[ESPCamaro]

Since I started a thread I thought I would split them up into autox and road race.
To keep one thread from being a bagillion pages long....


Whats up your sleeves

[KeithO]

Mike, I have alot of concurrent things bouncing around in my head right now. If I remove 4 or so mods from my car right now, I am completely CMC-legal (and still too heavy). If you look at the lap times of CMC cars (when they actually show up), I am not much different from their times (+ and -). In addition, if I go CMC, then I will keep the car street legal so many of the diet ideas will go "out the window". My initial goals for this year were to learn to drive the car as it was (I gave up), get seat time and show improvment. I have done all of these, but I got fed up with the car's setup - I just can't drive a car with that kind of setup. My goals for this weekend are 1:08's. If I do that, I will have gained 4 seconds from my first visit with the car and 6 seconds from my old LS1. Small goals, but I have made consistent progress. Many AI drivers find it hard to believe that I do have a very competitive spirit (I've taken a verbal shot or two from one of the more "outspoken" drivers), but I've had to temper it to take my baby steps this year and be patient. I am not sure I will be as patient next year.

I have also come to the conclusion that there are two keys to being a front-runner in AI OH/IN - a reliable engine and rain tires. The approach for rain tires is simple enough. With the f-bodies, I think the engine is an advantage over the Mustangs. Let me explain. Through both my autocross and track experience, I have observed that people who tweak their motors seem to have more failures than guys that just do simple bolt-ons (like my car) or nothing (like my old car). From the factory, the LS1 doesn't need much to be close to the power weight ratios and the LT1 only needs a little. ...and of course the LS6 is just perfect! On the other hand, the "year-for-year" stock Mustang motors need modifications to get where they need to be. This gives them reliability issues, IMO. This is the f-body's opening... As it turns out, this advantage is even larger in CMC, but the LS1 is not a possbility here.

So, my approach on the motor from here is to get this one rebuilt or simply buy a used one. I haven't been able to take buying a used motor from an individual seriously yet. It just leaves too many unknowns. I have been homing in on a Jasper Engine (<$2,500) and that one comes with a 18 month warranty for "off road" use. As much as I want the LS1, the LT1 will allow me to keep CMC open as a possibility down the road...

That brings me around to your point. Jim Pantas is selling a used, enclosed trailer for less than $3,500 right now and I've been watching it and drooling... Problem is that if I buy an enclosed trailer, I have to buy another tow vehicle. If I buy an enclosed trailer and another tow vehicle, there is no way I can put any money at all into the car. ...and the idea of being *this slow* next year does not appeal to me at all.

PS F-bodies placed 1-2 on the Sunday Mid Ohio AI race last weekend. Nice to see.