What happens to debris?

He means "generate beer money" of course.

I didn't get to go (), but remember the guys talking about squeezing "any old **** we can find" into the containers for the US flyaways; "those dudes will buy *anything*" was the mantra; Beer money for the crew;

- Brake pads - Heat 'em up in a saucepan, take 'em outside and "these just got removed from XYZ's car" could generate a good return. [Rotors were of course in even more demand.]
- Broken bodywork - Someone will buy it!....
- ****ed up/worn out bearings & shafts etc? "Fresh outta the car - It's still hot! Only one available!"



Cheers,
Ian

 

I usually walk the track after the race and you always see people holding on to bits of broken cars. At Monza they usually take anything that isn't bolted down so you can see dozens of security around DNF cars

My friend was able to souvenir gloves from a Ferrari mechanic who left them on the fence for a second lol

 

I still beat myself up over having been too honest after the Monaco GP of 84 where they stopped the race early. In the ensuing chaos I came by a stranded F1 car near Rascasse with nobody nearby. I could have easily removed the steering wheel but didn't. Wouldn't react the same way today

 

Gotta give Eddie credit - He was about 10 years ahead of the game when it came to realising that knackered old F1 car parts and bits of shattered bodywork could still make money!

 

Which reminds me of an old question we had here before but still haven't really answered:
What happens to the cars and parts themselves?

The ones that are already 3 (?) years old and not famous: like all the Marussias, Force Indias etc? Why aren't they for sale? Or are they?

Occasionally I come across an old EJ car that's when I wonder why there aren't more around in private hands?

 

Maybe it is just me - but does anybody else think that it is just a little beyond the creepy line to want to collect crash debris?

I can sort of see an engine or wheel made into furniture - but carbon fiber shrapnel just so you can tell the story of who hit who at what race?

Could be this is cool to some, but not to me.

 

What's the problem as long as nobody gets hurt?

Heck, I still proudly have the bent wishbone from my Skip Barber accident in my racing collection.

 

And you don't think that this adds to the general public impression that fans are crash-happy and not really there for much of any reason than to see exciting crashes?

 

I suspect they are quietly sold off to motoring museums/private collectors to be used for static displays (and I'll bet a lot of these end up dressed up to look like a Ferrari F1 car!), some will become track-day toys (as you should well know! ), BOSS series cars and other such playthings.

 

Do I care what the general public thinks?

 

I bet you are right. Not so much museums but probably more like super rich guys who have one in their garage or on the wall in their mancave. Understandable but oh so wrong.

But not enough of them. Particularly not of the newer group (as in the last decade). Wherever I look (and you know I look hard for these things) I see the same group of cars over and over again. About the most recent for rent was Irvine's Jaguar offered for drives at Hungaroring. Just a few months ago I contacted those guys trying to set up a drive but they no longer answer.

 

Guess not. Neither do I.

 

It might.
If the general public were aware if the practice.

In a way its an ultimate souvenir.

 

At Long Beach in '76 at the end of the weekend some of the team mechanics were selling off stuff. I have a Cosworth piston and spark plug from Surtees. Think I got bothe for $15. That was from back when some teams tore down engines in the garages instead of just replacing them like light bulbs.