The quote that someone made..."If you want to race these cars you have to
love these cars" rings very true to me..Loving my race car, even if I cannot
use it for a while is part of the wonderful process of being involved with
our terrific sport..When the car breaks..that too is part of the
process..These cars..be they loaded with racing history or built from a
street Triumph are an indication of passion..For instance..How FOT is so
great at helping new racers..The comradry is beautiful
We are lucky people!
Racer Bud Spitfire #21
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Babcock" <ponobill@gmail.com>
To: "Bobby Whitehead" <igofaster@att.net>
Cc: "FoT Triumph" <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2012 8:58 AM
Subject: Re: [Fot] Racing a Triumph
> I've stayed out of this discussion, in part because I don't have a dog in
> this
> fight (I use a dog box inside a TR6 case) and partly because I'm a
> consistent
> proponent of vintage racing organizations understanding that the days of
> people running "real" vintage cars are over or dying fast, and if we don't
> want to see ever-shrinking grids it's time for a new idea.
>
> When I started racing vintage there were all kinds of exotic cars, many in
> the
> hands of ordinary mortals. People with dogs, kids and a job owned some
> very
> celebrated cars that they had bought for next to nothing. Vintage racing
> turned those cars into multi-million dollar icons and they all passed into
> the
> hands of collectors, who only race them at the most prestigious events.
> When
> is the last time you saw a Ferrari TR or even a Maserati 300 at a club
> level
> event?
>
> Making racing ridiculously expensive in order to preserve the authenticity
> of
> cars that never raced before seems more than a bit counterproductive. I'm
> in
> favor of a well thought out list of permitted modifications that allow
> cars to
> have greater performance AND greater reliability which should equal less
> expense. I don't really get why brake system modifications that were
> leading
> edge 30 years ago are prohibited. I'd kind of like it if when I stepped on
> my
> brakes they did something.
>
> I don't know that I'd bother with a five speed, Peyote works fine as it
> is,
> but it seems obvious that more modern transmissions should be allowed. You
> can
> buy them at junkyards. They last a long time.
>
> On Oct 12, 2012, at 8:23 AM, Bobby Whitehead <igofaster@att.net> wrote:
>
>> I think if you want to race these cars you have to love these cars. And,
> when
>> you mix emotion with the costs, you really have to love the opportunity
>> to
> be at
>> speed in these cars.
>> The elixir that runs through your soul when the stars aline and you've
> really
>> hit a peak in matching the driving experience and the connection between
>> you
> and
>> your car is toxic.
>> Modified in the spirit of vintage racing should be the thought.
>> Safety should be the #1 modification the cars have leeway with as far as
>> sanctioning rules.
>> Reliability modifications should be the #2 modification, modern gearboxes
> for
>> example.
>> Performance should be the last modification that pushes the thought of
> variance
>> to vintage spirit.
>>
>> I think all of us want to have fun with the cars and as I begin my third
> rebuild
>> in 3 years I think I have a grasp of what it takes to try to run
>> vintage...
>> Personally I had my build booklet upfront when I joined CVAR here in
>> Texas.
> The
>> car I purchased was built with a Toyota T50 gearbox and that was the way
>> I
>> presented it. CVAR 'allowed' me to run 2-3 events with the idea I would
>> put
> a
>> Triumph gearbox in the car. I had what I think most of us agree, Quantum
>> Mechanics build me a gearbox which lasted about 2 weekends... I was
> warrantied
>> with Quantum which I thought was awesome another gearbox with a modified
>> J
> type
>> overdrive which also lasted about 4 events... warrantied again by Quantum
> with
>> exchange I had a TR6 gearbox built with close ratio gear set from
>> England...
> in
>> the mean time I put the T50 back in the car and along with about $4000 in
>> receipts went back to CVAR and said,,, you know,,, I tried to run like
>> you
>> wanted me to but if you want to to run consistently as a customer, I'm
>> going
> to
>> run the T50.... no problem.
>> I know the MG guys are having a tough time with 50 year old gearboxes and
> their
>> sources gone... SOMETHING is going to have to change if these cars are
>> going
> to
>> continue to run.
>> Personally, I don't see anything wrong with slotted brakes, four caliper
>> pistons, roll cages, Hans devices, and other safety or reliability
> efforts...
>> the racing organizations are businesses at the end of the day... those
>> who
> are
>> not flexible in business willing to modify will not survive in any
>> business
>> format... IMHO....
>>
>> Bobby Whitehead
>>
>> on the hunt... again.....
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>>
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