Formula Vee in the UK

[jhenn4716]

Browsing the different vee sites I saw that there is racing in the UK. Does anyone have any experience related to or know anything about vee racing in the UK? How does it compare to racing here? Are the cars any different? I'm sure there are different builders there then here.

[G.B.]

My first taste of FV was in Britain 1992, so I know a little bit about FV in Britain.

FV started in Britain in 1967 (a couple of months before Formula Ford started) and initially the cars were the same as the USA, but local conditions meant that the cars soon changed.

The first change was to the 1300cc engine as this was the engine most commonly used UK VW Beetles.

Ball joint beams soon followed and as the last Beetles had disc brakes on the front, these were allowed too.

Inlet manifolds, cams shafts and carburetors are free meaning nearly 100hp can be extracted from the 1300cc engine, revving it to 7500rpm. There is also no wheelbase restriction, so the average wheelbase has grown to 90”. This means that many cars are either converted Formula Fords or using Formula Ford bodywork.

Dunlops were adopted as the control tyre in 1980. This is the same tyre used by the Vintage Vees here.

When I last raced regularly in Britain it was not unusual to have an entry of 50+ cars, needing a qualifying race to see who got into the main race, but the worldwide recession has struck and I’m told that fields are down a bit this year.

[jhenn4716]

So would you say vee's in the UK are more like FF's now?

[Bill_Bonow]

FF if you mean Formula First (not Formula Ford). Much more like FST than FV (US version). Engine size/rules, wheelbase and weight are the major differences between US FST and UK FV

[G.B.]

So would you say vee's in the UK are more like FF's now?

Correct, during open testing you would regularly see a front running Vee keeping up with a mid-pack 1600cc Formula Ford.

FF if you mean Formula First (not Formula Ford). Much more like FST than FV (US version). Engine size/rules, wheelbase and weight are the major differences between US FST and UK FV

When I first settled on this side of the pond I was initially attracted to FV1600 – Formula First. As the rules seemed closer to the version of FV I knew. But the death of FV1600 in Canada meant I was left with little option but to go the FV/F1200 route.

[Rolling Stone]

Browsing the different vee sites I saw that there is racing in the UK. Does anyone have any experience related to or know anything about vee racing in the UK? How does it compare to racing here? Are the cars any different? I'm sure there are different builders there then here.

Just look at the photos on the internet("750 club "is the Uk site) the cars in the UK and Australia are beautifully made,look like Formula Fords not vees( A lot are FFord chassis)