haha and you thought "Learn me" died on the old board !!! 
Lately I have been rather taken by the idea of using a formula vee car for autoX / Track Day / eventual racday I have been underwelmed by the web resources I have dug up with my pathetic google skills. Anyone know of an interesting formula vee site?
Not off hand, but wouldn't one of these be more fun anyway?
yes it probably would but it seems like you can find old formula vee cars for ridiculously cheap prices. A while back I saw on craigslist two "roller" chassies for about 3k -- 1600cc vw engines are cheap. I bet you could put one together for challenge money...
I don't think you you could with the F500's besides the F500's have CVTs...
Check your trackday rules. 90% say no race cars and I've only been out with one group that allowed open wheel cars....
I've seen this, too, but they'll let the Super Sevens run, sometimes without fenders. I wonder whether a trip to the local Farm & Fleet could yield a set of trailer fenders that could help you skirt the rules.
Track days are going to be hard in any open-wheeler (or even a closed wheel sports racer). However, you could get a race license and do practice days. And a FV wouldn't be much fun with powerful street cars - too slow on the straights, too fast in the corners - you'd be stuck in traffic a lot.
As for the FV - they are neat little cars. I've wanted one for ages, but don't have the budget to race one properly. You can find basket cases and rollers dirt cheap, and if you just want a toy, that's a fine idea. Light enough to tow behind just about anything, small enough you might fit it in the garage (on a small trailer), easy on consumables, and a fairly well documented set-up.
FV use a 1200cc variant of the VW engine. Solo Vee allows a 1600cc engine. Tire/wheels rules vary, and probably some other minor stuff.
As a (former) organizer of HPDE type events with a group in the northeast, allow me to suggest that for a beginning track driver ANY single seat car is wrong, wrong, wrong.
Most groups are going to be reluctant to put you out with any group of sedans (which are prevalent in non-race situations) because of the size differential and the fact that in a small, low car you are essentially invisible.
In essence, it's going to make it hard to get valuable seat time without going directly to a race setting because very few groups want to mix 2000 lb. + sedans with sub 1000 lb. open wheel cars. Having done this both ways - right into race with no on-track experience first, and a few years later after a lay-off from driving, having done several years of Time Trials before moving on to racing, the latter approach is better.
FV is a blast (been there, done that, had a D13) but a better intro to track days is going to be a more conventional car. It's a shame, because a FV is probably way cheaper to run and maintain. The track time just isn't there in HPDE terms.
F500 is too loud for most track days / autocrosses as well. They run wayy over 90 db.
One of the local clubs does allow open wheel cars so on their trackdays, so I am ok there.
Edit: hmm wreckerboy makes a good point dang it
I am mostly interested in Solo Vee, since I don't really have the funds for a real wheel to wheel racing effort.
As I understand it formula Vee runs the 1200cc eninges and formual first uses the 1600cc engines. It seems like formula first is more similar to the solo vee configuration than the formula vee cars are.
One of the concernes I would have if I were getting in Formula Vee racing is that it seems like the rules are going to forced to be changed soon: The 1200cc engines are apparently drying up (not cheap anymore) and they still use old vw drum brakes with shoes that are apperently growing more and more expensive with each passing year. The formula first cars seem to adress these two areas pretty well by going to the 1600cc motors and specifying disk brakes.
I have heard the process of converting a FV car to a F1st car is fairly painless but I would love to see an online build or conversion log documenting it.
www.formulavee.org is the biggest site out there.
Ive got a decent solo prepped car for sale in NJ depending on what you are looking for.
yes that seems to be the hub of FV activity, though I was hoping that somewhere out there on the system of tubes that makes up the internets I could find a sweet online blog kinda like keith's locost page with lots of pics and other assorted car pron for me to drool over while wasting time at work ;)
I guess I am going to have to get a FV and start writting the web page that I want to read...
NJ is a bit far and I and still in the "study"; phase of infatuation (I am not quite to the "buy" phase) I may find that the answer is really is miata instead...
Sadly no, there is very little on the interwebs. I feel your frustration. I think alot of it stems from a) alot of the FV roadracers are a bit pre-interenet b) the competition is so close very few people want to publish what they are doing.
A user on here, bbsgarage, has a nice build journal of his recovery of an old FV. He hangs out mostly in off topic but hunt him down and check out his site.
The answer is always miata ;)
I found the SR Racing site, and their info booklet, to be pretty helpful.
If/when I get a garage, I'm likely going to sell the kart and get a Vee.
Years ago I looked at an old Formula V that was used up but dirt cheap. There's definitely attraction for a cheap open-wheel race car.
However...
Safety is a major issue. I've been on track (in a street car) with formula cars and they truly are invisible. Since they are radically faster in the corners you're going to want to make a pass under braking but I think sooner or later you're going to get run over. Not to be negative or harsh, but I mean really run right over on top of you with minimal protection for your head. A formula car disappears right under the mirrors of a production car. Beware.
Also, while an Indy car has a ton of impact-reduction technology in it, a Formula V does not. If you get into a wall you have much less protection. The only serious injury I've witnessed in years was a Formula V and they driver pretty much destroyed both legs. Walking was doubtful even with 25 surgeries and years of rehab. Beware.
Formula cars are more difficult to drive. If you are a novice track driver, expect lots more spins in any formula car. It's not just the mid-engine but also the lack of weight on the front wheels. Low weight means tires can last a long time, but when they age out the cars get spooky.
I don't know where you are, but roofs, windshields with wipers, and heaters can be awfully handy even in a track car.
Formula cars are cool and a Formula V is cheap and sexy. Formula First is even better. But a stock Miata would make a way better "school car."
Good luck!
When I went to the Skip Barber school, we were in formula cars, chasing instructors in Neons around the track. It seemed like we were looking up at the Neon's tail pipes.
You simply don't want to be on the track at the same time as a full bodied car when you're in a Formula anything.
Looks like it would be fun for autocross though.
I remember being on track in the FV at WGI with a bunch of Legends cars. We even looked up at them. The funny thing was that the Legends guys were so used to being the smallest things on track that they all had their mirrors adjusted slightly upwards as a matter of course and weren't used to looking down for the Vees.
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