| Author | Message | ||
| neal (95spiderneal)
Junior Member Username: 95spiderneal Post Number: 215 Registered: 3-2002 |
another track car from uk - ultima.com. made to use vette engines but may be able to fit f power plant. much more robust looking than radical and very quick. | ||
| Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Member Username: 95f355c Post Number: 852 Registered: 8-2001 |
Tom, The Radical is a racecar which runs in DSR in SCCA and is meant to be raced not driven for a few laps until the driver gets thirsty and pulls in to sip a Perrier and wow his friends with tales of derring - do on the track. The 355 Challenge is also a race car meant to be raced but so what? I can't afford to keep slapping body panels on it everytime some a$$clown in his 50K Z06 decides that he wants 1st place. Matt Karson's lap time at the Glen would get him the pole in his 355 C. Lime Rock too! I am less than a second off the pace of Ferrari Challenge Champion Jim Kenton's testing times at Summit Point Raceway and about the same margin at Mid Ohio. The person whom Solly likely saw at Watkins Glen drving his Radical is a competitive SCCA racer in the Spec Racer Ford class and my teamate at Hagerman RacEngineering. He also runs an Alfa touring car in a professional series in South America. While most at a track event are not there to burn through a few sets of tires and set lap records some of us spank the living sh*t out of our F cars, Radicals, and such at the track and race something a bit cheaper in SCCA, Nasa, Grand Am or whatever. And in fact the Radical SR3 isn't even homologated or classified for racing in the US and was specifically designed to be a track car with two passenger seats. Regards, Jon P. Kofod 1995 F355 Challenge #23 FLATOUT RACING Website: http://neverlift.homestead.com/flatout.html | ||
| TOM BUCKLEY (Tom_b)
New member Username: Tom_b Post Number: 31 Registered: 6-2003 |
I feel a distinction needs to be made between track events and racing. What occurs at a track event may border on orgasmic for some but it isn't RACING. The Radical is a racecar which runs in DSR in SCCA and is meant to be raced not driven for a few laps until the driver gets thirsty and pulls in to sip a Perrier and wow his friends with tales of derring - do on the track. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy track events but simply putting a racecar on the track does not constitute racing. The curmudgeon has spoken.  | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2846 Registered: 2-2001 |
Steve, I believe Jim is correct about off brand race cars not retaining their value. That said, I sat in a Spice & its like pulling on a glove Very nice, By just sitting in it I could tell that the car becomes an extension of you. I'll sell you my 512TR race car, for one Million dollars LOL | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2845 Registered: 2-2001 |
Steve, Marshall's car rocks. its a much more serious race car than the 360 Challenge. FCA rules change quite a bit but back when only Ferraris could run the rule was that it had to have a Ferrari engine so the Spice would have been welcome. Now the FCA, ESR allows almost any car on the track so no worries Whats Marshall up to now since he quit racing ? | ||
| david charles (Supraboytt)
Junior Member Username: Supraboytt Post Number: 57 Registered: 10-2001 |
don't take a cold shower yet....wait for this next full length feature...only on Spice! | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
Advanced Member Username: Peter Post Number: 2968 Registered: 12-2000 |
Why does everybody pooh-pooh cars like this? Sure its yesterday's "trash", but that's what they said about Group C cars and now they're making a come-back in Europe as a "Historic" series. You don't need the 550+HP to have fun or be competitive. De-tune and you'll extend the life - and service intervals - of the motor. Who cares about FCA/FOC events, there should be plenty other racing series/forums around to have a car like this run it. It sure would make one helluva cool autocross car!!! Ditch the Challenge and buy this mini-333SP. I betcha you'll have more fun and still spend as much, or less as compared to the "C". | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 2247 Registered: 10-2002 |
Solly Off brand racecars without major history IMHO will never hold their value esp. compared to something like a BBLM. That said who cares. As you point out this is a lot of car for the $ and I agree that Gordon is the one to take care of it for you. One thing you must realize. While this tub will give you protection in a shunt. If you bend it it's much $ to fix it and it may never be the same. Are spare tubs available? | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 538 Registered: 6-2001 |
Thanks to all. I drove the Radical at the Glen earlier this year, and it is blindingly fast and sticks to the road like glue, BUT I watched when they removed the body panels and there is not much between you and the ARMCO except a few puny steel tubes. I'd hate to be in an accident with a Radical, a sentiment echoed by 2 mechanics who happened to be watching with me. The Spice has GTP-spec engineering and a lot of honeycomb aluminum and carbon fiber between me and the outside world. I am way too big to fit into a BBLM no matter what they do with the seats. I've tried. And the BBLM is twice the money of the Spice, so that's out. The Zeus looks and sounds great, but can I race it in Ferrari events? It has no Ferrari parts. Same goes for the Lola. Is a Daytona comp clone significantly better than my current 360 Challenge? If not, why bother? The Spice is a GTP car, and according to Gordon the $8,000 rebuild includes everything. I was very specific about asking if it was a top end rebuild only, or included pistons, cams, conrods, etc. and he swore it included all of the above. He just finished Will H's TR racer and did a terrific job, so he has credibility with me. Bottom line is I can sell my 360 spider, get this car plus enough spares to make an additional 1.5 cars and still have money left over for gas, and no worries about being excluded from Ferrari events. If I sell the Challenge as well I can afford 15 engine rebuilds (255 hours of track time) with no additional out of pocket expense. Just curious as to why you feel this car will not hold value? I'm gpoing to gordon's place in Ossining this week to have a look. Haven't made up my mind yet, so still looking for input. | ||
| will h (Willh)
Junior Member Username: Willh Post Number: 158 Registered: 3-2003 |
Does the Radical still have that motorcycle engine? You could try this: Constructor - Zeus Motorsport Engine - Toyota 1.6L 4-AG, 16 valve, 4-cylinder, 247 hp Fuel System - Weber carburetors, dual side-draft Transaxle - Hewland FTR 6-speed sequential Front Suspension - Pushrod, inboard with 3-way adjustable shocks Rear Suspension - Pushrod, inboard with 3-way adjustable shocks Brakes - 4-piston alloy calipers w/vented floating steel rotors Wheels - Front 8x13 Rear 10x13 Bodywork - Carbon Fiber Weight - 1190 lbs without driver Top Speed - 165 mph Wheelbase - 102 inches Track - Front 57 inches Rear 56 inches Features - Rear diffuser, adjustable wing & splitter     | ||
| James Glickenhaus (Napolis)
Intermediate Member Username: Napolis Post Number: 2243 Registered: 10-2002 |
Solly IMHO I would consider a BBLM. As you saw at Lime Rock this was the car to beat. It's also a car that unlike the Spice will retain it's value. There are several for sale. Sheehan has one for sale. WWOC could keep it together for you. If you are looking for something less expensive I'd get a Daytona Comp Clone. There are a few of these for sale as well and they make a great club racer. If you want something Gordon could keep going and is VERY fast and bullet proof I'd bid on Bob's Lola which will be auctioned at Pebble. For 275K you can suck the doors off anything except a GTP. Just a few thoughts. PS. For the $ Jon's idea is by far the best. | ||
| Lou B (Toby91)
Junior Member Username: Toby91 Post Number: 249 Registered: 4-2001 |
At a FOC Watkins Glen event a few years ago, I was in the adjacent bay next to Marshall Field and this car. It took three mechanics to keep it running plus constant cell phone chatter with Spice and the engine builder. Don't know much about the car but was impressed with how much attention it took. It sounded fantastic and I guess was blindenly fast. | ||
| Jon P. Kofod (95f355c)
Member Username: 95f355c Post Number: 847 Registered: 8-2001 |
Solly, Not to disuade you from purchasing a Ferrari race car but I would be suspect of $8000 for a rebuild. If I remember, that car ran in the WSC series and while not a front runner was pretty fast. I am not sure what a stock 308 rebuild costs but I would find it hard to believe $8000 covers a full rebuild on a 500= hp modified engine. Maybe the top end if the valves are ok but not a full rebuild. For a lot less money you could buy a fully spec'd out Radical Pro Sport SR3 which almost the same power to weight ratio (3.5 vs. 3.3 for the Spice). There will be an SR3 at the Glen at the end of the month by a friend of mine who sold his 355 Challenge after driving the SR3. Here is a picture and the website: http://www.radicalmotorsport.com Regards, Jon P. Kofod 1995 F355 Challenge #23  | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 537 Registered: 6-2001 |
This car was built for Marshall Field and uses a Spice frame/body, and an extremely upgraded Ferrari 308 engine (550 bhp), the car weighs 1800 lbs. It is now at a local dealer, Marshal having lost interest in racing, and has had over 400k of work put into it. Spare engine, 2 complete spare bodies, 6 sets of wheels and tires, etc. all for less than a new 360 spider. Since it has a Ferrari engine will I be allowewd to bring it to FCA/FOC events? Also, it needs a complete engine rebuild after every 17 hours of racing ($8,000), but that includes virtually everything necessary for the next race. I have already spent over 25k on my Challenge car for parts, labor, extra wheels, etc. Any opinions from any of you? Here's a picture;  |