a passing nod to Monoposto!

JohnMiller · 21 Dec 2003, 10:18 (Ref:817320)

Are the Mono 2000 engine regs staying the same for '04, does anyone know?

I don't really care but I'm just building up a new Zetec motor and I don't want to buy the wrong bits..

SPBRacing · 21 Dec 2003, 19:55 (Ref:817602)

jonathanc who in mono1200 other than a jedi has a bottomless pocket to spend on the engine as all the engines I know where either standard or very old tunes ones with a few years on them like mine.
Sad to hear you may not be in mono next year as I like racing different cars with different engines. I also think 400KG is good middle ground for all cars. MHO.

SPB

gadgit · 21 Dec 2003, 20:18 (Ref:817611)

Slightly confusing forms of comments from some about the mono 1000 series. The question is will there be enough cars running in this to make it a good championship. I don't want to get the car and have no other cars in the series running. I'm happy to see some father and son teams as this is what we are hoping to do together. I'm sure I'll be quicker than my son, and he thinks he will be faster than me?

What a great idea to take up within the family.

Any idea how many people will be racing Jedi's in 2004!

Gadgit.