Following our 1965 Mustang vintage racer project and want to do some old-school racing yourself? Maybe this 1964 Corvette from Fantasy Junction is what you're looking for.
For only $65,000, this Corvette is a turnkey race car that needs very little to be competitive on track. Case in…
Little bit older and cheaper but this is one that I was looking at. et you could get it in the mid 50's and it would take about 7-9k to get it back up to speed and racing
In reply to wearymicrobe :
There is something so right about the way that looks.
So resident cheap-ass here. Both of those cars are super cool but 40-50K less you can get something like this.
You aren't going to run that car in SVRA Group 6 here in the East with "400hp" and be anywhere near the front of the field. You would be ~50% shy of the front runners!
Encouraging people to start vintage racing with a big bore car, unless they are experienced racers, is just a bad idea. Too much horsepower, a lot of testosterone in the big bore groups, more risk. Formula Ford is a great way to go, as someone suggested, though less margin for error in open wheel cars, or you can readily buy an MGB, a Triumph and many other small and medium bore cars for $20k or less. Less hazard, good place to learn, cheaper tires and just about everything else.
Someone should let the newbies know what the whole picture is. So you've got a car, now you need a trailer and something to tow it with. Can't tow a corvette and suitable trailer with that mid-size SUV. Driver's suit, helmet, gloves, shoes, hans, another $2k easy. Tools, spares, just tires for that corvette may cost you $1500 for a couple of weekends. I figure every weekend I race my Triumph GT6 is $1500 for entry fees, travel/gas, race gas, motel, food and I haven't even touched the car. The car costs me another $3-$10k a year, depending on whether it's an engine rebuild year and what else breaks. Oh, and hundreds of hours at home in the garage to race six weekends a year.
OK, so I'm not complaining, just being realistic. I love it, live, live, live for those weekends, for the racing, for the friends, love most of my garage time - it's just the best thing ever (though by the tenth time you rebuild your brake calipers, the novelty has worn off). However, it requires commitment. If you don't commit and prepare, you get to the track, your car breaks, or you are one of those drivers that races once a year in a slow car and is, frankly, a hazard.
OK, off my soapbox now.
In reply to philacarguy :
The tag line didn't really say they were encouraging a newbie to jump into a big bore. Given a large percentage of GRM & CM folks have track experience I don't think they were suggesting these were newbie cars. My first reaction was the same as your but I don't think that was intended.
As for cheap cars; whether it's the Datsun or the F500 my total costs (including amortizing tires and maintenance) is $1000 for a local event and $1200 for an out of town event.
After 36 years the Datsun represents a 9K investment and I've got $5,200 in the F500. I tow with a 30 year old van (7K to date) and a trailer that's an $800 investment (including the price of new tires). I don't know of anyone going vintage racing cheaper than I am but frankly it would make very good reading.
Far to often I post "that's way to expensive" but GRM & CM point out what is realistic for most folks.
Buy the car, race for a year, and sell the car.
What did that year cost you, including fees and travel?
In reply to Datsun310Guy :
If you've picked wisely the car will appreciate and you probably raced for little or nothing.
For someone, yes.
If I had it$$$$$$ I'd do it in a HeartBeat ...no regrets......also it would be on display...... somewhere in the 'main house'......just sayin'
Datsun310Guy said:Buy the car, race for a year, and sell the car.
What did that year cost you, including fees and travel?
That thing would run you 15-20k in fees and tires and support and everything else to run for a full year even if you were doing the wrenching.
Peter Egan wrote a chapter in his book about big block Corvette racers versus AH Sprite racers at Road America.
The 'Vette guys burn through a set of tires for qualifying and the Sprite guys run the same set all season. It's hilarious.
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