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Ray Caldwell created the company, Autodynamics, along with the help of friends Del Trott and Don MacSorely in 1962. American born Caldwell had studied at Harvard Business School and was passionate about racing. he spent much of his free time racing his 1932 Ford Roadster, and later competing in SCCA sanctioned races. He joined the Air Force in the early 1960s and spent some time in Europe. His free time was spent racing in European races and rallies with his Porsche Super 90.
The creation of the Formula Vee Series in the early 1960s provided an opportunity for many aspiring racers and builders. Customer cars were in high demand, and newly formed Autodynamics decided to gauge interest in a FV racer by running an ad displaying a drawing of their design. The response was tremendous, with over 1000 interested inquires. Autodynamics collected money from a few interested buyers and began work on the new machine. The first car was ready for the 1964 FV Season, and Caldwell proved the cars potential by driving it to the SCCA National Championship. The first series of Formula Vee racers were dubbed the D-1 MK1. They utilized a Volkswagen engine and gearbox with a trailing link front suspension and swing axles in the rear. The body was constructed from fiberglass and rested on a space frame chassis. In total, there were around 186 examples created.
The first few years of production were difficult for the company. As with most businesses, it is hard to turn a profit in the first few years. It was not until 1967 that the company began making a profit, and by this time it was producing over 60 cars a year.
For 1965 the D-1A and D-1B were created and were similar to their siblings, but brought mild improvements. The D-1A was smaller and lighter and had a re-worked rear-end. The D-1B incorporated the same improvements of the D-1A, but took it one step further by revising the rear-end once again, and making it even more simple and easier to get at the mechanical components.
In 1967 the D-4 was introduced and it was a new machine in many ways. It had a new chassis design and improvements to its suspension components. It was not only a more modern and competitive FV racer than its predecessors, it was also more expensive. The cars experienced some teething problems; at the Nassau Formula Vee race it finished ahead of the competition only to be disqualified later for having valve springs that were considered 'illegal'.
For customers that required more room in the cockpit, the D-4A model was available. It provided the room needed for larger customers, and 148 customers took advantage of this more-accommodating machine.
The D-4B saw production in 1969 and 1970. It featured a newly designed body and similar mechanical components to its predecessors. Around 65 examples were produced. This would be the final Formula Vee created by Autodynamics; the cars created after 1970 bore Caldwell's surname.
Caldwell created new Formula Vee racers for the 1971 season that introduced new designs and features not seen on FV's before. The designs would soon be imitated by other marques. Caldwell also created cars for Formula Ford, Formula Super Vee, and even a couple of Pro-Series Cars.
The creation of the Formula Vee Series in the early 1960s provided an opportunity for many aspiring racers and builders. Customer cars were in high demand, and newly formed Autodynamics decided to gauge interest in a FV racer by running an ad displaying a drawing of their design. The response was tremendous, with over 1000 interested inquires. Autodynamics collected money from a few interested buyers and began work on the new machine. The first car was ready for the 1964 FV Season, and Caldwell proved the cars potential by driving it to the SCCA National Championship. The first series of Formula Vee racers were dubbed the D-1 MK1. They utilized a Volkswagen engine and gearbox with a trailing link front suspension and swing axles in the rear. The body was constructed from fiberglass and rested on a space frame chassis. In total, there were around 186 examples created.
The first few years of production were difficult for the company. As with most businesses, it is hard to turn a profit in the first few years. It was not until 1967 that the company began making a profit, and by this time it was producing over 60 cars a year.
For 1965 the D-1A and D-1B were created and were similar to their siblings, but brought mild improvements. The D-1A was smaller and lighter and had a re-worked rear-end. The D-1B incorporated the same improvements of the D-1A, but took it one step further by revising the rear-end once again, and making it even more simple and easier to get at the mechanical components.
In 1967 the D-4 was introduced and it was a new machine in many ways. It had a new chassis design and improvements to its suspension components. It was not only a more modern and competitive FV racer than its predecessors, it was also more expensive. The cars experienced some teething problems; at the Nassau Formula Vee race it finished ahead of the competition only to be disqualified later for having valve springs that were considered 'illegal'.
For customers that required more room in the cockpit, the D-4A model was available. It provided the room needed for larger customers, and 148 customers took advantage of this more-accommodating machine.
The D-4B saw production in 1969 and 1970. It featured a newly designed body and similar mechanical components to its predecessors. Around 65 examples were produced. This would be the final Formula Vee created by Autodynamics; the cars created after 1970 bore Caldwell's surname.
Caldwell created new Formula Vee racers for the 1971 season that introduced new designs and features not seen on FV's before. The designs would soon be imitated by other marques. Caldwell also created cars for Formula Ford, Formula Super Vee, and even a couple of Pro-Series Cars.
| 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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1964 Autodynamics D-1 MK1 |
|
| Year | 1964 |
| Make | Autodynamics |
| Model | D-1 MK1 |
| Body Style | Formula Vee |
| Engine Location | Mid |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Body / Chassis | Fiberglass body on space-frame chassis |
| Production Years for Series | 1964 |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Engine | |
| Engine Builder | Volkswagen |
| 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 / Liter | 41.7 BHP / Liter |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 4 |
| Transmission | Manual |
| Volkswagen | |
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Automobile information, history, and statistics from concept to production. | © 1998-2008 Conceptcarz.com
Automobile information, history, and statistics from concept to production. | © 1998-2008 Conceptcarz.com