Have to agree with Jim on this issue. The fact is that we are racing
these old cars. In vintage racing, how hard you race is entirely your
choice. When you race any car, the engine and other parts get stressed,
worn, even fail on occasion. Rebuilding motors and other parts is
inescapable. It is not always possible to rebuild with ORIGINAL, 1950's or
1960's parts. (Jarl will have no respect for me or my car.)
Personally, I prefer to use as many original parts as I can. Where I
can't get an original part, I want to approximate as close as possible the
hot set-up that would have been used during the car's competitive period.
I have some advantages in that my car was designed with a motor that was
very advanced for its time. The Honda S800 motor features a roller-bearing
crankshaft with stock rods that can easily handle 11,000+ rpm. The only
modern technology in our motors is electronic ignition and synthetic oil.
All other parts are either 1960's stock or 1960's spec.
The other side of the argument is that some lines have to be drawn. I
am not in favor of vintage racing turning into a 'silhouette' series. I have
seen some wild parts on supposedly 'vintage' cars. (vented discs w/ Wilwood
calipers on a 356, 5-speed webster gearbox in a production car) These are
improvements that never have been allowed by any rules that I have seen and
were not available when these cars were raced.
Some have said that this string is a dead horse. I disagree as this is
an issue that will remain relevant as long as we are racing these old cars
and rebuilding these old motors.
Doug Meis - Team Escargot "Rub shoulders, not fenders"
1967 Honda S800 Coupe
"If you haven't ever been just a little bit scared, you're not going fast
enough!"
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