For many of us, our vehicles are for daily driving, for providing function and style, for driving occasionally or for collecting and showing off. But for millions of Americans, their prized vehicles are specially prepared for road racing, autocross (Solo racing), drifting, road rallies, drag racing or any number of different racing genres.

There are many great local car clubs and racing groups, and one of the leading organizations involved in these avenues for automotive performance is the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is a non-profit American automobile club and sanctioning body supporting American road racing and autocross events. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers. Begun as an enthusiast group for amateurs, the SCCA began sanctioning road racing in 1948 with the inaugural Watkins Glen Grand Prix.

Currently the SCCA sanctions Club Racing (road racing), Autocross (“Solo” racing), RallyCross, Road Rallies, Hill Climbs and more. All of these applications involve vehicles prepared for racing, though some of the more popular vehicles are stock, with a few tweaks. However, true hardcore vehicles are built for racing, and a pro or amateur enthusiast can either buy one and go racing, option-up, or build for racing.

One popular race build group is Ruf Automobile GmbH, a German car manufacturer that engineers original race-worthy cars using unmarked Porsche chassis, specifically known as “Bodies in White”. The cars are built from the ground up as completely new cars, using these bare chassis, and assembled using Ruf-made parts and materials. Rufs are recognized as production models and are known for its record-breaking 211 mph CTR. Ruf will also tune cars and create customer-requested Porsche-to-Ruf conversions.

Another build is from M-Sport, originally known as Malcolm Wilson Motorsport. UK-based M-Sport prepares and runs the official Ford rally Team with Ford Focus RS WRC and Ford Fiesta S2000, and the Bentley Motorsport Team.

A third race builder is HPD or Honda Performance Development, Honda's racing company within North America. HPD specializes in design, development, production, and sale of race engines, chassis components and complete race vehicles for racing customers. Based in Santa Clarita, CA, HPD prepares everything from Indy Cars to motorcycles to customer rally, touring, off-road, karting and midget competitions.

We could go into each form of race prepared vehicles but that will take several articles to cover fully. In future articles, we will hit Muscle Cars (think Dodge Demon, Chevy Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, Mustang Shelby, Buick GNX and more); AutoCross cars (think Honda CRX, S2000 and Civic Si, Fiat 124 Spider Abarth, Toyota MR2 and 86, Porsche Cayman and 914, Subaru WRX and many more); other racing venues, what it takes to tweak vehicle for racing and how to prepare a vehicle on race day.

But for this treatment, let’s quickly hit Street Racing and a few popular vehicles. 

In simple terms, street racing is enthusiasts racing their cars on public roads. The popular cars offer quick response, lots of power (horsepower and torque), great handling, easy tuneability and maintenance, readily available tweaks and cars that won’t cost a fortune to obtain.

Ten of these popular race prepared vehicles include:

Nissan GT-R

The GT-R rates right near the top in many garages and in many street races. Its superior handling, all-wheel-drive, power and balance, make this well-engineered beast a real force.

Toyota 86

An engineering package from the team of Toyota and Subaru, the Toyota 86 is light, powerful and agile, at a friendly price.

Volkswagen Golf GTI

This seven-speed hatchback is a hot racer. Responsive and priced comparatively low, it can challenge the Big Boys.

Subaru WRX

An all-wheel-drive competitor, WRX has a very loyal following. Whether stock or tweaked, WRX is quick off the line and handles on rails.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX

The Evo IX is a legend on the street, with a revised turbo, predictable cornering and power when called upon.

Toyota Supra MkIV

You see lots of MkIVs on the street race scene. Its rep was enhanced by the “Fast and Furious” film series, and on the street tracks, quadruple-digit horsepower has been seen. 

Honda Civic Si

Another competitor priced favorably, a 4-cylinder turbo kicks in late and surprises its foes. Light and nimble ion the corners.

Mazda MX-5 Miata

Fun to drive, power-to-weight is solid, priced for budgets and cool-looking at the race or on the way to it. Small, steady, sporty and popular.

BMW M2

Not for the budget-conscious, but a consideration for the win-conscious. Balanced and powerful, M2 corners with the best of them and performs all day and night.

Nissan 350Z

Another of the most plentiful metal monsters on the scene, the 350Z is priced favorably, powers up well, modifies easily and takes its rear-wheel-drive V6 engine to the front often.

Honorable mention:

American Muscle Cars are well-represented in race prepared street racing arenas. You really can’t have a solid conversation on popular race prepared cars without including Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Corvette C6. Also in the mix are the exotic Lamborghini Huracan and the German-built BMW 3-Series (E46).

What race prepared street racer is your favorite? One of these, or another tweaked street champ?

You can see some of these cars and other race prepared rides annually at the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals.  The 2021 offering at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds takes place May 14-15.  Registration for the Showfield is now open, plus spectator tickets are available online and in advance too.  Learn more about this great international automotive celebration at www.CarlisleEvents.com today.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. 

 

Car enthusiasts fuel the nation’s auto shows, auctions and automotive swap meets. Fueling the universal set of car enthusiasts are collectors with their collector cars and automotive projects. According to classic-car insurance leader Hagerty Group, there are more than 5 million collector cars in America and roughly 58 percent are owned by Baby Boomers, born from 1946 through 1964. Traditional wisdom has said that it is the Boomers as well as WWII vets in “The Silent Generation,” born from 1928 through 1945 have long made up the majority of collector and parts shows. However, that has been evolving for the past 20 years.

Several studies on the subject show that demographics include supporters of the performance aftermarket and collector car ownership, with 76 percent being male; and the average age, which was once around 60, has dropped to 54 with many in their low 40s and new enthusiasts even younger. As the classic car collecting and project building audience has grown younger, a recent survey shows that 67% of respondents say they have always loved cars, more than 50% say they have been collecting for 20 years or more. Owners also admit to spending an average of $12,000 on their hobby, and more than half drive the vehicles they collect and work on. Around 85 percent are college educated, 78 percent are married and 42 percent are retired, but the Millenials, those born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s, is larger demographically than the remaining Baby Boomers, and are beginning to drive the genre. It is slowly beginning to evolve in that direction.

Several of the largest automotive collector car parts flea markets and swap meets are put on by Carlisle Events, at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds, begun on September 26, 1974, when 600 vendors took up 800 spaces, and 13,000 spectators attended “Post War '74”. Within a few years, the Carlisle Fairgrounds had become a collector car enthusiast mecca, and the Fall Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meet & Car Corral and Spring Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meet & Car Corral have become sellouts on the 82-acre show site, drawing as many as 100,000 fans for a weekend. Scaled down a bit for Covid-19 restrictions, the two shows still draw big crowds and they continue to attend Carlisle Events shows out of loyalty, love for the genre and various other motivations.

Carlisle’s location may be part of the draw, as it sits within 250 miles of 58 million Americans, and within 300 miles of 65 million citizens. Of those, many are car enthusiasts who still come to shows rather than buying on-line because at a show, they can see, touch, smell and hear the items they came for, and they can talk about the parts and treasures they need with countless other enthusiasts they may have just met or have seen over the years at previous shows. Carlisle’s audience comes to be part of the show. You can’t get that on-line.

Tim Demark, Carlisle’s Vendor Manager said, many come for the merchandise the vendors display. “We display anything and everything for anything on wheels. Form what might be expected to what you’d never expect to see. The collectors are the stars of the show, those enthusiasts who collect or do restorations and are nostalgic in continuing their traditions of coming to the shows they were introduced to by their parents or grandparents. Maybe they grew up with a certain car, and that classic car still triggers them. Now they can put one together or restore a car or truck to the way they remember it. It has become their passion.”

Demark also recognizes that the vendors are a huge draw. The Spring show has 2800 vendors, from aftermarket to reconditioned parts to original parts to car care products. Classsic used parts from tires to the top of the car, new parts for currents to antique parts for classics; they encompass all projects and needs.”

Ed Buczeskie, Carlisle Events Spring and Fall Show Manager said, “I think there are a couple of things that make a swap meet attractive to buyers compared to online. First, there is the social aspect. Many people come primarily for the camaraderie. In some cases it’s to meet up with old friends, though many travel to the event with friends in order to spend time together. I really think this is an important thing to recognize.”

“Many attend a swap meet to be surprised … to find things that they weren’t looking for and/or didn’t know they needed. Another reason to attend is the thrill of the hunt. They might find something cheap that they can flip for a few bucks. They might find something that’s in their wheelhouse but they don’t really need it. However, it’s just so cheap that they can’t pass it up. Or, they might find something they need for a project that’s on the back burner but it’s such a good deal that they buy it now.”

Buczeskie believes the attendees love the one-to-one aspect of swap meets. “Nothing beats dealing with someone face-to-face,” he said. “There are too many ways to get scammed online – as either a buyer or seller. It’s also frustrating when you find something online; make arrangements to see it, only to find out it sold because someone got there first with the cash. At a swap meet, whoever sees it first has first shot at it. If you walk away, it might not be there when you go back. It’s just more fair to everyone. Also, when buying in person you know that you’re getting exactly what you think you’re getting. There is no misrepresentation on the seller’s part. No failure to disclose damage – it’s up to YOU as the buyer to look it over AND to have done your homework on the part. If you’ve done your due diligence, it’s pretty hard to get scammed when dealing face-to-face.”

According to the Buczeskie, “Buying at a swap meet is an experience. It’s entertainment to a degree. It’s more than just a means to buy car stuff.”

Demark agreed, “People come for the conversation, the stories, and the experience. It’s entertainment. They know that when they come to Carlisle, to expect the unexpected. In the collectible world or the time period they are passionate about, they can find it. And our attendees tell us they often have more in common their fellow attendees than they do with their family. That is part of it … they ARE family.”

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>

Every February a trio of airplane hangars come to life at the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus in Lakeland, Florida.  The event, a two-day classic and collector car auction powered by Carlisle Auctions, hosts 400+ pieces of automotive history along with buyers, sellers and a hard-working staff.  The Lakeland Winter Collector Car Auction, slated for February 19-20, is a means to connect buyers and sellers with an investment that truly accelerates.  More so, the auction is a means to start or add to an existing collection.  Some rides are head turners but are ultimately daily drivers.  Others are top of the line, best of show type consignments.  In between, there are a few that the owner can simply have fun with along the way. 

The auction runs the gambit of production and history, so it’s only fitting that it returns to SUN n’ FUN following a most historic year.  In February 2020, Carlisle Auctions topped the $4 million sales mark as part of its Winter AutoFest offering some 10 months ago.  While that was a good kind of history, obviously a different kind has been gripping the world in other ways since about three weeks after that event.  Fast forward to now and Carlisle Auctions is excited to return to SUN n’ FUN to present its 2021 event, February 19-20.  The excitement starts at 10:30 a.m. daily.  There are THREE great ways to bid and buy too, in-person, on the phone and ALL NEW, online.   

Carlisle Auctions finds success due to its experienced staff, competitive buyers and sellers fees and its FREE UNLESS SOLD guarantee.  The sooner someone can commit to the auction, the more time and opportunities exist to promote and market select consignments.  Further, online bidding makes the chance of a sale that much easier because as soon as a consignment is received and processed; it becomes eligible for online bidding.  Pre-registered bidders have a chance to save upwards of 50% and again, can start bidding on online inventory as soon as their bidder credentials are processed. 

2021 auction highlights include the aforementioned 400+ consignments PLUS an all-truck hour planned for a time slot TBA on Friday.  There’s also a handful of resto mods which should be some of the higher bid consignments too.  Mix these great elements into the special feeling of Florida in February and the 2021 auction is shaping up to be another must-attend event backed by Carlisle Auctions. 

For the February 2021 auction, there will be some modifications due to COVID.  In compliance with CDC suggestions and state of Florida regulations, Carlisle Auctions will offer added hand washing stations, hand sanitizing options, encourage social distancing and the wearing of masks.  The event will be accessible to guests (buyers, sellers, staff, business partners and spectators) per guidelines in place at the time of the February auction.  Even though there are indoor elements associated with the auction, the facility in fact has open hangar doors on both ends and breezeways on both sides.  Further, since this is an airplane hangar, there is more than enough built-in opportunities to social distance. 

For guests looking to enjoy the auction but not attend in 2021, it’s important to utilize the various options to bid and buy.  In fact, with confirmed consignments already listed, online bidding has commenced and will run throughout the auction.  For details on buying or selling with Carlisle Auctions in Lakeland or any other event on the 2021 auction schedule, health safety measures and more, visit CarlisleAuctions.com or call 717-960-6400.

Finally, the auction and the annual Air & Coach Concours display are the ONLY parts of the originally scheduled Winter AutoFest Lakeland 2021 event that will take place.  For 2021, Winter AutoFest has been canceled.  The automotive flea market, car corral, car show elements and more will return in 2022 bigger and better than ever.  

For model-year 1971, Chevrolet launched the Vega H-Body to compete with Ford, AMC and econo-imports, and it was greeted with enthusiasm from the auto press. The subcompact drew early raves and was named 1971 “Car of the Year” by Motor Trend and “Best Economy Sedan” in 1971, 1972 and 1973 by Car and Driver readers. Vega, also called “the H Body,” had a 97.0-inch-wheelbase, and the econocar saw more than two million versions of Vega – Notchback, Hatchback, Kammback, Panel Express Delivery and Cosworth -- produced between 1971 and 1977, with a high-water mark of 460,374 in 1974.

Named after the brightest star in the constellation Lyra, Vega flamed out in seven years and was cut from the line. The car quickly became one of those love-it-or-hate-it vehicles, and its supporters were equaled by its detractors. But 50 years later, the Vega H-Body remains a classic for many reasons.

The Chevrolet Vega was conceived in 1959, when compact cars were beginning to sell in America, with the market served largely by the Volkswagen Beetle, Datsun and Toyota, as well as the American Studebaker Lark and Rambler American. Chevrolet entered the compact fray in 1960 with Corvair, to compete with Ford Falcon and Plymouth Valiant, and all three hit the ground running. Other small cars were not compacts as we see them, and were adaptations of mid-size sedans -- Chevrolet Nova, Ford Maverick and AMC Hornet were among those – and the public yearned for a true subcompact.

By the end of the decade, John DeLorean had been reassigned from head of Pontiac Division to the Chevrolet Division, and took over Vega (among other challenges). Vega was already set to build, and DeLorean added a few tweaks, but the engineers and designers shipped it, pretty much as they imagined it when it went live in September 1970. A series of teaser ads led up its launch, with four available variants of the H-Body. The Notchback sedan and Kammback wagons shared rooflines (and thus doors and other components); the more popular Hatchback had a lower roofline and shared a fold-down rear seat with the Kammback. The cars were identical from the cowl forward. The Panel Express was designed to be a light delivery truck and a GT version of Vega could be ordered, which brought a little more power (110hp vs. 90) through use of a two-barrel carburetor and slightly “warmer” cam grind, along with full instrumentation on the dash.

H-Bodies, introduced with the ’71 Vega were available with various GM engines, solid rear axle and unibody construction. By 1973, Pontiac Astre, a rebadged version of Vega launched in Canada and hit the U.S. market in 1975. Other H-bodies included Chevrolet Monza, Buick Skyhawk and Oldsmobile Starfire for model-year 1975, and Pontiac Sunbird’s H-Body came into play for 1976.

The Vega and the Astre were discontinued at the end of the 1977 model year, while the Monza, Sunbird, Skyhawk, and Starfire continued through 1980. The GM J platform replaced the H platform in 1981, though the H platform was designated for full-size GM front-wheel-drive cars in the 1980s, and served as the basis for GM’s second-generation downsized full-sized sedans including Buick LeSabre, Oldsmobile 88 and Pontiac Bonneville.

The base Vega engine was a single-barrel 90-hp 140 CID aluminum-block L4. A two-barrel version delivered 110 hp, and in 1972, a prototype that never saw the light of day, had an all-aluminum 302  small-block V-8. Chevrolet hand-built 5000 122 CID L4 Cosworth Twin-Cam engines for the 1975 Cosworth Twin-Cam Vega. And in 1973, GM made plans to install the GM-rotary Wankel engine in for the 1975 Monza 2+2, but the engine was canceled.

Manufactured at Lordstown Assembly in Ohio, and South Gate Assembly in California, as well as in plants in Canada and Mexico, the basic Vega was priced at $3249 in 1971, but lofty goals helped create the sports-inclined Cosworth that was priced at $5918 in 1975, only $892 below Corvette, and was soon priced out of the market.

The Chevrolet Vega pioneered a number of product development processes at GM, including employing new production methods and technologies, and it introduced a novel means of rail shipment – vertically on specially designed rail cars, which could hold 30 cars instead of the 18 a standard auto carrier held.

Vega was good-looking, a decent driver and sold in big numbers early on, but uninspired engineering tweaks and the focus to keep a low price, soon fueled Vega’s demise. When Vega displayed a propensity for rust after cold East-Coast winters and salted roads, and corrosion even in West Coast Vegas, the public changed praise to derision. Additionally, an inadequate cooling system led to oil burning, coolant leaks, and dead engines.

The luster had worn off and Vega was discontinued. But just as the star it was named after, Vega shone brightly on the automotive scene and deserves classic respect, as we celebrate 50 years since it hit and took over the car world’s consciousness.

To learn more about the 2021 Carlisle GM Nationals, special displays of the weekend, including the 50th birthday of the Vega and H Platform and more, visit the car show page direct via the Carlisle Events web page.  Register to show or purchase spectator tickets too.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

Central Florida is home to many great entertainment options.  This includes family fun hot spots such as Lego Land, Sea World and Magic Kingdom just to name a few.  There’s also a bevy of non-theme park related fun such as boating, fishing, nightlife and plenty of car/automotive themed activities.  One such car event, Winter AutoFest, is held annually at the SUN n’ FUN Expo Campus in Lakeland each February. 

The event, powered by Pennsylvania based automotive promoter Carlisle Events, has taken place in Lakeland since 2013 and has grown exponentially since its inception.  The three-day offering includes a quintet of car show options, an automotive flea market and two-day classic and collector car auction.   Following a best-ever 2020 offering the Carlisle Events team was eager to return to Lakeland, February 19-21, 2021 for Winter AutoFest, however; the Coronavirus had other plans.

As with many aspects of the past 8+ months, Carlisle Events and Winter AutoFest 2021 have fallen victim to Coronavirus.  Because of ongoing COVID related concerns, the planned 2021 event has been canceled for 2021 ONLY!  The event as it’s been known and recognized for the past few years WILL RETURN IN FULL in 2022, running February 25-27. 

While Winter AutoFest has been put in the garage for an extended period of time, there are two aspects of the weekend that will continue.  First and foremost, the auction element of the event will be happening at the facility during its originally planned dates.  Carlisle Auctions, the sister company of Carlisle Events, will move forward with its two-day classic and collector car auction, Lakeland Winter Collector Car Auction.  This socially distant event takes place on the SUN n’ FUN Expo Campus grounds, within a trio of spacious hangers February 19-20.  Start time is 10:30 a.m. daily and interested parties can bid and buy THREE great ways, in person, online and on the phone. More details on this event will be shared in the coming days via a separate news release.

Feature two is the annual Air & Coach Concours.  This gathering of luxury motorcoaches has become a popular destination for those who enjoy the motorcoach lifestyle.  The $299 participation cost includes three overnights at the spacious SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus, TWO bidder’s passes for the auction, plus four coupons, power hook ups and more. 

For complete details on the 2021 Carlisle Events, visit CarlisleEvents.com or call 717-243-7855.  Enthusiasts interested in auction specific information should visit CarlisleAuctions.com or call 717-960-6400.