Harry Monk:
DonutUK:
How much does it cost these days to run a banger?
You need a trailer and a tow car of course. It’s a while since I’ve done it but I would say £500-£1000 for kit- helmet, overalls, roll cage (mine was made from scaffold), a water tank to replace the radiator, fuel tank, harness, fire extinguisher etc.
Then however much the car costs. Back in the day you could pick up a scrap car for a tenner but This is being advertised on ebay at £850 as a potential banger.
ebay.co.uk/itm/ROVER-P5-V8-A … 500wt_1361
I had a P5b like that as my daily car in the mid 90’s, bloody great barge with armchairs it was. It didn’t half shift too, fuel cost then was crippling although I think I’d rather have the fuel bills from then than the ones I get now. I think 4 star was 59ppl at the time, and I remember wishing it could run on unleaded at 49ppl
We used to race all over the country.
The best times we had away from Arena Essex was at Smeethorpe (sp) in Somerset.
We would spend the weekend in Taunton and race on the Sunday.
Great times.
Sorry about the quality of the pictures.
They are from around 1987 ish
Last one for now.
Seems like a lifetime ago.
Wheel Nut:
Quinny:
Been there, done that. In fact I was Class 4 champion for 2 years at Blyton near Gainsborough, until I sold up in 07, but I am now asst safety officer at the same venue. We had a 2 day meeting at the weekend, and have another starting on Saturday July 14th if anyone is interested.
Ken.
My friends owned Rallydrive at Blyton, but you sound like poacher come gamekeeper now. I am in a similar position with the 2 wheel sport having swapped a crash helmet for a rule book and a radio.
Sadly Rallydrive has long since gone, and the whole airfield is now called Blyton Park and we now have a 15 year lease on the autograss track. And your right on the poacher turned gamekeeper…
Ken.
should go down to mildenhall this tuesday they have a siamese banger meeting a 1 30 start should be quiet a sight one car welded to the roof of another
Well,from the views of Classic car owners,banger racing does touch a sore point. Those that are involved are stigmatised as being thieves of Classic cars. It does make me cringe when a Classic is used. Although I have read that car thefts are detested by most who practise the sport,and most cars are beyond repair.
Many banger racers are also classic car enthusiasts, and most bangers are beyond economic repair.
I have been taken to task for the Morris Oxfords, Humber Super Snipes, Hillman Minxes, Mk 1 Cortinas etc that I have put around the track in the Crayford days, but at the time they had about the same status as a £300 P-reg Ford Mondeo which has just failed the MOT needing £1,500’s worth of work does nowadays.
Harry Monk:
Many banger racers are also classic car enthusiasts, and most bangers are beyond economic repair.
I have been taken to task for the Morris Oxfords, Humber Super Snipes, Hillman Minxes, Mk 1 Cortinas etc that I have put around the track in the Crayford days, but at the time they had about the same status as a £300 P-reg Ford Mondeo which has just failed the MOT needing £1,500’s worth of work does nowadays.
^ + 1
The Granadas that I had would have been regarded as classics considering how rare the 2.8 i manual versions are but in the case of the car no longer being practical to make structurally able to pass the MOT then it’s just a case of either send it out in blaze of glory on the banger track or break it up for spares.Which I think is what the banger racers effectively do anyway when they’ve stripped it of most of it’s parts before putting it on the track and assuming the main running gear components like engine,gearbox and diff would most likely survive to be sold on after the knackered shell has been wiped out 
.
The old 1980’s XJ that I’m running now luckily has a strong enough shell to get through the MOT for years yet and it’s running gear is too rare and specialised to let any of it go for banger racing so there are plenty of exceptions that prove the rule concerning the difference between a viable road going classic and one in which it’s time to call it a day one way or another. 
I remember Crayford on a Friday night.
The only place I ever saw a figure of 8 track.
You had to have some wits about you there.
Not sure that would be allowed today, what with the health & safety of it all.
Great days!
fodentanker:
I remember Crayford on a Friday night.
The only place I ever saw a figure of 8 track.
You had to have some wits about you there.
Not sure that would be allowed today, what with the health & safety of it all.
Great days!
They used to have a figure 8 track at Dinnington, just off J31 on the M1 some years ago.
Not for the faint hearted.
Ken.
I race reliant robins at Mendips raceway and we have a figure of 8 in August.
outcast:
I race reliant robins at Mendips raceway and we have a figure of 8 in August.
i fancy a crack at the robins at mendips. they look a great crack!!! saw them a few times last season. there was always 1 guy,i think he had a red car was absoloutly flying 
They used to have figure of 8 at High Edge Raceway near Buxton. Not sure if that track is still going.
Even better when you get a figure of 8 caravan race 
i fancy a crack at the robins at mendips. they look a great crack!!! saw them a few times last season. there was always 1 guy,i think he had a red car was absoloutly flying
[/quote]
That red 1 had a race engine, you must have seen me i rolled it most of the time.
outcast:
i fancy a crack at the robins at mendips. they look a great crack!!! saw them a few times last season. there was always 1 guy,i think he had a red car was absoloutly flying
That red 1 had a race engine, you must have seen me i rolled it most of the time.
[/quote]
yeah must of seen you,went up a few times last season. i think that tuned up red car kicked the arse out of it to be honest,didnt seem to be in the spirit of the racing like the others racing with him. he should go and get a hot rod!!!
Quinny:
Sadly Rallydrive has long since gone, and the whole airfield is now called Blyton Park and we now have a 15 year lease on the autograss track. And your right on the poacher turned gamekeeper…
Ken.
Yes it was good fun, I did a couple of days up there when they ran corporate days. Dave Hawkins was also an instructor along with Ollie Marshal, he was an old mate from the North Humberside Motor Club before his accident.
