Sport's race car build

[sport.]

the first line in the Flamboro rules reads, "If it doesn't say you can do it, you can't do it."

It will be a challenge!!

B.P.[/quote]



Bob dont let that scare you away.You should see some of theses cars ther is nothing stock about them.I will go into greater detail about the previous car I drove this year after work tonight.Darn work always get's in the way of talking race cars or hot rods


Chad

[Bob Paulin]

Back to business.....

Chad:

I'm wondering if you will be bending up your own cage, or if you plan to go with a pre-bent such as CSC or Red Line......

.....and, do you think you will be able to install an "X" member in the chassis without raising too many eyebrows?

....and, how do they weigh the cars? Before the race? After the race? Can you re-fill the gas tank to make weight?

....and, SHOCKS...Do they actually have to be the shock that is called for in the catalog for that particular car, or will any Gabriel, Monroe, NAPA, Canadian Tire, etc. shock be okay as long as it's not a Carrera, Pro or AFCO "stock mount"?

Shocks and other bolt-on stuff can wait until later, but the other questions have to do with how you'll be building the car.

Also, which side of the border are you? Since Flamboro is above Burlington, I will assume you are not commuting from the Buffalo area....

If you are in Canada, as I suspect, I'll try to suggest Canadian options that I have become aware of in working with my cousin Dan who races outside Moncton, N.B.....some three hours from the Maine/U.S. border.

Also, do you ever plan to take this car to other race ttracks for "specials"?

If so, you might want to scan their rules to help make the car more adaptable to them. It might even affect your choice of a base car on which to build. Some tracks ban the Camaro/Nova outright.

I deal with a couple of guys running the middle division at one track who haven't quite maxed their cars out to their own regular track rules in order to be able to travel to the big races in the autumn, and fit their rules without a lot of hassle.

So, between my last post and this one, you've got some thinking to do in car selection, and building options.

There are a lot more questions to follow.......

B.P.

[sport.]

Back to business.....

Chad:

I'm wondering if you will be bending up your own cage, or if you plan to go with a pre-bent such as CSC or Red Line......

.....and, do you think you will be able to install an "X" member in the chassis without raising too many eyebrows?

....and, how do they weigh the cars? Before the race? After the race? Can you re-fill the gas tank to make weight?

....and, SHOCKS...Do they actually have to be the shock that is called for in the catalog for that particular car, or will any Gabriel, Monroe, NAPA, Canadian Tire, etc. shock be okay as long as it's not a Carrera, Pro or AFCO "stock mount"?

Shocks and other bolt-on stuff can wait until later, but the other questions have to do with how you'll be building the car.

Also, which side of the border are you? Since Flamboro is above Burlington, I will assume you are not commuting from the Buffalo area....

If you are in Canada, as I suspect, I'll try to suggest Canadian options that I have become aware of in working with my cousin Dan who races outside Moncton, N.B.....some three hours from the Maine/U.S. border.

Also, do you ever plan to take this car to other race ttracks for "specials"?

If so, you might want to scan their rules to help make the car more adaptable to them. It might even affect your choice of a base car on which to build. Some tracks ban the Camaro/Nova outright.

I deal with a couple of guys running the middle division at one track who haven't quite maxed their cars out to their own regular track rules in order to be able to travel to the big races in the autumn, and fit their rules without a lot of hassle.

So, between my last post and this one, you've got some thinking to do in car selection, and building options.

There are a lot more questions to follow.......

B.P.

I am from Guelph Ontario Canada,

Anyways I was thinking of using a basic CSC cage(just the main cage)And building all my own front andf rear hoops and bars.

As for the X in the frame It is no problem 80%of the cars have one in them anyway.

They weight the car before the race without the driver.

The shock senario was brought up about half way through the season, and they settled on any shock as long as it  in the STOCK location(any name brand you choose.)Same deal with the springs, you can run any rate you choose.And rear load bolts.

When we ran the specials around here,it works out that you run your home track rules.Camro and Novas are allowed at any track around here.If you run camaro/nova you are alloweed to have a tube rear clip.(so basically a latemodel with leaf springs)

There was alot of rules changed this year to attract other cars from other tracks.


When we were running the nova we used a front adjustable spring pocket.You werent supposed to but it sure made the car alot easier to tune.When I ran the metric.I didn't have a whole lot of seat time in it because the guy who owned it wanted his son to drive it.

[Bob Paulin]

Anyways I was thinking of using a basic CSC cage(just the main cage)And building all my own front andf rear hoops and bars.

That's a good route to take. I've done exactly that in my pre-tubing bender days.

Your rules do not allow cage offset, but by using curved door bars on the driver's side, and a straight "X" or "Z"(preferred) between the front and rear upright on the passenger side, you do achieve SOME left-bias offset of the cage's weight.

You should try to set the cage back as far as possible/allowed - without attracting a lot of attention, of course. This not only moves the cage weight to the rear, but you can move the driver back under the main hoop....moving his weight rearward, also.

You can also shorten the halo bar a few inches, which will also bring your front knee bars back - effectively moving the entire cage weight back towards the rear wheels.

Depending on which chassis you choose, I can give you an idea or two to help utilize the cage's placement and structure to your advantage.

"No chopping or channeling....", but you CAN take out the body mount donuts and lower the body an inch or so onto the frame or subframe.

On a Chevelle or Metric chassis, with the body mount locater or centering nubs now missing, the body will "accidently slip backwards" the width of the frame mount holes - moving weight rearwards -  and the large washers will be welded in place before this "error" is noticed. This "error" will also not be noticed until after the cage has been installed through the floor, etc.

On a Camaro, the sub-frame itself will "accidentally slip backwards" the width of the subframe mount holes - which, of course, won't be noticed until after the subframe connecters are welded in -  shortening the wheelbase slightly for tighter turning radius.

I mean, who really cares if it rattles or squeaks a bit?

IT'S A RACE CAR!!!!....and, after the first feature, it will probably have some bent sheet metal that will rattle, anyway.......

As for the X in the frame It is no problem 80%of the cars have one in them anyway.

Definitely gonna' want to have one of them.

Again, depending on the chassis, there is a trick or two to utilizing it effectively.

They weight the car before the race without the driver.

So, if you keep your fuel to the right, and burn it off in the race, you WILL gain left-side weight percentage as the race progresses.

I know... I know... The rules require the fuel cell to be centered in the trunk, but there IS a way to burn the fuel off from the right side of the cell.

And, if they will allow you to fill your cell back up after the race, you will return to minimum overall and maximum allowable left side weights simply by fueling the car up.

The shock senario was brought up about half way through the season, and they settled on any shock as long as it  in the STOCK location(any name brand you choose.)Same deal with the springs, you can run any rate you choose.And rear load bolts.

One local track up here has liberalized their shock rules in a similar manner.

I made up some "stock" mounts to fit onto a five-inch Koni "30" series adjustable-rebound, racing shock, and it bolts right into the stock front mount on a Camaro or Metric. Another guy I know has some five-inch Carreras set up the same way.

On the rear, they're using nine-inch Koni and Carreras, respectively, adapted to fit the stock mounts.

If you feel you cannot afford the racing shocks, I can set you up with some over-the-counter Monroe part numbers that I have used in a  division which did not allow the "stock mount" Carreras and AFCOs, and specified over-the-counter, OEM replacement shocks.

These shocks run from 75 percent to 133 percent higher than the OEM replacement shock for a Camaro or Metric.....and, they bolt into stock mounts.

When we ran the specials around here,it works out that you run your home track rules.Camro and Novas are allowed at any track around here.If you run camaro/nova you are alloweed to have a tube rear clip.(so basically a latemodel with leaf springs)

There was alot of rules changed this year to attract other cars from other tracks.

Well, if you are sure the other tracks will accept the car as it races at your home track, let's take it to the limit!!!!!

When we were running the nova we used a front adjustable spring pocket.You werent supposed to but it sure made the car alot easier to tune.When I ran the metric.I didn't have a whole lot of seat time in it because the guy who owned it wanted his son to drive it.

If they will allow the adjustable spring spacer, I would definitely use it....even with the rear jacking bolts. Four corners of adjustment beats two corners of adjustment ANY day.....

.....AND, I have found a way to add a bearing to these adjustable spring spacers which makes adjusting it somewhat easier.

Do you cut notches in the spring spacer ring and a vertical slot in the outside of the frame spring pocket to be able to adjust the spacer with a big screwdriver - or even a brake spoon - like drum brakes?

Now, all you've got to do is decide exactly which car you will be building.

B.P.

[sport.]

Bob,I usually do run an X in the passenger side door bars.

We werent allowed to run the adjustable spring pockets but we did anyway.Never got caught (knock on wood)And we did put notches in them to adjust the spring.

As far as the shocks go,I want to use the good stuff.I dont care if the car makes it out for the first couple of races,I just want it RIGHT! You have alot of ideas that I never thought of

We are gonna run an X in the frame for SURE!

If I run a Nova or Camaro I can use a tube chassis with leafs

I cut all the body panles off and fab new quarters,door skins,rear inner wheel wells and trunk floor etc. all out of 24 gauge sheet metal.We are also allowed to remove the stock floor and replace it with lighter sheetmetal.

What would you build (LOL) I can get a 76 Nova or an 84 Monte Carlo both 2 drs of course

Oh yeah the track is shaped like a paper clip.

[Bob Paulin]

Bob,I usually do run an X in the passenger side door bars.

As I stated, a "Z" (zed in Canadian) might be better

As far as the shocks go,I want to use the good stuff.I dont care if the car makes it out for the first couple of races,I just want it RIGHT!

Do you know anybody up in your neck of the woods with a shock dyno?

You'll need to dyno your shocks if you really want to maximize your shock program.

Once you dyno them, I can help you understand the charts, and offer suggestions on changes.

You have alot of ideas that I never thought of

Yup....and, as the Statler Brothers used to say on their TV show, we ain't even started yet!!....

.....after 40-plus years of crawling around and all over race cars, I've also got a lot of aches and pains in places you never thought of!

If I run a Nova or Camaro I can use a tube chassis with leafs

Yup!  I've converted one or two....but, not many since many of the tracks are now banning Camaros and Novas with "...no leaf spring" rules.

You can also use the conversion to lower the rear a bit.

I cut all the body panles off and fab new quarters,door skins,rear inner wheel wells and trunk floor etc. all out of 24 gauge sheet metal.We are also allowed to remove the stock floor and replace it with lighter sheetmetal.

Can you "accidentally" drop the floor a bit when you are replacing it?

On Danny's (my cousin) Metric car, the rules state that the floor must be mounted on top of the frame. We mounted in on top of the frame's lower flange - effectively dropping everything some six inches.

What would you build (LOL) I can get a 76 Nova or an 84 Monte Carlo both 2 drs of course

That's one question I won't answer......

.....this is going to be YOUR race car, not mine.

If I say "Car A" and you build it, and for whatever reason it's not competitive, I'm a bum!

If I say "Car A" and you build Car B, and Car B works out well, I'm STILL a bum for recommending "the wrong car."

If Car B turns out to be a lemon, you'll be mad at me for not convincing you to build Car A, so I'm STILL a bum!!

It's a no-win situation for me.

I think, if you read between the lines, you really know which way I would prefer to go, but that is what *I* would build - not necessarily what you REALLY feel comfortable investing your time and money to build.

Oh yeah the track is shaped like a paper clip.

So, we'll have to work on brakes and forward bite to get into and out of the turns.

If the division is populated with Camaros, Novas and Metric chassis, this probably eliminates the heavier, longer wheelbase Chevelle chassis on this sort of track....at least in my book it does.

You're down to two choices.

B.P.

[enjenjo]

Just out of curiosity, do you have to run the chassis that came with the car? Around here a lot of guys are running 80's Monte bodies on shortened Chevelle chassis. I've even seen some under Fords. Here, you need a stock chassis, but not necessarily the same as the body.

Bob, I have another question, you may have the answer. As you are probably aware, full size GM cars in the 80's came with either 4 3/4" bolt pattern wheels, or 5" bolt pattern wheels. the 4 3/4" wheels used a metric spindle and 10.5 brake assembly, and the 5" pattern wheels used a "tall" spindle, and 12" brakes. I assumed the chassis were different too, but looking in the manuals, they are listed as the same. Which means the upper control arm is shorter to accommodate the tall spindle. Is this correct? I'm interested in it for a tall spindle conversion on a metric chassis for the street. Also, if the control arm is shorter, you could use the longer short spindle arm with the tall spindle, and the early lowers for a wider track. Come on clue me in. You could also use the short upper, and a modified metric lower with a short spindle for a narrow track for fender clearance.

[Bob Paulin]

I HAVE JUST HAD TO JUMP-START THE RAMBLER WITH BOOSTER CABLES SINCE IT HASN'T BEEN USED FOR A WHILE.......


Having downloaded and printed the Thunder Car Division rules for Flamboro Speedway - the track and division for which Sport intends to build a race car - I noticed that the last of six pages lists the payoff.

What caught my eye was the fact that Sport will be paid $250CDN, if he should win the feature some night.

It struck me as ironic that some 40 years ago - 1964 - at Westboro (Massachusetts) Speedway, a Class "B" car could earn $250 on a good night with the payoff based upon attendance....that's 250, 1964 U.S. dollars.

The Class "B" car was, essentially, the same as the type of car that Sport will be building - based on mostly stock, OEM components that have more sweat equity in them than financial outlay.

The difference is that we built our Class "B" car for $600 - admittedly, 600 1964 dollars - and, Sport will, likely, spend upwards of $2,500 to build his car in order to race for 250, 2004 dollars - Canadian dollars that are currently worth 75 U.S. cents.

In 1964, three wins, and you had your car paid for, with the rest of the season's purse winnings doing a good job of offsetting the cost of racing - even coming out a little bit ahead at the end of the year....often with enough money left over for a nice dinner at a fancy restaurant to thank the wives and girlfriends for putting up with their obviously deranged men.

Today, Sport will need to win at least 10 races to break even on the cost of the car alone - much less the costs of competing and maintenance.

Of course, if he spends more, he will have to win more- just to pay for the investment in the car itself.

Front gate ticket prices have gone up. Back gate pit passes have gone up. Food stand prices have gone up. Tracks have created more profit centers such as fuel sales, tire sales, crate engine sales, licensing, etc., yet the race car purse has remained the same - actually gone down in real dollars.

It used to be that whenever a sponsor was announced for a major short track event, the purse took a slight bump upward - oftentimes half of the sponsorship money went into the purse. Nowadays, it all goes directly towards the track's bottom line. The originally-announced purse never changes.

We are told that the track operator, the engine builder, the chassis builder, the tire guy, the parts manufacturers, etc. ALL have to make a profit, or they'll go out of business....and that is true!

Has anybody ever considered what the racer might need in order to stay in business? Judging by the decline in racer population, I would say the answer is a resounding, "NO!!"

Nobody seems to worry if the sport's main attraction, it's main ticket-sales generator - the racer - makes a penny.

And they all ask what is happening to the sport.

I am not naive.....I've been around the business for more than 40 years, and I've worked both sides of the fence..........from a changing tires and knocking out dents with a rubber hammer on a 1953 Ford Class "B" car at a little neighborhood track to contracting publicity, public relations and marketing work to NASCAR at the Regional Touring Series level.

I am worried for the sport at its grassroots level. NASCAR greed is the 800 pound gorilla that gets what it wants, and it is the elephant in the room that nobody will admit exists.

I don't write this to discourage racers - especially Sport - but, it just galls me to see all that is happening to the sport.

Pure and simple, racers at the local level should be paid more, and track operators should be working on cost-cutting measures which would encourage more participants.

What would 250, 1964 U.S. dollars be worth today?

Why aren't racers at least keeping up with inflation...let alone with escalating equipment costs?

My best days in the sport these days consist of passing some of what I have learned along to guys like my cousin Dan - who, by the way, races for the same $250CDN with a more expensive Maritimes Sportsman car - and Sport.

I get my biggest thrills out of doing something cheap....er, economically - using sweat equity to beat the "checkbook cars."

I sometimes feel like the mouse in that poster "The Final Act of Defiance" where the eagle is swooping down, but the mouse is holding his ground, staring right into the eagle's eyes, and making an obscene gesture.

I guess I've just figured out why I'm still doing it after all these years.

There are a lot more lows in racing than highs, but one, single racing high makes up for a lot of the lows.


The Rambler keys are in the ignition, but it needs to stay on the battery charger for a while.

[Bob Paulin]

Just out of curiosity, do you have to run the chassis that came with the car? Around here a lot of guys are running 80's Monte bodies on shortened Chevelle chassis. I've even seen some under Fords. Here, you need a stock chassis, but not necessarily the same as the body.

From the Flamboro Thunder Car rulebook:

"9 - Suspensions and Frames  ....All suspension and frame components unless otherwise specified must be stock for the make, model and year of the car with no modification......"

Bob, I have another question, you may have the answer. As you are probably aware, full size GM cars in the 80's came with either 4 3/4" bolt pattern wheels, or 5" bolt pattern wheels. the 4 3/4" wheels used a metric spindle and 10.5 brake assembly, and the 5" pattern wheels used a "tall" spindle, and 12" brakes. I assumed the chassis were different too, but looking in the manuals, they are listed as the same. Which means the upper control arm is shorter to accommodate the tall spindle. Is this correct? I'm interested in it for a tall spindle conversion on a metric chassis for the street. Also, if the control arm is shorter, you could use the longer short spindle arm with the tall spindle, and the early lowers for a wider track. Come on clue me in. You could also use the short upper, and a modified metric lower with a short spindle for a narrow track for fender clearance.

To be honest, I've not fooled around with many spindle changeovers since the stock OEM chassis-based cars in this area are limited to stock components, and the Pro-Stocks are using aftermarket stuff such as Howe.

On the stock stuff - if I feel I can get away with it - I'll sometimes move the mounts around a little to gain/reduce anti-dive, or re-locate the tie-rod socket on the left spindle to change Ackerman...but most of the stock-chassied stuff I work on requires OEM suspension parts....and the track tech people know what they're looking for.

There are a number of racers that are installing the early Nova lower control arms on the 108" Metric chassis to gain an inch-per-side track width. They are either using an aftermarket tubular upper or they are re-locating the upper mount and swapping stock uppers side-to-side to make it work.

The mid-West seems to be somewhat more liberal than northern New England and the Canadian Maritimes in swapping components around. I think Phat has done a lot of spindle/lower control arms swapping for Late Model cars that run at Stafford and Thompson Connecticut.

I have, however, read articles that suggest the full-sized spindle with a "2" cast on the back side of the spindle pin is being used a lot where spindle swaps are allowed....but, I also read that they are becoming rare.

B.P.

[river1]

What would 250, 1964 U.S. dollars be worth today?

$1482.91 in the year 2003 has the same "purchase power" as $250 in the year 1964

according to http://eh.net/hmit/ppowerusd/

later jim

[sport.]

O.K  Bob, Here we go again.
I know I am not gonna make any money at the sport but it's something that I have on both sides of my family.
 Anyway we are gonna go ahead a build a Metric car.I heard late 70's early 80's Malibu's are lighter right from the factory.I'll have to do a little research on that tho.
I talked to CSC about a cage today.I can pick one up any time.They are located about 1 hour from me.So I have that covered.

I dont know anyone with a shock dyno around here.

I can raise or lower the floor if I wish just as long as the exhaust clears.

I alread have a mini spool or a metric car rear.

I am very good a tin work and body work so I can hide alot of litttle things that might ACCIDENTIALLY happen when building the car

I had a bare metric frame given to me today.There is no body on it.It's really solid and has never been hit.I have to pick it up in 2 weeks.
I gotta start collecting parts to get this goin'

Sure glad you are willing to help.Thanks Bob


Chad

[Bob Paulin]

I had a bare metric frame given to me today.There is no body on it.It's really solid and has never been hit.I have to pick it up in 2 weeks.
I gotta start collecting parts to get this goin'

Sure glad you are willing to help.Thanks Bob


Chad

Okay......

First assignment......

I will assume you plan to do some diagonal measurements on the chassis - before you do anything else - just to make sure it is okay..... I usually do a front clip diagonal, a center section diagonal and a rear clip diagonal along with a full chassis diagonal.

This will help you later on down the road when you string the car knowing that the rails are okay, etc.

The first thing you're going to want to do when you get the frame is to clean it up.....sandblast.....sanding disc on a hand grinder....wire wheel on a drill.....whatever.


Then, re-weld every single factory weld - top and bottom.....the length of the chassis.....including rear crossmember, spring pockets, lower control arm mounts - front and rear - etc......except, of course, for the part you plan to chop off the back to make your own chassis out of tubing.

I am willing to bet that you find one or two places where the welding wire from the welding robot at the factory is simply laying next to the seam.

Am I correct in assuming that you will be building this car off the floor, and not on any sort of jig?

Not a problem.....I just don't want to be telling you to tie things down if you have no way of doing so.

If you are working off the floor, cut four six-inch (frame height rules) pieces of tube or pipe, and tack-weld them onto the four outer corners of the perimeter rails.

When you have completely re-welded the frame, turn it back over and set it up on the four corner stubs. Chances are the frame will rock a little bit....this will be due to your floor not being perfect.

Put a level on the perimeter rails, and across the chassis at the frame torque boxes at the front and rear of the perimeter rails, and get your chassis leveled up by shimming under the stubs.

Now, as you build the car, everything will be at ride height.

Once you have the frame all re-welded, get ready to install the "X" member.

You want the "X" to connect at the base of the front clip before it turns outward, and at the front of the rear clip - also before it turns outward, abd close to the rear lower arm forward attachment point.

Keep the "X" near the bottom of the chassis....this will allow the maximum floor drop.

You will want to run a short tube from the front of the rear lower arm mount to the "X".

If you want to really see something, set up a dial indicator off the chassis main rail to the front of the rear lower arm mount. Stick a bar in the bolt holes and push/pull the bar.

When you mount your main hoop for the cage, you will want to mount it directly over the rear lower arm forward mount so you can also drop a short bar from the main hoop to the top of the mount.

This will, likely require you to build a roll cage mount since the chassis has turned inward at this point, and the CSC cage is designed to sit on the perimeter rails at 54-inches.

I use 2X3 .125" rectangular tubing with a short stub 90° out from the frame, and a piece that goes forward and tapers to blend into the perimeter rail.

A small .125" plate that covers this extension and covers the frame in the area helps to spread the load a bit instead of having it all on the outer end of the 2X3.

There doesn't seem to be any rules on cage location other than no offset.

As a matter of fact, my interpretation of the rules is that a roll bar is required, but a full cage is "highly recommended",  so I think you should be okay here..

You might want to shorten that halo a bit in order to move the knee bars back....

...........BUT, that'll change the fit of the CSC door bars, so, if you don't have a way of bending up new door bars,  you might want to just move the entire cage back a bit, and not change the distance from the main hoop to the knee bars.

Moving the entire cage back is still a benefit.

There are a few points I want to make on cage construction and bar locations.....but I'll save that for another time.

With the exception of moving it back, you can pretty much assemble the four-post cage according to the CSC instructions.

You can fit them up, but save the actual door bar installation on both sides until one of the last things you do before you finish the car.....there's nothing worse than trying to crawl around door bars when you are building a race car

Are you planning on .083" tubing for the front and rear hoops? or is .095" all you can get locally?

Are you planning on working with all straight pieces, or do you have access to a tubing (not pipe) bender? Do you have a tubing notcher? If not, do you have some sort of drill press which you can use with a good bi-metal holesaw?


B.P.

[enjenjo]

On the metric chassis I used to build, we would put a piece of 2x2 by .125 tubing inside the perimeter rails and weld it in place, then tie the roll cage into the tubing. What we ended up with was similar to the old convertible frames, just a bit stiffer than a normal frame.

[sport.]

I  was gonna ask about boxing the frame,After the frame is blasted.

How much do would you shorten the halo?

Also I have access to some 8 inch I-beams,If you really think I should tie the frame down.to do all the prep work.

When you put the X in the chassis do you go right throught the frame.Like through the inside of the torque box and right out to the other side and weld both sides?

As for the tube thickness for the front and rear hoops,do you recommend
using .083 thou tube?If thats what you think I should use I will get it.I work in a metal fab shop so I'll just order it through my work.

I do have access to to a tube bender (not a pipe bender)I have access to one of the drill press tube notcher.

Starting to get excited!!

He Bob got any pics of the cars you have built?Sure would like to see some of your work.

I must be dumb?I can build a car, but cant figure out how to use the quote button(LOL)
Chad

[Bob Paulin]

On the metric chassis I used to build, we would put a piece of 2x2 by .125 tubing inside the perimeter rails and weld it in place, then tie the roll cage into the tubing. What we ended up with was similar to the old convertible frames, just a bit stiffer than a normal frame.

That's just excess weight nowadays, that would be better off being used as ballast that you can add where you want to.

With the roll cages I build, I could cut the perimeter rails right out of the car with no problem...The car would continue to run okay. Junior Hanley showed me that a number of years ago at Oxford with one of his cars that had the right-side frame rail - which was in its proper location according to the rulebook to deem the car a "perimeter car" - drilled like Swiss cheese.

The roll cage becomes, essentially, a triangulated space frame.

The important thing is to triangulate everything between the front chassis bay and the rear chassis bay....sort of like an IMCA Modified whose right-side perimeter chassis rail is hanging out there in the breeze with no tubing attached - little more than a nerf bar.

In Late Model/Pro-Stock(oval-track) racing this is referred to as a "straight-rail" car, since the main chassis tube on the right side does not perimeter out, but runs straight back from front to rear.

The left side isn't as important as the right since all the weight transfers to the right.

I'm hoping to explain to Chad how to build a space frame on the right side of the car that runs straight between the front and rear bays - well inside the right side perimeter rail. This space frame should tie the right front spring pocket to the right rear spring pocket with a nicely triangulated bridge.

It will be a bit more tricky than a straight-rail car since he is not allowed roll cage offset, but I think we can develop a hybrid that will work for him.

Bob Paulin