Brian et al:
Brian will know my opinion before I write it... we race in the same club
and I'm one of the directors.
Most of the cars in VARAC are to Brian's #1 configuration. We require that
cars be as close to "as manufactured" as possible with required safety
mods.
I disagree that we modify to feel more comfortable racing. We modify to be
more competitive which is a no-win situation as the next guy may have a
bigger wallet/smaller conscience.
My car is thoughly un-competitive being a far too heavy/unadjustable/tall
skinny tired 1958 Canadian special. It's safe enough - good roll-over
protection etc. but can't even be adjusted for camber - as the 1950 Morris
Minor it's built out-of wasn't.
But... it's still probably 50% more horepower than it originally was .
Where we are getting into trouble in Vint. Racing is changing rules or
orginality because of technology i.e. a current discussion we have had about
Mini's... if you want to use the new Hoosier 10" tire (see the comparison
figures below) because it's a 'better racing tire' for cars now making
150hp (yes... one of our club's does). Tough!
Rather than allowing further and further changes to the looks, handling and
spirit of our cars - accept the inherent shortcommings every car had at
birth. The Mini's was 10" tires - my car's was weight and home-built
crudness.
Than's what makes Vintage Racing so much fun.
It's not contemporary racing where the latest/newest/most competitive is
the best.
Sorry for my rambling but, so many of the cars I see at the races just
aren't vintage cars any longer but rather some 'silhouette series'. I really
think a lot of the people in Vintage racing should be off racing GT of some
other contemporary type. Vintage racing isn't here to provide an
inexpensive/easy place to go racing.
Mike Rosen
Shown compared to the Dunlop 500L-10 which is our control tire.
tread width (5.40 compared to 4.50) , lower section height (4.29 to
4.64) , and aspect ratio (64.1% to 58.7%) is over-all 3/4" smaller
diameter(2+" in circumference) and damn close to slick in tread
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