First post, Five years of VRAA builds.

[ferrari1950]

Well I've lurked long enough and have been dazzled by the builds at this sight so I offer my modest efforts.


This will be the fifth year I have entered the VRAA proxy. The Vintage Race across America is under new management this year and I'm sure it will be hugely successful after the rather fractious conclusion to the previous VRAA ( lack of communication, late car returns etc.) after several good years run by another individual. Stewart (old23) is highly efficent and the team he has for support around him is skilled and proficient. The proxy lives and is based on cars representing the 1.5 liter era in F1 with spec BWA FFcan motors and clearly defined rules.


My first entry was a Ferguson on a scratch built chassis and as a rookie effort I learned much and finished poorly.


Penelope Pitlane has provided the entries since that fatefull year. My 1512 was a tad tippy and heavy white metal inserts did not help but again lessons learned.


Then came my little bile green Lotus 18 which ran quite well and indeed went on to almost win last year's Tasman proxy and then have major mechanical iisues in this year's Tasman. And so after a refurbish the car will be retired from proxy racing for now.


Ah, last year's Lotus 24 resplendent in Polish racing colours and making full use of lessons learned. No beauty queen and penalized for not knowing the origins of the guide the car would have won on points alone for racing but a poor concours and penalties robbed it of victory. I was a tad ticked but that is racing. The chassis houses a lowered BWA can with off set gearing and 10/23 ratio. Smooth runner and fast, Ugly yes but so much fun and very stable.


And so this years return makes use of all that I have learned and what has worked best. Took some effort to get the transmission housing in place. Exhaust pipes are ball point pen tubes empty of ink, paper clip struts and my own urethane cast tires on the rear. Its equal to the Polish Lotus performance but is that good enough as development marches on? Other's are master scratch builders, me...not so much but am enjoying 'kit bashing" a great deal. Let the racing begin in a month's time!

[Chris Wright]

Welcome Marek,

What took you so long? Were glad to see you here, enjoy yourself and post often. After all what else are you going to do during those long cold Canadian winters.

[Mark Huber]

Welcome Marek. Glad to see you 'officially' on board.

A couple of questions/comments:

1) Do you get a bulk rate discount from Penelope Pitlane?
2) Does 69 represent the year of your birth, the year you graduated from high school, or the year you got married? I have to assume there is something significant about the number.
3) It's been 5 years.. why haven't you built a BRM?
4) You might encourage your buddy Stewart to do a similar layout

and,

5) You'll have to pardon Chris.. he's lived in Georgia too long, and most likely thinks winter has already begun in Canada.. little does he know you have at least two or three more weeks before the first snowfall.

Good day, eh?

[ferrari1950]

So many questions...so few answers!
1.I tried for a bulk discount over five years. All I got was a very British snort and haw.
2, Canada, bilingual country of English and French language, the number is most significant with French culture...being a linguist you should be able to deduce its tongue in cheek or somewhere else significance.
3 Have an old BRM to show you soon, built way back over a decade ago
4. Stewee is most welcome to race here and the W.I.M.C.and C. Supper Club do so often. Talented in building cars, all thumbs at track construction Stewee...so I have been told.
5. Yes the ice rink is slushy and the garden is doing well. Our beans and tomatos have a fur skin so they survive here. Chris needs a pardon to cross the border but I shall grant it..... come visit the Great White North any time ,eh?

Good fun.

Good day, eh!