Formula Ford 40th

[Twebb]

There has been much conversation as to what the Elise is like compared to a Formula Ford. Now's your chance to see just about every make of Formula Ford ever made in one place.

Next weekend, at Road America, the SCCA will be holding a 40th anniversary of the FF. It's been 40 years since the FF first raced in the USA with the SCCA.

As of today there are 240 plus FF entries in this event to be spread over 3 race groups including a vintage FF group, a club/regional race group and a national race group. Look to see 100 plus cars in each of the club/regional and national races.

Since this is a standard SCCA weekend, the regular SCCA classes will be racing as well including all the GT, Production, Showroom Stock, Formula Atlantic, Formula Continental, etc.....

It will be quite special to see 100 plus cars heading into turn #1. Hopefully all 100 will exit the other side with all corners attached.

If you make it, please drop by and say hello.

Tim Webb
#24 Swift DB-6

[fishguy]

good luck tim!!!
its going to be an event that is special and one to remember.

[tomrev]

Yep, Elise's are a blast to drive, but no production car comes close to an open wheel for feel. We'll be there this weekend for the KICK with my Supervee; fantastic track!

[dasmoofler]

I drove up this afternoon for the parade of cars. I got there just in time for the sky to open up and pour.

[AlanS]

I was there as a spectator for a couple of days. What an incredible event!

[Lotus-Position]

wow, wish I could have seen that!

I just got my SCCA competition license in an SRF this year. I have been looking at running a FF in vintage (SCCA, SOVREN) and I would love to get some opinions on that: It appears to be one of the lower cost racing options... the cars are reasonable $15-25K, tires last the whole season (at least in vintage) and it doesn't take a huge vehicle to pull car/trailer due to it's light weight. Are these fair assumptions? I sat in a Titan, but I didn't fit (shoulders too broad for it). Sat in a Lotus that fit great. Which model would the FF guys on this forum recommend?

Cheers,
LP

[Alphonse]

Here's a photo of the FF 40th celebration at Hallett. 40 cars signed up, 26 survived the weekend. Being in a pack of a hundred would have been an eye opener for sure!
Happy B-day FF

Al B.
Team L.O.S.T. #13 and #31

here's a link from the Wall Street Journal about FF, enjoy.

Formula Ford Racing for Regular Guys - WSJ.com

[Capo]

Had a chance to run a vintage Titan FF at NJMP track day a few weeks back, and it was great. Super way to enjoy 'relatively' low cost racing thrills. I'm sure Kyle will weigh in shortly!

[fishguy]

Originally Posted by Lotus-Position

wow, wish I could have seen that!

I just got my SCCA competition license in an SRF this year. I have been looking at running a FF in vintage (SCCA, SOVREN) and I would love to get some opinions on that: It appears to be one of the lower cost racing options... the cars are reasonable $15-25K, tires last the whole season (at least in vintage) and it doesn't take a huge vehicle to pull car/trailer due to it's light weight. Are these fair assumptions? I sat in a Titan, but I didn't fit (shoulders too broad for it). Sat in a Lotus that fit great. Which model would the FF guys on this forum recommend?

Cheers,
LP

I am an average sized guy
5'11" 195 lbs, i could just squeeze into my swift DB-1.
I had a titan MK6C, and it was a very big cockpit( if a guy doesnt fit this car, i have no idea what car he could fit, just my experience sitting in lots of different cars). no issues at all for fitting into the car. I have tried on a lotus 51, and there was no way i could get in without destroying the windsheild with my shoulders, i was too broad.

if you are going to run vintage, the titan is the best car to be competive with. a good one cost ~$20K, and a bad will will end up costing you more, by the time you make it good(all these cars are that way).
the crossle 32/35 seem to be the best route, since they have a good sized cockpit, and parts are easy to come by since the manufacturer still makes new parts for them. if I were to get back into vintage racing, either of these would be the car i would get(titan or crossle 32/35), you will not be competitve in the lotus against Titans(which is why i bought the Titan).

I just got out of the class a few months back for a few reasons.

the cost of the pro motors is ~$7K for a rebuild (every 40-50 hours), and the class in (my)SCCA region, and the adjoining regions has diminshed to the point that the only place for me to race was with vintage groups. the issue i had racing with the vintage group was that they do not offer any medical insurance on the driver included in the entry fee(SCCA has a $1M policy for the driver included in the entry fee). that becomes a big deal when you find out you health ins. policy will not cover you on the track.

the dunlop tires used on vintage cars do last a long time. the gearboxes are not cheap if you loose one.

they are great cars to drive, like I said, if you buy one, get one that someone else just finished restoring, and spend the extra $ for a really good one with a fresh motor from a top engine builder. the reason i say this is that the resale value will be much better.
the uprated motor is the one to get, with the new crank in it. those will last.
also make sure that the car comes with lots of gears sets.
if you buy a car, pm me your email address, and i can send you a gearing spreadsheet that is a huge help.


have fun

[Alphonse]

What Fishy says 100%. I'd just like to add, if you want to run vintage, go for the latest model you can afford or find. Technology on these cars took leaps each year. A 70's FF car has it all over a late 68 or 69 model. The older cars can still compete, but to keep them up front takes an awful lot of work, luck, and brass big ones.
Later Lola's are also nice if you can find one. The more you can pay, the better off your chances.
For point of reference, I'm 6'-2" and around 200. We had to widen the upper portion of the nacelle and relocate the pedals for me to fit in the 61.
A friend with a Merlin is slightly larger and he did not have to make any mods.
Point here is that all the cars are different. If you find one and can test sit in it before buying, that would be a plus.

good luck.

Al

[Lotus-Position]

Awesome info guys, thanks much for that! I have friends at work who race (moto GP no less!) and they are covered by our insurance (yes, we have a very nice program), so I think I'm covered there. Not sure what SOVREN offers...

Is it possible to run and be competitive in both vintage and non-vintage FF in SCCA with the same car? Just change tires and ??

Many thanks for the info!
LP

[fishguy]

Originally Posted by Lotus-Position

Is it possible to run and be competitive in both vintage and non-vintage FF in SCCA with the same car? Just change tires and ??

Many thanks for the info!
LP

yes,
smart thinking doing your research before buying.

for this you want to buy a club ford. its basically any formula ford between 1973-1983. when the swift DB-1 was introduced, it basically made all other before it obsolete. if you were not in the swift, you were not going to be competitive due to the mechanical grip, as well as the areodynamics of the car. when i went looking to buy a FF, i thought, why would I buy anything other than the DB-1, unless i was buying newer built cars. even now, a DB-1 in the right hands can run with the new cars being made, it is that good of a design.


that said, my buying the DB-1 was a bit of a mistake in that the SCCA has some nonexistant feilds here in AZ, and many other areas of the country as well.
I see out in socal, they have 1-5 cars running.

the DB-1 is hated by many in the vinatge race groups, due to IT being the reason their cars became outdated, overnight when the DB-1 was released.

if/when i get back into the formula cars, it will be in a crossle 32/35 for the reasons that its a great club ford in scca, and its pretty much the car to have for vintage racing as well, or in a car that has been converted to run the new hondas Fit motors that are being proposed(if it goes through).

the 32/35 can do both vintage and club ford with SCCA and do very well.

some of the other crossle designs are not as good, but from what i see the 32 or the 35 is the one to get, AND as i said earlier, parts are still being made. thats a big deal when choosing a car and keeping it running.

vintage FF =1969-1972
club fords=1973-1983(outboard shocks is the big distinction)
FF= 1984-current

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by fishguy

I am an average sized guy
5'11" 195 lbs, i could just squeeze into my swift DB-1.
I had a titan MK6C, and it was a very big cockpit( if a guy doesnt fit this car, i have no idea what car he could fit, just my experience sitting in lots of different cars). no issues at all for fitting into the car. I have tried on a lotus 51, and there was no way i could get in without destroying the windsheild with my shoulders, i was too broad.

My Club Ford (Royale RP21), is my normal ride. I just started racing a friend's DB1. The Royale seems like a Town Car in comparison. I'm 5'10" 175# and the Swift is tight in the shoulders. The pedal box is tiny and I get black and blue marks on my shins from the shocks but it doesn't matter. When you're on track, you forget all about it. I know people much larger than I who find a way to fit in a Swift; when there's a will, there's a way.

[AlanS]

Here's a few pics from RA:

Titan
Lotus 51 - won the first FF race in the US
The first Swift
Group Shots - I couldn't fit them all in the picture. There were about 250 cars registered.

[fishguy]

Originally Posted by AlanS

My Club Ford (Royale RP21), is my normal ride. I just started racing a friend's DB1. The Royale seems like a Town Car in comparison. I'm 5'10" 175# and the Swift is tight in the shoulders. The pedal box is tiny and I get black and blue marks on my shins from the shocks but it doesn't matter. When you're on track, you forget all about it. I know people much larger than I who find a way to fit in a Swift; when there's a will, there's a way.

Alan, in the case of the swift you are right, you can be determined to get into the thing, once inside you can move what needs to be moved to drive the car well.

one bit of advice as far as those lower shock mounting points up front that hit your shins, I used soccer shin guards from when i was a goalie. I have seen what those do to guys w/o protection and get dinged.
my feet are size 10.5, but anything larger than a size 10 shoe would get caught up on the tubing above the pedals when going from gas to brake rendering the car almost undrivable due to timing the inputs.
1/2 size on the shoes fixed that.

most of these cars are not designed for anyone large, ever notice how small in stature most of the pro formula car drivers over the years have been?

[fishguy]

that titan is the cleanest most beautiful one I have ever seen!!!
Alan, any idea how long it took to line up all of the cars for the picture?

[Lotus-Position]

Nice shots! Just WOW!

Thanks for the excellent information, extremely helpful!

[Houston Lotus]

Nice shots of the Formula Fords, Alan! I always like to watch the FF races at the SCCA events that I race at.

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by fishguy

Alan, in the case of the swift you are right, you can be determined to get into the thing, once inside you can move what needs to be moved to drive the car well.

one bit of advice as far as those lower shock mounting points up front that hit your shins, I used soccer shin guards from when i was a goalie. I have seen what those do to guys w/o protection and get dinged.
my feet are size 10.5, but anything larger than a size 10 shoe would get caught up on the tubing above the pedals when going from gas to brake rendering the car almost undrivable due to timing the inputs.
1/2 size on the shoes fixed that.

most of these cars are not designed for anyone large, ever notice how small in stature most of the pro formula car drivers over the years have been?

Josh, my feet are a litle smaller than yours (9-1/2) so I didn't have any problem with the pedals. I will probably try out some kind of shinguard next time I drive the car.

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by fishguy

that titan is the cleanest most beautiful one I have ever seen!!!
Alan, any idea how long it took to line up all of the cars for the picture?

It was about 15-20 minutes from when the cars queued up in the pit lane entrace to the group shots. They moved some of the front row cars around once or twice. The organizers' cars were originally on the front row, and they later moved the Lotus 51 (first US FF race winner I believe) and the Swift prototype up.