Tag Archives: Auto Cross

Curb Weight – Corvettes and Corvairs

By | | , , , , ,
1 Comment

This is my latest segment.  It will be a frequent blathering of car stuff – current and maybe some old stuff.  I hope you enjoy it.

I’ve visited the Bowling Green assembly plant a few times and it never grows old.  The last time I was there they were expanding the plant to include Chevy Volt production and (not releasable at that time) and this as well:

The new Corvette Stingray will be built at GM’s Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant, which underwent a $131-million upgrade, including approximately $52 million for a new body shop to manufacture the aluminum frame in-house for the first time.

Check out my post from one of my visits Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant Tour…AWESOME!!

OOOHHH....I'd work there!!!

OOOHHH….I’d work there!!!

I did a post from a car show down on the border and covered a corvair with a Ralph Nader for President bumper sticker which was a hoot. (See it here Corvair – The Last Car .) But one Corvair I haven’t seen in years at a car show  or anywhere is the  Lakewood.

1962 Lakewood

1962 Lakewood

There’s a good reason for this.  These  Corvair station wagons were only made in 1961 and 1962.  Only 33,271 wagons were produced in those two years.  A subset of those were the Monza of 1962.  Only 2567 of those wagons were produced.

A there were a couple of engine the 80 horse power Turbo Air and a 98 horse powered Super Turbo Charge.

That makes me think I need to do post on just Corvairs.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

corvette corvair

FelipeM1000

1954 Corvette dream cars – Corvette Corvair fastback, Corvette Nomad wagon and Corvette convertible coupe http://t.co/OrJk5A2sX1

 

 

 

 

Rally News – articles Fiesta ST Sweeps Top 5 At Loudon GRC Racing.Ford.com

By | | , , ,
Leave a comment

Rally News – articles | VIDEO: Fiesta ST Sweeps Top 5 At Loudon GRC | The Official Site of Ford Racing | Racing.Ford.com.

This looks like most fun you could have n a Fiesta.  Tanner Foust again?   Yup.

 

Thanks for reading.

Tim

GTS Racing

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

I was talking with a “new to the car world” friend the other day and he had watched a recent road race on the Speed Channel and was a bit confused with the classes and “what make them think you can run a Ford Focus against a Corvette…that’s a no brainer….” he says.   So I walked him through the classes and I think he understood that they may be on the same course at the same time but they are only competing  against others in the  same class, although they do have to contend with the others.

Last post covered the GT class with the likes of the Corvette and the Aston Martin DB9.  The GTS class is it much more stock and closer to the what you and I will drive around town….well…sort of…!

With cars like the Kia Optima and the Pontiac Solstice (well what’s left of them) you might be thinking yeah…I’ve see those in the ‘hood’.  Well….sort of….

The Kia has 370 hps – yeah…all that from a 4 cylinder aluminum engine.  That’s only 70 MORE!!! horse power less than the Lotus Exige that runs in the GTS class as well.

Optima - in racing colors

Optima – in racing colors

 

 

 

 

Exige

Exige

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This class also has the Ford Boss 302 Mustang (420 hp), Dodge Challenger (420 hp) and the Camaro (422 hp) along with Maseerati Trofeo Gransport (385 hp) and the Scion FR-S (330 hp).

Maserati Trofeo

Maserati Trofeo

Boss 302S

Boss 302S

There are six classes for GTS: GTS1, GTS2, GTS3, GTS4, GTS5, and GTSU. All cars will be classed
on a power to weight ratio. A vehicle’s classification and minimum allowable weight (as the car
would exit the track with the driver) will be determined by multiplying the appropriate class
weight ratios by the vehicle’s power. “Power,” as used here, will be determined from a minimum
of three consecutive dyno pulls, and shall be defined as:
a) the horsepower value (WHP) from the single run with the highest horsepower reading (for
cars with higher horsepower than torque);
Weight
———————————-
WHP
or,
b) the average of horsepower and torque from the single run with the highest average of those
values (for cars with higher torque than horsepower):
Weight
———————————-
(WHP+WTQ)*.5
The following table shall be used to determine each car’s class based on the calculations
determined using the above methods.
Minimum ratio for                                          D.O.T. Approved Tires                                               Non-D.O.T Tires
GTSU                                                                             No limit                                                                  No limit
GTS5                                                                                  6.6                                                                            7.2
GTS4                                                                                 8.5                                                                             9.0
GTS3                                                                                  11.0                                                                         12.0
GTS2                                                                                  14.5                                                                          16.0
GTS1                                                                                  18.5                                                                         20.0


This all seem a bit formal, because it’s pulled from the SCCA guide for classes.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

GT Racing

By | | , , , ,
Leave a comment

I love road racing.  I’d much rather race on a road course. It’s not as intense as the short burst on a drag strip and or as predictable as an oval course.  It challenges all of your driving skills, shifting, braking, acceleration and cornering.

Watching on T.V. I rather enjoy a good road race.  I was lucky enough to live in Riverside, Ca.  when Riverside Raceway was still  running and I attended one of the last road races there.  It was great.

But what about those classes?  I’ve learned a bit more since racing SCCA, but still I’m not 100%.  So let’s start with a the GT Class.

These are limited in body style to coupe, sedan and convertible.  They have to be models that are sold in the real world market as a sports car, sport touring cars for performance version off luxury cars.  Those are cars like:

Audi R8

Audi R8

Corvette_C6_01

My Fav the C6 Corvette

chevrolet-corvette-c6.r-02

C6R

 

DB9

DB9

Forced induction is allowed, if the car came that way in production.  SCCA has a provision to allow better competition for car to add forced induction so help meet the horse power range.

The horsepower range is 425 (15 over stock base model C6) to 525.  Your car has to be rear real or all wheel drive.  Weight a varied  depending on wheel/tire size but average 2900 – 3800 lbs.

Coming up next is the GTS, TC and TCB.

Done any racing – oval, strip, road?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer Cruising – Cadillac Eldorado Chrysler Imperial and more | Hagerty Articles

By | | , , ,
Leave a comment

Summer Cruising – Cadillac Eldorado Chrysler Imperial and more | Hagerty Articles.

What is your dream summer cruiser?  Drop me a note with your choices.

cadillac eldorado history

This Thing Called Cadillac: Cadillac Eldorado History

Your best bet will be introducing a large 2+2 coupe based on its CTS saloon. Little is actually known other than that, Cadillac keeping relatively tight-lipped as to when such a brand. Mention the cadillac eldorado history to any …

Ford Racing’s 2008 Mustang FR500S – The Assembly Line Race Car-LSXTV

By | | , , , , ,
Leave a comment

Ford Racing’s 2008 Mustang FR500S – The assembly line Race car.

Why this car was built: This car is #56 of only 75 that were built. They were built by Ford specifically to be entered into the Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. It is the first time in Ford’s history that they have produced a line of cars specifically for a race series on their assembly line.

The FR500S – Photo from Barrett Jackson

One unique thing about this car: This Mustang is unique in the fact that it has a passenger seat. Most racecars have only one seat, but this one carted around different celebrities and media personnel, so a second seat was needed.

Why they are auctioning this car off: Ford Racing & Capaldi Racing are auctioning this Mustang off at the Barrett Jackson Auctions, for the St. Jude’s Children Hospital of Memphis, Tennessee. All of the proceeds will be given straight to the hospital.

Photo from Barrett Jackson

mustang fr500s

Ford Mustang FR500S, primera sobremesa entregada | TuningSpain

El pasado fin de semana Ford entregó su primera sobremesa de este tremendo Mustang preparado para competición. La sobremesa consistió en solo 19 Ford.

2014 Camaro Concept Is ALSO Bumblebee In Transformers 4 – LSXTV

By | | , , , , ,
Leave a comment

If it is reall….I REALLY like it!!!!

2014 Camaro Concept Is ALSO Bumblebee In Transformers 4 – LSXTV.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading

Tim

 

2014 camaro

Shadow__2013

@killer_jane3 see *points to my 2014 Camaro SS*

 

 

Texas couple and their 1935 Ford win second Great Race in a row | Hemmings Daily

By | | , , ,
Leave a comment

Texas couple and their 1935 Ford win second Great Race in a row | Hemmings Daily.

1935 Ford Coupe

 

This is one of the coolest racing events and certainly isn’t  just a jaunt around the park.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Remember Hot Wheels Tracks – Double Loop Record

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Yes, you remember the plastic strips and setting up the loop for your Hot Wheels track and watching your favorite car do a loop (or sometimes just drop on it’s top) after you released it on the track.

You’ll love this video, even if you only had a Easy Bake Oven and didn’t have a Hot Wheels track set.

Tanner Foust has made a career out of driving little cars in a tight circle – (yawn).  Just kidding….the guy has some great skills…..so check out this life size Hot Wheel Double Loop.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Road Tripping – Cars – Lowell, Az – Part II

By | | , , , , ,
Leave a comment

Ok…a little bit ago I started this article (http://wp.me/p2YxYx-1A1) and I just found it again and realized that I’ve never finished it – sorry    🙁    .

So here we go with more info on the cool little town that spans only about 5 blocks.

As the story goes this was set up by a fellow who was one of the organizers of the mega motorcycle event ever.  Sturgis!!!

You can tell that by some of the items on display in the store window displays.  He has a working custom bike shop there but it wasn’t open when we were there.  Check these bikes out:

Yes, Indian Motor cycles

Yes, Indian Motor cycles

IMG_0061

And Harley (this is the sign outside the working cycle shop)

But those are just signs.  How about these?!?!?!?!!

This Indian racer has been well restored.

This Indian racer has been well restored.

IMG_0049

IMG_0050

Great paint on this beauty.

This BMW is next on the list for restoration.

This BMW is next on the list for restoration.

And I had to show you this one:

Indian wall sign restored

Indian wall sign restored

Notice the missing "R"

Notice the missing “R”

More coming up on Lowell. (No seriously….I will finish it up!!)

Thanks for reading.

Tim