A thread for road racers............>>>>>

[knitz01]

it looks awsome, low and mean real baaaaaaaaad

[Chryco Psycho]

Not exactly sure what the paint mix is , the guy I bought it from painted it , it is a metallic Blue , partly it is just good lighting when the pic was shot too
Thanks for the compliments 

[aifilaw]

I'll be painting mine as soon as I can find someone who will do it without ripping me off. B5 blue metallic, which looks a bit like that.
I'm real tempted to attempt try #2 at road racing.
Of the three styles (drag, road, and autox) I spent 6 or 7 years in the drag scene, and really it gets boring and probably more expensive than the other two in the long run, I liked the people less and less after a while. I currently actively participate in auto-cross and enjoy it, but I wish I could get out of second gear once in a while. Good people, good fun and lots of events, I could go once a week if I wanted in Dallas.
Road racing I tried once, and was immediately very disappointed by the amount of rules, restrictions, et cetera. The car I tried running it in can hit 180mph easily, and skates along at 150 like you're doing 70; Even has a roll cage. But I don't want to tear up the interior six ways from Sunday in it to frame-mount a fire extinguisher in reach of the driver, and put in a 7-point cage, et cetera et cetera just to be able to hit a top speed of 130mph on the track.... I'm all about safety, but too many rules takes the fun out of the race. If people don't know how to drive and die, that's what a disclaimer they sign is for.

[knitz01]

If you just want to go fast, have you looked into high speed touring events? I live with in a hour of Road America and they run 5-10 events a year.  It's not competitive but fun as hell.

[aifilaw]

link me, I don't mind non-competitive for something like that, if I want competitive I'll go to a lease-out of a nascar or grand pri track.

But I'm betting they have rules galore as well, thoughts?

[RallyeMike]

I'm all about safety, but too many rules takes the fun out of the race. If people don't know how to drive and die, that's what a disclaimer they sign is for.

My thought:        

[69bronzeT5]

Wow Chryco...nice '71!!! I've been planning an awesome road racing '71 for some time now

[Chryco Psycho]

Thanks T5 

[200MPH]

any updates on this thread this def. one of my favs  subscribing!

[69bronzeT5]

I love this thread

[motorcitydak]

So I am in the very early stages of my '68 and really want to make it into a road race car. There is a local road race track in Waterford, Mi that I can take it to 5-6 times a year. I have the car completely torn down rite now so I can build it in any direction I want. My plans so far are a light fiberglass front end, tubular front control arms and K member if possible, 315 tires front and rear, 9 inch rear with a paralell 4 link w/ track bar and coilovers, 04-05 5.7 Hemi and 545rfe trans and an interior that I can easily gut out to strip weight on race days. Basically I want a streetable race car. Any suggestions? I am going to try to talk with some of you guys and see exactly what I have in front of me. I need new quarter skins, bit I may just start making fiberglass fender flares for the rear and extend my track width and flare out the front ones too.

BTW, I have a line on a pair of used porche rear tires that are 315/40 16's that I would use for mock up. Would that be a good size to run?

[HPP]

Read here about what is probably the world's most bad ass road race Challenger; http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3236049

[Mr.Woolery]

I've been into road racing (albeit with small, lighweight cars) for some time.  I can't help but let a little of that experience leak into my 3rd gen Charger project.  Although I won't be going all out and replacing body panels with composites, I do plan to stiffen the chassis and do some suspension mods to help the car's handling in mountain and track driving.  At this point I'm planning to install a mild cage and the AlterKation systems with upgraded coilovers to allow for independant spring preloading and corner weighing capabilities.  I'll also be upgrading the brakes.

The final result won't do well in open road events (the gearing won't be tall enough), but it'll be able to acquit itself honorably at the local road racing tracks.

[motorcitydak]

I've been into road racing (albeit with small, lighweight cars) for some time.  I can't help but let a little of that experience leak into my 3rd gen Charger project.  Although I won't be going all out and replacing body panels with composites, I do plan to stiffen the chassis and do some suspension mods to help the car's handling in mountain and track driving.  At this point I'm planning to install a mild cage and the AlterKation systems with upgraded coilovers to allow for independant spring preloading and corner weighing capabilities.  I'll also be upgrading the brakes.

The final result won't do well in open road events (the gearing won't be tall enough), but it'll be able to acquit itself honorably at the local road racing tracks.

I find it funny how you say you wont be going all out with glass body panels, yet you will do a near $4000 front suspension. Is that for the looks? I know glass will not look as good so I plan on a lot of time spent trying to get them to look as close to factory as possible. I am going to try to cut as much weight off the front end as possible w/ a lot of tubular items and mostly glass front clip and a 5.7 Hemi. I know that the 545rfe trans is about twice as heavy as a 727, but I think it makes up for that with the double over drive thing. While I want to take this car to the track, it will pound the pavement even more so getting 20mpg will help out a lot.

Did you consider getting another 3rd member for your rear axle so the car can play in more forms? I have 2 3rd's for a ford 9 inch that will be going in my car. I am not sure exactly what gears I am going to use yet, but having 2 to chose from will be nice. It only takes an hour or so to swap 3rd's in a 9 inch, I am not sure about a mopar 8 3/4

[Mr.Woolery]

I'm not considering 'glass body panels because I want to use the original bodywork, while I'm doing the suspension swap because I want the modern handling dynamics and adjustability.  The car will primarily be a street car that's been modernized, with road racing capabilities as secondary (waaay secondary, at that) characteristics.  If I wanted to make the car's roadracing characteristics primary to it's street nature, I'd do the full glass conversion, remove the hideaways, and go with an aluminum or small block engine to reduce front end weight.  Believe it or not, I'm actually pretty OCD when it comes to weight reduction in my cars (almost to a fault)...although the temptation to do lots of weight reduction to my Charger IS there, I'm deliberately resisting it because I'd take it too far and end up making the car pretty much into a track whore that's almost unstreetable (I've done it to my other cars).  I don't want to do that to the Charger...I want it to at least retain some of its street "cruiseability".  

Basically I want to build my 3rd gen Charger as a street car using some of the roadracing sensibilities I've gained...without going over the top (as I did with my Miata and in purchasing the Atom).  I don't consider the suspension work as over the top, though...just modernization of the platform.

[69bronzeT5]

I want to use my Charger for Autocross type events and road courses....however, my Coronet will be for strictly open road racing. I can't wait, it looks like so much fun

[motorcitydak]

I just wanted to let anyone else that may be interesed in shaving weight on one of their cars know what I found. I am sure a lot of you knew of these guys already but it took me a week of google searching to finally find someone who makes something for my car other than hoods. These guys have hoods, fenders, bumpers, doors, quarters, trunk lids and tail panels for all kinds of cars. All of them feather weight fiberglass. I will be using their quarters and fenders then building my own flares into them with a little more glass. So if you are looking, check these guys out. I can finally rest easier...
http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

[69bronzeT5]

I just wanted to let anyone else that may be interesed in shaving weight on one of their cars know what I found. I am sure a lot of you knew of these guys already but it took me a week of google searching to finally find someone who makes something for my car other than hoods. These guys have hoods, fenders, bumpers, doors, quarters, trunk lids and tail panels for all kinds of cars. All of them feather weight fiberglass. I will be using their quarters and fenders then building my own flares into them with a little more glass. So if you are looking, check these guys out. I can finally rest easier...
http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

Fiberglass quarters? I'd personally use factory steel ones for structure and safety

[tan top]

I just wanted to let anyone else that may be interesed in shaving weight on one of their cars know what I found. I am sure a lot of you knew of these guys already but it took me a week of google searching to finally find someone who makes something for my car other than hoods. These guys have hoods, fenders, bumpers, doors, quarters, trunk lids and tail panels for all kinds of cars. All of them feather weight fiberglass. I will be using their quarters and fenders then building my own flares into them with a little more glass. So if you are looking, check these guys out. I can finally rest easier...
http://www.vfnfiberglass.com/site.htm

they do alot of good stuff , for dragracers
yeah i agree with bronzy , fibergalss rear quarters is a no no , unless its a tube frame drag car type deal , where the the exterior panels are for looks only & no strenght

[HPP]

Lighter weight is the same as adding horsepower, regardless of the racing venue. Reducing weight on the ends of the car reduces the polar moment of inertia, which results in quicker car reaction in turn entr as well as strip launches. There is a fair amount of cross pollenization that can occur with different disciplines.

I wouldn't condone using fiberglass quarters on a uni-body car that is exclusively street driven, but if your building a tube frame car, regardless of application, the body is no longer a structural item and is simply decoration. It can be made of any material you desire. 

[suntech]

Damn guys!! missed this thread completly!!
This is the direction i am going with my 68. A Pro Touring car, with a "hard core open road racer" stance and theme. Things are moving slower than what i have been hoping for, mainly because a lot of stuff is stuck in customs. So i enjoyed driving the car this summer, and will start to tear it down now. Will be making my own molds for hood and trunk lid, and make them  from Carbon fibre.
The engine is a 611 cid World Product aluminum hemi, with fuel injection. Gearcase Quaife 6 speed sequential, and rearend Mark Williams Modular, with aluminum center. Front suspention and brakes: XV level II, rear will be 4 link watts link setup, with XV brakes. Think i will have a lot of fun building this thing, and drive it 

[68pplcharger]

 

[Road Dog]

Great thread. The Goose has been set up for this for years. We raced out in the country back in the late 70's. We'd race sometimes 5 miles. Couldn't do thart now days. Back then all you would hit was a deer of a stray dog. Goose has a warmed over 440 with 2:76 gears and automatic. Sway bars front and rear . Had the rear springs re-arched to give it the right ride angle. Good tires and shocks too. Today on a track senario I might want a manual tranny. Future years might find me with much bigger gears and a overdrive.

[motorcitydak]

I am not sure about putting a cage in my car but I will for sure be beefing up the frame rails along with connectors. Keep in mind also that I will be doing a 4 link w/ coilovers rear setup so the rear of the car will only be there for looks. It will not have the back half of the leaf spring back there. Everything past the center of the wheel wells will only be for looks and to support itself. I am not saying that I am opposed to a simple cage however. It will increase the rigidity of my car which is obviously something I am very interested in. I may do a simple rear main hoop behind the front seats with the standard bars that run to the front and rear and an eye brow bar to tie in the 2 forward bars. I wish VFN had a glass dash panel I could run. I mite just call em up and see if there is one that I can use in the car since I do not want to dice up my origional which is in great shape. BTW, goal weight for the car is around #3000-3200 w/o me in it.   

[200MPH]

So i wonder if a Gearvendors  with a 727 would work with the right rear gear like a 3:23 which comes out OD to 2:55 or something anybody have experiences with Automatics in this type of racing ?