Another vee that needs identified

[Etaylor652]

hi guys. I'm new to this forum and formula vee. I have recently picked up a vee project that has been in storage for 7+ years. The car did not come with log books and I am trying to identify it. I didn't know if I should post here or start my own thread. The VIN stamped on the roll bar is 03-325. What I assume is a Nobel racing engine (due to body work stickers) has 215 stamped on the cases. I have talked to my local scca tech guy and he was unable to help much. He directed me here. Any help would be appreciated.

[BLS]

I don't recognize the bodywork, maybe someone else will. If not, get some pics of the chassis and post them.

[Etaylor652]

Here are some pics with the body off. I assume the boxing at the bottom of the frame is completely non standard and may mean the frame is junk. The boxing was used as an airduct to cool the cylinders with ram air.

[BLS]

I'm not the definitive answer, so take it for what it's worth.

Looks like a homebuilt or a very modified predator chassis. I think the modified is a real long shot. I'm just comparing it to pictures I have collected.

It is an interesting car though.

[FV80]

I'm not very familiar with how the Predators were built, but I think this might be an early model Agitator, built by Jim Brookshire. Jim used to be on this forum years ago, but not recently. His son is active over on Apexspeed and MIGHT recognize it though he may be too young to remember it. IIRC Jim built at least a couple cars using the frame tubing to duct the air, and the rear suspension sure looks like his work. When I get home this evening, I'll try to remember to look up his email and ask him to drop by here and take a look.
Steve, FV80

[BLS]

Actually, I think Agitator, not predator due to what Steve said. The first Agitators had the cooling ducted like this is shown. I do not have any pictures showing the framework of the Agitators however to compare with.

I sent James a link to this.

[agitator]

Not sure what it is. My dad thinks it is a copy of an Agitator...but not an original. The bottom third definitely looks like one of our original cars (with the internal cooling). The bodywork is not in any way similar. At first, I thought it might be a Vista, as Don Courtney built that car to look exactly like an Agitator, but he did not use trailing arms. The stamped number on the rollbar suggests it's not an Agitator either. Look on the front roll hoop (behind the steering wheel). If I recall, that should be where he stamped his cars. I "think" it should start with a 00. The only one I think it could possibly be would be KP Jones' old car. I think his was the last car with the internal cooling. KP was known to be a little...uh, rough...on his car! There's a chance it had some major work done on it over the years. I think his car was 005.

There were 17 Agitators built. I know where about 10 of them ended up (two are still in our shop in NC). Donnie Isley has two, as well. A couple were totaled (Chip Leonard's being one). One was sold recently from VA, and I think it ended up in Alabama. Phil Barringer still has the original one that my dad won the '76 runoffs in. That car was sold before the race and we loaded it directly on Phil's trailer after being released from impound. He drove it a few years, and it has sat ever since.

All said, I think this car has promise. It looks well built. The boxed steel is definitely non-standard, but not junk by any means. Assuming it IS a Noble engine, you are starting with at least a solid base to build from. What part of the country is it?

James

[BLS]

James, thanks for looking.

I thought the roll bar # to be the logbook number, not a VIN #, and I think 03 is the Atlanta region.

[FV80]

Yes.. 03 is Atlanta and we have an email thread going internally to try to see if we can locate any info about this car. Most likely it has been lost since it was very early in the Log book process. Our Chief of Tech is going to try to get down to Atlanta (he lives 100 miles away from the office) to see if he can find anything when he gets a chance, but it's quite a long shot.

I might ask Evan .. who did you buy the car from? How did you come across it? Is/was there an eBay ad? An ad somewhere else? Do you know ANYTHING about it's history at this point? If you know ANY previous owner, there is a decent chance that someone on this forum KNOWS that person (IF they ever RACED it) - that would help a LOT in tracking it down. Even what part of the country it came from might help. The pictures are not thorough.. is there any decal or writing on the bodywork that might mean something to someone?

Steve, FV80

[Etaylor652]

hey guys, thanks for the replies. I traded a coworker for the car sight unseen and picked up the car in greenfield tn. It had been sitting in the same shape pictured for approxametly 10 years. I am unsure if it was ever raced by the people I got it from and will try and get more information from them. I will also look at the fwd hoop for more numbers when I get home. Nobel hasn't gotten back with me on the engine yet so I will have to call and badger him. Does anybody have any pictures of an origional agitator frame and body I could use to compare? Also I am missing a seat and a fuel tank. Anybody have one or would know where I could get one?