Dirt track race car build - Racing Forum

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Dirt track race car build
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 7:22 PM
I am in the process of building a new race car. This is a 1995 cav. that I saved from the junk yard Two years ago. I am just starting this project now and need to have complete by Mid March. Sounds like a long time but it goes by fast.

I will keep this post updated if there is any interest in seeing this project cometogether. Any ideas and suggestions are welcome, as this is my first Cavalier build.

If anyone would want to see my current race car, you can check it out here.









Re: Dirt track race car build
Sunday, August 03, 2008 3:18 PM
Im interested if it actually gets done. Good luck to ya. Just out of curiosity, why a cavalier for dirt track.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Sunday, August 03, 2008 7:12 PM
Thank You!! This will get done and it will be awesome. this hopefully will be the nicest dirt track 4 cyl. ever. I picked this because parts are readily available, unlike my toyota's. I believe this car will work just fine. I just picked up a 96 5-speed for a parts car. I'll post some update pics.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Sunday, August 03, 2008 9:35 PM
We're building a 02+ for a 1/4 asphalt track. Well destroying it really. Gotta be completely stock and totally gutted out. Lights and horn must work still though.

They don't know that I can tune any Eco though We're fairly certain that a well tuned stock Eco can put out 140WHP...and they'll never know



I used to race cars, now I race myself.
5K PB: 24:50
10K PB: 54:26
Re: Dirt track race car build
Monday, August 04, 2008 7:36 PM
we just found a '03 for under scrap yard price. Its getting a cage put in it now, and I can't wait. J-body cars have been dominating our local dirt tracks all year.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Wednesday, August 06, 2008 9:54 PM
We built a 1992? 4 door 2.2 auto 3 years ago. I have beat the piss out of it and it still runs good. 206,000 miles original engine/tranny. Last year I decided to go with a Neon was quite a bit faster but pushed like hell and I wrecked it. So back to the Cavalier this year. We also built a 1996 2.2 auto for my Dad. We are currently running 185/60/14 in 2nd gear. Track we run at is a small 3/8 dirt track. Here is a picture of my Cavalier another Cavalier and my Dad's Probe ( which has some issues)[https://edit.yahoo.com/commchannel/verify?p=q2EpYEmgElPCUmiOAOU2EfseT10SbT3oXap8wnJuLEQJo9a1Zn9KaSG.2vCSSd7LiNvl0SPlqYy8LbwiMA4P36rKmmp1fR
Img-8560
Re: Dirt track race car build
Sunday, August 17, 2008 2:35 PM
i have a 1987 sunbird mini stock ( 4cyl) it is fast but my mustang 4 cyl is much faster , i have raced with 14 jbody cars in the past 2 years and not one has beat me, but if i was to build another one it would be a 1993 2.2l 5 speed with the z24 body skirting. ( looks good and fast , holds good rpm)
Re: Dirt track race car build
Wednesday, August 27, 2008 6:36 PM
Well Thanks for all the replies fellas. Ive been pretty busy w/ work and around my house but I have been able to get a little work done on this car.

This is what I used along inside the rockers, and used this to weld my cage to. Its a little over kill, but after I rolled one over this year I realize its my life, so I went w/ a little overkill




This is the start of the roll cage.



I just tack welded the main hoop so I could pull this down and weld the whole way around.


This is as far as Ive gotten, I still need to mock up the drivers side A pillar bar.


This is the parts car I bought, It has a 5 speed in it my car has the 3 speed. Any one have any suggestions as to which one would be the better route to go with?

If the pictures are to much to be posting on this site just let me know, not sure what that the rules are. Also I'm open to any suggestions and ideas.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Thursday, August 28, 2008 6:54 AM
Post all the pictures you want, the more the better

Which transmission really depends on the track. Obviously you don't want to be shifting the 5-speed because you've run out of RPM over half way down the straight... The auto will give you a wider speed range. I've seen some guys on here who could go the entire race in 2nd gear on a 3-speed, which would be a decent advantage.




11 speaker JL Audio stereo setup for sale:
http://www.j-body.org/classifieds/audio/52021/

Re: Dirt track race car build
Thursday, August 28, 2008 10:14 AM
Yea shifting is not an option. The track is 3/8 mile, fair amount of banking, tight turns w/ long strait aways. My current car is a tercel, 4 speed, second gear screams at 6800 rpm at the end of the straits. But 3rd just wont pull out of the hole. So I just run 2nd and it hasn't blown up yet.

I thought that I was going to run the auto in second till I got this parts car now I'm unsure. Cant I put some locker in that trans (an LDS or something?) also I found some sites tell how to use different chains and sprockets to change the gear ratio on the 3 speed so you can dial it in a little better. I don't think that is an option on the 5 speed? Also I will be running 15" tires so I will have a better assortment to choose from. Anyone who has experimented w/ this feel free to chime in here!
Re: Dirt track race car build
Thursday, August 28, 2008 8:08 PM
Here is THE page on the 3T40. If you find out what cars came with the 3.33 differential, PLEASE let me know
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=41&i=39403&t=26499#39403

You can get an LSD from Phantomgrip, or Team Green has offered to make one if someone sends them a diff.




11 speaker JL Audio stereo setup for sale:
http://www.j-body.org/classifieds/audio/52021/


Re: Dirt track race car build
Saturday, August 30, 2008 7:40 PM
Nice progress pics.

I won 4 cyl championship in a 95 sunfire in 2006 now I bought a beat to crap 98 cavalier that I am redoing for next season
Re: Dirt track race car build
Monday, September 01, 2008 8:14 AM
Cool, feel free to share any advice to a new J body racer!
Re: Dirt track race car build
Tuesday, September 02, 2008 9:53 AM
The local track here is dominated bY J's I have the pictures and video to prove it good luck on your build.



Re: Dirt track race car build
Saturday, September 06, 2008 7:13 PM
i run 4 speed auto (4t40e) trans i took trans apart and weld up spider gears so both front tires lock to together it s great but hard on the axles
Re: Dirt track race car build
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 8:35 AM
Well, your definitely on the right site, the guys on here seem to know their stuff.


I miss my Sunfire, I want it back!
MMMM, HIDs
You will be missed.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Sunday, September 14, 2008 12:33 AM
NightmaresCavy wrote:The local track here is dominated bY J's I have the pictures and video to prove it good luck on your build.


I want to see those. not because I don't believe you, but because that would be awesome to see.


2010 Honda Fit LX
Re: Dirt track race car build
Sunday, September 14, 2008 1:18 AM
your roll cage............

im totally stealing that idea


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike wrote:The auto to manual swap is not as involved as you would think.
Get all the parts you need in a pile, and drive the car into it.
They will find their way into the correct places.

Re: Dirt track race car build
Sunday, September 14, 2008 6:21 AM
Thanks for the replies guys. I got a little more done last night. We had our season finale 30 lap race scheduled last night, but mother nature put that on hold. So the only logical thing to do was work on the new race car.
I got the major Four points of the cage done and fully welded, I'm about 90% happy w/ the outcome of this, but it will work. Also I removed the auto trans from the car. I was going to run the auto but have decided to go w/ the 5 speed. Today I plan on starting that swap. I never had this car running so I want to get it running before I do much more. I have no doubt that it will run, I have a running parts car.

Pozr wrote:your roll cage............

im totally stealing that idea


Feel free, I would have changed things a little the next time. Do you have a TUBING bender? I'm trying to make this car really slick, I'm going for the nicest dirt 4 cyl ever!! our rules say "dash must remain stock, you can cut dash for cage." If you look at the last picture you can see that the A pillar tube is in front of the dash mounting tab, It was harder to do it that way, but the plan is to put just the plastic dash back in and have the roll cage disappear down through it. I could easily have ran the A pillars out away from the dash, But like I said I'm trying to be as creative as I can. Also this is safer being the cage is further out by your feet.

Nightmares cavy I would like to see some of those pics as well.

I'll try to get a couple updated pics tonight or tomorrow depending on how much I get done.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Monday, September 15, 2008 8:40 PM
Well I was able to get some more done over the weekend and have some updated pics...

Here is the drivers side A pillar all done, the 4 point cage is done for now


Pulling the motor and trans out of the parts car...what a pain!


here's the race car engine bay all ready to fit the motor and trans in to start mocking up the new trans mounts.





These are the trans mounts I will need to make brackets for...




5 speed shifter installed, this was easy...The clutch pedal removal on the other hand was another story!


The Craig's List ad said "minor frame damage" I called and said if the car starts and runs I'll take it. She than said "you know you cant drive it right?" "No problem" I said, " I'll bring a trailer. She never told me the front tire was hanging out from the fender and It wouldn't pull up onto the trailer. What a day that was!!!!
Well that's it for now.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Friday, September 19, 2008 7:36 AM
Fortunately, the subframe is easily replaced.


I miss my Sunfire, I want it back!
MMMM, HIDs
You will be missed.

Re: Dirt track race car build
Friday, September 19, 2008 9:20 AM
The Evil J wrote:Fortunately, the subframe is easily replaced.


This is on the parts car. I will only be taking what I can use off and the rest will go to the scrap yard. It will never be replaced. My race car is very solid, I would never put money into something like this parts car.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Thursday, September 25, 2008 6:47 PM
Well I had a little time to work on the car and pretty mush got the motor mounts finished.





The rear mount just tack welded in place.



Custom rear trans. mount. Two hockey pucks, I wish I could take credit for this but I got this idea for someone on the TercelOnline.com Forum.

Well that's it for now, I still need to pull the motor back out and weld the rear mount up solid.
Re: Dirt track race car build
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 8:09 PM
Hey everyone im new to this site as a user, i never signed up.....i saw u were posting pictures of your build so i wanted to show everyone my racecar. This is a picture of my sunfire/cavalier i used to win the track championship at a local 1/2 mile dirt track.

Re: Dirt track race car build
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 8:26 PM
hey just figured id throw in another picture of the car, hopefully i have some action photos up soon if anyone is interested. if you need some help or advice im sure i could point you in the right direction. Id like to know what you j-body guys think of my car so let me know.

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