Why do you run what you run?

[Joe Toller]

Why did you build the particular car you run, and why? Just want to know what everyone's thinking was, whether it was what you had, bought it, had a wild hair, etc...

[Dennis P Chapman]

I like the FWD cars cheap to build and maintain fun to drive. Year ago used to race 68
chevelle wagon still have it.

[Mike Carr]

I've raced FWD Stockers for the past several years. Two were '85 Sunbirds (AF/S and HF/SA) owned by Billy Nees. My current car I bought from Tom Kasch, a '92 Olds Toronado (EF/SA). Main thing for me is the challenge. I could have bought a FWD car back in 1997, but I let everyone talk me out of it. "Oh, you don't want a FWD car...they are inconsistant....you can't dial them...can't cut a light in them....can't drive the stripe in them..." And so on and so on. After a pair of eighth place Div 1 IHRA Stock finishes and some other good results, I showed that it could be done. It is very dificult, but doable. The down sides are the ones mentioned above. The up sides are they are fairly cheap to build, usually easy to find parts for, and can go Stock racing with very little start up costs, at least compared to many other Stockers. Plus, i like odd or rare type cars. So many '69 BBC Camaros in Stock. I appreciate the odder and one-off type stuff, FWD cars, and lower classified Stockers. For anyone reading this, and wonder what a good combo(s) would be, get in touch with Billy Nees, Bob Shaw, Mark Yacavone, to name a few...I'm sure there are others with knowledge into what to build, for less than an arm and a leg, and still be competitive.

B.D.

[Billy Nees]

Iraceitall, see my post under inline six cyls.

[Jeff Lee]

I actually did a lot of research looking for an untried combo. Back then you had to give NHRA $400 for the complete class guide and engine blueprint specifications. The '70 AMX, while I was always interested in, looked appealing after looking at it in the guides. And I looked at a lot of others too.
Some cars are picked for no other reason than it was laying aroound or the racer always wanted that type of car.
If you really know your stuff, you can look through the guides (now available free on-line) and find errors that will be to your advantage. There are numerous examples which I won't point out. Other ideas are superseded parts being allowed which offer much more to the racer.
If you don't want a belly-button race car there are plenty to choose from. Even if you want a belly button race car you will have fun and should be competitive. Just be aware some classes and some combo's require infinite knowledge and / or $$ infused into the car to be competitive.

[Tom Goldman]

I've run the AMC's off and on for 38 years. ....Sometimes because thats what I had, but mostly for the challange. ......As I got older[lazier], I discovered I wanted to spend more time racing,instead of working on the car all the time,so I went to big block Chevies and Super class racing ..........Nowdays, it's become financially impractical to build a oddball combo for Class racing ,unless you dont care about the money or if it's ever quick enough to be competitive. ..........Tom

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by iraceitall

Why did you build the particular car you run, and why? Just want to know what everyone's thinking was, whether it was what you had, bought it, had a wild hair, etc...

I run my Z24 Cavalier, for four reasons:

1. Because I have only $10k in the car including the purchase price, and it's a competitive package.

2. I became interested in it when I saw the burgundy red looking one in the finals of an IHRA race, that was spoken about in the other stock/super stock forum section last November-December (as far as the driver was concerned.

3. Because I like a challenge, and I feel it's much more challenging to make a fwd car a winner than a rwd car, and the fact that only two racers have won one major race with a fwd car (Mark Yacavonne the national, and I'd have to check the other postings to see who the divisional winner was), is all the proof of that statement.

4. Because after I saw the magazine ad talking about the 1986 Z24 Cavalier as a fox raised by wolves (those being the Z28 Camaro, and the Corvette), plus born under a cold white moon, and the end of the ad where it states "BEWARE THE Z24! CAVALIER'S RUNNING WITH THE BIG BOYS NOW"! That's all I needed...

[treessavoy]

I run a B-Body Mopar because that's what I like.

Run a car that you like, just make sure it fits a class you can afford and have fun.