Thread: Formula Vee questions

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Hi, I'm a newbie to this board. long time builder/fabricator, drag racer and street rod builder. While lurking, I saw several references to Formula Vee cars... I'm scullin' on a project:
I want to find an out of date racecar, and transform it into a tandem 2 seat streeter, that I can play with at Sebring too.
I played around with sand rails and off road race toys in the 70's so the drivetrain and suspension isn't foreign to me, but I only got to drive a "Vee" once, a long time ago. I want to take that feeling to the street, and share the experience with a passenger, hence, the tandem seating idea. (Oh , yea, room to hual a 6 pac and chips,LOL )
Living in south Florida, with fairly easy title laws, and no fender requirements, makes this a lot easier. Does this sound like a "doable" project? Has anyone done this before? Should I just change my med's, and forget the whole thing?
Any ideas, suggestions, comments, or leads on parts/cars Would be very welcome,thanks Paul.

I built a fun car for the kids to run around in the back 40 about 20 years ago. I cut the front and rear cross members loose from a 1600 cc square back. built a new tube frame with roll bars and a engine skid bar with about 4 inches of ground clearance. I got a malibu grand prix fiberglass body used for $35 and had a mini indy style racer. driver only. no passenger the engine hanging out the back put too much weight on the rear but the kids had fun with it. I have seen 2 pass indy style cars in the VW magizines a few times mine is now parked behind the barn, mabe one of the kids will rebuild it for their kids in a few years

For the last couple of years, I've been passively looking for a Taurus SHO 5-speed that is affordable. Haven't found what I'm looking for yet, would like to build a rear engine street rail. Just put the whole front drive setup in the rear with some 1 1/2" Shelby tubing, maybe a 80-85" wheelbase, sticky rubber and discs all around. Manual R&P. Design my own or buy a Jim Morrison IFS.

220 hp in a 1200 lb car just sounds like too much fun. Bone stock with EFI retained.

The Beck Spyder (Porsche 550 replica) is as close to a two passinger Formula V as you can get. I think a tandum with a mid engine would be a little long in the wheelbase. With a rear engine it would be more practical, a lot like a lowered tandum dune buggy, but would not have that mid engine handling.

I've had my Beck for twenty years now. First registerd when I was living in Perrine and working at Homestead AFB. Great car for running the Keys.

oooooh formula cars for the street are a real turnon.
read about one few years back with an aircraft canopy, aruora drivetrain in the back, check out my photos, wish I had a scanner for my older pics.
currently trying to mount fenders on mine for street legal(Iowa).
What a hassle, need wide bumpers, windshield/defroster, parking barke now finished.

hoping the two seater will be a narrow bodied front/back seating that I was aiming for. Unfortunately mine quickly turned into a one-seater with twin 5 gallon vertical gas tanks- I think 96" wheelbase, but I was WAY afraid to have my feet sticking so far ahead of the front tires in traffic.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

For the last couple of years, I've been passively looking for a Taurus SHO 5-speed that is affordable. Haven't found what I'm looking for yet, would like to build a rear engine street rail.
.

I was interested to see you express that idea, Richard. Before I "retired" (and for a posible after-retirement project) I frequently had to sit through long, boring, meetings. Mainly to stay awake, I probably used up a ream of paper sketching ideas for something very similar to what you describe. I wasn't looking for the hairy performance your Taurus setup would give you. I just wanted to give it that dragster look. I was thinking four cylinder with automatic and a VW beetle front end. Mine won't materialize, but if yours does, keep us informed!

Jim

What about two wheel power for your street rail? I have seen some tractor pull machines>1,000lbs with a 1,000cc bike engine. May only get 100 to 150 HP but a heck of a lot of RPMS. The one I saw had the bike chain geared to the front of a 4 speed chevy trans to a car rear end. Put whatever body on it you want.

Originally Posted by chevydrivin

What about two wheel power for your street rail? I have seen some tractor pull machines>1,000lbs with a 1,000cc bike engine. May only get 100 to 150 HP but a heck of a lot of RPMS. The one I saw had the bike chain geared to the front of a 4 speed chevy trans to a car rear end.

I've never been to a tractor pull. Seen 'em on TV but never went. I guess I should go and look at some of that creativeness.

A bit off the subject, but many years ago the step-dad of one of my old buddies needed a tractor for his small truck farm. He got some kind of old chassis, bolted an early Toyota (or maybe it was a Datsun) engine in it with two transmissions behind it and hooked that up to some kind of an old truck rear end with some fairly tall wheels. It pulled like mad and as far as I know, it might still be running somewhere.

Jim

lotta old 914 porsches to chop, i just couldn't do it myself tho...
one dude mates a turbo trans with rear differential for mid engine not transverse, but u r probably lookin for transverse