Ok guys here is my question to anyone and everyone. I have been through the drag racing on my 71 Chevelle and now I want to do something different. I want to turn my car into a lowered down SCCA type performance car so I can have the best of both worlds. So I am looking for some guys that have took this advantger on. If anyone can hook me up with some links or direct me to some guys that have done this before I would be mucho greatful.

Here is a picture of her want to be taken to the next level.
http://www.nitro-nights.com/swap/Chevelle.jpg

Thanks Jeff

I've often thought about this sort of thing myself, I have a very "pro-touring" (minus the stick shift) car and basically the only thing I do to turn it into a "drag car" is stick some sort of stickier tire under it, which I could continue to do.
It's lowered, has good power, big wheels, even bigger tires, big brakes, and I think a giant parking lot with cones would be fun.
Some guys that my dad work with do SCCA stuff in old 911 porche's, the tail-happy year ones. They have all done at least one 3 day driving course in either CT or AZ.
One guy gets really ticked because he never gets the # of hours out of his engines that he expects, I am not sure if its the builder he uses or his approach, but thing things just don't stay together. I think one of the builds of one of his engines only got 20 hours of race time before losing a bearing, and I think he builds them for 500 hrs..
I know they do some of this at either Thompson Speedway or Limerock, which aren't too far from me, so I have been always sort of interested.
I don't know if you need it for SCCA solo, but I think you need to take real race classes (Skip barber, bondurant) to get an SCCA license, and you are looking at 4-5k right there, but I think once you get the license you have it. SCCA solo I am not sure you need one.
I think it would be alot of fun, especially going up against the guys in tuner 80's BMW's and 70s/80s porches, but I also think parts failure, cost and upkeep would be alot more.
I would look into SCCA solo.
Maybe someone on this board actively participates in this stuff?
If not, I will try to remember to ask my dad when I see him what his co-workers had to do to be able to race cars in SCCA.
I think another guy he works with destroyed an early 80's porsche on a course, so if the car is your dream car, I'd be hesitant. This is honestly why I think you see alot of guys picking up beat-down 911 porches or BMW's, gutting & caging them.
So SCCA solo has an even bigger appeal for people who have one car and would prefer not to crush it, and just run the risk of dealing with whatever happens when you run over a bunch of road cones..

Wish I could help more, hopefully someone will chime in.

Matt

I auto-crossed in the 80's with a mostly stock 86 GT Mustang.

It really is fun, but you will be amazed at how fast you can ruin 4 tires.

A drag race is over in less than 14 seconds, a lap of auto-cross can last more than a minute.

As far as setting up your car, I would search for the SCCA web site, and see which class you want to be in.
Some mods can be called stock, and some can't.
Like you can run light weight wheels, if they are stock size.
Stock swaybars, might be allowed as stock but big stock type swaybars may or may not be.
Shock absorbers, are another one. Gas shocks might be okay for stock, but adjustables probably aren't.

I'd get reading, and looking for loop holes, because a car as big and heavy as a Chevelle is gonna need some help.

Low and light = fast.

maybe this will help...

http://www.pro-touring.com/

Thanks for the help so far. I have taken a lot of drivers training through my work.(GM Milford Proving Grounds) But I might be able to pull off getting a driving course from Skip Barber from them too.

I want it to be able to do track days and if I like it try some SCCA events. So Building it to an SCCA class spec in case I want to take it to the next level is the route I want to take.

Jeff

Jeff,
I'm jealous, when I was a kid, I dreamed of working there.

I'd think you'd have access to all kinds of suspension wisdom there.

I hope you do it, and post your results.

I think with the right modifications, these cars can be made to handle real well.

They don't handle as baddly as some people think, when the suspension, is rebuilt with new stuff.
Shocks, swaybars, springs, and bushings.

They do feel pretty floppy when stuff is worn out.

I thinks tires are the biggest thing though.

Yeah I have a few ideas for getting the rubber under the car. I just want to go into this project fully loaded with thoughts and ideas.

Jeff

Originally posted by Purs:
maybe this will help...

http://www.pro-touring.com/ If you want to turn, this is the place to hang out.

Oh yeah man!!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif Solo2 is the most fun I have had in a car (while it was moving.) I “compete” here in the St. Louis area in the E Street Prepared class and I basically suck but have a ball driving the car like I am in the "Bullitt" chase scene. Stock classes would be ridiculous with these cars so you will be put in ESP or Street Modified depending on the level of the work you have done. I have carb, intake and headers on a basically stock 350. For suspension I run the HD moog springs and Gas-A-Just shocks. 1 ¼ front and 1 inch rear swaybars on poly bushings and disk front brakes. For wheels and tires I am running the WAY TRICK 15 inch cragers and BFG radial T/A’s! These are like stones but provide plenty of entertainment and really challenge my driving. Usually 3-4 Impala SS’s, 1 old Fairmont, some imports and usually one mustang in the crowd I can beat.

You will be the only Chevelle there and meet many new and interesting people who wish they had never sold theirs. Check up on www.solo2.org (http://www.solo2.org) as a resource but don’t expect many to be really up to speed on how to class a muscle car. Although I love crushing cones with my NHRA sticker in the window, it really does improve your driving and you gain a lot more confidence in your car while learning how much it too much in a safe environment.

John


http://www.mfavp.com/autox/STL4-5-23-04/photos/IMG_3005.html

PS. Don't ArmourAll the bench seat for car show day before event!

http://www.mfavp.com/autox/STL4-5-23-04/photos/IMG_3005.html

Slowdude graemlins/thumbsup.gif graemlins/thumbsup.gif graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Cool Photo. I hope to be in the SoloII ranks next year. I don't care if I am fast or not, I just want to run the car.

R.J.

PS. Don't ArmourAll the bench seat for car show day before event!

http://www.mfavp.com/autox/STL4-5-23-04/photos/IMG_3005.html I love it!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

I want to autocross or road race my chevelle eventually as well. I have so many chassis mods though I'm sure at this point I'd be placed in a class with ridiculously modified cars and drivers that I wouldn't stand a chance against, but it'd be fun smile.gif .

My advice for getting your chevelle ready for autocross, at a minimum, would be as follows:

1)Make sure your brakes and steering are, if not upgraded, at least in excellent condition with good fluids. I'd recommend a higher ratio steering box, at least front discs, and a PS cooler.

2)Replace/upgrade worn out suspension bushings/bolts.

3)Good shocks! Even if you stay on stock springs, don't underestimate the difference good shocks will make

4)Get a good alignment. If you have the stock front suspension, get the camber as negative and the caster as positive as the suspension will allow. I have tubular upper a-arms, and run -.7 camber a +4.5 caster, 1/32 toe in.

5)Good tires. probably the best suspension mod you can do is having good tires!

I think even with mostly stock suspension, a chevelle should do ok if it's well prepared and well driven.

Hi, hope I'm not hijacking the thread.

Last monday I went road racing, it was a lot of fun and I look forward to doing it again. I'd like some suggestions for future changes to my car. There were a couple of 350Zs that I could catch up to in the corners but I would be left behind on the straights.

My car is a 72 velle, the 350 motor is stock except for an Edelbrock Performer intake, headers, and ignition upgrades. The 350THM transmission is also stock except for a shift kit. And the 10 bolt rear end is stock with the original 2.73 gears.

Suspension:
Rear: Edelbrock adjustable rear upper control arms, Global West rear lower control arms, 1 inch rear sway bar, Edelbrock Shocks, and Hotchkis springs.
Front: Has the stock spindles, stock a-arms with new rubber bushings, Hotchkis springs, Edelbrock Shocks, quick ratio steering gear box, and new steering components (i.e. tie rods, idler arm, ball joints).

Brakes are factory front discs with factory rear drums. Lord knows what the pads are, I sure don't.

Wheels are the SS five spoke steel wheels. Tires are 235/60R15s. Someday I plan to change them for American Racing Torq Thrust IIs 17x9 1/2 rims with 275/40R17 tires.

Sooooo, would changing the rear ratio, to maybe a 3.36, help me keep up with the 350Zs and 911s coming out of the corners? (I'm not even goin to try to keep up with the Ferrari or Viper.) Would replacing the brake pads with pads from Hawk be a good idea?

Suggestions, comments?

Heres team member "LAPS" Chevelle in action in the Car Craft Real Street Eliminator event. Yes you can make an a body handle.
http://home.ntelos.net/~hemicuda/autox5.jpg http://home.ntelos.net/~hemicuda/docdone1.jpg