blueosprey90

Buy or build?
Who posted that link for the Honda S800 race car? You really screwed me up! I almost made an offer on that car and now am seriously considering buying this car.
MGA
But I've never done a track day or otherwise been on a track except once to help flag. Nor do I have the fireproof racing suit, nor the necessary helmet to protect my noggin. And probably I will need to buy a trailer to haul this around. And Lime Rock has vintage racing only on the 2 or 3 weekends that I like go to Upstate, so it will conflict with boating and hiking. And I will have to go to driver's school. And the car maybe needs a clutch so I'll have to pull the engine (which I've never done) and re-learn other 1960's technology that I long ago forgot. And I probably won't be able to test drive the car so if it has other problems I won't know until it's too late (like when I'm in the wall at the first turn). And my wife tells me that people who have mortgages can't afford race cars. And since this will set me back about $20,000 just to get to the starting grid, she's absolutely right! And maybe I'll find that I don't have the nerve to do a 1:17 lap since I'm a geezer anyway.

So why have I spent the last three months being pulled - strongly- to buy a car that I can use on the track? Why not just get my kicks by taking the S to a track day? I think it's because I'm on the downward slide of life and afraid that I won't have the opportunity much longer. And then again, I probably feel more comfortable working on a car from the 1960's.

So before I fall off the cliff and into the abyss, tell me that I shouldn't do this. Thanks.

A 2

^^ Jeff - if you will regret not doing this for the rest of your life, then I think you should do it.

Upstate has several track/AutoX guru's that can guide you as far as track days and track experience is concerned. Besides you are a great driver (I have followed you on drives and know it for a fact)

Everyone has real world problems, what will make you extra-ordinary is to live life the way you choose inspite of a mortgage and sundry other things. My 2 cents

AllWorldLax

Sorry, I was the one who posted the link. I check that site all the time for new listings, its where my father found his 1972 GRD Formula 3 car.

My Dad had been doing drivers schools for 6 years while he was still working. He loved it but he was really enthralled with vintage racing. When he retired in 2003 he took the plunge and bought the F3 car despite the fact that the only time he had driven an open wheel car had been two days at a skip barber school.

He took on the process of learning to drive the car as well as learning to race. He is 62 now and he has gotten faster and more comfortable in the car with each passing year. I know that he loves the people who race with him and he enjoys weekends at the track more than any other part of his retirement. He chose to follow his dream and I know he is truly happy every time he dons his racing suit and shoe-horns himself into the car.

Now the bad part. We already had an F-350 and an enclosed car trailer from doing track days with the M3, but nothing like the things we would need to support a formula car. The first year my Dad was racing the car, the motor blew and he found out the hard way that (at least for formula cars) even if you blow the motor early in the season, the engine builder isn't going to be able to get around to your motor until the off season. The easy solution? Buy a second motor so if you blow one the other is ready to drop in the car.

All the extra parts and all the maintenance, plus entry fees and normal stuff like tires turned out to be more money than my father anticipated, so after two years of retirement he went back to work. Not because he was broke, but because he now had an addiction He knew that the car would continue to be extremely expensive to operate. However cars like the MGA/MGB/TR-6 are much less expensive to maintain then formula cars or sports racers.

Ultimately I think if you are feeling such a strong desire to do it that you would have a blast and vintage racing would be a wonderful and unique experience for you.

Triple-H

My 2¢ - I would not go vintage racing without having several years of driving school experience under your belt.

Triple-H

There are plenty of schools that will take a virtually stock S, you should experience a school environment before making such a financial and time consuming commitment to a vintage racecar.

If after some schools you decide you do indeed want to do this, trust me, there will always be appropriate cars coming onto the market.

Triple-H

That's just my opinion, I would hate to see someone crash a vintage racecar simply because of a silly little newbie error.

blueosprey90

Thanks for the sobering advice. Well, the VSCCA will make me go to a driver's school, but I am told it has more to do with mindset and etiquette than with driving technique. And they would probably start me out at the back of the pack in the slowest (preservation) class at first, which I think I can handle. That class seems to do a lap time of about 1:20 and hits 90 or 100 on the straight at Lime Rock. I agree, I wouldn't want to be in the higher classes, where the speeds are higher and the MGAs are drifting.

A 2

^^ wow! a 1:20 is fast....saying this not having any knowledge of the length of lime rock park

blueosprey90

Aashish, the Lime Rock track is 1.53 miles. When they do Formula 1, I think they go around in about 68 seconds, and that's with a chicane added in.
So I don't think a 1.20 lap is all that fast. The guys racing vintage in the higher classes are on the edge, however.

Looks like your the only one who "supports" this idea.

Headchef

Jeff, don't go into the wall yet- I haven't had a chance to meet you!