Road/hillclimb 60's saloon? Update, car now bought!

[milts]

Hi

I have no idea if this is suitable or of interest to you.

Zetec powered Minor  Please PM for details.     Edit: Doh, just re read your post your partner not interested in Morris Minors 

[ettorebugatti]

Look here for inspiration:
www.classichillclimb.com/

Beware of the classes and what is allowed tyre wise (MSA list 1A or 1B). Also keep in mind that as a starter you will have a B license, which kinda limits your modifications/ which classes you can run. But that's only for the first year.

Standard 10 might be an idea too. They take a Spitfire engine, don't they? Rear live axle is probably a bonus of the later swing axle of a Herald/ Vitesse.



MG Magnette is perhaps out of budget, but a very stylish way too go fast. Plenty MGA and MGB go-faster goodies that could work on them too.

[GT4ME]

Thanks for the further suggestions guys, erring towards something smaller like A40/Imp etc purely for reasons of space to work on it in the garage.

Anyone got any costs?

Standard and solid A40 or imp ;

Tune engine for a bit more performance.
Sensible brake and suspension mods
Sensible wheel/tyre upgrade.

[scimjim]

Costs are variable depending on class and how fast you want to go as I said before.

Things to think about:

Car
Tyres
Mandatory mods (depends on class from catch tank and some yellow tape to harness and full roll cage)
PPE (suit, helmet, gloves - shoes are advised but not mandatory, as are flame retardant undergarments, Hans in some classes)
Entry fees (work on £100 per event, some less, some more) - different championships have different numbers of events to qualify or you can just do a few for fun.
MSA non-race national B licence (around £40 IIRC)

Voluntary mods (suspension, wheels, brakes, seat, fuel tank, etc, etc)

Tow vehicle and trailer unless you drive to events (in which case add fuel and decent recovery option)

[ettorebugatti]

I would invest the first year in the driver.

Get your gear (helmet, suit etc) and do some driver schools on the venues you want to run.
This gives the biggest time gain possible and increase safety.
Also the improved skill will enable to get the most from future mods.

Mods wise, I would keep an eagle eye on E-bay for bargains.

Both Imp and A40 can made pretty quick.
They can have more than 110bhp coming from a proper engine builder (£££££!!!).
You can reduce their weight with GRP parts, trimmed interior (check reg) and lexan windows.
Sticky tyres (Yoko A048/ Kumho V70 175/60R13 on 13x6J alloys) wont be a problem as upgrading the brakes (discs, braided lines, pads and fluid)

Not an A40, but this Midget is quick. Not too fancy on the suspension (good tyres though), but a strong engine (I recon north of 120hp) and a GPO axle.


And an Imp not hanging about.

[hopeso]

What ever you decide on, keep to the common stuff like Ford's or MG. Prices for parts are reasonable and plenty available.
Some years ago I bought a Ford Anglia 105e and built a rally car. It cost a fortune, but was great fun. I sprinted and hill climbed in it as well as tarmac rallies.
It is cheaper and quicker to buy a completed car and improve it as funds allow.

[ianperry3112]

Oct 6, 2016 17:56:34 GMT GT4ME said:

Oct 6, 2016 17:51:06 GMT MiataMark said:

Don't know but if you add up, suspension, engine, safety equipment, seats, wheels/tyres etc and any restoration work needed may not be far off. If you're competing you'll need to use FIA spec parts.

Thanks Mark, that's really the point of my thread. To get an idea of a realistic cost to get something like the linked A40 up to quick enough spec to be fun and not feel like a slow old thing.
I wouldn't be circuit racing at the Goodowod revival or anything like that, just taking part on amateur hillclimbs etc so not sure about the FIA approved bit.

[ianperry3112]

Damn, damn, damn, I was going to say pretty much everything that Paulthewall and Scimjim said!

If I was starting hillclimbs and sprints again and looking for an historic, I'd have a look at the various championships to find which one did the events and venues I wanted to go to, and what invited clubs and championships there were (and what the championship regulations allow you to do), and try to match up a car, club and championship to the events I want to do.

You do get the odd elderly car running in the generic roadgoing class - I have regularly come up against an AH Sprite for example - but mostly you see them running in owners' club championship classes where (a.) the competition is fierce, (b.) there is usually a lot of friendship and banter, and (c.) most importantly, you can find advice and help if you have a problem.

I personally would probably go for a Spitfire, but that's just because I love the flip front. And I'd drive it to/from each venue with the top down and wearing a flying helmet and stick-on handlebar moustache.

Oh, and in club (National B) speed events (hillclimbs, sprints and drag racing) the only thing that needs FIA homologation is the race suit (FIA 8856-2000 or 1986 Standard). Gloves must comply with ISO 6940. Helmet has to comply with FIA 8860 or SNELL SA2005 or later and have an MSA approval sticker, but most scrutineers will have a sheet of them at scrutineering and will label a new (suitable!) helmet there and then. The MSA Blue Book (as per Scimjim's link above) has everything in nauseating detail.

Let us know how you get on...

[GT4ME]

Thanks for all the good advice guys.

[GT4ME]

Thought I would post a bit of an update here as its been a while.
Ended up going pretty much against what I originally set out to look for, after viewing a couple of 60's cars within my budget it quickly became apparent that a load more money would need to be spent to get them to a suitable level to be enjoyable in a competitive situation.
Started looking at slightly more modern stuff, considered MX5's/MG tf's/mini's etc but whilst idly trawling Gumtree a couple of weeks ago this little beasty popped up less than half an hour from me. My wife pointed out its probably the closest car I've ever bought.
2 hours later and it was on my drive, the owner kindly offering to drive it back to mine on the day as I'd payed his full asking price.

It's a Clio sport 172 Cup, which means it's 80kg lighter than a standard 172 with No air con or ABS. Needless to say, it drives like a big Go kart.
110k miles and from a long term mature owner used as a 3rd weekend car only, totally standard and unmodified from new.

Hoping to enter it in 2 or 3 events as a taster this year with a view to an entry in the full hillclimb championship in 2018.

Anyway, enough talking, here's a photo.

[slater]

Good. Now never post that thing on RETRO rides again ;-)

[GT4ME]

[generallee]

I still think of that sort of stuff as "nearly new"... 15 years old!! I would love to read about how you get on. )

[jpr1977]

I had one of these from new as a 'infill' company car for a few months, great little go-cart but terrible for any journey for more than a hour...

I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun hillclimbing it.

[RetroWarwicK]

source some 15's....better selection of track orientated tyres.

[ChasR]

Those Clios are superb. Probably the closest thing to the original 205 GTi but with more creature comforts and being alot safer.

I look forward to see how you get on. They really have a great jack of all trades.

[GT4ME]

Quick update, 2 hillclimbs under my belt and had a fab time both weekends. Tried to focus on just improving my own times as a beginner rather than looking at what anyone else was doing. Certainly plenty of similar cars to compare myself to, though mine seems to be the most stock, most of the others having been lightened to within an inch of the road going rules.
Good practice anyway for an entry into the Hillclimb championship proper in 2018.

Few photos

Forrestburn in August.



Doune in September.