Bobsy Vanguard

[twofoot65]

Hi folks. I have a chance to buy a Bobsy Vanguard minus engine that has been in a shed an hour from my house for the last 20 years. The asking is $1k, minus a logbook. How difficult would it be to get a new logbook so I can run in vintage? Does anyone know more about these cars, and is there a "patron saint" of the brand?

It could use a new front top fiberglass section, surely someone must have pulled a mold or two from a good body.

Thanks

Chris

[Thomas Wirtz]

Keep the top section as close to original as possible and have it repaired at a quality fiberglas shop.
Cheaper in the long run in my opinion.
Best of luck with the purchase and restoration.

[Terry Hanushek]

Chris

The asking is $1k, minus a logbook. How difficult would it be to get a new logbook so I can run in vintage?

If the car originally had a logbook there should be a number stamped in the main hoop of the rollbar (format: xx-yyy where xx was the issuing region and yyy is its serial number within the region). With this number it may be possible to get a tech inspector in your region to reissue a logbook. A major potential problem is that a car which has been sitting for 20+ years is seriously out of date with the current SCCA safety specifications. Tech inspectors may be hesitant to issue/reissue a logbook until the safety systems are current (not a bad thing).

Terry

[FVRacer21]

You can look at the car 2 ways:

As a Formula Vee, the price is probably too high for what you are getting.
As a vintage car, if all the parts are there and it has not been modified, then you are buying the history of the car.

One concern is the frame - if it sat outside and got water in it, and the water froze, the tubes would be bowed out. If this has happened the chassis is virtually worthless, except for taking measurements off. If it has been stored in clean dry space, and you do not see much rust on the chassis you are okay.

This will be a labor of love - and many have taken this path. You will have to take everything apart and clean everything. Good excuse to buy a Harbor Freight glass bead cabinet and an air compressor - paint parts rather than plate them etc.

Not having an engine, or even a core will be a problem - best to find a 1200 out of a junkyard to get all the tin, cooling fan, etc. that way if you buy a regional type engine, you can make it vintage.

When done, you might have something like this:

https://www.conceptcarz.com/z24077/bobsy-vanguard.aspx

Here is more information:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/vi...postorder=desc

ChrisZ

[triumph76]

Or, you could look at the Zink for sale in the classifieds below. You would be closer to hitting the track.
But when it comes to restoring a race car, I don't want to harsh your mellow.

[socaljeff3798]

Contact Ditmar at http://www.quixoteracing.com/
He will give you good advice and can build you a good engine at a fair price. Wont break the bank.

[socaljeff3798]

More thoughts. It would be cheaper to buy a good vintage car. But if you like bringing relics back from the dead and the statisfaction of see a creation to did yourself it can be a very rewarding. I have done it many times with motorcycles and now a vintage Super Vee.
You will not make money well you do if you dont mind working for 10 cents an hour. But that's why we call it a hobby.
You are welcome to contact me for any advice or questions.
my number is 951-317 9307 You can call me any time. I am on the west coast.

Jeff

[Bobsy SR 6]

Chris
I own a Bobsy Sports Racer as the handle implies. The Bobsy Registry can be found at teamterrificracing.net The original builder of the cars is Jerry Mong whom I believe is still alive. His son Ron runs a race car shop in the mid west (email rmong at ee . net) If anyone can help with info and maybe parts it's him .He probably some of the original blue prints
Good luck!
Tom

[twofoot65]

Thank you all for your input.

I agree the asking price is too high, I was thinking more like 500 bucks. I have resurrected an FV previously, a '67 Beach 5C, so this is not totally virgin territory for me. I kind of dig the idea of bringing a car left for dead back to the track. There are some *very* nice vintage cars up for sale, especially the Autodynamics, but they are a bit spendy for me right now.

I had planned on checking out the car later this week and taking it from there. If I get into any real trouble with the rebuild, Steve Pastore's shop is literally 10 minutes from my house, so he can rescue me. LOL

Chris

[Ed Womer]

It looks like an Autodynamic to me since that was my first vee. If the tranny and front beam are in good shape they would be worth that much but $500 would be better or even pay me to take it away!


Ed

[ken holley]

Hi Chris, that definitely is a Bobsy Vanguard body. Pictures of the chassis would help.
It appears that the red fiberglass gas tank is still in. It is located driver left. Not something
you would want to use, but great historical piece. I've had a Bobsy Vanguard for about 30
years and am just finishing assembly. The very early chassis had no forward bracing.

Regards, Ken

[twofoot65]

Hi Chris, that definitely is a Bobsy Vanguard body. Pictures of the chassis would help.
It appears that the red fiberglass gas tank is still in. It is located driver left. Not something
you would want to use, but great historical piece. I've had a Bobsy Vanguard for about 30
years and am just finishing assembly. The very early chassis had no forward bracing.

Regards, Ken

My Beach 5c had the rare and highly questionable fiberglass "seat as a fuel tank". So very cool...

C.

[David Fillman]

It looks like an Autodynamic to me since that was my first vee. If the tranny and front beam are in good shape they would be worth that much but $500 would be better or even pay me to take it away!


Ed

Hi Ed,

I had been looking for a tail and complete side panels for my 1965 Bobsy Vanguard for over 20 years. This car turned up with a tail and unmolested side panels to boot. Most of the Vanguard side panels got chopped because it is difficult to adjust the valves with the side panels on. Taking the side panels off is a project because the rear suspension arms go through the side panels. I purchased the car and trailer, drug it home and used the trailer the next day to haul my other Vanguard to an autocross a few weeks ago. The Vanguard frame appears to be straight and solid. 3 of the Michelin X radials hold air. A local VDub nut has offered me more for the splitcase transaxle than I paid for the car. The splitcase input shaft spins and I can shift it through the gears. The trailer tows excellent. I have already robbed some parts to upgrade my other Vanguard. The front beam appears to be solid also. I switched to the wider Vanguard because I got too fat to fit into my 1968 Bobsy Vega. Getting old sucks!!!

[Keith Lawrence]

It's easy to get a logbook with us - https://vrgonline.org/log-books/

Also come race with us in our 2nd year of our VeeRG FV Series - https://vrgonline.org/veerg/

Most people have hit right on it with cost and effort into getting the car track ready.
You can pick up a car complete for under $5,000 but it would likely need work. You will need a race prepped FV engine but this can be had for under $1K, you don't need a top of the line race engine (upwards of $5K) for your first few years. Its takes time to get quick and it's not just the car or engine.

You will need to budget about $8,000 to have a racer ready mid-pack car bu tit will hold it's value and you can have a blast for years racing it in vintage all over the country.


Keith Lawrence
1975 Caldwell D-13
1968 Zink Z5

[David Fillman]

I have been racing Formula Vee since 1983 and already have 2 Bobsy Vees and a ton of of spare parts. I bought this one for the fiberglass and the trailer.