Off to Sydney for the Sports 1300 Nationals

[F|sh]

Nope, never needed one before.
But we're likely to be using a rubber uni-joint to it, to cushion the blow for next time.
(And I reckon I'm getting better at taking good photos now, too)

just need to resize them.

cheers another thing to add to the list.

replace unijoints and rebalance tailshaft

[fro]

Let's be brutally honest.

Circuit racing is on its last legs.

Club level road registered stuff is all that is in reach for the VAST majority of people these days. I mean, $1500 helmets and throwing harnesses out every second year, event entry pushing $1000 for a total of an hour on the circuit.

I think the targa style road registered events are the only amateur motorsport that will exist in ten years time.

/depressing man.

Targa style TRE's, where you don't actually get to drive flat-out 'cause your cars safety isn't up to scratch? Or the flat-out Special Stage tarmac stuff, where you need the same things you do for circuit racing?

Either way, the entry fees are still well over $1500 even for the cheapest of them.

[Billzilla]

It didn't twist much before breaking? I've seen splines almost twist completely round before breaking on other vehicles, is the material a bit brittle?

It's near where it was welded-up to shorten it, so it'l likely to be a bit brittle there perhaps.
We'll have to shorten another main shaft just like that one though, so wew'll see if we can do it better next time.

[Fatboy]

Let's be brutally honest.

Circuit racing is on its last legs.

Club level road registered stuff is all that is in reach for the VAST majority of people these days. I mean, $1500 helmets and throwing harnesses out every second year, event entry pushing $1000 for a total of an hour on the circuit.

I think the targa style road registered events are the only amateur motorsport that will exist in ten years time.

/depressing man.

Just saw this post, and thought i'd comment...

Targa stuff is probably more expensive than State level motorsport, so i'm not sure where you got that idea Muz ?? As for club level, i take it you mean supersprints and the like ??

I sold the RX-7 for a couple of reasons -

a) I couldn't just do supersprints, track days etc. Whilst heaps cheaper it's like shitting in your undies - it gets the job done but it just doesn't feel right.

b) Cost. Not of actual racing, but developing the car. I started from scratch and spent say 50k. (Car development only, not costs of racing) Enough to run Top 5, not enough to win. Add another 20 to 30k i reckon and i'd have a race winning car. (Whether the driver could keep up is open for debate !! :p ) If you bought a well set up and reliable car (no small task) and were content to run at the same speed and position at each round it might be "affordable".

c) Cost. Racing. $350 entry fees, $150 odd for garaging (try changing gearboxes in the paddock when it's raining to see why i always paid for one), $200 to $300 in fuel, accomodation for Goulburn rounds, $1100 for a set of tyres (needed every 2nd round if you are serious), $550 in brake pads (might do a season if you're lucky), $ 200 fresh oils & plugs every round, etc etc. And that's if you don't break anything or have panel damage.

I budgeted $2k per meeting and probably spent that and more year in year out. Each year there are 6 state rounds plus the day / nighter or Nationals (Nationals = big travelling expenses) and 15k per year + damage is not unreasonable. And that's if you can do your own mechanical work...

Work out how many dollars you need to earn to make 15k net just to spend on motorsport and it becomes an expensive exercise. It was ok when i was single but thesedays i just couldn't justify the expense, simple as that... Over 3 seasons and a one off meet in '06 total outlay would be over 100k. For what, a chance to come 4th or 5th, maybe jag a win at a soft field meeting such as the day nighter or multi club events ??

That's why i sold up and bought the kart. I can tear up the track pretty much any day of the week for less than $50. A set of tyres is $200. You can't use more than $5 worth of fuel in a day. Bang for buck it's hard to beat, even if you want to race the entry fee is a grand total of $75.

State level motorsport won't die anytime soon, as there will always be blokes like me who could afford to do it for a few years (4 in my case) then give up due to cost. But if interest rates and house prices etc continue to rise i can see the fields shrinking. It's not easy on the pocket to do a full season that's for sure, and most years the fields are smaller for the last round or two as guys run out of cash...

I personally have "the bug" but won't bother for a few years. Whilst i'm hanging to do an LS1 powered IPRA VK or VS it just won't happen for at least a few years. Maybe when the house is payed off i'll have enough spare coin to give it a real go (i don't race to come 2nd, anyone that does is kidding themselves) but until then, i'll just dream and stick to the little rotax kart. It ain't real racing but at least the money spent is beer money compared to the real stuff...

[EfiOz]

I think the targa style road registered events are the only amateur motorsport that will exist in ten years time.

/depressing man.

Targa style events will end up heavily restricted. The powers that be are already very nervous about the alarming speed of the front runners and the potential for some very big offs.

Insurance will kill it long before ten years is up.

[BigMuz]

Wow I posted that 6 weeks ago!

I know exactly what you mean Fatboy. I wasn't being a killjoy (this time :D) but it is getting to a point where it is just not attractive for most blokes to run a circuit race car.

You'll enjoy the kart, but you'll end up racing for sure because a dozen laps on your own is a buzz, but being amongst other blokes is where it is at. Then to be competitive you need to spend silly dollars- guys I know spend thousands to race juniors competitively, 10 different axles, three sets of different wheels, spare chassis, laser chassis guages.... It's easy to get carried away!

I always thoght speedway had the right idea- sell it as a show and let the punters pay for everything- those guys get a lot of their racing subsidised and free entry fees etc. Ya have to be a certain type of person though...

[BigMuz]

It didn't twist much before breaking? I've seen splines almost twist completely round before breaking on other vehicles, is the material a bit brittle?

I reckon that looks about right- it didn't shear until it had deformed a fair bit. When you see shafts that twist all the way round first that means they were way too soft imho.

PS I had a discussion with some bloke about this stuff on here a couple years ago and he got the shits and never came back.. Meggalas mate.

http://www.performanceforums.com/for...php?t=67191993

[Fatboy]

Wow I posted that 6 weeks ago!

Yeah sorry mate, i'm getting a bit slow in my old age...

I know exactly what you mean Fatboy. I wasn't being a killjoy (this time :D) but it is getting to a point where it is just not attractive for most blokes to run a circuit race car.

I'd like to think i earn a pretty tidy wage, and my mortgage isn't huge compared to most of my mates. But it's got me farked how some people afford it though, it's just not feasible unless you are on well over 100k or have your own business i guess ??

You'll enjoy the kart, but you'll end up racing for sure because a dozen laps on your own is a buzz, but being amongst other blokes is where it is at. Then to be competitive you need to spend silly dollars- guys I know spend thousands to race juniors competitively, 10 different axles, three sets of different wheels, spare chassis, laser chassis guages.... It's easy to get carried away!

The plan is that we'll end up with four mates out running around together, two of us now have karts and two others are looking for one now that i've got mine. I think it's more a case of some mates with some spare time looking for some cheap fun and a stress release... :p

But yeah, once i get down to the right weight (10kgs to go !!) and get a handle on steering a kart (i've never actually owned one, and have only driven cheap hire karts maybe half a dozen times) i'm pretty sure i'll have a run with the racers just to see if i can go alright...

I always thoght speedway had the right idea- sell it as a show and let the punters pay for everything- those guys get a lot of their racing subsidised and free entry fees etc. Ya have to be a certain type of person though...

I looked at speedway too Muz, the only class without a decent outlay was "Street Stocks". They look like fun but after meeting a few of the racers they are indeed a special breed. I perhaps need a few extra fingers or toes to run in that crowd... :D

[BigMuz]

Ya just gotta love the punch on on the infield after every race!

[10sec rx7]

The plan is that we'll end up with four mates out running around together, two of us now have karts and two others are looking for one now that i've got mine. I think it's more a case of some mates with some spare time looking for some cheap fun and a stress release... :p

dude my neighbour has a gold kart, 125cc rotax with about 15 hours on it, heap of spares, slicks and wets, couple of sets of wheels, wakefield gears (something like 125km/h!!) stand etc etc, digital lap timer/temp/basic logger etc new axle, brakes etc

fat yunt seat that i fit into ok,

if they are interested give me a call, should get it all for well under $4k id reckon, its in smick nick, hasnt been used for a few years,

[Fatboy]

Might give you a buzz in the morning then Dale ??

BTW - rang you last week and you didn't answer slacko... :p
Have a new mobile number though so i guess you're not a mind reader... :D

[10sec rx7]

last week was holidays dude,

call me in the morning if i dont answer leave a message and ill call you back,

from memory it is a 38mm chassis as well, with a 40mm axle, good for bigger guys like us!

[Motorsportlady]

I reckon that looks about right- it didn't shear until it had deformed a fair bit. When you see shafts that twist all the way round first that means they were way too soft imho.

Thanks Muz .......I can remember seeing some wild breaks while scrutineering a couple of years ago.......and someone else debating with another on the additional compounds necessary for the best materials etc.


Karting sounds like an idea, although I guess to be competitive in class you would spend just as much as a Formula Libra or Club Car, anyone have any ideas on comparison costs? (Someone told me a while back that they rebuilt their Rotax after every two meets', while it was usual to give a club car an engine freshen once a year?)

[10sec rx7]

(Someone told me a while back that they rebuilt their Rotax after every two meets', while it was usual to give a club car an engine freshen once a year?)

rotax recomends inspect at 25 hours, freshen up at 50 hours, freshen up is usually just a new ring and maybe some bearings, last quote we have had was less than $1000!

[Dave]

I looked at speedway too Muz, the only class without a decent outlay was "Street Stocks". They look like fun but after meeting a few of the racers they are indeed a special breed. I perhaps need a few extra fingers or toes to run in that crowd... :D

AMCAs are pretty cheap, they should update them with a faster engine tho, an asthmatic 253 doesn't exactly make for super interesting racing

I was in the middle of building a v8 dirt modified when we decided to have a kid, there was no way it was going to feasible on my wage at the time to even run around in the midfield.