Just bought a camber brace off of a forum member. Now actively looking for a convertible x-brace (still) and for some good seats. Once the auto-x season starts next year I'll install the cage (need to drive it as close to stock as possible first) then the 5-point harness.

 

I guess I'm still a little confused as to what the real goal of this project is. Are you targeting a class to compete in (you say autoX but have you ever looked at the rules to see what class your mods are going to force you into and what it takes to run in that class)? Targeting a particular car/platform as a benchmark to compete with or exceed (which was the point of the video I suffered through)? Or are you really just copying what some guy did to his C5 and shot a video about it (and frankly, if anyone watched that and said to themselves "oh yeah, I wouldn't buy the million dollars worth of engineering C6 but instead a dudes C5 with mods that HE says makes it better" is just fooling themselves (or has a legitimate love for the C5 platform)?

Don't get me wrong, I understand someone liking an old car; and I understand someone wanting to hot rod one but what's up with this cookie cutter deal. Never once have I heard, where is the BEST place for my budget to go to end up with XXXXXX result (and I don't mean something like, awesome stopping power either). Everything essentially has centered around a video and an idea that this car will compete in something someday.

I think this whole deal needs to back up and start again with you being real with yourself about why you are doing this, and some real TANGIBLE goals put in place. If that doesn't happen the project won't have the focus it needs to have a good outcome.

With its current track I'm afraid this car will end up being another old vette that can't do any one thing well, can't get into a class and be competitive, and with all the tricked out mods will have low or no resale value (and an owner that's ready to move on). If you want to build a car to perform at a certain level you are in the right place. If you want to mod based on a youtube video...well maybe at least find a video of a C4. Just my .02

 

Thanks for your .02! This is honestly exactly the type of feedback I'm looking for. To answer your question though, I'm not looking targeting a class, I'm just looking to make my C4 one hell of a street car that is very capable on an auto-x course.

And about Matt's C5, I'm not trying to replicate exactly what he's done. I was just using his car as an example as to most of what I've been thinking about; suspension, braking, and then go fast mods. It's not like I just saw his video one day and started throwing money at my car just because he says that his is awesome.

As for my goals with this car, like I said before, is not to just replicate the video, I want to make this car handle better, stop better, go faster, and basically become a better drivers car. Also, since I'm a college student (going to ODU for Automotive Engineering), I want to learn more about the car. I want to learn more about specific suspension set-ups, working on the car, learning what set-ups are good for different situations. I know I'm going to lose money, but it's a learning experience. I don't want to sell it, and after spending a lot of money on this I'll be damned if I lost it!

Thanks again for your comment. I should have clarified more, and I'm still not dead set on what I want. That's why I started this thread, to hear what people that know a hell of a lot more than I do think and to get their advice. I'm still not exactly sure if I want to modify it to be competitive in a specific class yet... As I learn more, so will my vision.

-Jay

 

Sounds like a good plan Jay, keep this thread updated with pics as you go. I bought my C4 my junior year of College. I graduated this April and still have it. I too contemplated selling it the last couple years but could never bring myself to it. Too addicting, and too much fun. It's hard to keep and maintain a C4 while also paying for books, food, etc... with hardly any income lol. You'll have more leeway once you get out and land a job! It's much more enjoyable spending money on them when you have a little extra $$ in the account.

 

I was somewhat similar to you in what I wanted to do with my '92 coupe. My primary use for the car is autocross. I quickly found out that most everything I wanted to do would bump me straight into B Street Prepared and to be competitive at that level requires quite a bit of money. Mostly due to the fact that if you want to win you must run slick tires, because your competition certainly will. There is another '92 running that class and it's not at all rare for him to have the fastest time of the day. Now he's selling the car after winning a national championship with it. 11,000 miles and modded for the class for $12,500 with a body and interior in fantastic shape... I would jump on it in a heartbeat if I could sell mine fast enough!

This year I ended up doing some Koni double adjustable shocks, some Nitto NT05 tires, Corsa exhaust, and a larger front sway bar. Took about 2 seconds average off my times with these mods. The only thing keeping me from being faster now is myself. However I did win class championship last year and have won again this year. You can certainly have fun with doing a little at a time, and save a bit of money too.

 

I have been on the same path as you since I sold my 94. Be careful on your parts selection, I went to a small even, and they nicked me on my shocks and tires. They wouldn't even let run with no scoring. They are going to have a heart attack when my banski rear kit gets here. I am building my car for extreme mountain driving, but I would like to enjoy a Auto-X or track event from time to time. Good luck with your car.

 

That's kind of strange. Were you trying to run stock class? If you bumped your wheel size up a bit, I could see where there would be a problem with the tires, but usually they don't care about that at the regional level. At the national level you better follow every rule to the letter cause you can certainly get called out, and the judges know what they are looking at.

What kind of shocks were you running? The most aggressive you can use and stay in stock class is double adjustable, which is fine for most people.

Yes, the Banski kit will definitely put you in BSP or even SMR (street modded rear wheel drive if I remember correctly...). I'm not sure that it will take much time off for an autocross event but I hear it's worth a few seconds on an actual road course. I will probably get that kit someday since I want to start running HPDE next year.

 

I'm running Nitto NT01 in the 315/35/17 flavor. They have 100 treadwear. They had a 200 treadwear minimum rule. I have Viking Double adjustable shocks, those weren't legal, unless I ran full blown modified. I don't remember what rules they were using SCCA or NASA or if they just made up their own as they went.

 

Im going to disagree. I have a heavily padded 6 point in my 93 vert. Leather wrapped. I have that high density foam

The hoop is also about 6" above my head. Its so high it touches the vert headliner. My lap belt is going to keep me from going upwards in a wreck.

A vert rollover withoutn a cage would be instant death/ possible decapitation.

Ill stick with my 6 point rollbar, on the street

 

The cage is going to be back about a foot or more behind my head. No worries about hitting my head!

 

Well I will say this as my final shot; your theory works out just fine as long as all 5 or 6 of your belts are tight. I will challenge each of you to pay attention to yourself and your passengers EVERY time you put you rear in the seat...if you can pull yourself more than an inch off the seat in any direction (up, forward, lateral) you are not nearly as safe as you think your. Couple that play, with the amount of G's you have to eat in a crash and you will find yourself OUT OF YOUR BELTS. I grew up around enough sprint cars to see what happens in a crash when someone wears their belts loose.

If you have the discipline to make yourself and your passengers strap in tight on EVERY drive awesome; if not you are going down the road to be a statistic. Just my .02

 

I've made some progress. I recently bought a camber brace and I'm working out a deal on an X-brace. I've heard here on the forum that "boxing" in the brace makes it a lot stronger and adds a lot of structural rigidity to the brace and the frame. Probably going to go ahead and get that done as soon as I get my brace.

I've also decided that I'm going to get 6-piston 14" brake kit from Wilwood thanks to advice from RedLS1GTO

I believe I'm going to go with some form of C6 wheel to fit the brakes, but I'm not too sure what. I don't want to spend a lot of money on the wheels, but I don't want to cheap out there either.