First post here so go easy on me...

I currently have a 74 Trans Am that I have been using as my cruising car and part time autocross ride. As you may guess, I am not very competitive at local autocross events running against 4th gen cars, (running ESP due to headers, although I would also get trounced in F stock). Looks like I can either really mod the 74, or move to a more competitive car.

I stumbled upon a clean 3rd gen z28 body that I could score pretty cheap. Additionally, I still have a recently rebuilt small block in my garage awaiting a new home. So after reading a couple posts on this forum I'm thinking maybe this would be the way to go.

I am only looking to be competitive at the local level. Maybe in the future progress up driving food chain to HPDE's and the like.

If I really wanted to do it right I guess I could sell the 74 TA and get a nice ride, but I am keeping the 74 until they sell it at my estate auction.

So I would love to hear any advice or opinions you can offer...

Trumpeter

There is a rather fast ESP 2nd gen in Cincinatti, Ohio. I don't know if the car is nationally competitive, but I know he's really, really fast in it locally (one of the top several fastest cars of the day in many cases). So, for local fun, you could possibly make the '74 work for you.

However, my preference is for a 3rd gen (I miss mine). I suspect that it will be far easier to make a 3rd gen competitive than it will be to make a 2nd gen competitive. If you are up for a new project, I'd gather up a 3rd gen and get started.

Dennis Riehle has at least one nat'l championship in the mid '90s with a 2nd gen camaro. He's still really fast and a serious threat if he got back into the swing of it. There's lots of options for building those cars and I think they can be competitive. Just depends on how serious you want to get and how much tolerance you have for the car becoming a "track toy". 3rd gens are cool, but getting that last nth degree out of them is gonna cost you, but then again it will with just about anything I guess.

Thanks for the quick reply's...

The camaro would really be for the track only, so I could do things that I normally would rather not.

There is a guy on the Trans Am forums that is from the Ohio area that is really into autocross, but he has really spent some money to be competitive. I also understand that spending money is part of being quick. But with my desire to leave the TA somewhat stock and the thought that a 3rd gen might be a better platform to begin, leads me to the question.

Trumpeter

Sounds like a 3rd gen is gonna suit your needs better.

Too bad you missed out on Lonnie's 4th gen!

Everything that I can think of that is expensive applies to either platform. I think you'll find a lot more support and advice on a 3rd gen platform though, so I would probably go with that.

Estate sale?? Plan on kicking the bucket?

Estate sale?? Plan on kicking the bucket?
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Everyone has to go sometime, but I hope I have a couple more years left...

Trumpeter

Dennis Riehle is fast in that 1970 (I think) LT1 car. For locally compeditive I would say build what you like best. If a 2nd gen, 3rd gen, or 4th gen can win Nationals in the past 10 years then I would say locally you can do it with any of them.

My biggest problem with ESP 3rd gens is that you are stuck with the L98, which probably in ESP trim still doesn't make as much power as a stock 4th gen. If you like a powerful car when your not autocrossing then a 3rd gen is not for you. 2nd gens are cool, but be prepared to rework the rear suspension. Have started autoX in a 66 Mustang a panhard bar is going to go a long way in improving a leaf spring car.

glad you found your way over Trumpeter. this is WSix from TAC. your gonna want to build the thirdgen. it is just that much better of a car in terms of autoxing. besides you don't want to beat the hell out of the 74. if the third gen is only going to be used for track then that opens many doors that you would not want to open with the 74. do you really want to get the 74 out on a track for an HPDE event knowing that you could put it into a wall or roll it? granted most events go off without a hitch, but it only takes that one time. also consider building the thirdgen for a different class possibly so you can have more freedom with the engine. how many people run SM in your region? so welcome aboard and i vote build the thirdgen.

Hey Wsix, nice to see a familiar guy over here, (as a newb). Yeah, I would really like to try driving on a track but the thought of bending the 74 is a HUGE drawback.

Phil, I might be in trouble since I had planned on dropping in a regular carbed small block since the Camaro is a theft recovery and they took the top end and all the computer stuff. Perhaps that would bump me into C prepared .

I'll have to cruise over to the SCAA forums and check the rule book.

Trumpeter

I think most of it is in the driver. Depending on class, you can have any generation F bod win. We drive a 3rd Gen, and really like the handling. We're getting our heads handed to us in our Region by a 2nd Gen (Todd Ferris and Jeff Stroh) right now. Just wait until we add some HP. I have seen 4th Gens do well, too, in CP. I think it boils down to how carefully you develop your car. They all can win.

We used to run a 71 T/A in CP and it ran quite well there, but that was back in the days you could run a car with a full interior and steel body in CP. I think it would be a bit heavy these days. Still, it had the HP you needed for the class. You can do it, just pick a car, and a class and go for it.