New Guy questions

[PAULWOLF350]

G'day, awesome forum.

Stumbled in here a bit by accident, was looking for a platform to see how fast I could get a turbo 4litre toyota v8 to go. I am a bit of a car guy having drag raced Holden's and offroad raced toyotas, sort of keen to see if I could build a decent speed out on the salt

Most of the cars I have looked at run manual transmissions, I assume this is due to the driveline losses in an automatic / torque converter? Or is there another reason?

Was thinking of building a modified sedan, and am a bit unsure if this is the way to go, most cars seem to run in the production classes, is there any advantage to be had with 4 links, racing struts and tube chassis? Maybe I need to shut off my drag racing thinking, lol


Cheers guys, looking forward to more inspiration

Paul

[momec3]

Welcome aboard Paul,

To answer some of your questions,
Manual trans yes for those exact reasons, the less driveline loss the faster you go.
Predominately sedan type classes are most popular, I think because that's what's in the backyard and its an easy "toe in the water "

1UZ is an excellent choice.
Turboed will take you out of production and into perhaps Gas Coupe (5.D.3 in our rule book)
Download and print out a rulebook (free) from our web site.
Read it, read it again. Get excited.

If you are looking for a donor vehicle you need the slipperiest body (low cd) you can find. The easy way is if it already holds your chosen motor.
Don't choose a car that you love or is particularly valuable as the salt can cause rust damage long term so something disposable won't hurt as much. Saying this you can prevent most major damage with correct prep.
Suspension, four links and race style struts are great (but not essential) if they allow you to drop your ride height and stiffen the roll as much as possible.
Give thought to dropping your centre of gravity as low as you can so if you spin it won't tip up.
Forget drag race suspension setup. You don't need to plant tyres of the line but your traction issues come at high speed. More on this later.

To much info for first lesson. Read the rule book and think about suitable vehicles.

Good luck and keep asking questions, plenty of switched on racers here to help.

Chris

[PAULWOLF350]

Thanks Chris,
I read most of the rule book last night so that answered a few of my initial questions about classes. I was thinking of getting a Holden sedan and converting to run on salt (as per your not rare or expensive body) was just a bit dubious about running towards 300 kph in something designed to do 120kph 35 years ago.
I will take on board about the slippery bodies, come out and have a look and go from there. Maybe a later model commodore or falcon might be a better starting point, will have a look around and see what I can come up with


Cheers for your help
Paul

[gidge348]

Another place to get good info on salt racing is from our friends across the pond http://www.landracing.com/

[momec3]

Paul,
The Soarer/Lexus has the right shape and are getting cheap if you hunt around. came out with a 1UZ also

[AuotonomousRX]

Paul,
The Soarer/Lexus has the right shape and are getting cheap if you hunt around. came out with a 1UZ also

Welcome aboard Paul,

I was going to run a Car at first and the Soarer SC400 was high on the list,

but after some research and a change in my $ situation I ended up running a Bike.

Good luck with whatever you do and like Chris said ask lot's of questions.

Design it 100 times, build once, and then you change it after you run it,

Pete

[BIG GAZ]

Hey Paul,
All good advice above. Especially the bit about designing it a hundred times in your head and only building it once. (as if that is ever going to happen )
I don't know about choosing a car that you don't love. Any 200mph car is going to take years to build if you are doing it yourself and you don't want to lose enthusiasm because your heart isn't really into it from the beginning.
Have a look through the build diaries page (I am too humble to mention the Shaguar) as there is plenty of good info and a few laughs there as well.
Good luck.
GAZ

[PAULWOLF350]

Thanks gaz, read your shaguar thread front to back last week, hence the questions about the four link.
Are you running the standard jag front suspension?

Paul

[BIG GAZ]

This is a good example of where it pays to research first before you start up the 4 inch grinder. Keith Turk who is our USA friend was in a team that ran a Jag. They found the rear end wound up with too much power and put the car off line so that is one reason I went with the 9 inch four link in the rear end. My max unofficial speed is only 195 so far but it ran straight straight with no problems (besides the bonnet).
The front end is standard Jag config. I have Koni adjustable shocks wound up tight. The springs are heavier wire and real short. Nolathane lowers, uppers and rack bushes. I have spaced the spring mounting cups down 1/2 inch on the LHS and 1/4 inch on the RHS. The rack is now converted to manual from power. The hubs are billet steel machined for Ford stud pattern with 5/8 studs and the stub axles are chrome moly with Timken bearings. The front x member is solid mounted to the rails and tipped backward for more castor.
I bet you are sorry you asked now!
Do your homework, work out want you really want, go hard and don't compromise.
It might take a while but!
GAZ

[PAULWOLF350]

A few people have mentioned " the right shape for the salt", I was thinking of using something like a commodore ute, coz they are cheap and plentiful. Whilst I concede they are not the most aerodynamic car available, it would be cheap and relatively straightforward to build.

Will the shape have that much impact that I should source a smaller coupe shape, and work around the wheelbase issues and other associated things that a small car brings?

I just can't see myself running 180mph in a stock soarer



Paul

[hawkwind]

http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/Veh ... _Drag_List ........judge for yourself

[AuotonomousRX]

G'day, awesome forum.

Stumbled in here a bit by accident, was looking for a platform to see how fast I could get a turbo 4litre toyota v8 to go......... I am a bit of a car guy having drag raced Holden's and offroad raced toyotas, sort of keen to
Cheers guys, looking forward to more inspiration

Paul

I think the Soarer was suggested based on your Post ..... given it came with the 1UZ ....
I liked the fact that it had a reasonable wheelbase at 2,690 mm (105.9 in) and relatively low height 1,330–1,350 mm (52.4–53.1 in).

In the end it will come down to what you want to achieve .... there are lot's of options .... Sedans, GT's, Utes, Roadsters, Lakesters or Streamliners ...

I look forward to seeing another 1UZ running down at the Lake.

Pete

[PAULWOLF350]

Cheers Pete, not a silly suggestion at all. Just wondering if a soarer sized car would make a good salt car.
I assume a longer wheelbase is beneficial. I guess I am trying to find out if wheelbase is key?
A soarer is a half reasonable car on the quarter, and lots of short cars do well, but is it there a cut off point where I am wasting my time?

I can add length to a soarer or put up with less shape and run a bigger chassis? Which would you choose? Bearing in mind I probably looking at blown fuel (alcohol) engine?



Paul

[gidge348]

HI Paul,

Ask 10 salt racers what ONE item makes a good car and you will get about 15 different answers.

That's the great thing about this sport, everyone has their own way to skin the cat.

A Soarer could make a good car but it depends on the class you want to run?
If "I" was to modify it regardless of class ....the ideal body would:

1. Keep the wheelbase the same but lengthen the body to the rear.
2. Fit a front splitter/spoiler/air dam and clean up the under body and have a slight down nose angle to the body.
3. Look at what ever I could do eliminate rear lift not necessarily chase down force. (look up you tube "Bonneville spins" or "Bonneville Crash" you will see what I mean)
4. Do a roof chop and lower it a little.
5. Fit a good roll cage, belts and all the good stuff come out and be prepared to tinker, fiddle and learn for the week.

That's just me others will probably say this is all sh*t, but there is no perfect car... some people have been going for 25 years and still not got the salt out of their veins.

Cheers good luck

Ian...

[PAULWOLF350]

Cheers guys,
been doing a bit of research and a soarer may well be a good place to start.
The wheelbase is closer to a Commodore than I though, about 30mm less in fact, and 130mm less than my ute, so I definitely have some food for thought.
Gonna have another read of the rules, now I have some more ideas, and see how it goes from there


Paul