I've been reading alot about Bonneville and would like to put together a modified for the salt. I'm not looking to get a red hat on my first try. 130-150 is a realistic goal I think. For a new guy putting together a car like this on a budget (let's say 5 grand, I've got a front end, wheels, a frame, and body). What should I focus on. My motor tuning skills are limited (but learning) I'd like to keep it simple the first time and find a chevy small block. What's your $.02
NO WAY for $5K. You will have that much just in the required safety equipment. I suggest to take about half of that $5K and spend it going to Bonneville and El Mirage a few times as an interested spectator. Talk to the other racers and spend $10 to buy a rule book. Your modified will not fit in any cl*** as a "Modified". Your enthusiasm is great, but you need to educate yourself a lot before you are ready to even start building any type of land speed car. Salt fever is one disease that is a good one to get.
Focus on safety, stremlining and getting the car finished right. Don't worry about the engine or gearing etc. You can always change a motor or play with gears later. But install a quickchange now, cuz your gonna need it later. Once you have a great rolling ch***is that's safe and built right, you can run any old engine you can cram into it, and worry about breakin records later after you have some seat time. My .03 cents
And yea, Get a rule book, and know exactly what cl*** you want to run (Ie. body style.) and know every record for that cl***.
he's not joking. and make sure you have a guy go over your car that knows the rule book backwards, forwards and inside out: **** happens real fast at 150. This is not an area of compe***ion where you want to start skimping. Also, as an aside, there really isnt a cl*** in operation today that a traditional "modified" could run in compe***ively. just think of the cost of a certified cage, proper fire extinguishing system, tires, all the personal safety equipment, and the trip out to bonneville. 10k is just ******* in the wind. buy a rule book, go visit the salts and socal, lots of listening not much talking, then start building. Research on the front end will save time and heartbreak (and cash) on the back end.
How come there has never been a book on building a car for the salt? the rule book can give you safety requirements and cl*** information. I've always been looking for build info, weighting ,suspension, tires gearing. base engine calibrations, streamling, air under the car, intake and exhaust, I know the answer will still be "go see and talk to the fastest people on earth." c-ya there!!.....Jim
I just posted the El Mirage season opening meet (May 5th-6th) on the H.A.M.B. calendar. I'd run at El Mirage before Bonneville, but you'd probably run next year at the earliest. Get your hands on a rulebook, check it out, get questions ready and go to El Mirage meets, then Bonneville. You're gonna need to join one of the clubs. Also, consider teaming up with someone to share the costs, work, fun, and such. Thanks, Kurt
Noname, I couldn't agree with you more. I wish someone would put out a book to help first timers build a car and race it. I don't think they would sell a ton, but it would sure help the hobby with with some new blood. But until then, I'm always here to help with questions.
Best thing to a book is the internet site http://www.landracing.net/forum/ You can not build a car and then figure out what cl*** it fits. You must design the car from the salt up to run in a cl***. There is a reason that a lot of the cars look alike from a distance. Some cars can run different engine sizes but few could run more than one cl***. John Crew chief #974 Bonneville record holder
I'm searching my mind, there was one of those "hard bound magazine" type books is the '70's about 2 guys building a car, 4 cyl. destroked, that set speed records in trials in that cl***. If it comes back to me I'll PM more, but this was what you're looking for, a scratch built project for speed. To run down the time frame I think these were the first guys to build a real speed car in the cl***, when everybody else was still showing up with hot rods.
I searched around amazon doesn't have one it's probably gone. I was impressed by the story then because the record had been like 146 they broke 200 in qualification. Sorry this didn't help I never tried anything like this myself.
One thing I learned that you need to understand: When you build a car, it will be put into a cl***. You must build your car to the rules for the record speed in that cl***. Let's say you build something that "only" goes 130-150mph...but the cl*** record in that cl*** is 223mph. Your car has to be built to a safety standard for 223mph. That means roof rails, certified cage, parachute, on board fire system, etc. etc. etc. Doesn't matter if your car only goes 120mph... There are different safety equipment requirments for different speeds "breaks" too. Yup...you need a rule book and to do some research before deciding "I wanna drive really fast on the salt." Brad
Step 1: Buy rule book Step 2-10,000: read rule book cover to cover Step 10,001: go to El Mirage, watch, ask questions, listen (just cuz its close to ya) Step 10,002: go to Bonneville to watch and get Salt Fever keep in mind while doing steps above..., have fun. Enjoy this part of the process. Its fun day dreaming about building/taking a car out to race. Its not fun sinking alot of cash into a car only to find out you've blown some section of the rules and are not allowed to race. When you do start to build a car, dont worry about engines the first time out. Put yer time and effort into getting it "right". Go run it. Get the feel for the process (and there is a definite process, hoops you have to jump through) and then get the feel for the car on the Salt. THEN go start building HP.
Its still a horsepower game. Aerodynamics count for more and more the faster you go....Contrary to what many think at first blush, acceleration DOES matter
Since the new rulebook isn't available, an old rulebook will get him started. I bet someone here will send him one for the shipping cost. Thanks, Kurt
I agree with the general consensus- the "ch***is" and cl*** rules are the 1st priority. The drivetrain details for going faster can come later, and you're gonna have to do rookie runs first anyway. For the horsepower or gearing question my answer is "both and more". It takes freeway flyer gearing and you'll need the power to push through the air. Aerodynamic drag is the major factor. The force required to overcome aero drag increases to the square of the velocity. You could think of it as a hill you're climbing getting steeper the faster you drive. The factors in the aero drag equation you can do something about in designing a vehicle are the frontal area and coefficient of drag. Here's an example graph. The more aerodynamic the vehicle, the lower plot you'd be on. There must be an abundance of "more" to it, the ones I can think of are being able to make runs safely (spinning seems to be a concern at El Mirage) and reliably. Disclaimer: This is all based on no LSR experience . So, that's where one of the clubs and going to meets comes in. Thanks, Kurt
A little tip about getting your vehicle "right" according to the rules.... obviously, read the rules while building your car... BUT... before you load her up in the trailer and take of for the salt (hopefully weeks before) open the rule book, read each section aloud while laying your hand on the part mentioned in the rules. Have another person check your work at the same time.
Already been said but let me tell you again get your ch***is sorted out and learn to drive on the salt before you get too stuck on building HP/Torque and speed. No one has mentioned it but above about 130 or so the salt is like driveing on ice. Steam builds up under your tires and things get nutz. You want to build a roadster, 200+ takes 700+ hp in a roadster. If that gives you a starting place. There have been some go faster with less but that's the general rule of thumb. If all your interested in is going 130 then go here. http://www.saltflats.com/I30 Club.html The rules are a little less stringent than cl*** raceing and it will give you a chance to meet the folks that are going to help you be a successful land speed racer. also the bug'll bite you so damned hard that you'll never leave.
lots of good advice... i learned a lot of this early on while planning mine. all i can say is keep shooting for your goal, its going to cost more money but it is an excellant learning experience.... humbling as well. go to one of the SCTA club meetings, feel them out and ask racers what it takes... i wouldnt tell anyone you want to only go 130-150mph on a $5,000.00 budget, although its good for laughs at your expense http://scta-bni.org/clubs.htm#milers
I agree that the above is all good advice. Sample inspection forms are available here: www.scta-bni.org. Left side of front page. DW
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