Tony Foale center hub outfits

[RARING TO GO]

I spoke to Tony last week in Spain to ask if he had any drawings of his 1970's Center hub outfit I could use to build a replica. He told me the termites had eaten everything from the outfit when he stored his stuff under the house in Spain, but he would help me any other way he could. So is there any one out there with any pics or info that might help me construct a replica of Tony's radical machine?

[den etheridge]

Centre Hub steering not allowed in CLASSIC Racing Club.

[Bill Lymburn]

Don't anyone be put off answering Raring to Go's request by Den's post!!

[steve-e]

It is eligible for a lot of the continental stuff isn't it?
Sorry Michel this is not answering your question - yet Maybe split the thread so Michel can get his question answered without us discussing eligibility?

[Bob B]

Certainly eligible over here

[alan_overton]

So is this to do with getting small 10" front rims working with fat 5" tyres on the front end of an outfit? Something we could NOT do successfully back in the late 60's using leading link Earles front suspension? On account that the steering head angle on the front forks made the front tyre 'tip' from edge to edge from lock to lock?

ie the front tyre lost it's contact patch in cornering, leading to some very strange handling characteritiscs... That's why we stuck to a 16" ally rimmed front wheel with 3½" racing tyre in that era, on the RGM outfits. It's my recollection that John Renwick solved the mystery of making a 10" fat wheel work on the front of the outfit, with 'hub centre steering', as found on a typical car, and raced with great success by brothers Gerry and Nick Boret.

However, it was a technology that was always shrouded in secrecy in race meetings, by the front fairing. But I guess a few other guys worked the idea out for themselves in the early 70's, eh?

Cheers- AL

[sidecar bloke]

Obviously I don't want to fall out with Den but......The rotten original would be eligible, albeit a little dangerous, whereas the replica - much safer would not. However, if the replica looked exactly the same as the original - a little scruffy here and there - how would one know the new scruffy safe one wasn't in fact the old scruffy dangerous one!

Your service Den!

[kface]

Ivan Lintin from Lincoln who I raced with in the early 80's bought one of Tony's hub centre steering oufit's from Bernard Ward who raced it with a Kwacka engine in the late 70's. Bernard had a lot of win's on it, but when we got got it, it was just a pile of bit's. We used it for the first part of the season, but could not get it to handle correctly. We were told after that we hadn't got the front end set up right (lot's of spacer's extra).Ivan then sold it to Ron Butler from Lincoln who on his first outing on it demolished the marshal's hut on the inside of Charlie's at Cadwell. I think he cut the front off and fitted fork's.I will try to find out what happened to it. Also I can remember an article in either a mag. or mcn. I will make enquiries for you.
Also I'll try and get some Calms for Dennis!

[Bill Lymburn]

Now now, Boys, don't be falling out about it!!

[Bill Lymburn]

I heard John Renwick had a lot of trouble setting his up too before he got it right!!

[RARING TO GO]

Well I am pleased at the interest, thank you to all posters, please keep it up any comment good bad or indifferent is welcome.
Steve to answer your "Q" The French VMA allow chariots that were built /designed within the period of the class regs.
I have found them to be VERY VERY helpful and upstanding so far, I know why BOB lives there now.
I had an out fit, a Center Hub in 1979 with a 680 Konig and I thought it was a TF but when I described it to Tony he told me it was not one of his. The main frame was same as a TF a 3" tube with a goose neck at the front to take the wish bones. I sold it to a David Bryant, from where I do not know.
BTW the Renwick is coming along and should be done by end January, I am having a NEW Konig engine built from scratch it will be ready in February.
Here is a long shot;..................any detailed pic of Rudi Kurth's Kat 1 pressed metal outfit out there, I might have a bash at making a replica, as I have found a new crescent engine still in the box built in 1964 , should be FUN. The BFD is looking good had the motor fitted last week, going to be a tight squeeze for the centre exhaust due to the single down tube, but I am sure BDK have an elegant solution.

[TRIDENT]

OH--oh, this sounds like a very large cat amongst the pidgeons to me, eligability officers? Please dont spoil what you have got now by allowing trick frames etc. into what is now a very good format. Be very careful not to end up like F2! by allowing `variations` of all sorts and turning classic racing into yet another rule bending class. Remember if you can what F2 started out as, BASIC - relatively cheap sidecar racing, but now look at F2, poor grids, and everyone complaining about the very high cost. REMEMBER IT IS YOUR CLASS OF RACING. DO NOT ALLOW IT TO BE HIJACKED BY THE PEOPLE WHO RUINED F2. I expect that I will be called all sorts of names etc for having the cheek to say this, but I have NO axe to grind, as I am an EX sidcar racer and so none of what you do to YOUR form of racing will affect me. As yet it is still a free country to express my thoughts, so before anyone decides that I should be hung drawn and quartered just stop and think about what I have just said, you know it makes sense.

[steve-e]

Trident I'm sure the CRMC agree with you

[TRIDENT]

where are the moderaters now ? SO much for NO PERSONAL INSULTS. As I said people would want me hung drawn and quartered. So raring to go, I never said that you wished to race in Britain I simply forwarded MY views on keeping the classic scene as it is, why are you so annoyed at me for saying what I think ? I may be an ex racer but I am entitled to my views, perhaps you would rather that everyone just said and did what you like to see and hear?

[TRIDENT]

AND BY THE WAY raring to go BRITAIN IS STILL THE BEST COUNTRY IN EUROPE. That is why all the rest are coming here.