CF Member Rene Molina's ASA/GTA Taurus to Mustang Conversion
04-29-2014, 05:11 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
CF Member Rene Molina's ASA/GTA Taurus to Mustang Conversion
Rene has purchased one of the winningest GTA cars ever. The ex Bob Stretch/Rudy Revak/Tom Graham/Squeak Kennedy Ford Taurus. This car has had numerous V8 StockCar and SCCA GTA wins in the past few years as driven by Graham and later Squeak and Bobby Kennedy. The car has held track records in the SE Div SCCA. It has run 1.59 at Daytona, 2:16 at Sebring.
This car was purpose built by Howe for SCCA GTA, but uses the ASA National Tour chassis.
The car is powered by a carbureted 351 Ford small block, has a Jerico tranny, quick change rear end, Penske shocks, AP six piston calipers up front with Wilwoods in the rear.
Rene has commissioned Woody Wood at Bemco to re-body the car with the new Howe Trans Am 2 type Mustang look body.
Rene is also having Byron Koury Racing Engines freshen the mill.
I stopped by the Bemco shop today and Woody already had the old Taurus body removed and was working on fitting the 'Stang.
This car was purpose built by Howe for SCCA GTA, but uses the ASA National Tour chassis.
The car is powered by a carbureted 351 Ford small block, has a Jerico tranny, quick change rear end, Penske shocks, AP six piston calipers up front with Wilwoods in the rear.
Rene has commissioned Woody Wood at Bemco to re-body the car with the new Howe Trans Am 2 type Mustang look body.
Rene is also having Byron Koury Racing Engines freshen the mill.
I stopped by the Bemco shop today and Woody already had the old Taurus body removed and was working on fitting the 'Stang.
Last edited by bosco022; 04-29-2014 at 05:21 PM.
04-29-2014, 06:24 PM
#10
Drifting
Thread Starter
Video shot from Trans Am champion Cameron Lawrence's GT2 car, right behind the Taurus, Sunday race Feb. 2013. The Taurus led GTA and most others until the driveshaft broke.
04-30-2014, 08:28 AM
#13
Drifting
Thread Starter
In the video I posted from Cameron Lawrence's car battling with Bobby Kennedy some interesting stuff going on there. For background Cam's car was Mike Cope's old ASA Port City car that Cope converted for Jay Marshall. Jay won a bunch of V8 Series races in it and was always fast. Always had Schwanke Racing Engines LS1. Lawrence purchased it and continued to win races and set track records. He entered it in the TA race at Road Atlanta in 2010 or 11 and finished third in TA2. Cameron has gone on to win the SCCA Trans Am TA2 championship last year and is well on his way toward repeating. He drives the Miller Racing Camaro.
Bobby Kennedy is twenty years old has raced in SCCA, HSR, Grand Am and IMSA. In 2012 he won Grand Am street stock race at Watkins Glen in his first drive there.
In this SCCA Sebring race in Feb 2013, the Kennedy's had recently acquired the Taurus and Woody had little time to make some needed changes, but Bobby was fast in it anyway.
Bobby was on the Hoosier 3035 tire and Cameron I believe was on the 3045. The 3035 is faster initially but starts giving up after about 5-7 hard laps. I know both of these cars well and they are very equal power wise, but you can see, off some corners the Taurus is able to pull the Impala of Cameron. Bobby had a bit better forward bite and was able to squeeze the gas a bit sooner. The Ford motor also has a lot of low end torque. The Impala was a long time, well sorted car that handles very well. The Taurus had some braking issues which got worse as it went along. The Impala of course has an aluminum LS1 while the Ford has an all iron 351 (about 100 more pounds on the nose). Both cars weigh about 2800 with driver. These kids were driving the wheels off these cars and having a blast. About midway through this race, the driveshaft in the Taurus broke ending Bobby's day.
Cameron's Impala was sold last year to pro driver/coach Chris Hall. Chris had little time to race it and I heard he has since sold it. Somebody got a very fast GTA/GT2 car.
Bobby Kennedy is twenty years old has raced in SCCA, HSR, Grand Am and IMSA. In 2012 he won Grand Am street stock race at Watkins Glen in his first drive there.
In this SCCA Sebring race in Feb 2013, the Kennedy's had recently acquired the Taurus and Woody had little time to make some needed changes, but Bobby was fast in it anyway.
Bobby was on the Hoosier 3035 tire and Cameron I believe was on the 3045. The 3035 is faster initially but starts giving up after about 5-7 hard laps. I know both of these cars well and they are very equal power wise, but you can see, off some corners the Taurus is able to pull the Impala of Cameron. Bobby had a bit better forward bite and was able to squeeze the gas a bit sooner. The Ford motor also has a lot of low end torque. The Impala was a long time, well sorted car that handles very well. The Taurus had some braking issues which got worse as it went along. The Impala of course has an aluminum LS1 while the Ford has an all iron 351 (about 100 more pounds on the nose). Both cars weigh about 2800 with driver. These kids were driving the wheels off these cars and having a blast. About midway through this race, the driveshaft in the Taurus broke ending Bobby's day.
Cameron's Impala was sold last year to pro driver/coach Chris Hall. Chris had little time to race it and I heard he has since sold it. Somebody got a very fast GTA/GT2 car.
Last edited by bosco022; 04-30-2014 at 08:49 AM.
04-30-2014, 02:27 PM
#14
Race Director
In GTA form it looks like a narrow track car. The Mustang you posted looks wide. Are there suspension changes happening as well or am I mistaken on what I am seeing?
Also, if you don't mind me asking, what class is it being built for with the new body?
Also, if you don't mind me asking, what class is it being built for with the new body?
04-30-2014, 02:38 PM
#15
Drifting
Thread Starter
I think Rene is going ST1? I guess it could be that or SU, I am not that familiar with the NASA classes.
04-30-2014, 03:11 PM
#16
Race Director
From a control standpoint, it would seem that the longer arms would give a better overall geometry but the shorter arms would be better for rotating mass and unsprung weight as a whole.
I would love to see some real world data on that.
04-30-2014, 05:27 PM
#17
Drifting
Thread Starter
The nerd engineer in me is curious about this one. By going to a different offset rather than widening the actual suspension, you are keeping more of the weight to the middle of the car. With an additional 2" offset, a good portion of the caliper would actually be completely uncovered to the inside.
From a control standpoint, it would seem that the longer arms would give a better overall geometry but the shorter arms would be better for rotating mass and unsprung weight as a whole.
I would love to see some real world data on that.
From a control standpoint, it would seem that the longer arms would give a better overall geometry but the shorter arms would be better for rotating mass and unsprung weight as a whole.
I would love to see some real world data on that.
It didn't seem to hurt the speed of the Camaro at Daytona last year in the opening laps of the HSR race when Bobby drove around the old Oreca Viper and the old C6R Vette in the infield. They both eventually got back by him on the banking..but not without a fight. Pretty good for a cheap old stock car chassis.
04-30-2014, 10:34 PM
#18
Heel & Toe
Member Since: Apr 2012
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there's a Howe ASA chassis for sale on Racing Junk that has been modified to accept the new Camaro body -
the ad reads " The rear of the roll cage was dropped 7" and the front roll cage dropped 3". This required new A-Pillars C-Pillars had to be relocated. Also, the top door bars were relocated as well as the firewall support bars."
can you let us know how much needs to be cut down for the new body?
7" seems like an awful lot, maybe the top door bars have to be cut to get in the thing?
Andy
the ad reads " The rear of the roll cage was dropped 7" and the front roll cage dropped 3". This required new A-Pillars C-Pillars had to be relocated. Also, the top door bars were relocated as well as the firewall support bars."
can you let us know how much needs to be cut down for the new body?
7" seems like an awful lot, maybe the top door bars have to be cut to get in the thing?
Andy
