A Word from - Dave Gabriel Classic Modified Drivers rep

It all started when I left the historic saloons as drivers rep really as some of the new drivers were coming in to it just to win, werent interested in racing replicas or the fun side of it. So I decided to call it a day and build a car for track days to run at swaffham once a month.

Simple really you would think but then when I bought the Cortina Mk1 off of Mark Tegerdine to build in to a modified he wondered what I was up to, so I told him. 2 days later or so the phone rings and there he is with ' i`ve just bought an anglia 105e and i`m coming with you like it or not' (he can be pushy i tell you) next thing i know i`m getting another phone call with i`v got a good idea, how about we start a new formula (must change my number). I think my first words were NO or somthing like that but he always has this way of talking me round especially after several phone calls on a Friday/saturday night while i`m drinking. So he approached Shawn at Swaffham Rraceway first and told him what was what. As it was he was looking for somthing like this to call his own and after one or two meeting with him we agreed on the out come .

I set out a set of rules for the formula which are pretty simple really, any pre 1966 car all though other cars may be used as long as it is agreed with me and Mark. Limited amount of engine mods to the v6 to keep it cheap. I mean tyres at £8 each what more can you want, solid rear axles with locked diff only and no special gearbox`s etc.

The cars are sourced from scrap yards eBay etc mine was going to the crusher but I saved it in time. Mark`s was a failed project and had all the gearbox tunnel removed and would of ended in the scrap yard for sure.

The cars should cost anything from £1000 to £2000 to build but it depends on what you can do your self and what you can yet cheap. My Cortina cost about £1400 but I will say some parts are home made and some are new. It all depends on what you want and what you do for yourself. With a Swaymar manifold and Holley carb standing me at £250, cam at £50 and engine at £150, ant bad considering that if it blows up I can get a replacement for the best part of £100 pounds and just put on my carb and manifold and slot in the cam and a way I go again

As for the work required, it all goes on what you get when you buy your car but we have come up with the option of using the Reliant Scimitar chassis as it will be easier to do. Some of the cars that are available ie. A60 or MG Magnette, mean all you have to do is cut some of the floor out weld in some new tin and you will have a different shaped car which should be competitive. We are only allowing 5 types of car for each model (IE 5 Mk1 cortinas ,5 anglias etc) as this should help with keeping the different shape within the formula. Also we will see some different cars which were never allowed to race or were just not competitive in there time or even now ie Mk2 jag or a Sunbeam Alpine.

With 6 cars that are definite going to make the start of next season and four more under construction that will appear mid season, there should be a lot of noise and fun to be had!!!!!.