68 Bobsy vega

[esde]

I am picking up a complete, but basket case, 68 Bobsy vega on Monday. The guy that I am getting it from was one of the mechanics on the pit team in the 70's and early 80's. At some point it was crashed, and the team built another car, and this one was put into storage. The frame did go to some chassis shop to be repaired and straightened. From the bit of info that was out there, I gather that the SCCA banned the Vega for a too stiff ladder frame, but then I have pics and reports of them racing off and on through the 90's. There is one written account that says they fixed the stiff frame, but no mention of it lifting the ban, so who knows what is accurate. Can anyone shed any light on this? I am no doubt putting the cart before the horse, wondering what I may be able to do with it before I even have it at my shop. My thought is, that if I can enter it in some type of vintage race, it may be a good project to sit on for a few years, and build with my sone when he is older. ( Hill climb, vintage drag, vintage road race) Who knows..? I'll post up pics when I grab it Monday. Unfortunately the motors (1200 vw and 356 porsche) and trans are at another garage, and won't be on my pickup route for a month or two.
SD

[spencerfvee]

hi great find . not many were made . only a hand full about 15 from what I under stand .what has me wondering. is you say it has a ladder bar frame. the vega did not have a ladder bar frame . the vaga had a very light weight open frame .it was made like a go kart frame lol it was banned because it was unsafe .the vanguard bobsy,s did have a ladder bar frame .if you use bing you can type in vega bobsy and you will see all kinds of photos of a vega also you can type in vanguard bobsy and there is a lot of photos of the bobsy vees . I would very much like to see a photo of your vega find . I am from medina ohio I know jerry mong who built the vanguard bobsys and the vegas. I hung out at the vanguard shop from 1969 to 1973 . I have a 1964 vanguard bobsy formula vee race car . jerry is still alive in medina ohio jerrys son restores vanguard race cars and vanguard formula vees again great find spencerfvee ps heres pictures of a bobsy vega

[spencerfvee]

this is a vanguard bobsy with a ladder bar frame

[esde]

Thanks Spencer, that's pretty interesting. I haven't actually seen the frame, as it's buried up in a garage loft, where its been for the past many years. The picture of the open farm that you have is crazy! So, it's just an open tub with a mount for the beam. Maybe I'll have to give some more thought to the final end use for this find.

[spencerfvee]

now the bottom photos are of a ladder bar frame the guy is making it wider so he took all the tubing off and it does have sides on it I will send you a photo of my frame spencerfvee

[esde]

So a little clarification, I picked up the car today and it turns out to not be a Vega, but a Vanguard like Spencervees. Completely apart, and missing some stiff, notably the shifter and linkage, steering wheel and shaft, and frame from the rear shock mounts back. There is a nice mix of original body panels and some home brewed interior parts. I was in a hellish hurry, so no time to snap pics. I'll post some up as I inventory what is there. Spencer, I'm going to PM you about getting some measurements from your car, if you could please. It'd be a big help. SD

[spencerfvee]

hji I am going to meet with jerry mong who owned vanguard and made the bobsy formula vees in two weeks he is going sign car at his home. I will ask him if he still has the blue prints for the frame. I know his son ron might have all the blue prints for the bobsy vees .his son rebuilds bobsy SR 2 and 3 race cars at his shop when you have time you will find when standing in frount of your frame on the left hand side of the frame .on the top of the frame were the king pin frount end mounts to the frame . there is the frame number stamped that will tell you what year your frame was made I have found from other bobsy guys numbers from 1 to 120 cant wait to se your vee great find spencerfvee