Formula V

A Formula V is an open wheeled racer built with VW running gear. After my first track experience (the 3-day Skip Barber Competition Course), I needed a car I could race. Over lunch, a friend of mine offered to sell me (cheap) a "project" car - a vintage Formula V. Having recently put together the Caterham Super Seven, I figured, what the hell, I can reassemble a simple VW.

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A 1968 BSI Formula V - Serial #2.

My family calls it the "Coffee Can Car", because that was how a large portion of it was delivered. It came with a notebook, however I soon learned that nothing in the notebook really related to the car. But I did have the car's logbook with pictures of the car together (the logbook is the source of these photos - I have never seen it close to this far assembled).

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This is my "Project"

I took the engine to a local VW shop, and learned that it was in good shape, and it started easily. After many hours of trial and error, I managed to get most of the pieces where they are supposed to be, and was able to sit in the car and make varoom noises. I still haven't quite figured out how to attach the trailing arms at the front, and have absolutely no idea how the pedals will attach. Part of the problem is that when you aquifer a vintage car project, they seem to come with several iterations of parts and pieces. I had two completely different rear suspensions, and had to figure out which pieces when to which setup, and then pick one. At one point, I was feeling pretty stupid, and called on three "old hands" from my local SCCA chapter to point me in the right direction. They all scratched their heads, and said they had never seen anything quite like it. So I continued piecing it together, but feeling better about myself. I am far enough along to be pretty confident that I will have it out next year on the Vintage Race circuit.

I still need to do a few things:

add a floor
add a seat
install pedals
upgrade the safety equipment
rebuild the brakes

Formula V

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