Bootleg

ok, please dont flame me, i'm a complete newb here and i have some questions i figured you guys could help me out with. i just baught a 87 GXL and i'm preping it for the 2006 grassroots motorsports challange. info the catch is i can't spend over $2006 on the car to get it ready and that includes the cost of the car. got the car for $250 with blown apex seals but everything else is in good shape. i need to figure out how to make it fast in the drag, handle great (grip, not drift..lol) for auto-x and look good as a show car for under $1756. i need some hella suggestions. i already know i'm gonna street port it while the engine is out so that is a little extra help. 2005 winner was an 88 GTU with a ford 302 in it and it ran 11.6 quarter mile. i know without boosting it i'm gonna have a hard time making it fast so that's why i'm banking on the auto-x and show to make it a winner. i dont want to skimp on speed, but it's second on the list.

thanks for any help guys. anything constructive is welcomed

Travis R

Sell the interior to make up some more money on your budget.
Buy a wrecked TII with a good motor. You'll never be fast enough N/A (IMHO).
Handling is key for the autox, that means you need good bushing (urethane or delrin), springs, dampers (adjustable), brakes, and tires (R-compound). All of them can be found used in good condition, except maybe the bushings, unless you get really lucky with the wrecked TII parts car.
Good luck

RETed

You need to learn how to sell parts to make money.
Read back issues of GRM that covers previous competitions.
The trends seems to buy multiple cars to sell the parts so you can spend more your race car.


-Ted

Bootleg

yeah, i think the max you can recoup is half of the total budget as far as selling parts goes.

have any specific recommendations on suspension parts makers, springs, struts, ect..? same with preformance? i know racingbeat makes good stuff. i have a bunch on my wifes P5.

p.s. car is currently bone stock.

RETed

The hard part for any rotary is to do well in the drag race.
This is where V8's have an upper hand.
The year the BMW 2002 won (back in 2002) was only due to the stupid bonus for running that car that year.
I think almost every contest since then it's been some V8 monstrosity.


-Ted

Bootleg

yeah, but i dont want to take away from the car by putting some shitty V8 in it. the rotary is a masterpiece (a very expensive one but a masterpiece none the less) and i think it should stay in the car. to me, it's not the same and i wouldn't be proud of myself.

RETed

If you stay rotary, about the only option is to go NOS.
Going big turbo or SC will mean expensive stand-alone EMS, which will blow your budget.
I'd suggest reading up on nitrous!


-Ted

MattB

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Energ...ayphotohosting

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KYB-A...spagenameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TEIN-...spagenameZWDVW

dont buy them new obviously...except the bushings....look in for sale section, and check ebay for used versions.

the KYB AGX are adjustable. im getting them for my car to do autocross.

MattB

go with an RTEK 1.7 then buy new injectors, and a big turbo....that should make some decent power.

Bootleg

i have the AXG on my 2002 Impreza RS and i love them. i'm not a big fan of teins, i have them on my wifes P5 and i think the drop is to aggressive and doesnt allow for the propper weight transfer. does eibach, mazdaspeed or racingbeat make a good coilover or spring set that's affordable?

RETed

Another hint is spend money on the tires!
If you can, get used racer slicks - check local race tracks.
You can have tons of power, but if the tires can't put it to the ground, you'll go no where.


-Ted

DemonicPupil

Maybe the Megasquirt would be absolutely beautiful for a project exactly like this

felixwankel88

i have some Racing beat lowering springs on my car, they handle really good. i would deff suggest them for your car.. also if your interoir is gray pm me ill buy a few peices from it

Bootleg

not a bad idea. i've heard people have really good success with it as long as you know how to do some wireing and have some electrical knowledge (which i have little of).

for tires i have a set of kuhmo victroracers that i'm gonna use. i know they arent as good as the v710's but i got a set that has 8 or 9 events on them for $100.

MattB

what if people just "give" you stuff to use and you return it after?


hmmmm

MattB

i mean i might be able to loan you my 26B TT for a week or two if you wanted....haha i wish

Bootleg

hey, a gift is a gift, not a purchase. if you already have items sitting around before you start the build that's one thing. i guess you could also buy the car with certain modifications done to it and they would not be included in the total cost, just the cost of the car.

so, i guess if the guy i buy the car from puts stuff on the car before he sells it to me then we wouldnt have a problem....hehehe...

i havent baught the car yet, but the seller is my best friend....

MattB

id say look into megasquirt. thats gonna have the best tuneablity. then get some good suspension, and those tires should be fine...

you should probably supercharge and turbocharge it...that would be sick

Turbo7MN

I've heard nothing but good things about RS*R Race Springs. You can get a brand new set for around $200 if you look hard enough. When the time comes to replace my suspension, I'm going with KYB AGX's with the RS*R's. Just something to consider, good luck!

-Darren

Bootleg

so, is racingbeat pretty much the way to go all the way around? i know they make speed and suspension parts but are they the best bang for the buck so to speak? i need the best and cheapest from headers to bushings to intakes. please help me here guys. thanks!!!

Bootleg

i think instead of the AGX i'm gonna go with Koni yellows on this one. i know they are gonna cost a bit more but they are always worth a little more money.

Travis R

Racing Beat spring rates are too soft for autocross. Do some searching and you'll see FC autocross cars running anywhere from 300lb/in to over 500lb/in springs.
Don't kid yourself into thinking you will still have a street car when you're done. If you want to be competitive you have to build it like a race car... gut EVERYTHING you're not forced to keep. AFAIK, that's just the dashboard.
Look at QA1.net for springs. Very customizable for length and rate, and are very cheap.

Bootleg

o i know it wont be very streetable. i have already gutted the interior and am planning atleast a 6 point cage. i'm going to have it tagged for street use so i dont have to trailer it everywhere but it's gonna be a full out racecar.

thanks for the spring advice. i had no diea people were running such high spring rates. i'll check out the website above and see what they have. thanks man!

Turbo7MN

Alright, some things I forgot to mention earlier. Seeing as you have a GXL, you're gonna have to do quite a bit of weight reduction. You'll probably want to weld a piece of metal in place of the sunroof too. As far as porting the engine, I'd suggest a 1/3 bridgeport. Do a good sized streetport on the primary ports, and then do a bridgeport on the aux ports. Leave the actuators functional obviously, though you'll have to do it with an RPM switch and airpump. I can link you to my writeup if you're intesrested. That style of port will give you a lot of high end power with a lot smaller decrease in low end.

Racing beat is pretty high quality stuff, but it's going to break your budget if you stick with them. Their headers go for over $200 new, but look around for a used one. I got one for $90 shipped. For exhaust, you'll probably want to go with a true dual style, where each exhaust port has its own pipe. Racing beat makes a full system, but it's expensive. Just get the header and a couple cheap mufflers (or, skip the mufflers ) and get the piping custom bent. RB's stuff is all stainless steel, but for a race-only car you don't need it to last forever so get mild steel.

igottafc

iTrader: (6)

actually the guy down the street from me is prepping a grassroots 7. He swapped in a 350 and has a fully stripped interior for the moment. he got every thing for relatively cheap at a junk yard.