Hopefully, the thing runs. keep in mind that this car is specifically for Lemons/Chumpcar, and an occasional HPDE.

Before buying, I posted a few questions in the engine and brake sections. if you feel I'm being redundant, please excuse the intrusion.

What I currently have;

Autopower cage. Will need door bars added, and I will also install a dash bar.

Springs, swaybars, shocks, misc. suspension take offs from my 99 SS. I'll be cutting coils, per the usual Lemons free upgrades. How many should I cut, and from top, bottom (or both)?

C5 calipers and rotors. searching for used trackbrackets, or will bite the bullet and buy new.

17" SS knockoffs.

It appears as though I should check out/ upgrade the opti spark, and while I'm at it, install a new water pump. i'll get new belts and hoses too. clean the radiator inside and out.

Power steering cooler, possibly an oil cooler?

Are the front bearing hubs the same for an LS1 4th gen as an LT1? I do have a few spares. The car can only run min 190 treadwear tires, but Direzza Star specs seem to be stickier than my Grand Am take offs.

We ran a de tuned T bird Turbo Coupe for 4 races, and it was a blast! with maybe 60-80 more HP, this could be a contender!

we are going to run an 87 Mustang the the T birds turbo motor for our other car, so it'll be like a mini CMC race on our team!

Thanks for your input...

Raise the Autopower cage 1/2" to 1" or so on plinth boxes and large pads under the APillars and main hoop, with pads tied out to the sill. Cut off the backstays and build new ones to the rear shock mounts while you are adding door and dash bars.

Cut a coil from the open, large end of the springs. The small ends need to index to the axle in the rear, and to the upper mount in the front.

If you want to keep the heater - a good thing on cold nights - you can run regular heater hoses from the water pump to the firewall and toss the OEM mess of leaky parts.

Yes on the PS cooler, maybe on the oil cooler - depends how hard you thrash it and ambient conditions. Use a good quality synthetic oil in any case.

Hubs are the same for all 4th gens - they'll be OK with street car grip levels if you don't abuse the brakes. Heat kills them, ducting will help. Crack them loose while you are building the car, clean the rust up and reinstall with antisieze or something to keep them from sticking to the knuckles. Good if you need to swap one in the pits. Put ARP studs in them and the axles, the OEM studs are weak.

Where are you located. I may have a custom built cage for a 4th gen for you cheap if you are in Texas. Like $200-$300.

I'm still running a completely stock PS system and need to fix my issue of fluid boiling out of the fluid res - just been zip tying a rag over the cap till now. What cooler setup and fluid do you recommend Alan?

This one is the best ;-)

http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/index.php?showtopic=14476

This post has been edited by Blainefab: Oct 1 2011, 10:05 AM

Thanks Alan. I may be changing my existing radiator setup and if so will probably just reuse my current engine oil cooler as a PS cooler. If I keep the stock radiator for another year, I'll get in touch to order this kit.

I have Alan's PS cooler, and it works perfectly. I went from boiling my PS fluid even in cold weather HPDE's to now, I can run as hard and as long as I want, in nearly 100 degree weather, and it has never boiled over.

Just sayin' (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Steve

Damn, I'm in PA, and John from Evil Genius (head tech guy) racing has already shot down the plinth box idea, as it "modifies the original design". This is kind of funny, as all bolt in cages need to be fully welded next season. That sounds like modification to me.

As they say, "my sandbox, my rules".

It woud probably cost more than a couple hundred to ship it too:(