Steven, you've never heard of a overstock sale? I hear them all the time... I don't believe Jim is building cars anymore, the last few F500's he got were QRE's, and I know Q will sell a roller for around that price.... CR
Steven Dodd <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: So Jim, with the below proposal in mind, can you build me a 15k roller (tubeframe) with 13 inch wheels, swaybar etc. I would need to spend the extra 400 bucks for a 1 litre motor vs 600 and a couple of grand for wings but you may have just proposed the worlds most economical F1000. Sign me up! Seriously can you do it that cheap? I don't mind racing two classes. In sales and marketing a positive spin usually works better than the blues. When we start braggin about beating Fords more than worrying that a bunch of kids aren't jumping in our class, we may see some growth. In my professional life, I wouldn't dream of telling a customer I haven't sold any XYZ product. I would emphasize the positives and let the sales follow. Ford & Gm never go "hey sales are in the crapper, C'mon down and lets make a deal". Regarding what Spec is doing right- SCCA enterprizes and SEXY ads. Sex sells. Put a female SAE mastertech that looks like Hennesey in front of our cars and you may see some orders. Steven >In regards to the survivial and growth of the F500 class some major changes >have to occur. I agree it should be a 600cc motorcycle engine with 6 speed >sequential gearbox. I agree with Jack Walbran that the dyno work should be >done so as the speed performance is in line with where we are now with the >493/494 if not a little stronger. Clints 493 is running down top run off >Fords in a straight line. I would also like to see a spec shock spring and >I >would take Jacks suggestion one step further and allow 13" wheels. This >would >bring the Goodyear compounds back into play. The cars need to look larger >to >be more appealing to bring in new drivers, and some of us are growing >sideways >and need some more room. All of the larger Formula cars, FSCCA , F1000, FC >are >all in the $50,000.00 range. We need a car that is not much more than what >we >are paying now with no wings as an affordable entry level car and still be >the >best bang for the buck. Our Invaders were over $20,000.00. Of the 7 Mike >sold, 6 were to us. 5 are for sale now and I am not getting any calls which >is >why we are having this discussion. There is no interest from new drivers. >There was a lot of talk on Apex concerning the F1000 because the cost >immediately went too high and eliminated lots of prospective buyers thus >the >need for an affordable wingless formula car. Our present manufacturers >without >too many changes could make these changes and do it affordable. A 600cc >Honda >will fit in the Invader with only changing the rear shock location. 13" >wheels >and tires are only 1 or 2 inches more in overall circumference to our 19" >tire. > >Having been active in this class since 1989, even though it is the biggest >bang >for the buck, it has not drawn enough new participants to keep the class >alive >and the reasons for that, as I stated above, the cars are a little too >small, >you cannot shift them and they are extremely high maintenance vehicles. We >work on them constantly while at the track. I have been asked thousands of >times, why are you guys always working on your cars? A massed produced >motorcycle engine, transmission chain drive to a solid axle would make it a >lot >less tedious during the weekends, maybe we would even make it to the social >for >a cold one. > >Going along the F1000 rules, any 600cc motorcycle engine can be used in >stock >configuration with limited modifications, to the oil pan for clearance >purposes >and an open air intake system. I agree the dry sump system is the best but >I >presently have a Dsports with a modified oil pan for wet sump and he has >run >it >for 2 years with no problem and just received brand new Stohr F1000 with a >Billet oil pan wet sump also. > >Right now you can only buy Formula Vee or Formula 500 for under $20,000.00. >Formula Fords are over $30,000.00 and we go faster than most of them and >then >you jump up to the $50,000.00 range. If we could get a car as fast as the >top >F500 guys are running, which is faster than most of the Fords this packaged >with a low cost mass produced motorcycle motor, the option of a paddle >shifter and no CVT to work on you would attract a lot of newcomers who >cannot >afford $50,000.00 for what is available now. > >Projecting out a few years I see only these Formula Classes at the runoffs, >Formula Vee, this new class F5/6?, F1000, Formula SCCA, FC and FA. Without >some major changes you will be racing against 1, 2 possibly 3 other guys at >regional events only. I have always been a strong supporter of this class >but >there is no fun in it when you are only racing one other person. At our >first >2 winter nationals we had 3 starters at Sebring and 4 starters at >Homestead. >These numbers speak for themselves. At our first regional at Sebring there >were only 3 F500s, 2 of which were Dolphins. The 3 F500s out qualified the >Spec Racers but they split started them because there were 45 of them so >they >put us in the back with the 6 Formula Vees. The spec racers are doing >something right. These cars are over $30,000.00 and are a lot slower than >ours >but continue to attract new people. All they do is gas and go all weekend. >For $30,000.00 I would rather be driving an F600. And by the way, the young >driver who works with us , Matt Strand, did pass all 45 of the Spec Racers >to >get the overall win in just his second race. > >As for advertising we have advertised heavily in print as well as e >magazine >s >and got little response from the karters. They were not interested in F500 >once they turned 16. If they could afford it they went into wings and >things >not 500s. All this being said does not end what is presently in place. If >those who want to run what we have now 493/494 CVT thats ok too, but lets >try >something new. The present package only appeals to a few. We need to >attract >new drivers. And remember, nothing changes if nothing changes. > >P.S. Check out www.formulajedi.com its a F600 class in the U.K. > >Jim Elder >Dolphin Motorsports --------------------------------- 8:00? 8:25? 8:40? Find a flick in no time with theYahoo! Search movie showtime shortcut. ________________________________ FormulaCar Magazine - A Proud Supporter of Formula 500 The Official Publication of Junior Formula Car Racing Subscribe Today! www.formulacarmag.com or 519-624-2003 _________________________________ _______________________________________________ F500 mailing list - [email protected] To unsubscribe or change options please visit: http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500 *** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
