Has anyone set up their A Body for road course performance?

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MRGTX

MRGTX

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There's more to hotrods than going straight... :)

Has anyone set up there car to handle the twisties as well as going fast on the strip?

Is there good front suspension setup out there? How about rear disks?
What gear ratio would you use?

I have always dreamt of setting up my Dart Sport to go like a 1970 era Trans Am car...
 
well you have pete.. think he goes by roar racer dart or something like that ... he has a handleing machine...


i'm slowly changing my dart to a curves machine....

as far as rear disc brakes go.. there are quite a few places that sell them....

front end? i'm running the alter-k-tion... can't beat it... the car handles great and feels awesome....
 
abodyjoe,

Any issues installing the alter-k-tion? Looks like a great product but big bucks - any concerns?

Thanks,
Kory
 
I've got an Atco Anti-sway bar on the front of my 72 Dart along with some KYB Gas-A-Just shocks and it handles bloody well on the twisty stuff we have here in the UK.
 
koryliss said:
abodyjoe,

Any issues installing the alter-k-tion? Looks like a great product but big bucks - any concerns?

Thanks,
Kory
Click to expand...



no issues at all... the thing practally fell into the car by itself... you wanna talk about a true bolt in. it doesn't get any easier then the alter-k... my 11 year old put the entire passenger side together himself. ofcourse i went over it and tightened it all but the fact that he could put it together on his own shows how easy to install it is....


if you look into what you get it really isn't big bucks... you get everything to drive into your garage on say a friday night and drive back out of your garage say night or sunday morning... it is a complete kit.


the rack and pinion steering is awesome... and the improvement that it made to the way the car drives and handles is just incredible....
 
Wow... amazing stuff.

adriver, I remember reading about that Valiant but I never thought to go back and reread the article. Thanks so much for that link... its a great read!

abodyjoe, that Alter-k-tion front end kit sounds exteremly promising... where did you get yours? Did you take any pictures?

I have always thought that A Body Mopars were the perfect size, had great weight distribution, could fit pretty much any engine you want, looked awesome (muscular but not too flashy), relatively light weight, etc. Adding some good handling and braking to the formula would be the complete package.

Thanks so much for the info, guys... :)

What about gear ratios? What kind of springs would help in the rear?
 
abodyjoe, that Alter-k-tion front end kit sounds exteremly promising... where did you get yours? Did you take any pictures?
Click to expand...


i got it from bill reilly at reilly motorsports....



Reilly MotorSports, Inc.
2323 White Haven Rd.
White Haven, PA. 18661

Phone - 570-443-7440



i have a ton of pics... the hosting site i had them on deleted them .. let me see if i can upload them to another site.
 
What about gear ratios? What kind of springs would help in the rear?
Click to expand...


gears right now i'm running 3:55 and 3:91.. i'm looking to mellow out the cam and convetor so i can stick a 3:23 or a 2:94 gear in it for some real cruisin....


the rear suspension i'm using is reilly motorsports street lynx system... its a triangulated 4 bar system with coil over shocks....so far i really like it.. i think i posted the install pics here somewhere...


here is my rear suspension install...

http://www.bigblockdart.com/index.php/topic,17352.0.html
 
MRGTX said:
There's more to hotrods than going straight... :)

Has anyone set up there car to handle the twisties as well as going fast on the strip?

Is there good front suspension setup out there? How about rear disks?
What gear ratio would you use?

I have always dreamt of setting up my Dart Sport to go like a 1970 era Trans Am car...
Click to expand...

Yes I do.

I have the car setup for SCCA Autocross E-Street Prepared class. In that class you can change the springs, T-bars, leafs, sway bars as long as they bolt on. You can use the up date back date rule to run 73 disk and k-member setups. Engine mods are intake and headers. aluminum master are legal too.

Sub Frame connectors are not legal. But you competitors can't use them either. Fox body Mustangs and F-bodys are worse than our Mopars.

If you want to set it up for a "what if" Trans Am car, check out my buddy Mike Ritz's site: www.teamstarfish.com He runs in vintage Trans Am series'. Those cars maintain a lot of stock "type/like" major parts like they ran in Trans Am from 66-73.

Here's some basics of what most of the Mopar guys that go to Road Course events are running:

FOR OCCASIONAL WEEKEND ROAD COURSE TRACK RENTAL DAYS (not worried about any class racing rules (SCCA or otherwise):

Level 1

Good working order or rebuilt suspension components (bushings, balljoints)
Wide aluminum rims and tires 17x8+ with 245+ wide up front. 275/40/17 will fit 2nd gen A-bodies.
biggest T-bar you can live with
Poly: sway bar, strut rod, leaf bushings (LCA aren't that necessary)
Adjustable rear brake proportioning valve
factory type 11.75 disk
some sort of brake air cooling diverter
aftermarket sway bars
sure grip
shocks: Konis, QA1, Spax, E-brock
Ok for heavy 11” drum
Manual 20:1 or 16:1 is fine
Attention to valve cover oil baffling
Don’t start with quick ratio power steering

Level 2

Thoroughly checked suspension components
Biggest T-bars
Bigger leaf springs with improved shackles (to match front T-bars)
Front sway bar
Adjustable rear sway bar
Good aftermarket calipers (Brembo, Willwood Superlites...)
Good pads recommended with car of your weight on road course
Aftermarket rotors (if budget allows)
Brake cooling ducts
shocks: Konis, QA1, Spax,
Sure grip or Detroit Locker better
Subframe connectors
Gusseted K-frame
Rear disks
Raised rear end vent tube with filter
good driver seat
good seat belts
optional: 6 point cage
Manual trans
Extra capacity oil pan with baffles/doors
Good remote/moved/baffled oil breather setup
Optional: accusump
Front spoiler

An Alterkion setup can be very cost effective depending on what you allready have to work with. Especially, new hemi motor conversions. Even old hemi motor conversions. Or something that needs special conversion aftermarket engine mount brackets and has tight header room.

Alterkion allows cheap $50 to $75 per pair front spring changes. And they are availible to the nearest 50 lbs of your choice.

Reference Cars:

http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/116_0507_1968_plymouth_barracuda_s340/barracuda_specs.html

IMG_2861.jpg


IMG_2635.jpg


Here are pictures and videos of the Spring Fling Speed Festival I added to Spring Fling. Tim Herren at www.alltimeracing.com coordinated and hosted the event for Spring Fling. We had 30+ Mopars on the track, half of them were pre 1980 :thumbup: We will be doing another one 2008 the Thrusday before Spring Fling.

http://www.cpwclub.com/sf07picturevideolinks.html#anchor111718
 
autoxcuda said:
Yes I do.

I have the car setup for SCCA Autocross E-Street Prepared class. In that class you can change the springs, T-bars, leafs, sway bars as long as they bolt on. You can use the up date back date rule to run 73 disk and k-member setups. Engine mods are intake and headers. aluminum master are legal too.

Sub Frame connectors are not legal. But you competitors can't use them either. Fox body Mustangs and F-bodys are worse than our Mopars.

If you want to set it up for a "what if" Trans Am car, check out my buddy Mike Ritz's site: www.teamstarfish.com He runs in vintage Trans Am series'. Those cars maintain a lot of stock "type/like" major parts like they ran in Trans Am from 66-73.

Here's some basics of what most of the Mopar guys that go to Road Course events are running:

FOR OCCASIONAL WEEKEND ROAD COURSE TRACK RENTAL DAYS (not worried about any class racing rules (SCCA or otherwise):

Level 1

Good working order or rebuilt suspension components (bushings, balljoints)
Wide aluminum rims and tires 17x8+ with 245+ wide up front. 275/40/17 will fit 2nd gen A-bodies.
biggest T-bar you can live with
Poly: sway bar, strut rod, leaf bushings (LCA aren't that necessary)
Adjustable rear brake proportioning valve
factory type 11.75 disk
some sort of brake air cooling diverter
aftermarket sway bars
sure grip
shocks: Konis, QA1, Spax, E-brock
Ok for heavy 11” drum
Manual 20:1 or 16:1 is fine
Attention to valve cover oil baffling
Don’t start with quick ratio power steering

Level 2

Thoroughly checked suspension components
Biggest T-bars
Bigger leaf springs with improved shackles (to match front T-bars)
Front sway bar
Adjustable rear sway bar
Good aftermarket calipers (Brembo, Willwood Superlites...)
Good pads recommended with car of your weight on road course
Aftermarket rotors (if budget allows)
Brake cooling ducts
shocks: Konis, QA1, Spax,
Sure grip or Detroit Locker better
Subframe connectors
Gusseted K-frame
Rear disks
Raised rear end vent tube with filter
good driver seat
good seat belts
optional: 6 point cage
Manual trans
Extra capacity oil pan with baffles/doors
Good remote/moved/baffled oil breather setup
Optional: accusump
Front spoiler

An Alterkion setup can be very cost effective depending on what you allready have to work with. Especially, new hemi motor conversions. Even old hemi motor conversions. Or something that needs special conversion aftermarket engine mount brackets and has tight header room.

Alterkion allows cheap $50 to $75 per pair front spring changes. And they are availible to the nearest 50 lbs of your choice.

Reference Cars:

http://www.carcraft.com/featuredvehicles/116_0507_1968_plymouth_barracuda_s340/barracuda_specs.html

IMG_2861.jpg


IMG_2635.jpg


Here are pictures and videos of the Spring Fling Speed Festival I added to Spring Fling. Tim Herren at www.alltimeracing.com coordinated and hosted the event for Spring Fling. We had 30+ Mopars on the track, half of them were pre 1980 :thumbup: We will be doing another one 2008 the Thrusday before Spring Fling.

http://www.cpwclub.com/sf07picturevideolinks.html#anchor111718
Click to expand...


Wow.. this is a truly amazing post. I will be pouring over this info for the next week. Thanks so much for sharing all of this... time to start my shopping list!!! :cool:
 
MRGTX said:
Wow.. this is a truly amazing post. I will be pouring over this info for the next week. Thanks so much for sharing all of this... time to start my shopping list!!! :cool:
Click to expand...

Before you start, what do you want to do with the car in the end. That will dictate build options.

Some endpoints....

Aggressive street handling
Occasional track day events once or so a year. about $175-$300 on weekdays
Lots of track days
Vintage race class. Race with other cars under gentleman rules
NASA American Iron Car Race with other cars all out
SCCA Autocross E-Street Prepared, Street Mod, or C-Prepared
Autocross just for time, SCCA or other clubs.
.....

Other????
 
Thanks autoxcuda. Great info and I have always enjoyed your car.
I went to my first ACCA race day in Wallnutridge Arkansas 20 miles up the road last year. Did you post a video of your car on the track?
It may have been some one else, Thanks again.
 
autoxcuda said:
Before you start, what do you want to do with the car in the end. That will dictate build options.

Some endpoints....

Aggressive street handling
Occasional track day events once or so a year. about $175-$300 on weekdays
Lots of track days
Vintage race class. Race with other cars under gentleman rules
NASA American Iron Car Race with other cars all out
SCCA Autocross E-Street Prepared, Street Mod, or C-Prepared
Autocross just for time, SCCA or other clubs.
.....

Other????
Click to expand...


Yeah... always wise to set goals..

I want agressive (and generally more capable) street handling, with the potential for some autocross and or track days...not to worried about autocross class rules because I don't anticipate trying to win a class. Its just fun to see how fast you can get around a course.

I really want chasis reinforcements for the sake of the car and if that's illegal...then I can't worry about the rules.

What are you up against in C-Prepared though?
 
autoxcuda has some really good advice there. Definitely been around the block more than once and quickly!

I have found a book that can help: "Super Street Mopar" by Mike Martin, 1984. (ISBN 0-931472-20-2 For those of you who can decipher that stuff.) Much of the material is dated but still useful.

Maybe someone can help me on this. The book recommends chassis gussets front (and possibly back), but is not clear on exactly where to mount them. It kind of looks like the same thing that XV Racing is doing with their E-bodies. Any thoughts on that?

I have a complete PST suspension package with front and rear sway bars on my Barracuda. I have parts for upgrades that will be front disc brakes and a Flaming River 16:1 manual steering box. It already is a blast to drive, but I have to drag my foot out the door to slow down!

I am only looking to upgrade street handling.
 
memike said:
Thanks autoxcuda. Great info and I have always enjoyed your car.
I went to my first ACCA race day in Wallnutridge Arkansas 20 miles up the road last year. Did you post a video of your car on the track?
It may have been some one else, Thanks again.
Click to expand...

The link above take you to all the video and picture from the Spring Fling Speed Festival. I got to the event late at noon because I was thrashing my car together 40 hrs straight and blew a bypass hose on the way out. All while coordinating the Spring Fling Mopar event. I still got 5 run sessions in, then drove it 50 miles back home. :thumbup:

The picture below and in my sig picture is at the Spring Fling Speed Festival

Maybe you are refering to this cool video of Tim Herren's AAR replica full on vintage VARA race Cuda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MNypV_cFMk

Also the article in this month's Mopar Action has additional pictures from the Spring Fling Speed Festival. http://www.moparaction.com/Next/next.html

IMG_2765.jpg
 
MRGTX said:
Yeah... always wise to set goals..

I want agressive (and generally more capable) street handling, with the potential for some autocross and or track days...not to worried about autocross class rules because I don't anticipate trying to win a class. Its just fun to see how fast you can get around a course.

I really want chasis reinforcements for the sake of the car and if that's illegal...then I can't worry about the rules.

What are you up against in C-Prepared though?
Click to expand...

C-prepared are trailered, gutted race cars at the competitive level. At local level some are street driven. An old Trans Am car would fit there. One national C-prepared champ runs an old IROC Camaro, IIRC.

Street Mod sounds more up your alley. You can run frame connectors and strut tower bars. That should be plenty for what you are doing.

I don't have frame connectors. I've been running .99 t-bars for 13 years and about 40K miles. Just 11.75 factory disks too.
 
Yep it was Tims Herren's.
Wish I lived closer so I could learn more and volunteer some help.
You have a very groovy car:thumbup:
Thanks for all your great info!!
You will be herein from me soon. Have a great day autoxcuda:coffee2:
 
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