Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: krek on October 09, 2011, 01:54:56 PM
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My compatriots from EggBoy Racing and I are building one of the least sexy vehicles to ever grace the salt.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6209926330_ac7abee72d_z.jpg)
1990 Ford Taurus wagon that we intend to run in F/GC and eventually (with the addition of a large turbo) in F/BGC.
I purchased this running wagon from the GSA website for $635 and intend to challenge the F/GC record with a budget of less than $10,000.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6209405607_85eec1e2a6_z.jpg)
Let the flaming begin so we can get it out of the way, I have a million questions that need to be answered. :)
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You gonna keep the luggage rack on?
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You gonna keep the luggage rack on?
Why do you ask?
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The width and breadth of improbable vehicles starts at one end of the pits and extends to the other.
I've seen less aerodynamic vehicles. Got one in my garage.
Plans? Transmission?
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Go for it. I have seen odder things out there. Good luck on the budget. Good luck on the build.
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Good luck on the budget. You can start with about $3000 in the safety gear bag, and another $1000 in the fire system. [And then there's that little bag on the back to stop ya']. Keep us posted on the build. We love the "Dare To Be Different" crowd.
Doug :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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We won't need a parachute to our first year's speed goal.
I own my safety gear as I currently road race and the gear meets the SCTA standards.
The cage, fire system and wheels/tires are definitely my "big ticket items". I'm still reading (and trying to understand) the rulebook, it appears that I'll need to replace the three pieces of glass in the rear with lexan?
We'll be using a modified engine and transaxle from a 1990 Taurus SHO to power the wagon. I felt relatively confident in this plan until I started reading a thread about an E/GC build using an ex IRL engine. :-o
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Chassis/cage/hubs/tires/wheels/fire system/fuel cell are going to eat up half your budget. A while back Randy Smith and I were considering building a belly tank with a motorcycle engine. $5k was the ticket for safety equipment. A lot more than the tank cost. We decided to stick to motorcycle framed motorcycles. Plan carefully, mistakes can double your cost.
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I can leave the stock fuel tank/system if I choose to?
We road race in a series for $500 street cars (www.chumpcar.com) so we're somewhat predisposed to look for budget friendly modifications while keeping safety first.
For example, the four pot calipers and 13" rotors from a Ford SVT Cobra will fit the wagon with a couple of hours of labor... add some DOT4 fluid to the system and we have a reliable and safe brake system that doesn't have the words "Wilwood" or "Baer" stamped on it.
I suppose I'll be cheating the budget system a bit because we can take cast offs from the road racer (brake pads with 70% of pad life left, rotors, wheel hubs, etc) off the spares shelf for free.
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We won't need a parachute to our first year's speed goal.
Well, if the CLASS you're running in has a record that requires a chute, then you'll need a chute.
Brakes? Well, safety first, but for the few passes one makes every year, you might be wiser investing your time elsewhere. There are not a lot of things to hit out there.
Do you have a rulebook yet?
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MM is right. My first concern about brakes is they don't contribute any drag. That is also my last concern. What kind of RPMs will you need to turn to go 210 in that thing with gears and tires you can fit and run?
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The F/GC record is below 175 so we're good to go sans 'chute, yes?
2012 is our F/GC year. 2013+ will be the F/BGC attempts.
We should be competitive with tweaked stock components for 2012* but the step up to Blown Gas Coupe will be substantial. We've have to have heavy duty (and custom) gear sets machined for the transaxle as third gear tends to be brittle with more than 400 lb/ft of torque and we'd run out of gear before 200 mph.
*famous last words, I know.
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Don't forget the cost of the trip out there and back in your budget. The fuel alone adds up quick.
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You gonna keep the luggage rack on?
Why do you ask?
Just thinking about aero drag....
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you need to bury this under a few coats of clear...
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6209405607_85eec1e2a6_z.jpg)
I get the feeling you guys are in this for all the right reasons......budget builds have figured in your recent history, you have actually raced before......you aren't blind followers of a faith (GM or Ford)........doesn't look like you'll be building a $30k motor and I'm thinkin' you don't have your own paint booth........
So, you probably already know to learn that rule book backwards and particularly the class specific parts....... the rules are there to help you beat the people who don't get 'em......
A Taurus sedan might have been slipperier but there's a lot of space in the back of that thing....maybe you could get some signage on her and start a mobile depilatory service in the back "Race Tape Waxing".........not a lot of business at Bonneville, then again I saw some pretty hairy blokes when I was there......
Watching with anticipation :wink:
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. . . . We won't need a parachute to our first year's speed goal.
We'll be using a modified engine and transaxle from a 1990 Taurus SHO to power the wagon. . . . .
Current record for F/GC is 162.274 set by Don McMeekin at Speedweek. (assuming it will be the new official record) That speed is still less than the 175 mph Reguirement for a chute.
To be a Gas Coupe you need to have an engine swap where you have an engine not offered in that year and model car. Since the SHO engine was not offered in the wagon I would guess that it would be considered an engine swap. You might want to confirm that with a real, live, card-carrying SCTA official. I've been wrong before :roll:
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Why would it not be official? The car was certified for the record, the record has been posted and the time frame for a protest is long gone. We are a little bit better than you assume.
DW
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I think he meant that the "New" record that the Taurus would try to set, would be under 175 and therefore not need a chute.
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Why would it not be official? The car was certified for the record, the record has been posted and the time frame for a protest is long gone. We are a little bit better than you assume.
DW
The 2011 records haven't been posted yet to the SCTA records listing. I did look at the 2011 Speedweek results and saw the new record but I hadn't checked the WOS results . . . so I was assuming the Speedweek record would be the new official record. I probably should have said "assuming it will be the new official record if no one set a faster one at World of Speed".
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OK.
I'll see why all the records, Speed Week and WoS have not been updated on the record list.
DW
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Dan, the Speedweek Friday results still haven't been updated (daily runs and daily records).
Mike
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And World Finals -- the first time at Bonneville that a 4-door sedan had top time of the meet. They're looking forward to the new award from Popular Boating.
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So is this thing showing up to Speed Week or what?
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It isn't pre-entered -- so there goes an opportunity to get a "Bargain" entry.