NASA racer

Who around So. Cal should I get in touch with in regards to finding the RIGHT used one? I'm probably going to wait until next year to buy one but know about buying race cars...you need someone really familiar with the make to inspect it and make sure it's not some piece of junk that has been poorly maintained.

??

John/TSR

Hit some races...ask the SRF guys. There probably aren't more than 30-50 of them in CA., and chances are that the guys actively racing them now know who's got what, and can give you "observational histories" - (i.e. "car seemed fast, driver was a slug" or "driver was regular crasher") - on each chassis.

They're not that complicated, and there are no hidden secrets. Take the bodywork off, look for kinked tubing, signs of major chassis repair. Fiberglass body sections will always show repair history, but the best cars & drivers have lots of scarred bodywork. Things to know:

1. How many races on the engine ?
2. Leakdown #'s on the engine ?
3. Last time the transmission was out ?
4. Has the fuel cell been replaced ?

Engines can still be competitive with 30-40+ races on them. Depends on how they were treated and how many times/how high they've been zinged. Good engines will show 3-5% leakdown, but I took one out that was over 12% and didn't notice a lot more power with a fresh engine. Transmissions can suffer from the hamhanded. I lost 2nd gear the first time I raced mine after I bought it...the previous owner was a jackass, I've come to understand...and I've gone 50+ races with no gearbox problems of my own doing. Fuel cells get 'weepy' over time. If it hasn't had a fuel cell in the last 12 years, it's probably time.

Nice goodies that you'll want: Penske shocks - a world of difference from the older Koni's, and well worth the $1800. Spare bodywork...because you'll break lots of bodywork if you're really trying. Butler seat - major improvement over the stock seat. Extra wheels - I like the Shelby wheels - NLA unfortunately, the Welds are lighter and you can buy them new.

Race before you buy...there are always cars available at Regionals and Nat'ls. I rented one of the Sports Renaults before I made the plunge, just to see what it was like.

Let Mark be your guide. He lets everybody drive his cars.

Mark Dalen

That is pretty much true, but I am in the process of selling my SRF so I can't offer it.

Pete, if you see this in time, try to find Mark Balangee when you are at Buttonwillow. He has a shop there (P1 racing - one of the garages at the back) - all the track folks know him. He can give you a bunch of pointers about the cars. He lives very close to the track, so even if he is not there, Warren or someone else from BW can ask him to drop by and chat with you.

Steve Sherwood

Youre kiddin right? Wow.

Mark Dalen

He owns one of the farms on the other side of I-5 and is a racer. I think he was instrumental in getting that piece of property for CalClub. The upside of living there is that he can see what is going on at the track and wanders over when there are especially interesting cars there. The downside of living there is pretty obvlious ;-)