Jadyn Clark Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Me and my father had the idea to turn our 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder into a race car and try our hand at racing in ChampCar. What modifications will we need for the car? What will we need to bring to a race weekend? And if there’s anything else worth mentioning we’d love to know. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyKid Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 If you want the easy list it starts with a different car. The donor car ends up being a cheaper part of the build. Nothing wrong with the eclipse but you have a steep learning curve vs. other models. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ManhattanMcC Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Once you get past "Can I drive a race car?" and the varying perspectives on that. Then hurdle "Am I better off renting a seat with someone who has done this at least once, 1st?" which again, lots of thoughts... There's a thread that very basically covers what's more explicitly detailed in the BCCR ('the rules') and you really need to have a solid read of both. https://forum.champcar.org/topic/20109-champcar-quick-build-guide/ https://champcar.org/web/rules.php 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snorman Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 I hate to be the one to say it, but...read the rule book. https://champcar.org/web/pdf/2021bccr/BCCR-2021v300.pdf There are 1000 things you need to know, and asking people how to modify your car and what you need to bring on a race weekend are really things you need to figure out after you know...you understand the rules. Just IMO... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Jass Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Volunteer for a race and get paid to learn. https://champcar.org/web/volunteer.php Spend the weekend looking around and asking questions, it will be time well spent. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewheelerZ Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Mentally prepare yourself for failure. Lots of failure! read the rules. Read the forums, but take a critical look at what is said because what may work for someone may not be needed for you. Run the car with basic mods (if any at all) and see what it needs first before going crazy spending time and money and points on stuff that may ultimately not be needed. and when the car is near race ready, take it for a PROPER test day. Try to get some open lapping and run it hard for long periods. Lots of stuff will be found when running for longer than the 20mins on 20 mins off HPDE days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMiskoe Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Find a way to get to be around some other cars that are built. Doesn't matter they are a different brand, or even a different club as long as it is an entry level race where the drivers and crew have day jobs and the racing is a hobby. If you know nothing about it, reading the rule book would be like trying to figure out a baseball game by reading the regs. You need to do both - read the rules and look at cars. If you have never been on the track, find an HDPE club that will have an instructor ride shotgun with you to get some seat time while you learn what to be doing. It isn't that you can't just jump in a car mid race and figure it out, but boy oh boy there are easier ways. Sorry to effectively tell you to stop with the tools and do more homework. Let's start with - where are you located and what previous experience do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
333 Kinkle Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Hello This what I did and I am not dead yet from this endeavor. First this is serious safety. I didn't know the forum existed. Didn't ask any questions. Just jumped in blind and it's been a blast. Buy a car that someone else has raced. Bought my 86 Mustang with suits, helmets and 8 wheels plus crappy tires. Basically ready to race. Had champcar inspection sticker from the previous year. Read the rules. Signed up for a race and showed up with this crap car on a uhaul trailer. First race spent more time in the pits than on the track. Fluids everywhere. I have been building off that since then. Car is now reliable and turn a corner better than I bought it. It's not easy. I have spent many many many many hours on my back under the car getting ready (a race car always has something to fix or improve). It's exhausting. It's hot, demanding on your body and always something to do while the race is going on. It looks really easy. Just drive around fast. Last, this is the best way to go racing right away and get a lot of seat time. It costs about $3 to $4k a weekend plus to do it. Entry fee, Hotels, FUEL (lots of it),Food, tires, expendable items and big pickup to haul your pride and joy. Great hobby for me. My son 22yr drives, my best friend drives and myself. My wonderful, loving wife (she the best never said no) is our extinguisher person. It is a family oriented event and will not find a better group of people ready to help you. Or at least until you get on the track and everyone is racing. 5th year still haul with the uhaul. Probably will not retire early because of this but dang it's a hoot and I am living life every day. I get butterflies in my stomach everytime I strap in. Go do it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimS Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 If you want to get a taste and see how much fun endurance racing can be rent a ride with one of the teams with a good reputation of finishing races. Get in a car, drive all weekend, see how the team operates, the rental is the easiest of easy buttons. If you just have to be your own team captain/owner buy a car that has previously been raced, be sure to know the rules especially safety requirements, and get on track and fix/developed you own car/team. This is the easy button to have your own car/team but could take months to be on track. Building your own race car from the ground up is the hard button. There is an endless number of things that you will need to know how to do, tools, machinery or will need to pay someone to do. And car selection can cause even more delays, headaches, and money. If you don't see one racing regularly there is a reason. Choose your starting point carefully. My suggestion to anyone who has never been involved in racing is to get yourself setup with your personal safety gear, driver's suit, helmet, Head and Neck restraint system (HANS), gloves, shoes and socks. Then rent a seat for a weekend with a team know for finishing races, finishing order not as important. You could also do some track days in your street car to get an idea of the local tracks as well as sim racing these days. Get in a car and you'll be addicted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbogrill Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Getting the roll cage and seat installed is by far the most difficult thing, because it has to be right. My suggestion would be to strip the car, have a good shop install cage and seat. After that take pictures and post here to make sure it's done right. It happens that builders build a good cage but it's not champcar legal. Champcar has some specific requirements on the cage, nothing strange but easy to miss if they dont read the spec. Rest you can learn as you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyKid Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 Here ya go. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Infiniti Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 (edited) Everyone has provided excellent advice, here are a few more. raceimage.com for a used nascar suit, I shop by pants size and prefer 2pc suits. check series sponsor discovery parts for clearance priced safety gear, gloves, shoes, helmet Typical fail points Car: Make sure it is healthy, has a good cooling system, new timing belt, water pump, radiator, etc. Bring old water pump/rad/ fanbelts/plugs/wires as spares, invent new spares, bring along a coil, igniter, crank, cam sensor, airflow meter, computer Lower it, but no too much! Stock everything + safety is fine. Axles: Used good OEM are best and what you need to be collecting, China cheapies are trouble but sometimes all you have as spares, HAVE SPARES, learn everything you can here about venting and changing to better grease. Brakes: Add cooling ducts Bleed through w/ high temp fluid, get racing pads up front, bring spare pads/rotors Hub bearings: Acquire/replace the hub bearings in a set of identical junkyard knuckles, install junkyard knuckles, bring the used, known good knuckles as spares to not be forced into pressing this stuff apart with limited tooling @ track. Get ready to be passed a lot, it’s the overtaking cars job to do it safely, hold your ground, Let it happen. Have fun! Your cheapest route would be buying the Miata above my post, you can’t build a car for that kind of money! Edited June 20, 2021 by Team Infiniti 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Jass Posted June 19, 2021 Report Share Posted June 19, 2021 @Jadyn Clark buy that Miata and thank @LuckyKid later. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd K Posted June 24, 2021 Report Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) On 6/19/2021 at 1:15 PM, Team Infiniti said: Everyone has provided excellent advice, here are a few more. raceimage.com for a used nascar suit, I shop by pants size and prefer 2pc suits. check series sponsor discovery parts for clearance priced safety gear, gloves, shoes, helmet Typical fail points Car: Make sure it is healthy, has a good cooling system, new timing belt, water pump, radiator, etc. Bring old water pump/rad/ fanbelts/plugs/wires as spares, invent new spares, bring along a coil, igniter, crank, cam sensor, airflow meter, computer Lower it, but no too much! Stock everything + safety is fine. Axles: Used good OEM are best and what you need to be collecting, China cheapies are trouble but sometimes all you have as spares, HAVE SPARES, learn everything you can here about venting and changing to better grease. Brakes: Add cooling ducts Bleed through w/ high temp fluid, get racing pads up front, bring spare pads/rotors Hub bearings: Acquire/replace the hub bearings in a set of identical junkyard knuckles, install junkyard knuckles, bring the used, known good knuckles as spares to not be forced into pressing this stuff apart with limited tooling @ track. Get ready to be passed a lot, it’s the overtaking cars job to do it safely, hold your ground, Let it happen. Have fun! Your cheapest route would be buying the Miata above my post, you can’t build a car for that kind of money! +++++ this: "Your cheapest route would be buying the Miata above my post, you can’t build a car for that kind of money!" We have been working on our build for 3 years now.....admittedly I'm a bit more picky than some might be but also life gets in the way. Lots of money + time - and I mean a lot of time if you pick something that you are not mechanically and electrically familiar with. I enjoy it all but the build will take far more effort and $$ than you can imagine - including the accumulation / acquiring / preparation of spares - if you want to enjoy the racing part sooner than later then take advantage of the advice here and either purchase a running sorted out car or rent a seat / volunteer to get some track experience. Especially if you've never wheeled anything at the limit or have not raced anything wheel to wheel. Have patience above all - racecraft comes with experience and experience comes with time. Many, many resources out there and folks here will be very helpful. Its a lot of fun but can be frustrating and expensive at times. Our first race will be PBIR in September so we are looking forward to it - it's our home track - and we are running at least 2-3 HOD events with the car before actually racing in Champcar. Racing is 98% preparation and 2% track time from my experience. Edited June 24, 2021 by Todd K additional comments 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW_CEMETERY Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 My best piece of advice, is do not use a 3G eclipse. Speaking from experience. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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