Quote Originally Posted by AMCO72 View Post
Right, I took Oldfarts advice and applied for, and got, a Historic Racing licence from the VCC. Piece of cake, cheap, and lasts for 5 years. I have now applied for a COD for the Amco mini from the club, but this is not quite so instant. But thats OK, I am a patient man, sometimes. Apparently there needs to be some 'discussion' among the officials to determine whether the car meets the criteria of the club. However, we have a problem straight away......there is a cut-off date of 1960 for cars participating in speed events. Can someone tell me why that is. Surely if a vehicle is accepted in the club as a p60 then it should be able to participate in ALL events, not just non speed events. Which brings me back to Oldfarts class of 1950's saloons with no, or minimal, modifications. Surely these are already catered for in the VCC, although, yes his won't have to have rego and wof. I think people are going to be put off having to spend money on cars that will only have a couple of meetings a year, without having to cart them all over the country. I have written to the Speed steward of the VCC asking for his comments on the 1960 cut-off, but so far a deafening silence has ensued. Oldfart, you seem to be up to speed, as it were, with VCC stuff, perhaps you can enlighten me on this perplexing problem, and perhaps that is why you have suggested this new class because you have come up against officialdom.
A few answers (which might raise more questions).
The Dec 31 1960 cut off is an agreement between FIVA (Vintage version of FIA) and FIA. You are not quite correct re speed events. The manual says 1960 for 'circuit racing". This applies to all the cars Formula Junior, sports cars etc, and explains a bit why there are sometimes Historic Sports cars (eg U2, etc) and pre 1960 as was the case at the Roycroft meeting. It was run with 2 organisations, VCC and the Historic guys and 2 permits, one Motorsport for the "newer" and one for the pre 60 races.
The reason for the saloons was to give some of those who want to drive their saloons a chance to have a bit of a thrash without having to own a sports or race car which is eligible.
In regards officialdom, so far I have found vintage easy to deal with. They are somewhat bound up in trying to remain onside with motorsport, and the above FIVA/FIA agreement.
It does not really suit my personal ideas either, but I am now old enough to realise that I will never be a real race driver (never was capable), don't have the budget and a bit of fun every now and then will do. So vintage suits me. Won't suit everybody, but isn't it good we are not all the same??