Banshee. Flip, drive or cut-up???

Here we go again!!! Another project that will sit for years in a corner or end up hanging from the ceiling. I have issues in that I have a problem saying "NO" to an unwanted project. They are like puppies and I feel I need to rescue all of them and put a roof over their heads. 
 

A few weeks back I get a call from a friend asking if I would be interested in a formula car. NO, I replied. He tells be about it and I am familiar with the class of car, it is a Formula Banshee built by AJ Pugliese and the guys at RCCA/FRCCA. He tells me that he will sell it without the engine and transaxle so I can put a motorcycle drivetrain in it. NO, I replied again. He told me that I was the first one he contacted because he knows that I've been collecting pieces and parts for a MC powered project and this would work great for what I had talked about. OK, I asked how much? The price was right, but I truly don't need another project, especially since I just bought a new building and haven't even unpacked most of my junk/crap yet. He told me that "IF" I commit to buying it, he would store it for a few weeks because he wanted to get it running. It would be easier to keep the engine and trans in the car, with all of the wiring, get it running and then he could sell the motor as a "running" unit. I agreed, I'm still not sure why, but I did. 
 

I decided to take a trip to his house, take a look at the car and pay him for it. When I got there, it was better than I had expected, which is unusual for most projects I come across. He was struggling to get the car to run, so I rolled up my sleeves and dug in. There was no spark, so we pulled the distributor, swapped the cap/rotor/points/condenser and VOILA! It fired, sort-of revs and sits there idling. It needs the points and timing set, but bottom-line, the motor runs.

We get talking a bit about his timeline to pull the motor/trans and he seemed less than motivated. I asked how much if we keep the car "as-is" and I pay him for the engine and trans. We agree to a price and I would get the car complete delivered to my shop. OH JOY!!!!

So, now that it arrived, I need to sit back, look at it a bunch, ponder the possibilities and formulate a long-term plan.

- Rebuild it as-is and go drive it? It's only 110-115hp, but at under 1000#, should be fun at an auto-x or hillclimb.

- Build a BIG VW engine(2276cc) to somewhere near 200hp, build a transaxle to handle the power and have LOTS of fun at an AX or hillclimb.

- Swap a Subaru engine/transaxle in the chassis, get reliable horsepower. Horsepower, whether N/A or turbocharged will depend on overall budget.

- Cut the frame and fit it under the 3/4-scale Porsche 956/962 body that I have sitting on a shelf. 

- Sell it to someone who "needs" it more than I do.

With the pandemic basically shutting down most motorsports for this season, there is no real urgency to do anything with it, so It will just sit here and wait for a decision to be made on its ultimate fate.

Looks like a fun little thing.  It's probably a blast as is.  115HP/1000lbs is entertaining, sounds close to FF specs.   I wouldn't cut it up.  Wonder if it has a home in Vintage W2W.  What year is it?

If you decide to go Subaru power I have a Kenedy adapter setup that I could probably let go for reasonable money.  

But seems like going through the AC VW engine and getting it running as is is the best option.  Get it on the track and then if you don't like it sell it for a decent profit (Depending on how much your into it for).  

Nice little play toy

The rear antiroll bar looks weird with the links being at such an angle. I wonder how well it works.

That thing is damn cool.

Want!!!!!

I LOVE old formula cars. Always wanted to make one street legal....

I've read that there are a few running AX in the northeast. I'm not an autocrosser, or at least haven't been in 35 years, but this might be an inexpensive way to go play in a parking lot again. 

I looked at them a little before getting my F500. They are a very unique kind of car in that they were built to competitively run with vintage formula fords for cheaper running costs. The achieve their objectives well, its just that they dont have the value of the formula ford because they dont have as many places to run. 

My information may be wrong, but I think the only series allowing them is FRCCA and all other groups would put it in a catch-all class where you arent likely to be competitive.  This is very value limiting. I havent gone to any FRCCA events, but they sound like a fun group to run with and this is one of the cheapest ways to get out there...

Options I would consider

• Keep it "stock" and either run it or sell it for cheap.  It IS a bullseye for a cheap running racecar.
  • Autox classing may not put it in CM, but you can run whatever class it sticks in and do your own PAX calcs based on CM, which is where the performance of this car is targeted...  
  • FRCCA sounds like a fun group (I am thinking about checking them out with the F500)
• Beef it up for fun in BM or AM autocross / PHA hillclimb specials class.
  • Subaru power would need rads which likely means sidepods, which is doable. 
  • Big Bug or Turbo Bug power has possibilities
  • Add aero?

I mean, it could be the basis of a fun running AM car with more power added. (it would never be bigtime competitive, but a good car for someone who wants to go fast and doesnt care about competitive as much)

In reply to Apexcarver :

Sidepods would be sick on that thing

Mr_Asa said:

In reply to Apexcarver :

Sidepods would be sick on that thing

Subaru turbo power with sidepods and wings...  

Building a 200hp VW motor that will take racing is out of the question if you want to do it for less then 10K so I would nix that. How much did you pay and how close to California are you?

Is it weird that I would put lights/mirrors on it and try to drive that on the street?

Very far from CA, here in the beautiful Pocono mountains of Northeast PA. 

That looks like a blast. I'd do what ever is easiest to have fun. 

Looks like a 1L MC engine would adapt easily and help even out the weight distribution. Conservative 180-ish hp, plenny nuff to get your jollies on track once or twice a month.

Is this SCCA legal?

I soo badly want that. I wonder if I could even fit in it. 

fasted58 said:

Looks like a 1L MC engine would adapt easily and help even out the weight distribution. Conservative 180-ish hp, plenny nuff to get your jollies on track once or twice a month.

Is this SCCA legal?

I'm likely to have 3 1000cc suzukis and a PILE of parts for sale cheap very soon. OP if you're interested let me know - of course I would post the for sale thread in the parts for sale section too. 

The only thing to do with this is to run it with FRCCA. They are nearby to you, and are basically Al Pugliese's legacy, although there has been some club politics between them. It is not strong enough to raise the power level, and nowhere else has a class for it. I have seen them run, but do not know weather they work well. 

OK gang, this thing has been sitting in the same spot in the shop since it arrived. I've been working at the house and around the property for the last few months trying to get a bunch of projects done before the weather closes in and I haven't even been to the new building/garage/shop.  Once I do get back to the shop, I have to prioritize my work and I realistically know that this Banshee is WAY down the list of projects to be worked on. It will be years of tripping over it unless I lift it up and hang it from the ceiling which isn't going to happen. At this point, I'm going to advertise it and let someone else have fun with it. Look for the classified ad.