Stan: What about Duratec 1600?
Stan:
As you know, last year I wrote the Comp Board with a recommendation to consider revitalizing the class by enabling a current and more attractive drivetrain that is already being used in new chassis in the UK and (I think) Australia. This is a Ford engine and is an automotive engine & it can also run a lot of miles with low maintenance & is (I think) a decent candidate for updating existing chassis. The goal was to attract more new blood to the class with a modern drivetrain (which might also include a newer type gearbox as well) and encourage new manufacture of chassis here and abroad. Since this combo is already out there, shouldn't it be a part of a discussion like this?
Does the MC powertrain become the only way?
jg
MC engines have big problems too!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
S Lathrop
Bill;
The advantage of the bike engines is that they offer great performace for low bucks. F600 and F1000 will suffer from the annual engine upgrade. If engines have a 2 year service life, then compared to the current FF and FC Pinto you will be money ahead. Also we are running the MC engines stock unlike DSR.
Before everyone gets too excited about the MC engines, may I make a suggestion. Find someone that raced shifter karts 4 or 5 years ago and ask them about the class. Shifter karting is very big in the United States and a few years ago it was on fire just after it's introduction. The class got going using Motocross engines (Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, TM, etc....)Everyone could buy a new crate or used junkyard engine and go racing for very cheap and they ran forever. However, after a year or two as the class became more popular and more competitive and people began to play, what started out as a $1500.00 durable fun engine, became a $7500.00 time bomb requiring daily rebuilds. Not to mention every year the Asian motocross companies came out with a new and more powerful engine. So even if SCCA found a way to stop blueprinting (I am on the SM comitee and that is not likely) there would still be the problem of the engine of the year club.
BTW, the US karting scene has since dumped MC engines.
Food for thought,
Tony
clutchless downshift with MC transmission
QED, without drama or broken / bent parts.
Cheers,
Rennie
Let's not put a granade in the engine bay
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stan Clayton
Folks who like the F-600 option have to realize that like the Kent, 600cc m/c engines will have to be stressed to within an inch of their lives to be competitive. Conversely, restricted modern 4-valve 1600cc auto engines would be well within their design parameters at 115 hp, and so, like the Zetec in FC, could be expected to last many seasons of racing with minimal drama.
Stan
Selecting a power-plant that needs to be highly stressed (Or is difficult to obtain long term) is something we want to steer away from. That's why I'm leaning towards a restricted 1000 MC Power-plant or an automotive alternative. I just see additional economies in FD & FB sharing power-plants. Some ebay searching shows the difference in price of a 600 and 1000 being less then $1,000. In the scheme of things, that is a small difference, especially since the 1000 won't have to be tuned to the edge and should last longer before needing to be rebuilt/replaced.
Just another new class!!!!
I think Charles Warner is right!!! most drivers want to race with other drivers!! In a class they can afford?? I FOR ONE THINK WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY CLASSES AS IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The SCCA is a CLUB and as a club , YOU have to find a place or create your own place in that club!! I have tried to help (by donating my time) the Great Lakes FC/CFC Series get going for the lower income guys so they can have fast cars AND someone to race with!!You can go about as fast as it gets in the SCCA for under $20,000. Right NOW you can buy a car(FF2000) ON THIS WEB SITE FOR UNDER $10,000.and a fresh engine should last 2 seasons.You are NOT going to find ANYONE willing to build a new car at a LOSS !! and that is what it would take to build a road racing formula D(600what ever) for UNDER $20,000.Right now our Regions are dropping formula and sports racers from a lot of weekends because the numbers!! They are really only having to drop one group,maybe 2 groups at best!! As for the new car? A well prepped formula ford or FF2000 can look as new as they come !!Right now on this site you can buy a FF OR FC/CFC for under $12,000!!!THAT IS WELL UNDER $20,000!!!!!
We would ALL love to race new cars!!!!
Lee A. Jordan
http://www.metroevents.com/jordaneng/index.htm
What did you start racing in?
Who here started racing, kart, motorcycle, boat, whatever..., in a new set up? I started with a used kart. The entry level is not, nor has it been, a new vehicle, unless you were willing to spend major dollars.
john