Anyone know formula atlantic and swift cars..

This has been discussed before, I'll look for the thread.

There are fewer opportunities to run a formula car for fun, as many if not most track day organizations cater to sedans, and exclude formula cars for safety reasons.

An Atlantic, even if not raced, may not be as easy to run as a sedan, in several respects. I wouldn't hesitate to take a prepped 430 or 360 Challenge car, or a Porsche Cup car, to a track day weekend by myself. An Atlantic is more likely to need a nanny, to be less relaible. To be really fun and fast, an Atlantic may take more setup, and at track adjustments, than a sedan.

An Atlantic is a very, very fast formula car for someone new to the breed. I suspect very few would recommend one as a first track car. There are guys here who think their big, powerful Grand Am/Patron etc sedans are fast - your Atlantic, and my D sports racer, would beat virtually all of them. Have you ever tried the Russell cars, out at Infineon? That would give you a feel for a fast aero formula car - in spades. You definitely would get more out of an Atlantic by starting with Skippy's cars.

I wouldn't recommend buying any race car unless you have someone knowledgeable to look it over for you.

Lots of racers here with lots of experience - mousecatcher may be currently running an Atlantic, I'm sure he'll speak up.

I love the Atlantics, beautiful and fast.

 

Have you looked at a Radical? I would think it would be cheaper and easier to maintain as well as more trackday friendly with organizers (I see them at many track days). It's still one hell of a race car.

 

Please specify which Swift Atlantic chassis you are looking at and I may be able to assist.

 

I think the consensus of responses you got over on rennlist pretty much sum up the answer: Not only is there not a single aspect of an FA car that makes it suitable for what you describe, as a racecar it lives at the extreme other end of the spectrum; it is the last class you master prior to big time open wheel racing.
There are a million 'dedicated track car' threads on both forums to help guide you.

 

The difference between your GT3 and an Atlantic car will be enough to either kill you or hurt you very badly. I am not joking...If you want to go that route--buy a Formula Ford, then a 2 liter Ford or FE car or Formula mazda car-then-once you have mastered them-then look at an Atlantic car. Learning to drive a high downforce car takes time and time and time. You don't start out with an FA car!

Also--The operating costs on these things is huge. Figure at$1500-$2000 a weekend for any regional SCCA race. Less if you want to track it but there are few if any track day organizations that will let you run an open wheel car. (insurance issues!)

Look at 30 hour engine life-then a rebuild. Tire costs are $$$.

These are REAL race cars--very fast, very specialized, very expensive to "play with".

If you want a more purpose built track car--buy:

1.) X-Bow
2.) Lotus 2-Eleven
3.) Radical
4.) Ariel Atom
5.) Lotus Exige

 

LOL. Figure $10k+ for an amateur race weekend.

 

Been said many times, but absolutely not. The purchase cost of these kind of cars is irrelevant. They are extremely expensive to operate.

There is nothing like an open wheel car. But for track days it's very difficult to find folks that will let you run. I'd look at a radical or an SRF. Either of those are very popular and you can find a rental to try it out first.

Do take the Skip Barber open wheel racing class so you get some idea of what you're getting into.

 

Be careful of doing track days in a small open wheel car if you will be sharing the track with street cars such as your GT/3. In a shunt they will win.

 

the old style, they have engines that last a long time.

That atlantic has a 400 to 600 mile engine (toyota Highly stressed), they are hand grenades waiting to explode and are very expensive. Plus, big time ground effects down force takes a lot of learning and balls, think.....If I lift and slow down I will go off the track.....so you have to keep your foot planted and hope the cars stays glued to the track, after a while you will understand that it will. They are cars for PRO (or very advanced and experienced formula car) Drivers. I think that the motorcycle engined sports racers while appealing have hand grenade engines also, unless you can stand to just run a stock one, and they are very good out of the box. But I see guys chasing the last 10 horsepower and they break them.

I like the old formula Mazda for club racing, lots of engine life, like years between rebuilds. After driving proper racing cars I never liked any production based car, they all fell like pigs, but a open wheeler or sports racer, well that something entirely different.

 

Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone know of any IndyLights cars available?

Thanks,

CW

 

What he said.
Tube frame FM is the absolute best bang for the buck in Formula cars.
Tires are $ but they are in an Formula class or class that uses slicks.

 

Go do a school with Bondurant , they have a mazda open wheel school . Try before you buy into any high dollar item ! I say same about motorcycles , rent for a weekend a simple test drive does NOT give a real life feel.

 

Wow you are bringing back some great memories I drove in the Toyota Formula Atlantic Championship from 1989-1993. Those cars are wicked quick..like 0-60 in about 2.8 seconds. We actually cornered faster than the Indy Cars on most of the street course races. Set up is critical and they can be very expensive. If you have never raced a Formula car a Swift Atlantic car, it might be a little advanced for you. Yes those Toyota Motors were fragile at 10,000 rpm, the BDA Ford Cosworth used in the 70's and 80's was much more bullet proof. Also the Staffs gearbox on the Swift DB-4 is weak. If you get an 1980's Ralt RT-4 (much more reliable and cheaper to maintain) Formula Atlantic and drive it at 7 tenths on a road course for just enjoyment and don't drive above your head you could have fun.
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Do you by any chance have the link to the car for sale.

 

"Wow you are bringing back some great memories I drove in the Toyota Formula Atlantic Championship from 1989-1993. Those cars are wicked quick..like 0-60 in about 2.8 seconds. We actually cornered faster than the Indy Cars on most of the street course races. Set up is critical and they can be very expensive. If you have never raced a Formula car a Swift Atlantic car, it might be a little advanced for you. Yes those Toyota Motors were fragile at 10,000 rpm, the BDA Ford Cosworth used in the 70's and 80's was much more bullet proof. Also the Staffs gearbox on the Swift DB-4 is weak. If you get an 1980's Ralt RT-4 (much more reliable and cheaper to maintain) Formula Atlantic and drive it at 7 tenths on a road course for just enjoyment and don't drive above your head you could have fun."



Great post, great photo.

 

Just buy a Miata...

 

If you are looking for the thrills of a formula car, but don't want to get into as deep a financial pool (considering operating expenses) you might consider buying a race kart. Shifter or Touch and Go (TaG) kart will be faster than practically any street car on a kart track. Similar thrills for a lot less $ and hassle, and will feel just as fast (0-60 in 3.5 sec, 2.5g cornering, etc)!

That's what I did, and am having a blast!

John

 

I have to agree that dollar for dollar you cannot beat the speed and feeling you will get with an older Formula Mazda. The car with spares and maybe even a trailer will set you back about $15K. Given the costs associated with running an Atlantic that is totally disposable money. Now you are left with a car that costs near Miata money to run yet will out-perform ANY $200-$300K sports car. Also if you get the itch to race, there are established racing championships for those cars all over the country. Lastly if you get tired of the whole deal, Formula Mazda's are popular and in demand. List it for $10K and you should be able to sell it within the day.

 

An older FM car is a good choice but for the same money I would also look at a mid 90's Formula Continental car as a better option.

Same operating costs but a faster, more precise car. I have driven both and the FC is always a faster car around the track.

 

Hi Brent, wow, the world is a small place. I probably talked to you at some of the events. I was working for Eibach back then and we were supplying suspension springs through Alvin Lloyd at Swift and directly to teams like Jovy Marcelo (RIP) and Joe Sposato. We also handled the sale of Schmithelm valve springs for the 4AGE motor to TRD. That was a great era for the Atlantic series and the fields were always full of cars.

 

Let's not skip over a very important point--you may want to work your way up into an Atlantic. It's a lot of car if you haven't driven anything close to it, especially in a competitive capacity.

 

Hey Greg, We probably did talk. I actually bought a March 79B and a Ralt Rt-4 from Joe Sposato. He really helped get me into Formula Atlantic. The black swift DB-4 in the picture I bought from Sandy Dells and was the car Jimmy Vasser won his first Pro Formula Atlantic race with in 1987. Wow, what a small world and a special time in Formula Atlantic.