Holy Moly

[Purple Frog]

On Bring-a-Trailer a few minutes ago somebody pain $19,687 (out the door) for a '97 VD. Without ever going and looking at it.

[rockbeau25]

Whoever got that one in Montreal got a steal.

[Adriancnh]

Not even a clean example...

[Bardahl77]

Yeah, but if the AMB transponder is an old no-subscription version, it's worth it's weight in gold!

[cjahn]

On Bring-a-Trailer a few minutes ago somebody pain $19,687 (out the door) for a '97 VD. Without ever going and looking at it.

Like many things at BAT it went from 5k to 20k in the last day of the auction too...

[helipilot04]

I guess I know where to post the Van Diemen when I decide to sell her!... BAT gets more visibility and more $$ for almost everything.

[Purple Frog]

I was working with a friend who was willing to pay fair market value. It did have a current tech. (a plus)
Then in the last 5 minutes it got crazy. He bailed.

[Rick Kirchner]

So for regionals and vintage, isn't this the car to have (if you fit)?

You get the universal uprights

Shocks are on top in the front for easy access

Shocks in the back don't require all that mickey-mouse bracing of the earlier cars

Uses the late model suspension

Late model wheelbase and track

And the engine bay isn't a floppy noodle.

[Purple Frog]

In either FC or FF they are very competitive at regional races. In Majors it depends on who shows up. At the Runoffs not so much.
Limitation is if you are 6' and over 180, you probably won't fit. Cockpit is tight and about 3" shorter than 2008 and up.
Track is narrower than late model cars.

[alangbaker]

I'm just amused that the ad kept referring to the "The 2.0-liter Ford Kent" engine...

[Rick Kirchner]

Limitation is if you are 6' and over 180, you probably won't fit. Cockpit is tight and about 3" shorter than 2008 and up. Track is narrower than late model cars.

I was aware they were tight in the shoulders. Are they shorter from main hoop to front bulkhead than 90-96's? Now i'm gonna have to compare Art's and mine.

Wide track updates from later cars don't bolt up?

[teamwisconsin]

I was aware they were tight in the shoulders. Are they shorter from main hoop to front bulkhead than 90-96's? Now i'm gonna have to compare Art's and mine.

Wide track updates from later cars don't bolt up?

Not any shorter in the leg area than the early cars. Just tight in the cockpit area. The shift linkage really encroaches on your leg, and will leave you black and blue by the end of a race weekend, BUT it is the best feeling shift linkage of any Van Diemen, by far.

They use an aluminum bell housing with the same dims as the mag bell housing from the late model VD’s so the rear suspension can bolt right up, I would usually change the rear beam for a late model beam as it has the same dims as the 97 but the rod ends are horizontal instead of vertical so it makes the rear upper easier to install and puts less of a awkward load on the rod end. But the front pickup points are different; stock geometry has a bit more anti dive than the rest of the VD’s (early or late). Late model rockers bolt on in all positions though.

97’s are the best. Chassis stiffness is unrivaled; I’d think it’s substantially better than the late model cars with bolt on rear engine bays.

[BrianT1]

Is there a buyer and seller fee on BAT? Just curious what the final total would be for the car after that. I agree thought that was good money for that car which is good.

Brian

[Speed Sport Engineering]

Reading through the comments on the BAT add it sounds like it included a whole spare chassis and parts, so it may not have been as overly priced as we're making it out to be.

[John Nesbitt]

Is there a buyer and seller fee on BAT? Just curious what the final total would be for the car after that. I agree thought that was good money for that car which is good.

Brian

BAT charges a 5% buyer fee, capped at $5000.

[Joefisherff]

Buyer fee is 5%