FRom an F mod. driver that began in a Honda Civic......
F mod. is more fun, is a "real Race car" and much simplier when it
breaks, you load it on the trailer and pull it home. While stock car,
you may hve a problem getting home, unless you trailer the "stock car."
Mod car does require some mechanical skills, and regular time in the
garage, that is at least one night a week during solo season, and many
days over the winter preparing for the next year. If you do not like to
work on cars, then do not try to just show up and drive a mod car, it
will not be dependable without constant care. If money is not a limit,
then perhaps you can pay someone else to care for it, but neglected mod
cars are the worst.
Mod. car can be competitive for more years at less cost per year, as it
will not be bouncing around various classes as they do with stock cars.
Stock cars and special tires have developed such that they need special
rubber just like mod cars. ONe new set of tires a year, is a minimum to
be competitive, then nationally competitive means two or three depending
on number of events, and wanting fresh new for Sept. and Kansas.
Changing from one car to another, can be a very limiting situation, as
you ay need time to adjust to the characteristics of the car to be
quick.
Mod cars do not give you as much seat time as stock cars, that you drive
on the street, thus may take many more events to adjust to the mod car.
(My humble opinion) Mod cars in bad weather are the pits! Driving in
the rain is not usually fun, especially in cold weather.
The final decision is up to the owner/driver. I strongly prefer mod
cars due to the real race car feel, but I also generally refuse to run
in the rain or cold weather, and I enjoy working in the garage, as it
need constantly cleaned, every winter needs planned updates to keep
competitive. It is much easier to load and unload from a trailer, than
to be changing tires on a stock car, when you arrive, run, then changing
tires to go home, and struggling with how to haul the spare tires, parts
etc., and still run the stock car. Sometimes it is based upon what your
wife will permit!!!
I have run solos since 1965.......I found that mod cars are a more
stable longer term investment, but less flexible when having the
untimate top car is the need, then trading stock cars every few years is
an easier way to stay on top.
OK, how is that for 25 plus years of wisdom and coming fram a garage
wall of several hundred trophies?
Larry from Indiana....#66 solo vee and #6 formula vee for solo One.
( History of running Honda civic, Tr-4A, Spitfire, Honda 600, GT6, 84
CRX, 90 CRX,Jabro sports racer, Quantum Saab FC, Zink C4 solo vee,
Albatros FV)
Dave Young wrote:
>
> 1). Chuck Voboril (AZ Region) has run his Zinc 440 twice at Nationals...
> National Champion in 1996, 2nd (out by 0.3 sec) in 2000 (beaten by a very fast
> Solo-Vee).
> 2). Why would you want to drive the HS if you've got an E-ticket/F-ticket
> ride? ;-)
> 3). Check with Chuck.. I would expect cost/run to be favorable with other
> faster classes (tire expense presumably dominates)
> 4). Depends on how well you drive.. see #1
> 5). I dunno.. Chuck certainly seems to have a good time with his car, though!
>
> Dave Young
>
> HEYWARD WAGNER wrote:
>
> > I got to drive a F mod 440 that is for sale yesterday and now I am doing
> > some real soul searching. "If it doesn't shift gears, I don't want to race
> > it" has been replaced with "Holy sh*t that was fun!" With the news that
> > the Stock class proposal is on hold I can still run the Civic In HS at pros
> > and I *could* run the FMod car at national tours and Solo 1 events.
> >
> > here is the description of the car:
> > 1986 Zink Z-19. New clutches, New Hoosier R-25's, New RacePak electronic
> > guages, electric start, ORIGINAL FIBERGLASS BODY! Great paint, (red/white)
> > polished wheels, Rejetted, 4:1 gearing and ready for Solo II. Spare tires,
> > and belts.
> >
> > So here are some questions for the experts:
> > 1) Can this car be a contender?
> >
> > 2) How damaging to my driving would it be to drive both cars in one season?
> >
> > 3) How expensive, and what does it entail to run a 440 in F mod (tires,
> > rebuild, clutches, belts)?
> >
> > 4) Can a 440 be a competitive car in F mod, or would I need a 500?
> >
> > 5) Am I crazy?
|