Class 5 only

[Wendell #527]

Wendell, are you really selling your car? Are you done racing all-together? Hope not!!

I'm still nursing my back back to health---3x a week to the chiropractor to adjust, excerise it and then get on the back stretching machine. I think I grow about an inch on that machine every time I do it, but then I shrink back in the next two days. I don't like some of the stuff Wheezy says, but he's always been a good guy. After looking at the x-rays he posted I feel like a Phoosy for even whining about mine. Anyway, I am going to race in the Baja 1000 and then sell it. I used to love the comraderie this class had. With all this crapola that part of it is gone. AJ is a good guy, too, but I don't think those arms should be allowed, nor should water cooled motors be allowed IMO. I do like the idea of more entries, and us type IVs should have an advantage.....for a while. Then the rules will change to make it "fair" to the water cooled guys. The class will be dead at point as far as I'm concerned. I'll maybe race the old Raceco in some Vintage races once or twice a year with my son, but no more class 5.

[SPONSOR]

Membership in the largest desert racing community has its advantages - Participate in Forum Discussions - Send and Receive Private Messages - Maintain Public Photo Albums - Access to Groups - User Profile in our Social Network - Increased Access to more Sub Forums - Reduced Online Advertisements Join our community today

[JRV 511]

Motors and arms are getting their voice heard. This is so cool.

164 pages and climbing on the lack of entry class has done a good thing.... Tempers have flared, Wheezy threatened to not post for a few months, attitudes have changed,
compromise and understanding took it's place. I'm in on change, improvement, growth and communication amongst the mass of those that love the class.
Going about change with respect of all concerned is so very important.
Everyone involved are not here online.... Baja has a bunch of cars too, and their owners are not here.
Many others in the U.S. are not here as well. I like the idea of a committee getting together, making a proposal and getting word out to every owner that can be found.
That is IF there is to be a change to the existing class. Otherwise, a completely new class is in order... and that can be whatever it wants to be.

Tom , we mentioned the other day that we need to have some 5 car owners take the lead a help organize this effort and I said that we need to have some from both sides of the fence on the rules issue . I know that we haven't agreed on much but thats the point , we need to bring both sides together and revive this class as much as we can , If it gets any worse there won't be any cars racing , would you be interested in helping us out ? I would imagine that most of this stuff can be handled by E-mail

[JRV 511]

Just what desert racing needs, "a completley
new class."

I know what your saying , but there are still a few that just won't have it any other way

[blkbomber]

Im looking for the year vw that didnt come with beam bushings??? Was that the 68? I looked in the owners manual and didnt see anything about the model that had the arms rotate behind the beam. Let me check my vw for idiots guide. Nope, not in that one either. Double shear a beam, triple shear it, add plating, remove plating, add length to the arms ok, but what part of "vw concept" includes add uniballs and change rotating concept?

In just glad that with this ultra loose interpretation of the rules my new motor has 4 pistons and oill and a block!

The concept is a beam and trailing arm. The rules are plain as day from my point of view. The foddrill arms arent exactly vw arms either. Same as in the rear of the car. Everyone has had two options for all these years and was forced to eat it. Now there is a new option..

[blkbomber]

AJ- How wide at the top (beam) did you go on the shear? The more I look at the concept, the more I like it. Did you go +6 longer like Steve? Anxious to see your set up at CC/Midnight special.

The beam is as wide as a stock beam is with the foddrill arms. The location of the spindle is in the same location as it would have been before. Bump steer was a slight issue but we have it down close to zero with adjustment from the pitman arm and spacers.

[wheezy]

What about how it ties into the cage. That would be my only remaining concert at this point. Your car looks like it's still tied in pretty far out towards the end of the beam. The alexander car looks like his trailing arms are so wide that it's tied in way far inboard, putting a lot of stress out on the ends.

Does that make sense? I think that's where the beam folding comment originated from if Zack and I are on the same page. Any cracks??? At first I didn't like it, but I'm on board with it (especially if it saves a few $K per year!)

[steve0we]

The concept is a beam and trailing arm. The rules are plain as day from my point of view. The foddrill arms arent exactly vw arms either. Same as in the rear of the car. Everyone has had two options for all these years and was forced to eat it. Now there is a new option..

So what your saying is the rules havent changed in the last 20 years, but there just isnt enough racers to protest it? Im good with them as long as you guys support or motor stuff too Now that we have that issue solved, who wants to commit to what series next year? Im all for HDRA if MORE wont pull the trigger.

[Bro_Gill]

First, The Martin beam is way different than the Alexander A-arms. The Martin beam still has the centerline for teh arms inside the centerline for the beam tube, the Alexander beam does not use the centerline of the beam tubes for anything in regards to the arm pivots. I also agree with Wheezy, I think that unless the 'beam' portion of the Alexander set-up isn't built out 0f 1" thick 300m, it is gonna start to bend backwards due to the stresses the outer ends of the 'beam' start to feel. Plenty of leverage out there unsupported. Martins arms look very similar to the Trick arms a few years ago. What I don't get is, how many of you remember the old Swayaway arms that never caught on? I think their idea was probablt one of the best in regards to [reventing breackage because the arms were not welded pieces put together, but a single piece of tube with a bend that maintained the beam tube centerline pivot. If I had the ability to bend stuff that thick, I would be doing arms like that again.

And Ricky, Seeley did not stop racing because he couldn't afford it, he started a family with babies. That was quite a bit before the economy took a dump. Now, with the economy the way it is, and his current position trying to get some business dealings finished with some tragedy involved with business partners, well, if what you say is true, the best 5 car out there is for sale. I would put it in the top 3. I hope he doesn't sell it and returns to racing soon. Fredericks(R.I.P.) and Snoddy built a great car for Seeley, didn't they?

[Bro_Gill]

One last thing, Rick, what happened to the type 1/bus box class you originally touted for your chassis? Thought that was what they were suppose to be used for? Your great prices brought the watercooled prerunners guys running to you for chassis for their street legal cars, but what ever happened to the class you designed them for?

[rusco]

One last thing, Rick, what happened to the type 1/bus box class you originally touted for your chassis? Thought that was what they were suppose to be used for? Your great prices brought the watercooled prerunners guys running to you for chassis for their street legal cars, but what ever happened to the class you designed them for?

This was brought up way back in this thread. I realize that having multiple classes within a catagory can be counterproductive, but it would be a cool class to put together. Class 5 T1/Bus 091.....Could call it Sportsman 5. Could mandate compression like new class 12 engine. Just like in moto racing where there is a 250 and 450. Not a bad idea.