Now this is a Formula Vee!

[blackhole]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFxOgvi49Dk

South Africa Formula Vee

Identification
A Single seater racing car based primarily on Volkswagen components designed to cater for the serious contender's entry into senior motorsport. Accent is on development of driving talent at an affordable price at full National Championship level.

Engine
1400CC standard water-cooled Volkswagen engine as used on the Golf Chico range of vehicles. Limited modifications are permitted such as balancing of all engine components. An identical performance camshaft is used on all cars.

Carburetors
Two side draught Webers 40DCOE on a custom designed manifold.

Gearbox
Standard Volkswagen Type 1 gearbox with controlled ratios.

Front suspension
Standard double beam suspension as used on the Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle and Sedans. Minor modifications allowed to improve performance. Shock absorbers may be mounted inboard with push or pullrod systems.

Rear suspension
Standard Volkswagen Type 1 swing axle system with free modifications on springing and shock absorber layout.

Brakes
Disc brakes front and rear. Components sourced from the Volkswagen Chico range.

Tyres
Hankook Semi Slick Tyres

Chassis
Tubular space frame.

Bodywork
Fibreglass or aluminum panels

Top speed
Approximately 230 km/h

Minimum mass
525kg including car and driver.

If you read the history of South African Formula Vee they got rid of the Air Cooled engine in 1990! And after they changed to the new engine there series thrived.

Maybe change isn't a bad thing.

MY MOUTH IS WATERING!!

[Steve Bamford]

Interesting, but at that point why not just run FF as it would be similar speeds & likely the same expense. I could be way off on the costs to build & maintain something like that so please correct me if I am wrong.

[Matt King]

The suspension and gearbox are exponentially cheaper than an FF.

[Steve Bamford]

The suspension and gearbox are exponentially cheaper than an FF.

ok that helps, anything else? To build any new car you are well over 20 grand aren't you still?

[Matt King]

ok that helps, anything else? To build any new car you are well over 20 grand aren't you still?

You can easily spend $20-30K to build a brand-new US-spec FV, but a new US-spec FF costs at least double that. I have no idea what these SA cars cost.

[AVR_Shane]

Andre Du Preez Sr. (Andre Jr. raced for us in a BRD two years ago, and is racing for us in a Piper in FF this year) raced in this series a little bit when they lived there before they came over to Canada. The first time we had Andre Jr. testing in our car, they brought over one of his buddies that races in the series, who is probably right at the front of the field in that video...he said the biggest notable difference between the cars was the brakes. There is obviously more power in the cars, but the handling isn't much different.

As for the cost difference, I guarantee that they aren't anywhere near the cost of a top Formula Ford. Exactly what it would be, I don't know for sure. Andre will be at the track all year, so feel free to pick his brain about it! One of his friends over there still races in the series and is one of the car manufacturers.

[Steve Bamford]

Sounds like FST. With any form or racing you need to get a bunch of cars/drivers to go in that direction together.

[Rolling Stone]

Australia,UK.South Africa,European F Vees are way ahead of N.America Vees in just about every way its as simple as that!!!you either change or keep driving your dinasour.

[Bill Bonow]

From my understanding, VW of SA picked up the tab on much of the 1400 CC water cooled conversion parts.

I'd bet if VW of A gave a crap about FV...........

[problemchild]

As for the cost difference, I guarantee that they aren't anywhere near the cost of a top Formula Ford. .

Travelling across the Atlantic to race would likely eat up alot of the cost differences.

[grapefarmeral]

Web site says a new car will cost around R100,000. That's about $8700 USD.. even if that's for a roller it's not bad

2013 SA National Formula VEE championship winning car for sale, includes spare rims, spare body work, a full AIM race telemetry system with formula steering wheel, engine has been recently rebuilt. As raced at the final round at zwartkops where it won both heats and set new lap record. The best formula VEE money can buy. Complete bargain not negotiable
R95 000


This is only $8645...

Sounds pretty good to me..

[BLS]

This is only $8645...

Sounds pretty good to me..

Yes, something is weird at those prices. Even if the engine is free, hard to see how one can buy a new prepped car for that price, much less the recent champ car.

[AVR_Shane]

Travelling across the Atlantic to race would likely eat up alot of the cost differences.

I don't think anyone was talking about going there to race the cars...if I know Kevin, he's looking to re-invent Formula 1200 again!

[blackhole]

I don't think anyone was talking about going there to race the cars...if I know Kevin, he's looking to re-invent Formula 1200 again!

Absolutely! By the time i'm done F1 will be calling me up on how to to redesign those "FINGER NOSES" TRANSLATION = "GENTLEMANS SAUSAGE".

To be honest I just posted this because I was bored and I thought those SA Vees were interesting.

Seriously though all I would like to see would be a Rack & Pinion steering (for safety reasons). I'm not asking for much I don't think?

I will be posting a Onboard video from the Mosport July 2013 Race soon. As I finally got around to editing some of the videos. Something to look at is how the cars sway side to side even going in a straight line. That is steering box play. Anyways I hope you enjoy the video regardless. Some good clean racing!! WILL POST LATER TODAY.