[Steve91T]

Long story short, I was tracking my 97 SS a lot and decided to turn into a CMC car. I unknowingly picked a really bad time to build a race car, so 3 years later, it's still not done. But, the end is near. All that's left is gut the dash and have a cage made. It's been in this state for several months....this is where I'm having 2nd thoughts.

It appears the series isn't doing well at all, it's been on a decline for a while now. The other issue is I really miss being able to hop in the car and drive it down the street. So heres my next great idea....a street legal time trial car.

Done laughing yet?

So, doors are gutted, junkyard hard top screwed to the T-top frame, Blane fab spoiler in place of stock wing. Interior is gutted, dash hasn't been removed, heat and air removed, all wiring still in place.

Is it possible to build a cage that's safe for street use? I'm thinking X brace on both sides. Not sure about the bar near my head.

How hard is it to r&r the doors? The plan is to buy junkyard doors and use those for the street and my gutted ones for the track.

I have a stock LT1. I'll run that for now. I hate the optispark. I want to someday drop an LQ9. 6.0 iron block. Cam and tune, 400 rwhp.

I have to spend some time in the junk yards finding parts, like the headlight bar, that I threw away. But it shouldn't be too bad.

What do you guys think?

[BryanL]

So it sounds like your real question is do you build a cage that is CMC legal or street legal? I don't know your state laws for inspections if you have a cage/harness in it. If it can't be that brings up the issue of insurance. At least you already realize that if you build a cage for a street car you don't want any bars near your head. I have no idea if that can be accomplished. If it can does it compromise the on track safety?
Don't you already have another street car that you can have some fun on the street? Though since I started racing I don't really care to try and have fun on the street as I see it as too dangerous without much wow factor. Meaning it just doesn't compare to being in a CMC car at the start of a race with 10-20 other CMC cars around you.
I'm in Texas and CMC is very much alive and well-car counts are as good as they ever have been. The complaining on the internet is really the same handful of guys that have been whining for years-though it generally gets replaced every few years by a new crop of guys that want all these changes that they think are necessary for the series. My advice to them is the same I was given when I got in-race a few years and then see what changes really need to be made. The only argument I can agree with you on is that there is always a chance that a series folds at some point as people move to a different class. I'm not too worried about that in Texas-Nationals has never been a good barometer for the class either.
With regards to TT I just don't see how it can compare with wheel to wheel if you want to really race. I don't have anything against it and think its great but I just don't see how it can compare. I think it's a great segway into racing. Though the speeds that the TT cars run without proper safety equipment is scary-though I totaled my CMC car in March. Bought another one from a racer who decided to sell and didn't miss a race.
You can still drop in a 5.3 and run CMC-if you want more power just throw headers/tune and cam and you are over 400 easy.

[dailydriver]

So it sounds like your real question is do you build a cage that is CMC legal or street legal? I don't know your state laws for inspections if you have a cage/harness in it. If it can't be that brings up the issue of insurance. At least you already realize that if you build a cage for a street car you don't want any bars near your head. I have no idea if that can be accomplished. If it can does it compromise the on track safety?
Don't you already have another street car that you can have some fun on the street? Though since I started racing I don't really care to try and have fun on the street as I see it as too dangerous without much wow factor. Meaning it just doesn't compare to being in a CMC car at the start of a race with 10-20 other CMC cars around you.
I'm in Texas and CMC is very much alive and well-car counts are as good as they ever have been. The complaining on the internet is really the same handful of guys that have been whining for years-though it generally gets replaced every few years by a new crop of guys that want all these changes that they think are necessary for the series. My advice to them is the same I was given when I got in-race a few years and then see what changes really need to be made. The only argument I can agree with you on is that there is always a chance that a series folds at some point as people move to a different class. I'm not too worried about that in Texas-Nationals has never been a good barometer for the class either.
With regards to TT I just don't see how it can compare with wheel to wheel if you want to really race. I don't have anything against it and think its great but I just don't see how it can compare. I think it's a great segway into racing. Though the speeds that the TT cars run without proper safety equipment is scary-though I totaled my CMC car in March. Bought another one from a racer who decided to sell and didn't miss a race.
You can still drop in a 5.3 and run CMC-if you want more power just throw headers/tune and cam and you are over 400 easy.

True, but there ARE some regions where, at their NASA track days/races, if you ask about CMC, all you get are blank stares and dumb looks, as they have NO CLUE what this class is, even AFTER you explain it to them. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)