Purpose-Built Autocross Hot Rod ?????

What about just FWD? Weren't some of the early racers FWD, with front mounted blowers even? Sure would make the cockpit area roomier! Gary

 

I'm glad somebody remembers it besides me. The 303 Simca always stuck in my head. I had forgotten that it was a Simca. I was thinking it was a Fiat Topolino.(it's been 35 years!) I think his dominance in the early Nationals had a lot to do with the event fading into history. IIRC it had a 57 347CI Pontiac instead of the bigger 389. It was an amazing piece of machinery.

 

Warpspeed, someone in OZ owns the rights to build the DiVA ROADSTER to Aussie full rego spec. It's a tube chassis, runs a Lexus V8 and box, VN Commodore diff, and Commodore rack and pinion plus front spindles and discs on an A-arm front suspension. The whole setup looks ideal for a glass roadster body of some sort on top of it! The whole car weighs about 700kg, so it would be quick, and it handles!

I have mentioned it on Ozrodders, and never got my knuckles rapped for it. (But I might here, it's not exactly traditional!)

Cheers, Glen.

 

tommy ... actually, the 303ci Pontiac-powered '37 Simca 5 was mentioned earlier in this thread:

 

It's funny this thread was brought up, as I have a '37 IHC 1/2 ton that I was thinking about autocrossing(my first love has always been '70's Trans Am's and 68-72 GTO's-- they ALWAYS kick butt on roadcourses ). If I drop it on an S10 chassis, I'll have access to modern GM suspension design and it should handle like a dream, but probably won't be too HAMB friendly. Decisions, decisions....

 

This was one of the cars that made a big impression on me growing up. Had that magazine and article for years. The 303 Simca.

 

NSRA "STREETKHANA" ??????

I am too young to remember the NSRA doing anything that cool

Rich

 

Always liked that car

No we didn't

 

Nice looking '32! That's a build style I could definitely get behind!!

 

TMI?


I am building something similar to Alex's car. I made a resolution to give it a shot (at our local Autocross)when I am done.

 

Someone already posted a pic of this car, but here's a larger one. This was Del Long's SCCA D-Modified 1923 Model-T. The frame utilized a pair of original frame rails to take advantage of a rule allowing it a lower minimum weight. Without ballast it weighed in at 1123 lbs.



Del is an accomplished builder of D-modified and E-modified cars, which are basically silhouette cars with either small motors (D-mod) or large motors (E-mod). His cars, and occasionally himself, have one many SCCA National Championships. He builds them under the name Sprinto.

Here's my Lotus-7 clone. Built by a talented guy in Kentucky named Gene Young, hence the GFY sticker on some of the pics.



From the outside, it's not much to look at. But the engineering that went into the chassis works very well for autocrossing. Here's a pic of the front suspension.



Yes, that's pushrod actuated inboard suspension. The radiator is laid flat in the chassis to keep the center of gravity low. The motor is a Honda CBR1000 and the rear suspension is a highly adjustable 3-link with a Watts linkage. The original axle came from an '85 Mazda RX7. This car weighed around 950 lbs ready to race.



Lots more detailed photos in this Photobucket Album:
http://s683.photobucket.com/albums/vv198/aaa-111/lotus7/

I've been autocrossing for some time. Some of it in the '80s, and I got back into it in 2004. Although power and tires are important, small size and light weight might be even MORE important. Every time I got into a smaller and lighter car, I went faster. Even if it had less power or narrower tires. Here's the last car I drove, a converted LeGrand D-Sports-Racer (DSR) that's known as "The Dragon". Both it and it's owner have multiple National Championships and aside from some crazy snowmobile powered sprint car contraptions, it's among the fastest autocross cars in the country.

 

Jeebus!? Modernbeat is still alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice to see you chime in man!

 

Jeezus. Every time I post someone says something like that. You should have guessed that a topic about how to build a racecar would get a post out of me.

Anyway. I've been building Autocross cars for some time. After I finish the current build, I'll complete the Subaru rally car for my girlfriend and start on a tubeframe Ford Ranger rally-truck for myself.

 

Crazy man, I am doing a unibody 28 sedan with tweaks. Sway bars, adjustable shocks etc....

 

Modernbeat

Love the set up on your Lotus, the engineering looks superb... Do you have any more pictures of the Honda engine lay out ?
Iv been playing with the idea of building a track T with a bike engine. Please can you explain how you set up the transmission shifter etc

Thanks Pete

 

Love the space frame T. A little too boxy for my taste, but I'm sure it hauls the freight. I'm still stuck with the one or two seater, ala tradtional "modified" look. Gary

 

Lots of pics in the Photobucket Album.
http://s683.photobucket.com/albums/vv198/aaa-111/lotus7/

The setup is a direct drive from the bike transmission, to a customized sprocket adapter, through a standard driveshaft with U-joints, to the RX7 rear differential/axle. There is no cush-drive. The shifter is actuated by the paddles on either side of the steering wheel. Pull back on the right to upshift, and up on the left to downshift. A heavy duty Morse cable runs from the paddles to the transmission. With the 20" tall tires and a 4.11:1 rear ratio the top speed was around 88mph - but it got there REAL quick. The engine was heavily offset to the left to balance out the weight of the driver, on the right. The fuel tank and battery are in the passenger's side (left) cowl and footwell. The clutch is hydraulic, using a CMC slave.







It's a pretty crude machine compared to most finished hot-rods. But it was a perfect weapon for it's class until it was outlawed.







One of the guys on the builder's forum doctored up one of my "success" photos.



On a parting note, this car could be described as a Lotus Mark VI, which was first made in 1952 and might be eligible for the Goodguys event. I sold it to another guy that's nuts for these (he's got three at last count) and he has it back on the market for $7000 or so. I think it's too fast for him. Contact Jack at Kinetic Vehicles. http://www.kineticvehicles.com/

 

Rules & Regulations​

1. All Street Challenge AutoCross participants must be Goodguys event participants. The Goodguys Registration number will be the AutoCross entry number.

2. The AutoCross entry number must be displayed and easily read.

3. Participants must use DOT approved tires with a minimum of 180 tread wear (No shaving or softening).

4. No passengers or drivers under the age of 18. Passengers must sign the same liability waiver as driver.

5. Helmet use is not required. The course design will attempt to keep speeds below 35 M.P.H.

6. Participating cars must pass a basic safety inspection that will include, but may not be limited to, the following:

• Functional seatbelts.
• Proper brake pedal pressure and travel.
• Sufficient throttle return spring and secured battery.
• All lugnuts in place and tight.
• Hubcaps are to be removed.
• Valid driver’s license & Proof of insurance.
• Registered - Street legal vehicle. No Race Cars.
• All loose items to be removed from vehicle (Floor mats, items hanging from rearview mirror, cassettes, CDs, and glove box, console, trunk items.).

7. No unsafe driving will be tolerated. Show management will have COMPLETE discretion to deny anyone participation in the AutoCross for any reason.

8. Classes:

• Street Machine - 1955 & newer.
• Street Rod - 1954 & older.
• Truck Class - All years of the event.
• Vendor Class - Year of the event and must be a displaying vendor.

 

Exactly what does "no race cars" mean?

Anybody that gets on the course is racing the clock.

 

Registered, insured, tags, etc. me thinks. Though I'd add a minimum ride height ifn I was making the rules.

Ifn you haven't seen this thread yet... just came up today... here's a pretty good example (NO SHIT it's pretty good) of a single seater I would love to see run the autocrosses. A little more stripped down than your average "modified" but oh so cool. Gary

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=482856

 

Looks like a whole lot of folks like the lotus seven clones.
I have one in the shop. Light weight is an understatement.
The originals were built with an Austin seven driveline, and were pretty peppy.

 

This car was an autocross winner back in the 70's.
It was setup to turn both directions then.
1300 lb. 300 hp flathead.
Could be easily converted back.
Runs SBC now.

 

Wrap a T bucket body around a Locost/Super 7.

 

I've been wanting to build something like this for a while now. I think the key to making a traditional styled car would having adjustability in the suspension and an extra set of tires and wheels. When you show up at an event just bolt on some nice wide gummies. Then after cleaning house and stealin' the trophy girl, put the more traditional style wheels and tires back on, raise the suspension a little and cruise home in style.

 

How do you have a 1300 pound car and run a flathead??

A flathead and 39 transmission weighs 750.

I don't know how you could build a car lighter than mine, and run a flathead, and it weighs 1900 pounds.

It's 950 over the front and 950 over the rear.

Rich

 

It's a sprint car chassis..EVERYTHING is magnesium or aluminum and hollow.
40 lb fiberglass body shell..

That must be some transmission you have that weighs 350 lb.

By the way, modern sprint cars are required to weigh 1450 minium, with driver.
They can easily be pruned to 1200 lb. with driver.

 

that must be some flathead that weighs 400 lbs.

 

Autocross? I guess it's called autotesting over here. We tend to have smaller car parks too...
Maybe not purpose built but so far I've used my flattie powered T for autotests, production car trials (they have a specials class), drag racing, and just a driver. I trust it in the corners as much as my old Mini's. Certainly I built it with competition in mind!

 

They need one of these courses at Good Guys!

 

awesome display of a "10" fun factor