Historic Saloon needs a clarification

[gordon]

Guys,

Our HS rules state that the period covered by the class is 1960 to 1979. This means that cars like the 4th generation FIA Group 5 saloon cars (initiated in 1976) are legal for the class. These include wide-bodied cars like the Racer Zakspeed Capris, BMW320s, Mustangs, Lancia Beta Montecarlos and others.

Some of us have already discussed this (largely via email), concerned that these wide-bodied cars would make most of our current HS cars obsolete since they have the potential to out-perform the cars of the earlier era, largely because of their extra-wide bodies. The HS class was really intended for cars of an earlier period, specifically the '60s. The aforementioned Group 5 cars are all legal for our Modified Production class, so they have a place to race.

If we are going to exclude these Group 5 cars from HS, the rules need to be clear. I would like to suggest that either we change the period covered in HS be 1960 to 1975 or state that a car's width be limited to a figure that makes sense which is less then these super-wide cars. Steve and I have been doing some research on the widths of several standard and reasonably-flared cars of the '60s and converted them to 1/32 scale and have found that a maximum width limit of 60 mm is about right to include the Escorts and Capris we currently race in HS, but exclude the wide Group 5 cars. Checking the era of a car requires research, whereas checking its width is easily done - even on race night - so perhaps this is the best option.

Gordon

[steveaca]

Hi all,
my suggestion on this would be to leave the period covered as-is. We may make a change only to find out that some slot car manufacturer comes up with a 'winged wonder' version of a Mk.1 Cortina ,BMW 1602 or similar period car (that is, if such a thing doesn't already exist). I think the maximum width idea is the way to go and feel that the 60mm. limit is reasonable.
Steve

[obrie]

60mm sounds good