Miata Gone, Question on Dakota Pickup Classes

[MiltonP]

Well my Miata has a new owner who hopefully had a good time with her this weekend down at VIR.  She was just too good on the road courses to butcher for the modified sports class so off she went to a new home.  That left me with my '92 Cherokee as my only 4 wheeler so I have been shopping and am about to close a deal on a rwd extended cab Dakota with the 4.7 v8 motor.  The intent is to use it for a driver and tow vehicle for the bike but I also want to make it into a runner for the 130 and potentially 150 club out at world of speed.  That means prepping here and running it at Maxton and probably Loring over the next year or two so...

1 - I figured I might want to take a shot at the mini/mid production truck record while it is stock and wondered about the flip up back seat.  I know the door and side panels can be replaced with aluminum panels but does the rear seat need to be in place for Production class?  I plan on at least a 6 point roll bar and want to eliminate the seat.  I know it can come out in the street classes but figured I'ld ask before giving up on production.

2 - The aluminum roll-up slider and accordion style fold up bed covers have a thin lip that goes over maybe half of the side bed rail.  Anybody know what bed cover has been legal in the pickup classes.  I haven't found one yet that doesn't have moulding up the side rails and I really want/need something that isn't fabric to protect the gear in there.

I am figuring on building and swapping in a carburated 6.0 (5.9 block) to have a shot at 150 with her since those blocks are much more capable and vendor supported than the 4.7 new style.  The trick will be to avoid spending money on making the 4.7 better versus its future replacement.  Any thoughts appreciated as usual!   

And yes I plan to stay with the 500 bike, though probably in MPS next year, as I plan to use it a bit on the road to offset the Dakota's thirst for fuel.

[LSR Mike]

you don't need the rear seat for Production, as a matter of fact, they don't want any seats other than your racing seat in the truck. As far a Tonneau covers go, all I've ever seen are like mine, sheet aluminum with Zeus fasteners or screws around the top.

[LittleLiner]

Milton - I suggest you checkout the USFRA web site and look over the 130 and 150 rules before you start.  They are close to the Maxton Street classes and somewhat different from the production classes.

[MiltonP]

Already went through them.  Just looking at what I might want to run with ECTA while prepping it.  Since it is stock at the moment, I thought about production but I expect I would be heading to the street classes not too far down the road.  Looks like the sheet solution for the bed is likely though I may want to try and make it 2 or 3 pieces to ease storage and access. 

I was also wondering if 4 point rollbars can consist of a hoop with the struts forward fastened down next to, and forward of, the seat base(s) versus the traditional rearward struts in a back seat only install.   Can rear supports be bent like an upside down L versus diagonals that would have to be angled quite high to avoid going thru the rear of the cab.  The rules are specific on size, flanges, etc... but not where attachment points must go.  Thanks.

[Cajun Kid]

Milt, 

On the Roll Bar,, why not go ahead and do a 6 point ?  Have the main hoop then have short diagonal down bars going to the rear since it is and extended cab and the front diagonals from shoulder height down to floor/chassis at front of door/A Pillar ?

You know  the truck will not stay stock long,,, you will get hooked and keep adding power, so do as much cage as you can now ?

Just a thought

Charles

[t russell]

Dont waste time money,ect put full cage in if there is any chance on 150+ mph.
terry

[ND RAM]

you don't need the rear seat for Production, as a matter of fact, they don't want any seats other than your racing seat in the truck. As far a Tonneau covers go, all I've ever seen are like mine, sheet aluminum with Zeus fasteners or screws around the top.

Is yours attached to the top of the bed rail or to the sides and does it cover the 'posts' in the bed rails?

[Cajun Kid]

you don't need the rear seat for Production, as a matter of fact, they don't want any seats other than your racing seat in the truck. As far a Tonneau covers go, all I've ever seen are like mine, sheet aluminum with Zeus fasteners or screws around the top.

Is yours attached to the top of the bed rail or to the sides and does it cover the 'posts' in the bed rails?

Most of them cover the bed rails and stake/post pocket/holes.

[McRat]

I use an off-the-shelf Extang Trifecta bed cover and it works fine to at least 200.  It folds open in 3 segments easily which makes it simple to carry stuff in.