Time to go racing!
Formula Junior
For sale: Formula Junior from the late 1950s. Vintage raced since the 1970s by John Hertsgaard. He ran it at many tracks including the Grand Bahama vintage race in 1984. John’s health problems made him stop racing the car, but he kept it ready with a battery tender. It would take very little to have the car ready for the Formula Junior event at Laguna Seca in August.
Formula Junior was an entry level class of cars that ran from 1958 thru 1963. The class restrictions included a 1100cc displacement of a stock block. Also gearboxes and braking systems (initially drums, later discs) had to be sourced from production automobiles.
In the late 1970s John bought this old Formula Junior from a car dealership in Duluth MN. He restored the car and raced it many times until 2022 when he stopped racing. The car has a 1098 BMC engine, transmission and rear axle modified to offset. The suspension appears to be all BMC. The car comes with a large selection of blocks, heads and spares.
20’ Haulmark Race Trailer set up to haul two small or formula cars.
Inside dimensions are: 8’ high, 97” wide and 237” long. Heavy duty 235/85R16 tires. Equipped with Stinger brand 4000 lb. capacity electric/hydraulic lift. Batteries have an external charge plug to make easy maintenance. Electric winch and extra ramps for easy loading. Current up-to-date registration and plates.
Parkit 360 trailer mover may be available. Two ball sizes to move light and heavy trailers. Battery maintained by plug-in and extension cord.
For more information: Scott Lybyer 612 741-8486 or scottlybyer@gmail.com
$19k for car and $12k for trailer. $28k for both.
In the past John looked for the history of the car and wrote up the following:
The “Unknown” Formula Junior
Notes
What is known:
- Front-mounted Austin Healey Sprite Mk 1 948cc engine laid over at 30 degrees and
canted 10 degrees with respect to the car centerline. Has modified steel oil pan.
- Gearbox is Sprite Mk1 4-speed, to right of driver’s legs.
- Rear axle is modified Sprite-off center differential.
- Sprite Mk 1 drum brakes all around.
- Rear suspension: live rear axle, trailing links on both sides (double link on right side
with a single pivot inboard, single link on left side. Panhard rod below differential.
Coil over shocks.
- Front suspension: Lower A-arm uses steel tubing, Heim joints and a modified Sprite trunnion carrier to carry stock Sprite front uprights. Upper A-arm formed by modified Sprite rear axle locating link and an antiroll bar formed from bar stock. Coil-over shocks. Steering by Sprite rack and pinion.
- Bodywork: All aluminum. Nose may be a later addition since not all available mounting holes are used. All lower panels are riveted to the chassis.
- Chassis: 1″ square tubes used throughout, floor pan is a stressed panel.
- Radiator is a stock Mk 1 Sprite unit in nose angled rear- ward with air exit under car.
- Wheelbase; 85″, Front track; 48 1/2″ Rear track; 46 1/2″.
What is believed:
- Not a home-built; the quality of the aluminum body is a work of passion, outstanding, with many compound curves, particularly in the tail.
- Was owned in the early 1960’s by a member of the Air Force stationed at Duluth, Minnesota.
- Cooling system was marginal or inadequate; the nose was at one time crudely cut back to increase the radiator opening, then patched.
