RDscotty Posted October 24, 2018 Report Share Posted October 24, 2018 Have watched some events with plans to field a car with college muscle-car pals from long ago. Plan to build a short wheel base Dodge van with 318 power and get the Japan style Van racing going here in the US. no idea if others are already working on this. think the format should be very simple. must be Dodge, SWB, 318, full safety gear, no glass only acrylic. Since I just started up with this forum today; I probably should read for a while rather than write. may also suggest carbs only, though that's a tough call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LAMR2 Posted October 24, 2018 Report Share Posted October 24, 2018 This is a forum for an already established racing series. You might find some people interested in building vans here, but if you're looking for a less specific audience the Grassroots Motorsports forums would be a good place to start. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Infiniti Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 /\What he said/\ Also 3 hours ago, RDscotty said: may also suggest carbs only Nothing stopping you from racing your van here but, on many levels, I would think throttle bodies are easier to work with . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDscotty Posted October 25, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 I asked if the Chump Car / Champ Car group had visions of incorporating this type of racing in its series. maybe there's already a class it would fit in. i'll read up. I know nobody lets people autocross vans because folks think they'll fall over and kill insurance relationships. welcome to the forum...... the carbs thing would be part of the formula to keep these things simple and crude. i'll go find the elders and get up to speed. thanks for being so helpful guys. look up japan van racing on road and track website. its pretty fun stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technical Advisory Committee Andrew D Johnson Posted October 25, 2018 Technical Advisory Committee Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 1 minute ago, RDscotty said: I asked if the Chump Car / Champ Car group had visions of incorporating this type of racing in its series. maybe there's already a class it would fit in. i'll read up. I know nobody lets people autocross vans because folks think they'll fall over and kill insurance relationships. The classes in this series are basically participation awards, everyone races for the same overall win. There is also an exception class which is run-what-you-brung if you have the right safety gear and tires. You know what would be even more fun than racing a dodge van? Racing a miata, or e30, or screw it.....even a dodge shadow. You could probably tow your race car to the track with the Dodge van though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewheelerZ Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 Want to race a van?! Go for it I say. Though, red0 is right and I wouldn't expect a whole dedicated class forming. FWIW, @mender is always threatening to build a race out of a Chevy Astro. It scares me because if he does it may seriously tempt me to turn my tow vehicle into a racer.... i read the R&T article recently and seem to recall they didn't give the impression that the vans were fast, but maybe that's just a perception thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Magic Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 Hmm.... Sat we all race our racecars.... Sun we all race our tow vehicles..... Winner must be able to both load up and drive home under it's own power (both cars) 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mender Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 (edited) My '79 Malibu wagon that I used for towing my FF got on track occasionally: autocross, 1/4 mile and road course, etc. Had the fake wood paneling and roof rack and usually ran Michelin all-seasons with dog-dish hubcaps so a good sleeper. It was fun chasing down Ferraris with three other guys in the car. Built it for $1200 back in the early '90s from scrapyard parts, ran 14.6 at 3000 ASL on the Michelins and 2.56 gears (20 mpg when towing), pulled 0.80 gs on used Wingfoots, four seconds quicker than a TT 300ZX at a local kart track event, squeeked by a Pantera and BB Cobra for time in a hillclimb. I like Drew's idea ... Edited October 25, 2018 by mender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbaker480 Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 I've joked about building a dajiban to tow the RX-7 but the last thing I need is another project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mender Posted October 25, 2018 Report Share Posted October 25, 2018 (edited) 5 hours ago, thewheelerZ said: Want to race a van?! Go for it I say. Though, red0 is right and I wouldn't expect a whole dedicated class forming. FWIW, @mender is always threatening to build a race out of a Chevy Astro. It scares me because if he does it may seriously tempt me to turn my tow vehicle into a racer.... i read the R&T article recently and seem to recall they didn't give the impression that the vans were fast, but maybe that's just a perception thing. If I did consider building an Astro, I would post on the forum a few months before I actually started the build so I could go ahead with something else when Champ tacked on another 200 points for the big gas tank. Edited October 25, 2018 by mender 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDscotty Posted November 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2018 Fast? I didn't say anything about fast. any racing that's biased to weekend warriors and budget restraints ought to include participants with a sense of humor. if you want to be snobs, well then, get an open wheel ride. ( and some really expensive sunglasses) I'll read up. make a plan, and not share my fries or beer with the elite world-renown racers on this site. worse than sci-fi geeks. What is fast? you guys must be fast...... where do I go to get an autograph?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Infiniti Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 17 hours ago, RDscotty said: Fast? I didn't say anything about fast. any racing that's biased to weekend warriors and budget restraints ought to include participants with a sense of humor. if you want to be snobs, well then, get an open wheel ride. ( and some really expensive sunglasses) I'll read up. make a plan, and not share my fries or beer with the elite world-renown racers on this site. worse than sci-fi geeks. What is fast? you guys must be fast...... where do I go to get an autograph?? Based on this latest emotional development, I would suggest looking up the 24 hours of lemons. Whatever you do, have fun! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDChristianson Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 11 minutes ago, Team Infiniti said: Based on this latest emotional development, I would suggest looking up the 24 hours of lemons. Whatever you do, have fun! I have to agree. There are million ways to have fun. Lemons seems like the perfect place to have a good time racing a van. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorman Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 2 hours ago, JDChristianson said: I have to agree. There are million ways to have fun. Lemons seems like the perfect place to have a good time racing a van. I guess he can take his van and go home. S. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mopar 4 Life Posted November 9, 2018 Report Share Posted November 9, 2018 4 hours ago, Snorman said: I guess he can take his van and go home. S. Or down by the river. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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