<VV> Fiberglass race cars

[James P. Rice]

Joe:  Not that I know about.  See Jan 2004 Communique for everything I know
about Corvair powered sporsracers.

Problem would be where to race them back in the day...or even today.  They
would classified as a sports racer and run against obsolete Can-Am cars
then, which were available if you wanted them.  The frontal area/aero of a
Corvair is also a issue given the small engine size.  Which reminds me,
obsolete Trans-Am cars were becoming available with the same frontal area
and 3 times the horse power back then also.

Autocrossing was in it's infancy back then.  Track days hadn't been invented
yet.  Given the lack of a place to run them, and lack of competitiveness if
you tried, nobody built a fiberglass bodied tube frame Corvair, aka: a
Corvair funnycar for roadracing.  So far as I know.  There wasn't anyplace
to race such a critter if you built one, and better car choices if you
wanted to go fast.

Warren's car is built up on a EM floor pan per the SCCA rules at the time,
with a tube frame doing most of the work.  The body is mostly f'glass he
made or adapted to fit the short wheel base.

The car Mel refers to is a SCCA GT3 car, meaning a steel LM Corvair center
section with cage and tube frames extending front and rear from it.
Suspension design is free.  There are several such GT3 cars within the
Corvair community.  The Mel's did run at Sebring in a SCCA race or two, but
not the 12 hr.

But I've had the same thought/idea about a Corvair funny car body on some
tube frame creation, and said nope.  Beyond my bankbook on several levels,
use of my time and probably skill sets.  If I was to go off the deep end,
I'd get a Opal GT and figure out how to stuff a Corvair suspension and drive
train into it.  But that aintagonahappen either!

And it would not be as good as the Monza GT recreation Mel is working on to
go with the Monza SS he's done.  Sounds like a session for the Mar 23-24 PCG
Performance Workshop just announced in the Jan/Feb Communique.

Historically Yours,
                   James Rice
                   CORSA member since mid-70's
                   Former Chairman of the Competition Committee
                   Member of original CPF Advisorary Committee
                   CORSA/CPF BoD member and CPF Liaison 1999-01
                   Occasional contributor to the Communique

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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:33:35 -0500 (EST)
From: Joe White <jwcorvair at aol.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> Corvair drag racing of old !
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org

Has anyone ever used a fiber glass funny car shell on a tube frame road
racer?

Joe White (62 four door, 66 PorVair)
CORSA, RMC

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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 16:46:17 -0600
From: "tim mahler" <flat6vair2 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: <VV> Corvair drag racing of old !
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>

Describes Warren LeVeque's red early roadster that has been at several past
conventions including 2011 Denver.  Rides on a 95 inch wheel base. I think
Warren ran it at Roebling Road in 2009.

not sure if any late model versions have been made.

tim mahler

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Message: 5
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:12:25 -0600
From: "Mel Francis" <mfrancis at wi.rr.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> Corvair drag racing of old !
To: "Joe White" <jwcorvair at aol.com>
Cc: virtualvairs at corvair.org

Most GT3 cars were steel bodied, but this one is a tube-frame Corvair road
racer, raced back in the '90s at Sebring, FL.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mel_francis/6523938521/in/photostream

Mel Francis
Oconomowoc, WI