Worth the effort? - F-Body Road Racing and Autocross Forums

I've got a '97 z28 with about 95,000 miles. The car is 100% stock. While too poor right now to get serious, I would eventually like to get in to the road racing/autocross lifestyle. The problem is, I don't know if it's worth the effort to start modding my car or just wait until I can get another one. The car has been great mechanically so far, but I'm afraid it's performance will be severly limited for potential racing with 2.73 gears and an automatic (in addition to the face that it's speed limited). (I know, I know, but I had to take what i could get.) Swaps can certainly change that, but it's just one more thing I'd have to do. The other thing I was wondering is if it would be better to start out with an ls1 car. Brakes are another problem. I know about Bob's brackets, but if I had an ls1 car, the swap seems so much easier. There seems to be a lot of people with lt1's on this board, but I've read that the ls1 is also better in the upper rpm's. I know racing is a huge money pit to begin with, but it seems like it might be easier to just start with something else. I want my car to handle much better for general driving, but I know the more I do, the more I'll want to spend on it. Plus, if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right and that usually means spending more money out of the box. Should I just wait it out a couple more years until I finish school to get something else or just start the madness now? Any insight would be great. Thanks.

lt1aggie View Member Profile	Nov 25 2005, 06:48 AM Post #1
Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 41 Joined: 16-June 05 From: satx and b/cs (texas) Member No.: 773	I've got a '97 z28 with about 95,000 miles. The car is 100% stock. While too poor right now to get serious, I would eventually like to get in to the road racing/autocross lifestyle. The problem is, I don't know if it's worth the effort to start modding my car or just wait until I can get another one. The car has been great mechanically so far, but I'm afraid it's performance will be severly limited for potential racing with 2.73 gears and an automatic (in addition to the face that it's speed limited). (I know, I know, but I had to take what i could get.) Swaps can certainly change that, but it's just one more thing I'd have to do. The other thing I was wondering is if it would be better to start out with an ls1 car. Brakes are another problem. I know about Bob's brackets, but if I had an ls1 car, the swap seems so much easier. There seems to be a lot of people with lt1's on this board, but I've read that the ls1 is also better in the upper rpm's. I know racing is a huge money pit to begin with, but it seems like it might be easier to just start with something else. I want my car to handle much better for general driving, but I know the more I do, the more I'll want to spend on it. Plus, if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it right and that usually means spending more money out of the box. Should I just wait it out a couple more years until I finish school to get something else or just start the madness now? Any insight would be great. Thanks.

lt1aggie View Member Profile	Nov 28 2005, 02:28 AM Post #2
Member Group: Advanced Members Posts: 41 Joined: 16-June 05 From: satx and b/cs (texas) Member No.: 773	Thanks for the replies everyone. QUOTE (y5e06 @ Nov 25 2005, 11:33) To start auto-x'ing you don't need to change anything to your car to have fun. Its really not hard on the car either, if its a solid car you should have no problems. Just run street tire classes for a year or two, after you finish with school, then think about making changes to the car or to another car. I would recommend not even thinking of track days or wheel to wheel until you have a good job. So by Aggie, which school? A&M, NMSU, or? If A&M, they have a great student club that would be perfect to cut your teeth with. http://www.tamscc.org/forum/index.php I try to hit the local autocrosses they (TAMSCC) have here when I can. I also want to get out to Texas World Speedway as soon as I round up some cash.