lets go dirt track racing

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demoman3955

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I have decided to see if its feasible to build a mopar dirt oval stock car for next year,so Being im a mopar fan, and knowing the motors are good, i know its worth the effort. the rules are catered toward chevys, and if thats how i have to go, i wont even bother. (mopar or no car)
I need a lot of advice , ideas and input to help me make the decision as to if its worth trying. im not new to stock cars, but mopars are another story seeing as how it is a chevy world. ill post some of the rules that ill need advice for, and ill post a pic of a car from the class ill be running.
In a nutshell, no front fenders, the body is narrowed to the outside of the frame, and the wheels are outside the body. im going to call the track to see what can be done to a unibody and if tortion bars are allowed seeing as how its stock.
Rules:
365 CID maximum. Cast iron cylinder blocks only.

Flat tappet cams only.

Engine set back to be l6” from center of lower ball-joint to front edge of cylinder block.

Oil pan may not be lower than frame rails.

Engine may be moved to left of frame center l inch.

112” wheelbase. Plus or minus l inch (111”-113” ).

84” maximum track width front or rear of car.

BODIES:
A) Any stock steel American made body allowed (2 door-4 door, station wagon, pickups okay). No convertibles allowed.
B) Bodies may shorten any place, narrowed, channeled, and fitted to outside of frame. No chopping of top height. All bodies must be centered of frame.
C) Firewall mandatory behind engine. Firewall may be further back than 6” from rear edge of engine block. Firewall MUST completely seal driver s compartment.
D) Firewall mandatory between driver s compartment and fuel cell.
E) Wide style bodies okay. Rear tires must extend at least ½ ” tread width outside body on each side. Body must remain centered on frame.
F) Door handles, taillights, moldings, and emblems may be retained, but must be securely fastened.

A) Any 2 or 3 speed automatics.
B) Must have minimum l0” working torque converter.

A) Hotchkiss style rear suspension only. (1 pair of multi-leaf springs mounted front to rear perpendicular to rear axle).
B) Any steel rear end housing allowed.
C) No quick changes.
D) Steel multi-leaf springs only.
E) Front mount may be adjustable. Rear mounts may use adjustable shackles or bite bolts. Lowering blocks okay.
F) Housing may be modified to fit car.

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think about using an early a-body, they are narrower. I don't see any reason you can't do it and be competitive. one thing nice about torsion bars is you can use a bigger one on the passenger side. when you install the rear housing make the wheel base shorter on the drivers side 1"-1 1/2" so it turns better.
 
one issue will be the A-body having such a short wheelbase, as well as narrowing the body with the way the sub frame being part of the floor pan. ill just have to scratch my head a bit, and keep thinking.
 
ive been collecting parts to build a duster dirt stock class too,...mopar leafs are the preferd spring on dirt even for chevy/ford cars...the inch an a half shorter wheelbase on left side works but is best done on the front end,..an is referred to as a turned clip an dose help the car turn in better but so dose cutting off right front brake pressure as well as 3 to 6 inches of stagger on rear tires....if weight jacks arnt leagle them torsion bars can be adjusted to get your wedge,...good luck!
 
I would use an f body (volare or aspen). Little larger wheel base will give a little better handling through the corners
 
well i got the ok to build a mopar. seems the other drivers dont have an issue with tortion bars, (until i kick there asses on track). the only issue may be the wheelbase. the wheelbase has to be between 110-113, so an A body will have to be stretched or have an a body put on a longer car. I can use a chevy or ford full frame, but that just rubs me wrong.
Its a budget class,and prize money only pays for gas and entry fees at best, but it should be fun and challenging, and i so wanna whoop the chevys. Im gonna have to find a good motor man to pick there brain. and one good thing is i have a fresh 360 for it, but ill have to up the cam for roundy rounding.
 
For a budget class, they sure let you modify the car a lot. We ran a Duster in the Hobby Stock class for one season. couldn't move the engine, or firewall, or any of that. We were totally not competitive... FWIW... We were totally in over our heads! Good experience, though.
 
actually its the high dollar items that remain stock. no modifying suspension, or engine modifications such as porting and pistons. its mostly cosmetics to make them look like the vintage cars from the 80s and earlier.
Heres that link to the rules if anyone would like to read them.

http://www.ovalmotorsports.com/?p=1800
 
i know most here are into drag racing which i was way back when, but once i went to dirt, i never went back. in case some have never seen an in car view, check out this vid.

[ame="http://vimeo.com/63190707"]http://vimeo.com/63190707[/ame]
 
Darts and Aspen's seem to be the Mopar of choice here, back in my day we could not move the engine to run in pure stock, but we did stager our tire size 2 1/2'' taller tire on the right, but it is best to go Hobby class and add slapper leaf springs and bigger torsion bars and adjust accordingly, a tough short travel shock on the drivers side rear so when it goes in it don't roll (reinforce and move the shock out word) This will keep the chassis on the drivers side from lifting because the shock stops the rear left side from having to much travel...This will keep the right front from a push situation , and help counter the weight to keep the rear end down on the ground :glasses7: and come out of turns buttoned down.:burnout:
 
i think '74 & up valiants had 111" wheelbase too

a lot of them have very specific rules governing the cylinder heads also. you should be ok if you just use plain stock heads. but they are very competitive a lot of those crews eek out every teeny bit of hp they can. this is one area you will have to investigate thoroughly and make sure you are legal.

also an article for inspiration:

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/lapping-valiant.html

they did all types of racing in the challenge, including dirt oval
 
W2 heads are a factory iron head and are legal. 340 resto block or and X block. or a 340-1 block also. Use the lightest reciprocating parts as you can.
 
I have an Moroso pan that I used on my L/M Shaw car its a rear sump for a 340 if anybodys in need ill sell it and I have a set of Headers Schoenfield that were on the car if you all no anybody lmk theyer in nice shape.
 
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