Another "what is it?"

[stonebridge20]

Another WTF is it thread for ya !

Found on a local Facebook market place add.

The description is ....1970 Formula Vee. Unknown make. Not street legal. $4,200

These are the only pictures posted of this gem.

Ok Vee experts, what is it and is it worth anything?

[Daryl DeArman]

Not a vintage FV expert. . . but I'm thinking RCA. Never mind, I'm thinking not.

[t walgamuth]

I have no clue what brand it is. It does look like a perfectly usable race car though. It looks like it might be pretty inexpensive to put in service.

[Lynn]

It is probably a McKnight built in San Diego by John McKnight.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/fo.../158351/page1/

[EricP]

Although it doesn’t make much sense in an air cooled car, I dig the open front early Formula car look.

[problemchild]

Although it doesn’t make much sense in an air cooled car, I dig the open front early Formula car look.

Driver AC?

Note that the owner of the car was respectful of the rules and extended the bodywork so that the exhaust/bodywork relationship was legal. How old-school is that?

[Dietmar]

I too think it is a McKnight.
Sent John ( McKnight) an e-mail regarding the car.
Will post what I find out.

Dietmar
Quixote Racing

[Dietmar]

Definitely a McKnight according to the builder.
Sold as a Bandito or FiberKit.

Dietmar

[stonebridge20]

Does it have any value?

I know ZERO about FV.

[Stumpthumper]

Does it have any value?

I know ZERO about FV.

I looked at that car. The owner is a nice guy and really wants it gone. I think it has a bone stock engine in it and it's set up for vintage. No log book but there was a hole drilled in the frame at one point to test thickness. I saw no numbers stamped on the rollhoop.

[pacratt]

Does it have any value?

I know ZERO about FV.

Most definitely. A log book ALWAYS adds value, but this baby would be accepted in most vintage organizations and vintage Vees are selling better than current-era these days.
Glenn

[british cars toby]

Definitely a McKnight according to the builder.
Sold as a Bandito or FiberKit.

Dietmar

Do you have the contact info for Mr Mcknight? I ended up purchasing it and wondered if he had any additional info.
Cheers
Toby

[Dietmar]

Send an e-mail directly to me and I will forward your address to him.
Dietmar
fvraceri@cox.net

[Keith Lawrence]

Reviving an old thread, as this McKnight FV has found its way to Pittsburgh and I'm helping a friend try to get it ready for the 60th in June at PittRace.

Anyone have any photos or info on the steering setup? Pictures attached are as it sits currently but the bars look to be too low and would interfere with driver's legs.

I'm going to dig into the car over the next week so any help is appreciated.
Will also look to replace the spring style curved steering shaft with straight shafts and u-joints.

Keith Lawrence
McMurray PA
1968 Zink Z5
1975 Caldwell D-13
1979 Caldwell D-13S (Chassis #1 factory car)

[BLS]

That may be the wackiest steering setup of all time...

IF that was actually used, then I suspect the driver was short enough that his legs were close to the floor and under the tierods.

There have been other cars where the driver legs are under the tierod, but none that I can recall with tierods that low.

[veedriver17]

Anyone have any photos or info on the steering setup? Pictures attached are as it sits currently but the bars look to be too low and would interfere with driver's legs.

WOW, it looks like they might be cutting the tie rod to get the driver out in the right (or wrong) kind of wreck! So, you get a little more tie rod height when the driver's weight is on the suspension, but then you're still sticking your legs UNDER the tie rod? Then, if the front is at full droop, how much leg room is left?

Broken tib/fib aside, that's a great looking body!

I wonder if a Citation/Zink Z-12 setup would work?

[problemchild]

That style steering was a clever design to reduce bump steer, and compensate for the offset steering box. Early Adams used this setup before evolving to an even better design.

When FVs are "thrown together" to "get out the door" often spacers and hardware gets tossed. It is very possible that shimming up the tie rod arms (I have seen as long as 2" spacers used) will allow for reasonable room to get legs underneath.

Without being completely irresponsible, that long small OD aluminum tie-rod is much more likely to just bend than injure the driver. I have run numerous cars where my ankles went under the steering rods. My extra safety feature was that I would run a piece of chain from the top of the steering box to the lower chassis bulkhead, which discouraged the box from rotating down in a crash, usually sliding horizontally instead. This design looks like it has other structure which may keep the box in place in a crash.

Before abandoning the steering, I would encourage the owner to get a big bag of washers and some longer bolts, and spend some time trying to figure it out. Once you get a workable setup, you can get proper hardware and spacers. Somebody, who was clever, came up with this configuration. It worked once!