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Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: jcc] #2850271
11/23/20 06:25 AM
11/23/20 06:25 AM
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Posts: 16
London England UK
Matt_Snowball Offline
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That seat lowering took a lot of effort, looks nice, what tranny are we seeing there? [/quote]

It's an SST Tremec TKO500

Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2850549
11/23/20 03:17 PM
11/23/20 03:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,440
NW Chicago suburban area
Mopar Mitch Offline
pro stock
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Be wise... determine your sanctioned racing club, etc., determine which class you favor to run in, as well as how much money you're willing spend on the ;project and the typical race season (travel costs, entyr fee costs, tires, etc.

I've seen many racers modify their car without ever considering any given club's rules in different classes, then only to find poor race class results. Go to the extreme of the class rules so that you can stay within that class on a competitive level, rather than not having the car modified to the max and having poor weekend results.

You may not finish in 1-2-3, but you don't want top be dead last all the time.

Last edited by Mopar Mitch; 11/23/20 03:19 PM.

Mopar Mitch "Road racers and autocrossers go in deeper and come out harder!"... and rain never stops us from having fun with our cars... in fact, it makes us better drivers! Check out MOPAR ACTION MAGAZINE, August 2006 issue for feature article and specs on my autocross T/A!
Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: JP8] #2850562
11/23/20 03:43 PM
11/23/20 03:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,785
Utah and Alaska
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Originally Posted by JP8
That's a llama!

Drgas.com


1941 Taylorcraft
1968 Charger
1994 Wrangler
1998 Wrangler
2008 Kia Rio
2017 Jetta

I didn't do 4 years and 9 months of Graduate School to be called Mister!
Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: Mopar Mitch] #2850806
11/24/20 01:41 AM
11/24/20 01:41 AM
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NORTHERN CA
HUSTLESTUFF Offline
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And make your tires the last thing you buy. Use used tires for fitment


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Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: HUSTLESTUFF] #2850817
11/24/20 03:51 AM
11/24/20 03:51 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,599
San Jose,CA
migsBIG Offline OP
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Not looking to compete in any races, more like if a track has a pay-to-play kind of thing. Heck, might even try to get plates for it so it can be on the streets! Thanks for the ideas again. Keep those ideas coming.

Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2850849
11/24/20 09:22 AM
11/24/20 09:22 AM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 310
Northeast Indiana
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73DAD Offline
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Northeast Indiana
Cheap track car?

'old' 5.7 hemi lx platform (300c or Charger or Magnum)

replace the worn out suspension
gut the interior for weight
put sticky tires on it & don't touch the rest

done

It will be easier to build quickly, cheaper, more reliable, and faster on the track. The only downside is it won't look nearly as cool.

Last edited by 73DAD; 11/24/20 02:30 PM. Reason: missed a word
Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2850870
11/24/20 10:54 AM
11/24/20 10:54 AM
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Pikes Peak Country
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Originally Posted by migsBIG
Not looking to compete in any races, more like if a track has a pay-to-play kind of thing. Heck, might even try to get plates for it so it can be on the streets! Thanks for the ideas again. Keep those ideas coming.


I'd suggest looking at the tracks nearby where you may be doing this and see what organizations put together open track days. In many cases, this will be done by NASA or SCCA. There may be some other freelance rentals or clubs that allow it, but the majority will probably be by a sanctioning body of some sort.

Look through these organizations sites to see what options they show for these track days. For NASA, they offer the HPDE events for simply bringing your car out and driving it on the track. These are primarily geared towards using street cars, not dedicated track cars, although those do show up on occasion. The next step up from that would be their Time Trials events. This is actual racing against the clock with several different brackets of cars and their mods that they use to determine classification. SCCA has their own set of classifications, as well as a set of new rules they have developed toget the pro-touring crowd involved with a slightly less regulated class called Classic American Muscle.

Since you may be years out before beginning this, find the organization, find out who the local contacts are, visit some events to see what they look like, and talk with some of the officials about how they deal with a track specific *race* car, decide if you want to formally join their group. This will give you the background to decide how you want to proceed with a build up of a car as well as possibly what car you want to pursue.

Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: JP8] #2851571
11/25/20 08:59 PM
11/25/20 08:59 PM
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,007
Bend,OR USA
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Bend,OR USA
Originally Posted by JP8
That's a llama!
Maybe, maybe it is a Alpaca as well as some other animal that look similar to both confused
Oregon is full of ranches and people who raise those type of animals shruggy


Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: Cab_Burge] #2851890
11/26/20 03:44 PM
11/26/20 03:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 463
Rescue CA.
joes68340s Offline
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Rescue CA.
Im more of an A body guy for this but there are plenty of B body cars running track days. I like the 71s. I plan on hitting some open track days this year. Problem now is the tires I run arent available till April or later Tire Rack dosent know when they will be available. Right now tires and some parts are back ordered so it makes planning a date tough.

Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: 73DAD] #2852321
11/27/20 08:44 PM
11/27/20 08:44 PM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 22,695
Bitopia
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jcc Offline
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Originally Posted by 73DAD
Cheap track car?

'old' 5.7 hemi lx platform (300c or Charger or Magnum)

replace the worn out suspension
gut the interior for weight
put sticky tires on it & don't touch the rest

done

It will be easier to build quickly, cheaper, more reliable, and faster on the track. The only downside is it won't look nearly as cool.

Except maybe for newer/better shock upgrade, your suggestion is spot on IMOup, except it ain't "cool" as mentioned, and nobody here will do it eyesa


Reality check, that half the population is smarter then 50% of the people and it's a constantly contested fact.
Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: jcc] #2852450
11/28/20 07:49 AM
11/28/20 07:49 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,599
San Jose,CA
migsBIG Offline OP
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Posts: 21,599
San Jose,CA
Originally Posted by jcc
Originally Posted by 73DAD
Cheap track car?

'old' 5.7 hemi lx platform (300c or Charger or Magnum)

replace the worn out suspension
gut the interior for weight
put sticky tires on it & don't touch the rest

done

It will be easier to build quickly, cheaper, more reliable, and faster on the track. The only downside is it won't look nearly as cool.

Except maybe for newer/better shock upgrade, your suggestion is spot on IMOup, except it ain't "cool" as mentioned, and nobody here will do it eyesa



I Appreciate the interests, but you didn't read my post fully. I wanted to build a 'cheap' track car. I'm getting this Satellite for nearly free. Plus I have just about ALL the mechanical parts for it and just need a few other items to complete it (wiring harness, cage, seats, fuel cell, wheels). If I buy a late model car, that would be a higher cost, not to mention all the parts I have wouldn't work on it. Calculated out, it would be triple the cost of building the newer car. In the future, I would like to get a late model to lighten up for something like this, but it's not feasible cost wise at the moment. Plus the newer cars have soo much electronics, fixing/finding or working with a system I'm unfamiliar with would be an added burden. It's a good idea, it's just not something that I'm able to work with.

Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2852702
11/28/20 08:04 PM
11/28/20 08:04 PM
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Oregon
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Oregon
It isn't going to be cheap unless it is just a demo derby type of car. If you actually want to go fast around a road race course then it is going to cost money. Starting with a rusted shell of a car that you get for free might seem like the cheap way to go but I have my doubts. First step would be to pull one of those hulks out of the yard and have it blasted just to see what you have. You might find that you can't even work with the metal on those cars. Better figure that out first before you make too many plans.

Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: AndyF] #2854682
12/03/20 08:38 AM
12/03/20 08:38 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,599
San Jose,CA
migsBIG Offline OP
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I want the car to be fun, period. I have 4 years to figure it out, so anything can happen by then. In the mean time, just working with what I got and see where it goes from there.

Re: Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2863292
12/22/20 11:30 AM
12/22/20 11:30 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck Offline
Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
We race Champ and Lemons. Lemons would be easier and much cheaper. All I can say is read the rules and read them again. Lemons would give no slack if you bring one of those. If you have never raced before Champ car would be a hard start. Since they have reduced the "points" structure everybody is fast. The cage is the most important thing, if you have never done one, hire somebody. Both are extremely fun.


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Coming soon!!!!
Re: Canceled.Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2863542
12/22/20 07:50 PM
12/22/20 07:50 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,599
San Jose,CA
migsBIG Offline OP
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When to retrieve the cars today and they were too rotten to use as builders for a track car. Sadly, I wanted to build something on a b-body platform, but the repair and welding required for the car is beyond my skill level and pay grade.
Will entertain ideas, but nothing will be coming home for the meantime. frown

Re: Canceled.Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2863660
12/22/20 11:26 PM
12/22/20 11:26 PM
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Posts: 18,677
Fresno, CA
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Fresno, CA
Originally Posted by migsBIG
When to retrieve the cars today and they were too rotten to use as builders for a track car. Sadly, I wanted to build something on a b-body platform, but the repair and welding required for the car is beyond my skill level and pay grade.
Will entertain ideas, but nothing will be coming home for the meantime. frown


That was the fear in looking at the pics. Fire does bad things. There are cars out there, but they won't be as cheap as that would have been for you. If I see something I'll let you know.

Re: Canceled.Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2863725
12/23/20 02:02 AM
12/23/20 02:02 AM
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Posts: 6,545
Downtown Roebuck Ont
Twostick Offline
Still wishing...
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Downtown Roebuck Ont
Originally Posted by migsBIG
When to retrieve the cars today and they were too rotten to use as builders for a track car. Sadly, I wanted to build something on a b-body platform, but the repair and welding required for the car is beyond my skill level and pay grade.
Will entertain ideas, but nothing will be coming home for the meantime. frown


I liked that LX platform suggestion. Beater cop Charger, put it on a diet and add SRT brakes and suspension if the cop package doesn't have the equivalent.

Should get the job done for what would pass for cheap for a race car. You could even find a roller and go backwards with the engine technology and still have a blast.

Will the SRT stuff fit the V6 chassis? Should be able to find a refugee from Hertz with a blown up 2.7 for about 12 bucks.

Kevin

Re: Canceled.Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2864268
12/24/20 11:45 AM
12/24/20 11:45 AM
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Pikes Peak Country
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IMO, for the kind of open track day you are looking at, you don't need an exclusively built track car. Take whatever you have now and drive it. Good tires, good brakes, basic safety and working seat belts are all you need for this type of activity. Heck, even a daily driver can do this in a lot of instances. There is absolutely no reason to build a track day specific car if you desire is to simply turn laps. Once you try it and see if its something you want to continue with, then you can evaluate activity specific vehicle builds.

Drag racing has really dialed this in with E.T. brackets. The road course and cone bashers haven't done as good a job of getting this message out.

Re: Canceled.Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: TC@HP2] #2864271
12/24/20 11:51 AM
12/24/20 11:51 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21,599
San Jose,CA
migsBIG Offline OP
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Thanks for the advice. Hope to find something. Was really hoping to get at least the 70' Charger for a MAD MAXX build along with the satellite as a track car. Guess I'll go with another idea on my 72' Roadrunner unless one-in-along-shot Coronet might come into for a possible build. Will see what happens.

Last edited by migsBIG; 12/26/20 08:00 PM.
Re: Canceled.Thinking of building a cheap track car. [Re: migsBIG] #2864562
12/25/20 07:23 AM
12/25/20 07:23 AM
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ohio
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Just for fun, what about a 74 to 78 Monaco? Get rid of the extra rubber in the chassis, lose some weight, paint it white.

Don't forget the light bar and sheriff stickers!


Angry white pureblood male
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