I think that we need to be open to new ideas. IMHO we need to try to rejuvenate the class & get MORE NEW people into F500.
THE KEY ELEMENT is to keep the COST AS LOW as they currently are & the speeds essentially the same. I know that we all have a huge investment into our equipment & I am certainly one with plenty to lose. I suspect that we need some sort of alternative engine/trans package that will not cost any more than what a current F500 drive train costs. Currently it costs close to $5000 to purchase an all new F500 powertrain with engine, clutches, carbs, pipe, etc. This is not cheap for an entry level class. If you want to build new cars you need new drivetrains, not something from a salvage yard. I am personally completely open to any solution as long as we do not eliminate the current F500 cars. That means an alternative drive package that will be about the same cost or lower & equal on track performance. If we can make this happen no one loses & we can continue as a National class. Perhaps we can put together a crate motor deal for an engine that will fit & be low cost. Let's get creative & see what we can do. As an example BMW now makes an 800cc twin that will easily fit in our cars & has a 6 speed trans. I am not saying this is the solution, it is just an idea. Kawasaki also does crate moter deals, so there are other opportunities. Sure we can implore all of us to get out there & race but that WILL NOT bring new racers to F500. To survive & grow we need NEW racers period. How do we get them? I suggest that we form a group to discuss these things. I am sure that Stan will guide us a bit. If we want to save F500 the SCCA will not get in the way IMHO. I will help in any way I can but we need to be creative & proactive. Let's make a list of ideas for SAVING F500. Joe Palmer, can you keep track of any ideas like you did last year? Stan, can you keep us from going in a counter-productive direction? Thanks ... Jay Novak -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of CJ McAbee Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 11:22 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: [F500] Class survival. Just a thought but wanting to try to put 800 or 1000cc motors in our cars has any one thought that SCCA will not approve that because there is already a class just like that where it seem that SCCA wants F1000 to get big and F500 is just still a class because we just have enough number of car to stay a class? I believe that we are just gonna have to suck it up and stay with what we have because I dont believe that SCCA wants to let us change motors again just to help our class numbers maybe go up. CJ Mcabee Jay Novak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Another thing we might want to consider is V twin bike engines because they will fit in all our existing chassis. The 4 cyl bike engines will not fit without major chassis cut up. Now a V twin will need to be bigger than 600cc to get the speed, maybe 800cc watercooled or 1000cc air cooled. Thanks ... Jay Novak -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 12:17 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [F500] Class survival. The big problem is that classes never seem to change. Those invested would rather protect their investment and "go down with the ship" with ever decreasing class sizes rather than change with the times. See the discussion on Apexspeed about F"D". We don't need another $45-50K class. I am not saying the design is even remotely right, so don't beat me up. Look at 600racing.com and see what they have done and the involved costs. Someone should be able to design a real rule set that would allow an f600/fd/fwhatever that incorporates real designs without being a "spec" class and has reasonable cost containments built in. Several people have done legwork into engines, transmission, shocks, etc. Maybe we should all listen. Maybe I should just go put on the nomex now... jim ----- Original Message ---- From: Jay Novak To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 7:04:36 PM Subject: RE: [F500] Kodiak Rims ? That will work for the rear. Thanks ... Jay Novak -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jim's Lawn Shop Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 11:36 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [F500] Kodiak Rims ? Jay, They have a 10x8 with 4 inch backspace designed to clear brakes. They list it in the link I posted for $97.50, that sounds pretty good for everything but the center. I've gotta call em Monday and see how many pounds? Got thinking, I have 4 or 5 centers out of the dead Kodiaks, these might be big enough to use in the Welds? Have to get some dimensions..... Thanks Dave Phaneuf -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. 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