Banger Racing. Not the stolen to race thread.

[M'coli]

The VW thing sound excellent, perhaps we can strap a few V-dobbers( ) to the roofrack along with their rotting pineapples while we're at it?

 

Perhaps the reason why Mondeos get raced in preference to other chod is down to inlet manifold choice - once you've shelled out for the fabricated Weber carb manifold for the Zetec it doesn't make sense to get one for a different manufaturor's engine.

[Bobthebeard]

I have no experience of banger racing, so will keep my opinions to myself, as they would be based on zero knowledge.

Many sound arguments for and against on here. One thing though, have noticed over the years that many 'hoarders' of old cars end up being forced to remove/scrap the collection due to complaints from neighbours and or local councils. Presumeably the cars were being hoarded due to a desire to stop them being scrapped or bangered. Or maybe just collected by eccentrics who love the marque.

The traditional scrapyard seems to have been almost legislated out of existence now, so no longer the safe refuge for the ' end of life' car to rust in peace until one of us turns up to remove valuable ( to us ) parts or body panels.

Whatever the rights or wrongs of banger racing, it isn't just them that are wrecking older cars. Scrappage schemes must have taken out as many cars as banger racers have done.

Guess we just have to face up to it. We are on a minority website that caters to a minority. We can save/restore/run and repair the older shite we know and love, and long may it continue.

As for the bigger picture, old chod is no longer wanted or needed by the populace at large. We can only do our bit.

They are all out to get us anyway.

[theorganist]

I hadn't realised that modern cars were not suitable for banger racing.

 

If that is the case what is going to happen to the banger racing industry when it gets to the point when the supply of modern cars dwindles? Something will have to give!!

[Lankytim]

Moderns are suitable for racing, you can race anything once someone has worked out how to wire it up!

[simmo]

I think the thoery is that Heath & Safety and property values of Stadiums will finish it off before cars become totally unuseable.

[Charlie Croker]

AUTOFIVE............What can you tell me about the Sweeney Mk2? I heard it was exported to Germany at around a year old but thats all i know. Any info would be good as ive allways been interested in the fate of the cars. I know the Consul G.T is owned buy a guy on the Sweeney forum but info on the Mk2 seems harder to come by. I was wishfull thinking that it was"VHK" of course.lol.........the one i wanted to buy was a dead ringer for it though. The yard is in Colne Lancashire where i originaly come from........and he is still there.

[wrecker]

I dislike 'classic' banger racing intensely. If it's strong enough to oval, it's strong enough to be repaired and used on the road. The sad thing about seeing 50's and 60's car bangered now is that these cars were old bangers when I was a nipper. They've survived the original banger/scrapyard cull, lasted 40-50 years only for some rigger booted moron (RBM) smash it up for fun.

If it's an A60 that's been rotting in a scrapyard for 15 years then there is a case for it. However, when the RBM's start smashing up rare stuff like Mercedes 600's and pre war Yanks, that takes it to a whole new level.

 

At the end of the day, there's no need for it. There are more than enough shagged Mondeos and XJ40's etc to destroy.

you sir are a top class knob jockey.who are you to judge me?i mainly race old stuff,more if i could find it,they are mainly rotten and non running .they come from people like you with no skills except for working a computer keyboard.i spend weeks/months welding spraying a wreck to smash up ,not so people like you can tell me its too good to race ,but to make it safe and because i can.

[trigger]

Here we go again...

[RedSparrow]

[trigger]

[autofive]

VHK491S 1978 FORD GRANADA MK2 2.8I S STRATO SILVER (used in 7 episodes of series 4 & Sweeney 2 film) was exported out of UK June 1978 but has now returned: http://www.sgcarmart.com/news/article.php?AID=4892

 

 

 

Think I might start a thread on the ford press cars, and their fate.

[trigger]

This website's quite interesting for The Professionals cars. http://www.personal.u-net.com/~carnfort ... ofcars.htm

[Cavcraft]

*Rick Roll removed.

[CortinaDave]

please DO NOT click on cavette's link. It just sent my virus checker bananas.

[whitevanman]

Don't suppose we could let this thread die in blaze of glory and forget it ever existed...could we? NO? ah well.....

[Des]

Or leave it to rot under a tarp, but not until we've seen some caps lock action eh?

[whitevanman]

might even manage a barn find or two.....

[Ben_L]

Whoever said the Banger community spend weeks and months of hard labour in a workhouse getting their cars ready for racing is talking bollocks.

 

Thieving pikeys round my Great Grandmothers way stole my Grandfathers Cavalier 1.6D which was midway through being restored (Awaiting respray).

 

They actually watched him go to the shop with my Nan and nicked it then. The police found the guys a fortnight later, no trace of the car though. 2 weeks. 2 weeks to steal and destroy a car round the track. All they found was the registration plates and the four wheel caps (Amongst a pile of other stolen tat).

 

So, it's all well and good with a thread saying "Not stolen to race" but the sad reality is, a lot of decent, loved classics are. Banger racing gets it's recent bad name amongst the classic car community because every race is now frequented by some Slack Jawed Illiterate Caravan Club Platinum member who's too busy getting his knob off over the inevitable sexual thrill of watching Paddy McFuckwit revving the tits off a half decent Allegro in an effort to show that their pikey shower are the best racing drivers in the world.

I'm not for it unfortunately. It's just like the Rag and Bone man - There's a handful of genuine ones out there who'll clear your shed of whatever you tell them to and no more... Then there's the pikey club who'll use it as an excercise to case the joint for a later robbery.

 

One of my local breakers prep's car for races and makes a damn good job of them - But they're all generally knackered tat that won't see any increase in appeal for another 10 years or so - 1.4 Carb'd K-Series Metros, Fiesta Mk3 etc etc. These are shite, but not many shitists will spend thrice the cars value to weld them back together, so they go around the oval.

 

There's my for and against in some rather back to front terms.

[FredTransit]

I would just like to add the end of banger racing couldn't come sooner. It already got squeezed out in London partly cos of the LEZ keeping the hiabs out, suppose there's gotta be some silver lining to the LEZ cloud. I just don't get working on something 'for months' or travelling hundreds of miles just to smash up a classic.

[Lankytim]

It doesn't take long to prepare a Cavalier to race, a rotted out Rover P5 with a seized engine and no brakes on the other hand CAN take months of fabricating, welding and fettling in the evenings to get raceworthy.

[simmo]

Sorry to disappoint Fred but the London Championship was held at Wimbledon Sunday. It was under 1800s, I think, so not a classics event.

[freebird]

Whoever said the Banger community spend weeks and months of hard labour in a workhouse getting their cars ready for racing is talking bollocks.

 

Thieving pikeys round my Great Grandmothers way stole my Grandfathers Cavalier 1.6D which was midway through being restored (Awaiting respray).

 

They actually watched him go to the shop with my Nan and nicked it then. The police found the guys a fortnight later, no trace of the car though. 2 weeks. 2 weeks to steal and destroy a car round the track. All they found was the registration plates and the four wheel caps (Amongst a pile of other stolen tat).

 

So, it's all well and good with a thread saying "Not stolen to race" but the sad reality is, a lot of decent, loved classics are. Banger racing gets it's recent bad name amongst the classic car community because every race is now frequented by some Slack Jawed Illiterate Caravan Club Platinum member who's too busy getting his knob off over the inevitable sexual thrill of watching Paddy McFuckwit revving the tits off a half decent Allegro in an effort to show that their pikey shower are the best racing drivers in the world.

I'm not for it unfortunately. It's just like the Rag and Bone man - There's a handful of genuine ones out there who'll clear your shed of whatever you tell them to and no more... Then there's the pikey club who'll use it as an excercise to case the joint for a later robbery.

 

One of my local breakers prep's car for races and makes a damn good job of them - But they're all generally knackered tat that won't see any increase in appeal for another 10 years or so - 1.4 Carb'd K-Series Metros, Fiesta Mk3 etc etc. These are shite, but not many shitists will spend thrice the cars value to weld them back together, so they go around the oval.

 

There's my for and against in some rather back to front terms.

Thats like confirming that bears really do shit in the woods.

Look, another esteemed member pondered the idea of such a thread and me, twat head, thought it MIGHT ellicit some stories, something like being taken to a race in the late 60s to watch Mk1/2 Jags being raced, you know stuff like that, stuff that i experienced.

The whole effing point was NOT to have Bangers are great/Bangers are shit tennis.

Yes, cars are stolen to race, Escort RS2000s are invented to be stolen for their insurance value, rusty shit heaps are hiabed onto low loaders to be weighed in at dodgy scrappies, we all know that.

I also, sort of, hoped that people who have visited recently might be able to give the heads up on what is going onto the track now, forewarned is foreskinned or summat.

Where the fuck is a mod to lock this bastard thread when you need one!

[Wilko220]

We do seem to be going around in circles a bit with this, I have to agree. Although I felt the high point was when "Wrecker" came on here and emphatically confirmed that all of my prejudices at least have something in them.

[simmo]

Freebird you shouldn't feel bad you did it with good intentions and to be fair the level of debate has really improved over the years, seriously.

[theorganist]

I thought it was pretty restrained, possibly until this last couple of pages!

 

It is always going to be an emotive subject on here some people feel very passionately about it from both sides of the fence, some hate it and some love it, there is nothing wrong with that. I do not think it is ever going to be a subject which will result in a totally calm discussion.

[Lankytim]

Well alot of these things seem to be getting raced at the moment,.

 

 

Surely that should appease some of the H8Rs a little?

[Albert Ross]

Let's be honest, it happens with many things. Old houses in Villages, bought by noobs and townies, they go all "designer" and it "spoils" the look of the place. So buy the house yourself and stop whining. People have different tastes, live with it. I don't like the idea of classic bangers, but it happens.... in my financial state, I cannot, but I would love to rescue that 4 Litre R. It's not gonna happen for me! Should I moan because I cannot have it?

[Mash]

I still can't see the point of it, especially the kudos that comes from totalling the rarest car. Is there money in it? Not as if you've got much to show for your weeks of work and cash spent.

 

I still stand by my argument that it's far easier to race a car than restore it properly so the preservationist will lose out most times. Don't misunderstand me - I wouldn't argue that it was sensible restoring a fairly common car that was knackered if there were plenty of good ones available but it's the really scarce stuff that I get annoyed about.

 

I know of some Japanese cars that are into single figure survivors, and mean literally 1 or 2 examples. If one came up for sale and no-one was in a position at that time to be able to restore or even purchase it to save then it might end up round the track and that would be it, never seen again. That makes it seem a bloody great fun day out.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I'm in full agreement with simmo. This is, after all, a shitty old car forum, not a PhD-level research facility- let's allow ourselves to engage in the odd cyclical argument, and celebrate the fact that we can do so in a way that involves no TXTSPK nor insults.

[RedSparrow]

One thing I would say is that cars are quite thoroughly scrutinised for engine mods and safety etc at each meeting - would it be so hard to also ask to see a V5 at least for that make and model of car?

 

I hate those yank limos, I hope they all get raced. But then there are probably enthusiasts who love them.