£7,500
A single-seater racing car built in the late sixties, the original Formula 4 Vixens were fitted with 250cc motorcycle engines.
Later cars were fitted with 650cc engines, plus wings, at about the same time as aerodynamic aids started to make an appearance on Formula 1 cars.
A single-seater racing car built in the late sixties, the original Formula 4 Vixens were fitted with 250cc motorcycle engines.
Later cars were fitted with 650cc engines, plus wings, at about the same time as aerodynamic aids started to make an appearance on Formula 1 cars.
Believed to be the only Formula 4 still competing and in the care of the same owner since 1986, this VB1 is fitted with a freshly rebuilt 750cc Triumph Bonneville engine. It has only been used for a couple of events since then.
A complete turn-key historic racing car package, the Vixen was fully restored around ten years ago and comes complete with a covered trailer, a rare and class-correct 650cc Bonneville engine, as well as a large number of other spare parts.
The owner has spent many years racing a variety of single-seat racing cars including those from marques such as Lola, Lotus, McLaren and Brabham, so you can take it as read that he knows his historic racing cars - and he knows how to look after them properly.
He has only entered a couple of races a year in it, most recently Angouleme and Mallory Park, although it has also seen action at just about every other British circuit and hillclimb.
Eligible for either Formula 500 or Formula Junior at an invitation class, it needs nothing other than a semi-competent driver to offer a very realistic prospect of a podium finish.
The spaceframe chassis was powdercoated and the brightwork was nickel-plated during the car’s restoration ten years ago, and it was then carefully reassembled with new and refurbished parts as required. (Please see the gallery section for photographs.)
The blue bodywork might be minimal but it is in very good condition and seems to be free of the sort of damage that racing cars can pick up when they’re being piloted by drivers with more ambition than talent.
It’s not perfect of course, having picked up the odd scuff and chip in the past decade, but that’s a good thing because the last thing you want to be worrying about as you commit to a fast sweeping bend is that you’re going to pick up a few stonechips from the car in front…
The lightweight alloy-rimmed wire wheels were made for the car by Turrino Wheels Limited. The tyres are matching racing Dunlop racing tyres, and all look to have good tread.
The interior is typically sparse but includes a TRS harness, a padded backrest, a plumbed-in fire suppression system, a removeable Mota-Lita steering wheel, an electrical cut-off switch and a full suite of dials.
The 750cc Triumph Bonneville motorcycle engine was rebuilt approximately a year ago at a cost of around £4,000. Fitted with an electric start and barely run in having only been used for a couple of events since the rebuild.
The car’s specification also includes hydraulic suspension, aluminium Alfin drum brakes on the front and a single disc brake on the rear, twin stainless steel exhaust pipes, and an oil cooler astride the oil tank.
As we have already mentioned, the car was fully restored a decade ago and has been continually maintained and upgraded since that time.
The Vixen also comes with an increasingly rare and period-correct Triumph Bonneville 750cc engine. This is the correct engine for the old Formula 4 class, and is valuable in itself. It is a direct bolt-in replacement for the existing engine so the two could be swapped easily.
The spares package also includes a spare exhaust system, the original fuel tank/seat, two complete electronic ignition systems, some spark plugs, a complete set of alloy wheels, plus many other bits and bobs. Please see the photographs for details.
The Vixen also comes with an alloy covered two-wheel car trailer complete with a spare wheel and tyre.
This VB1 was rebuilt around ten years ago. Please see the gallery for photographs of the work being undertaken, along with some of the Vixen being raced in period.
If you’re seriously interested in bidding, then you should really talk to the owner as he has a wealth of knowledge about the car as it has been with him for some time.
Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing for other paperwork, including the original advert for the car, to support our claim that this car has been restored and maintained to a very high standard.
Pricing such an unusual and well-specified car like this is always going to be something of a lottery, largely because you’re bidding on a complete racing package in addition to the vehicle itself.
This is the perfect introduction to the world of historic single-seaters – and it’s a rare old thing, too. Eligible for the invitational class in both Formula 500 and Formula Junior, the new owner will have no problem finding places to race the car on the track and at hillclimb events throughout Europe.
With this in mind, we think it will sell for between £20,000 and £25,000, which seems like good value to us given its rarity, condition and the ancillaries that come with it.
There is always likely to be a ready market for good examples like this too, which means that it might not be the worst financial investment you ever make.
Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen near Kettering; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.
BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.
Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.
