Collecting
Horsepower
Colin Comer
Collecting
RICKY BOBBY? GREAT, TURN-KEY STOCK CARS CAN BE HAD FOR $75K AND LESS — USUALLY FAR LESS
Former big-name NASCAR runners can offer an inexpensive entry into vintage racing
V
intage racing. How can you not appreciate a sport that !"#$%&'()!"**'!+%&,)-%(+".%!/**0)(%,&%1)!/&+)./!')!/.() 2%+-)+-')/.+)"3)/!+4/**0)5.%6%&,)+-'#)7)/+)"4+8)94(+)*%:') vintage road rallies and tours that offer opportunities to use old cars as they were, racing is really the only way to appreciate a race car. Unfortunately, due to the huge popularity of the sport and the high attrition rate for race cars, most truly special cars are getting quite expensive. Add to that the expense of maintaining cars when parts /.')&")*"&,'.)/6/%*/$*');)".)+-').%(:)"3)!./(-%&,)6/*4').%,-+)"4+)"3) important cars — and entering the sport is a daunting proposition. Sure, there are racers built every day without history, or ex-SCCA sports cars that can be purchased reasonably, but they’re often far from collectible.
You wanna go fast? >".+4&%+0?)I-/&:()+")+-')/6/%*/$%*%+0) of these highly developed, professionally built cars and vintage racing organizations that welcome them, it’s quite easy for the average guy to play D%!:0)J"$$0?
Plenty of venues I2")"3)+-')$%,,'(+)B%(+".%!)"2'.)(+''.%&,F)/&5)2'**X5'6'*">'5)L/*$'%+)!.45'M)(4(>'&(%"&(?)I-') $'(+)>/.+)%()+-')>"2'.);)#"(+)6%&+/,')GH''5)+./&(#%((%"&()+-/+)0"4)!/&)(-%3+) 2%+-"4+)+-')!*4+!-)"&!')#"6%&,);)/&5)$4**'+X>.""3F)./!'X(>'!)^".5) nine-inch rear ends. If you haven’t experienced 700 horsepower in a race car yet, you are in for a treat, both in raw thrust and sound.
!$+,-./"-.'0")%*1'()*%2)"%$'$-34-$$)4-3 While special parts are hugely expensive when new, there is a big ('!"&5/.0)#/.:'+)"3),'&+*0)4('5)GH/.+()+-/+)!/&)$')-/5)3".) >'&&%'()"&)+-')5"**/.?)^".)'b/#>*'F)D"4(-)."4+%&'*0)('**()*/(+)0'/.=() $/!:4>)'&,%&'()"&)'J/0)3".)cNZ:dcNT:?)I-'(')'&,%&'()2"4*5)!"(+) 0"4)caZ:)+")$4%*5)%&)+-').'/*)2".*5?)V+-'.)>/.+(F)(4!-)/()./!'X(>'!) .%&,)/&5)>%&%"&)('+()/&5)#',/X5"**/.)(-"!:(F)/.')/*(")("*5)3".)/)#'.') fraction of the original race-team cost.
Which one to buy? When shopping for a car, I’d recommend an original road-racechassis car versus a speedway car. The road race car was built to race road courses, which is where all of these vintage events are held. I-')#".')-%(+".%!/**0)(%,&%1!/&+)/)!/.)%(F)+-')$'++'.?)e"":)3".) $%,X&/#')(>"&(".(-%>)/&5)$%,X&/#')5.%6'.(F)/&5)+.0)3".)/)>.'XNOOZ) !/.)%3)0"4)2/&+)+").4&)/+)6'&4'()*%:')+-')D"*'b)f"&+'.'0)f"+".(>".+() D'4&%"&?)H*("F)5"&=+)$40)/)#4('4#)>%'!')%3)/+)/**)>"((%$*');),'++%&,) a dormant car truly race-ready can be a costly endeavor.
Pay for the engine, get a historic car for free The best bet is to buy a car that is currently racing, has been #/%&+/%&'5)$0)/):&"2&)(-">)/&5)-/()!4..'&+)*",$"":()/&5).'!".5(?) I-%()2%**)-'*>)0"4)/6"%5)/&0)$%,)(4.>.%('()+-')1.(+)+%#')0"4)./!')%+?) I-')$'(+)>/.+8)g.'/+F)+4.&X:'0)(+"!:)!/.()!/&)$')-/5)3".)cTZ:)/&5) less — usually far less. H()/&)'b/#>*'F)_).'!'&+*0)>4.!-/('5)/)NOOP)I-4&5'.$%.5)+-/+)2/() $4%*+)$0)+-')*','&5/.0)J45)f"".')h&,%&''.%&,)/&5)".%,%&/**0)(>"&(".'5)$0)f"+".!./3+?)_+()1.(+)5.%6'.)2/()g'"33)J"5%&'F)2-")2"&)+-') "&(".'5) $0)^".5)j4/*%+0)C/.')/&5)./!'5)$0)e/:')''5?)]%!:)I.%!:*')./!'5) +-')!/.)%&)NOOZ?)_+)2/()#'+%!4*"4(*0).'(+".'5);)2%+-)/)3.'(-)'&,%&') /&5)34**)-%(+".0);)/&5)_)>/%5)4&5'.)cPS:)3".)%+?)cNS:)%&)>.'>)/&5)+%.'() */+'.F)_)2/()./!%&,?)I/*:)/$"4+)$/&,)3".)+-')$4!:?)@-'.')'*(')!/&)0"4) (+./>)0"4.('*3)%&)+")/)TSSX->)-%(+".%!)./!')!/.)3".)4&5'.)cZS:8 I-')34+4.')3".)+-%()(',#'&+)%()$.%,-+?)i'">*')*"6')+")('')L/&5) -'/.M)+-'(')!/.()./!'F)/&5)/),""5)6%&+/,')2'':'&5)2%**)-/6')PS)"3) +-'#)"&)+-'),.%5?)h6'&)2-'&)(%++%&,)(+%**)%&)0"4.),/./,'F)+-'0)/.') ,.'/+)!"&6'.(/+%"&)>%'!'(F)/&5)0"4=**)$')+-')-'.")"3)'6'.0):%5)%&)0"4.) neighborhood if you let them sit in it. If you get bored with all of that, just sit around with your buddies /&5).'!%+')k4"+'()3."#)U]/0()"3)I-4&5'.W)".)UI/**/5',/)G%,-+(?W)H**) +-%&,()!"&(%5'.'5F)("4&5()*%:')%+)%()+%#')3".)/)*%++*')
Colin Comer
Collecting
RICKY BOBBY? GREAT, TURN-KEY STOCK CARS CAN BE HAD FOR $75K AND LESS — USUALLY FAR LESS
Former big-name NASCAR runners can offer an inexpensive entry into vintage racing
V
intage racing. How can you not appreciate a sport that !"#$%&'()!"**'!+%&,)-%(+".%!/**0)(%,&%1)!/&+)./!')!/.() 2%+-)+-')/.+)"3)/!+4/**0)5.%6%&,)+-'#)7)/+)"4+8)94(+)*%:') vintage road rallies and tours that offer opportunities to use old cars as they were, racing is really the only way to appreciate a race car. Unfortunately, due to the huge popularity of the sport and the high attrition rate for race cars, most truly special cars are getting quite expensive. Add to that the expense of maintaining cars when parts /.')&")*"&,'.)/6/%*/$*');)".)+-').%(:)"3)!./(-%&,)6/*4').%,-+)"4+)"3) important cars — and entering the sport is a daunting proposition. Sure, there are racers built every day without history, or ex-SCCA sports cars that can be purchased reasonably, but they’re often far from collectible.
You wanna go fast? >".+4&%+0?)I-/&:()+")+-')/6/%*/$%*%+0) of these highly developed, professionally built cars and vintage racing organizations that welcome them, it’s quite easy for the average guy to play D%!:0)J"$$0?
Plenty of venues I2")"3)+-')$%,,'(+)B%(+".%!)"2'.)(+''.%&,F)/&5)2'**X5'6'*">'5)L/*$'%+)!.45'M)(4(>'&(%"&(?)I-') $'(+)>/.+)%()+-')>"2'.);)#"(+)6%&+/,')GH''5)+./&(#%((%"&()+-/+)0"4)!/&)(-%3+) 2%+-"4+)+-')!*4+!-)"&!')#"6%&,);)/&5)$4**'+X>.""3F)./!'X(>'!)^".5) nine-inch rear ends. If you haven’t experienced 700 horsepower in a race car yet, you are in for a treat, both in raw thrust and sound.
!$+,-./"-.'0")%*1'()*%2)"%$'$-34-$$)4-3 While special parts are hugely expensive when new, there is a big ('!"&5/.0)#/.:'+)"3),'&+*0)4('5)GH/.+()+-/+)!/&)$')-/5)3".) >'&&%'()"&)+-')5"**/.?)^".)'b/#>*'F)D"4(-)."4+%&'*0)('**()*/(+)0'/.=() $/!:4>)'&,%&'()"&)'J/0)3".)cNZ:dcNT:?)I-'(')'&,%&'()2"4*5)!"(+) 0"4)caZ:)+")$4%*5)%&)+-').'/*)2".*5?)V+-'.)>/.+(F)(4!-)/()./!'X(>'!) .%&,)/&5)>%&%"&)('+()/&5)#',/X5"**/.)(-"!:(F)/.')/*(")("*5)3".)/)#'.') fraction of the original race-team cost.
Which one to buy? When shopping for a car, I’d recommend an original road-racechassis car versus a speedway car. The road race car was built to race road courses, which is where all of these vintage events are held. I-')#".')-%(+".%!/**0)(%,&%1!/&+)/)!/.)%(F)+-')$'++'.?)e"":)3".) $%,X&/#')(>"&(".(-%>)/&5)$%,X&/#')5.%6'.(F)/&5)+.0)3".)/)>.'XNOOZ) !/.)%3)0"4)2/&+)+").4&)/+)6'&4'()*%:')+-')D"*'b)f"&+'.'0)f"+".(>".+() D'4&%"&?)H*("F)5"&=+)$40)/)#4('4#)>%'!')%3)/+)/**)>"((%$*');),'++%&,) a dormant car truly race-ready can be a costly endeavor.
Pay for the engine, get a historic car for free The best bet is to buy a car that is currently racing, has been #/%&+/%&'5)$0)/):&"2&)(-">)/&5)-/()!4..'&+)*",$"":()/&5).'!".5(?) I-%()2%**)-'*>)0"4)/6"%5)/&0)$%,)(4.>.%('()+-')1.(+)+%#')0"4)./!')%+?) I-')$'(+)>/.+8)g.'/+F)+4.&X:'0)(+"!:)!/.()!/&)$')-/5)3".)cTZ:)/&5) less — usually far less. H()/&)'b/#>*'F)_).'!'&+*0)>4.!-/('5)/)NOOP)I-4&5'.$%.5)+-/+)2/() $4%*+)$0)+-')*','&5/.0)J45)f"".')h&,%&''.%&,)/&5)".%,%&/**0)(>"&(".'5)$0)f"+".!./3+?)_+()1.(+)5.%6'.)2/()g'"33)J"5%&'F)2-")2"&)+-') "&(".'5) $0)^".5)j4/*%+0)C/.')/&5)./!'5)$0)e/:')''5?)]%!:)I.%!:*')./!'5) +-')!/.)%&)NOOZ?)_+)2/()#'+%!4*"4(*0).'(+".'5);)2%+-)/)3.'(-)'&,%&') /&5)34**)-%(+".0);)/&5)_)>/%5)4&5'.)cPS:)3".)%+?)cNS:)%&)>.'>)/&5)+%.'() */+'.F)_)2/()./!%&,?)I/*:)/$"4+)$/&,)3".)+-')$4!:?)@-'.')'*(')!/&)0"4) (+./>)0"4.('*3)%&)+")/)TSSX->)-%(+".%!)./!')!/.)3".)4&5'.)cZS:8 I-')34+4.')3".)+-%()(',#'&+)%()$.%,-+?)i'">*')*"6')+")('')L/&5) -'/.M)+-'(')!/.()./!'F)/&5)/),""5)6%&+/,')2'':'&5)2%**)-/6')PS)"3) +-'#)"&)+-'),.%5?)h6'&)2-'&)(%++%&,)(+%**)%&)0"4.),/./,'F)+-'0)/.') ,.'/+)!"&6'.(/+%"&)>%'!'(F)/&5)0"4=**)$')+-')-'.")"3)'6'.0):%5)%&)0"4.) neighborhood if you let them sit in it. If you get bored with all of that, just sit around with your buddies /&5).'!%+')k4"+'()3."#)U]/0()"3)I-4&5'.W)".)UI/**/5',/)G%,-+(?W)H**) +-%&,()!"&(%5'.'5F)("4&5()*%:')%+)%()+%#')3".)/)*%++*')
