Brian....
Wow, you like to live dangerously - this subject is a real Pandora's
Box.
There are major arguments building up in Australia at present regarding
original cars (with a racing history), cars built right now using
original parts, replicas and pseudo-original cars.
My Morris Oxford has no racing history (nobody else would so eccentric
as to put it on the track) but it has been built to comply with the
Austraian Group Na specs for pre'58 saloon cars. Basically these allow
a "road-improved" state of tune with components commensurate with the
period. The result is fairly close racing amongst groups of compatible
cars. However, having had problems with the original steel wheels, I
would like to see a "control wheel" made of alloy to a standard design.
Also, I would like to fit an LSD, because when we are mixed in with
the later Nb and Nc cars they run rings around us in corners as we
rock/roll/hop/pop through the turns.
There is talk here of distinguishing between original cars, rebuilds,
replicas and pseudos - the logbooks would be marked specially. This
may be good because it would allow all drivers/owners to understand the
provenance of other cars that compete with them. Also, if the cars
carried an identifier near the racing numbers it would help the
spectators to appreciate the variations as well.
Me, I'll refer to myself as Formula Historic Motorsport and just go out
on the track to have fun, but, if you have a "big ticket" original car
with full racing history I can see that you would like to have it
fairly represented.
I don't think that this subject will ever be resolved to the
satisfaction of all parties. The most important thing is to let
everybody express their opinions and avoid some of the personal abuse
that has been seen on this topic here in Australia.
The subject can become particularly sensitive when dealing with pre-war
cars as the knowledge base is declining. Also, many of the Australian
specials of the 50s were modified regularly during their racing outings
at that time, so it may be difficult to define the "standard".
FWIW - One thing I do know is that most of the Eligibility Officers in
Australia are pretty good and are always willing to help competitors
with logbook applications - howver, if you try and go outside the spec,
they will catch up with (and rightly so in my view). You have to build
the car to meet the current rules, but there is nothing to stop a group
of you lobbying for a change in the rules (we are doing this in Na at
present). However, if you don't get your requested changes you have to
stay within the rules, otherwise anarchy will prevail and it will kill
Historic Motorsport in the longer term.
...regards....Andrew Pursey
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