posted 11-19-2002 11:33 AM         

In recent years, I've often thought it might be nice to rebuild an older car (of course I have no tools and no space). Than No Problem Raceway opened with it's 1.8 mile road course and the beginning of a Road Racing Series at the track peeked my interest even more. To race your car it had to be Race ready. So, in March this year Jimmy Talbot, a Vette friend of mine from Baton Rouge new of a 1978 Vette that was being converted and built into and SCCA autocross road racing car. This was 10 years ago and the car was still in pieces after the initial work. The owner had gotten married and that ended the race car project. It had been taking up space in a two car garage long enough... So, Jimmy rounded up four of us that would go in on the deal and rebuild the car.

Well, for different reasons, we didn't buy the car (just couldn't get everybody on the same page - work and where to do the rebuild, etc...). After I returned from our No Cal trip and the Vintage racing at Sears Point and Prowlin' the Rockies back in June, I saw Jimmy and said we should have gotten that car. A couple of weeks after that Jimmy said why don't the two of us build the car. I said yes and the race car project was on...

So, on July 6th this year we picked up the car. Jimmy was going to do the re build and I was going to be his able assistant (quite a learning experience for a person who doesn't even change his own oil anymore). When I first saw the car I thought it was a bunch of junk (now Jimmy and the other techies thought it was a pot of gold). The car had been lowered, complete roll cage installed, new Vette brake suspension, new instrument guages, wheel wells flared, two motors (both small block but, one had some modifications), two transmission (one rebuilt for racing - Turbo 350 with manual valve body so you had to shift 1st to 3rd), new rear end, new gears 3.70:1 and lots of weight taken out. The only problem it was all in pieces and there was still rework to be done.

Jimmy mapped out a plan and we began the work by cataloging all the parts and determine what we would and could use. The parts we couldn't use we took to local junk yard to sell. My son and I started the work of getting the rust off the frame, roll cage and other parts and painting all the refurbished parts that had been sitting there for 10 years. Jimmy installed the new suspension, brakes, and other parts. We installed the doors, rear deck and modified other body panels. After tearing the motor down, we decided to get it bored out and installed flat top pistons, the heads had already been ported and it had an Eldebrook intake, we installed a roller cam, roller rockers, heavy duty valve springs and headers along with Holley 750 carb. Jimmy had some of these parts from his other projects. Port Allen Radiator donated a new Nascar aluminum radiator to the project. Jimmy also built the new instrument panel using the new guages that came with the car. We had a muffler shop install a set of mufflers (Which Jimmy had) and the wheel alignment done to road racing specs by Alignment shop. We also did lots of the body work sanding and painting the primer on the car.

On Oct. 15th we started the car. We ran it up and down Jimmy's street. This is not a street legal car. So, we were limited on how much road testing we could do. The only known problem we had was the rebuilt tranny from 10 years ago (which had never been put in car) wasn't getting into 3rd gear. We talked to the Tranny Rebuilder and decided we'd take the car out on Oct. 19th for the Vette vs Viper/Prowler challenge. Maybe if we got the speed up it might shift into 3rd gear. Well, it didn't but the car ran a 14.2 ET in the ¼ with just 1st & 2nd gear... So, on Monday we pulled the Tranny and took it back to the Tranny shop and they fixed it for us. We also needed a new Torque Converter.

Now the car is running... On Thursday Nov. 7th, I the car out to No Problem to run the 1.8 mile road course just to get some seat time. The car handled perfectly. We still have more shake down and testing and decide about final color (probably Silver). But, we can run the car and start getting our test time and having fun on the track. We are planning to go out for the Hot Lapping day this Sunday. Than, we'll decide if make out racing debut on Dec. 7th next Road Racing Event.

Here's some pics.

The Before pic - When we first saw the car in pieces back in March.

Karen said you must be Crazy...

Loading the car on a trailer to take to Jimmy's house.

On blocks where a lot of our work was done...

Our rebuilt motor with headers..

Vette vs Viper/Prowler Challenge 14.2 with just 1st & 2nd gear...

The After pic - Ready for more testing on the track...

This was and is quite a project. There is no way I could or would have done this without Jimmy. The tools needed are just mind boggling. I can't even remember most of what I've learned. But, it was fun and I have really enjoyed the experience. However, I think the rebuilding of a car is now out of my system unless it's a Prowler. Just like "Boot Camp", you should do it once... Now we're ready to drive ...

The car now has a blower, highrise manifold, among other things and.....900 h.p. Alot of parts he fabricated himself.

It even has wheelie bars and is street legal.

You should hear him crank it up. Geezzzz.

posted 11-19-2002 03:05 PM         

Now,get all the right safety gear and have a blast, I have been looking for a scca car also,,, still looking

posted 11-21-2002 06:03 PM         

Great project! You're right about the amount of tools and space it takes for a project on that scale. The only thing better that starting a project like that is finishing it!

Thanks for sharing!

Bill

posted 11-25-2002 06:25 AM         

On Sunday we took the Project car out and ran the 1.8 Road Course. This car is scary fast. Jimmy and I took turns driving. There were around 50 cars out for the Hot Lapping Day. We ran four groups (up to 15 cars at once). Two Novices, one green and one open wheel formula cars. Each group would go out for 20 minute runs. There were Porsche, Ferrari, Mazda, Vettes, Mustang, AC Cobras and you name it... Passing was allowed once the car in front signaled you which way to pass.... One Porsche spun into the wall (no one hurt) and messed up his car. Jimmy and I had two spin outs. The car handled great. We probably have a little too much power or the like the race folks say we don't have good enough tires (we're running street tires). We just need seat time. We were getting a good feel for driving the Vette and on Jimmy's 3rd run we broke something in the Tranny. So, we'll drop the tranny on Wed and bring it back to the Tranny shop. Now, a friend offered us a Turbo 400 with road race Torque Converter to use. So, we may put it in and run with it... I was able to run the Prowler during the lunch break for touring laps. Ran Hwy speeds (not allowed to run High speeds without roll bar for convertibles on road course). The Prowler handles great. Shifting from 3rd to 2nd hitting the turns the car doesn't miss a beat...

Here's a few pics...

posted 09-24-2003 06:18 AM         

Karen & I dropped the car off at No Problem yesterday. I took a few laps around the road course to test the new setup. These wheels & tires make quite a difference in handling. One thing I've learned from this project - there is always something to work on all the time...

We were invited out to the track for a Thank you dinner for helping out during the NHRA points meet a couple of weeks back.

posted 10-01-2003 10:55 PM         

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posted 12-06-2005 05:12 PM         

Just a refresher on how this car became a race car... Actually the motor (although modified) is a matching numbers car... Not sure anyone in the NCRS would take this on... A lot of our friends call it the bucket car because most of the parts were in buckets) when we started at Jimmy's house...