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Lynx Cars was founded in the mid-1960s by Bill Riley and John Mills. Their first Formula Vee racer was constructed in 1965 and dubbed the 'A. The car was given a fiberglass body and a space-frame chassis. The mechanical components conformed to Formula Vee specifications and included a 1200cc Volkswagen engine, four-speed Volkswagen gearbox and drum brakes. The front suspension was a trailing link setup with wing axles located in the rear.
The Lynx A was a good car, but it was not a strong seller and only a few were ever made. It was the companies first attempt at building an entrant for the newly formed Formula Vee class and much had been learned in the process. Their next design followed in 1966 and it was very different to its sibling and many other FV racers of the era. Instead of the common space-frame chassis setup, Riley decided to use rectangular steel side rails due to its rigidity and easy construction. It was easy to repair offered several other advantages over the popular space-frame construction of the time. The design had been created by Riley with Mills handling most of the assembly.
The bodies were created from fiberglass and drum brakes could be found at all four corners. There were around 200 examples created and proved to be solid contenders for top honors. James Purcell drove a Lynx MKII/B FV racer to the SCCA runoffs in 1967. The car failed to finish. Jim Herlinger drove his car to a respectable ninth place finish in 1968.
The Lynx company dabbled in Formula Ford and Formula Super Vee Competition in the early 1970s, but only a few examples were ever constructed. Riley left the company in 1971. He remained in the business, designing Indy cars adn Sports prototypes.
Ford purchased the Lynx name in 1979 and continued the production of FVs under the name 'Caracal.'
The Lynx A was a good car, but it was not a strong seller and only a few were ever made. It was the companies first attempt at building an entrant for the newly formed Formula Vee class and much had been learned in the process. Their next design followed in 1966 and it was very different to its sibling and many other FV racers of the era. Instead of the common space-frame chassis setup, Riley decided to use rectangular steel side rails due to its rigidity and easy construction. It was easy to repair offered several other advantages over the popular space-frame construction of the time. The design had been created by Riley with Mills handling most of the assembly.
The bodies were created from fiberglass and drum brakes could be found at all four corners. There were around 200 examples created and proved to be solid contenders for top honors. James Purcell drove a Lynx MKII/B FV racer to the SCCA runoffs in 1967. The car failed to finish. Jim Herlinger drove his car to a respectable ninth place finish in 1968.
The Lynx company dabbled in Formula Ford and Formula Super Vee Competition in the early 1970s, but only a few examples were ever constructed. Riley left the company in 1971. He remained in the business, designing Indy cars adn Sports prototypes.
Ford purchased the Lynx name in 1979 and continued the production of FVs under the name 'Caracal.'
| Formula VeeFormula Vee is a single-seat junior racing league that was governed by strict racing rules creating some of the most competitive racing of all time. In comparison to other racing leagues, Formula Vee (FV) is low-cost. The buy-in was around $2000 with a competitive machine costing just over $5000. In modern times the price has increased to around $15,000 - $20,000 for a competitive racer. In comparison to other racing leagues, this is still very low. Throughout the years, the rules have changed to lower the costs, improve performance, or to allow for the substitution of parts as many have since been discontinued. Since the playing field is relatively even in terms of mechanical components and capabilities, drivers must heavily rely on their skill and technique in order to emerge victorious. Formula Vee traces its history back to 1960 and was started at the request of Volkswagen dealers. Three years later, the league was established and recognized as a class within SCCA (Sports Car Club of America). By 1966, it was ranked third out of the 17 classes, in terms of numbers of racers. These mid-engines cars were limited to a 1200cc engine, gearbox and suspension - all courtesy of the Volkswagen Beetle. Air restrictors may be used to keep the power similar for all drivers. The transmission is a VW Type 1 four-speed gearbox along with a set of VW ratios. The body is fiberglass and the chassis is a tube frame. The chassis are known for their low-cost and easy repair and high structural integrity, allowing most drivers to walk away from accidents. Dunlop produces a tire specifically for Formula Vee and this is the only tire allowed in the sport. The tire is suitable in wet or dry racing conditions. Wings are not allowed. Limited slip differentials or any type of traction-control is prohibited. The 1040 pound racer is capable of speeds up to 120 mph. Some of the more renowned producers of these historic racers are Zink, Autodynamics, Lynx, and Formcar. The cars are no longer produced but aftermarket parts are still available. In the sport of FV, the best driver wins. |
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1967 Lynx A |
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| Year | 1967 |
| Make | Lynx |
| Model | A |
| Engine Location | Rear |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Production Years for Series | 1965 |
| Weight | 475 kg | 1047.4 lbs |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | I |
| Cylinders | 4 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 1200.00 cc | 73.2 cu in. | 1.2 L. |
| Horsepower | 50.00 HP (36.8 KW) |
| HP to Weight Ratio | 20.9 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio) |
| HP / Liter | 41.7 BHP / Liter |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight | |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Transmission | Manual |
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