The rumble of engines

Those involved in Formula Vee struggle to cite readily things that should be changed about the category. But one matter that does arise is the formula’s hardy air-cooled 1300cc Volkswagen Beetle engine. “The big problem we have with the 1300 engine [is] we have to use original 1300 Volkswagen cylinder heads,” explains Phil Foster of Bears Motorsport. “Things like that are getting a little bit more difficult to come across.

“And basically because of the design and the nature of the engine and how much we’re pushing out of them now reliability does become a bit more of a problem.”

Vaughn Jones concurs. “Parts, they’re definitely out there, but there’s not any original parts being made anymore, so you’re either buying second-hand cylinder heads or you are getting reproduction ones which aren’t as good quality. So it might end up being a case of, in a good few years, we have to change the engines.”

A 1600cc unit such as that used in Super Vee or in Irish Formula Vee often is mooted as a replacement. But even so caution should be applied. Low-cost competition is central to Vee’s popularity, and the low-cost relates closely to its regulation stability. You can add also that there is much accumulated 1300cc-engine expertise in Vee’s paddock.

Foster notes. “[Vee is] one of those formulas people don’t seem to like change too much, mostly based on cost. A lot of people that run themselves do it on a real tight budget, and it’s as much as they can afford to do to come out over a weekend and go racing.

“So to start changing it too much and you would lose an awful lot of the old-school Fvee members.”