Lots of competition questions - NCCC & SCCA

[janderson]

Ok, Its now real obvious to me my car needs a lot of work before it will work the way it is supposed to.

Its a 1988 Coupe with an Automatic, Z52 suspension. I'm trying to stay in group 1 because I don't think I can spend enough money to be competetive in group 2. Its not a daily driver, its my weekend / cruise/ autocross/ hpde car. I want to do as much of the work myself as possible which means hand tools, floor jack and jack stands. Each "bit" of work has to be completed in a weekend or less. I have no garage, street/parking lot is all I have access to.

Bushings - Can I replace all the suspension busings with urethane and stay in group 1? How long does it take? any special tools?

Roll / sway bars - Can I go to 30 mm in the front and 24 mm in the rear? Any other suggestions as to what would make sense

Brakes - I'm pretty sure I can go to the J55 brakes, they were an option in 1988. Am I correct?

THis one I know I have to have a shop do for me - Change the rear gear ratio in the Dana 36 from the 2.59 to the 3.07 performance ratio that was available that year. Will this take me out of stock? I know going to the Dana 44 wich wasn't an option with the Automatic will take me out of group 1.

Just need to get an idea of what I can do and stay in group 1.
Not that it matters as much, but will anything I do on the list above that keeps me in group 1 move me out of SCCA AS into BSP?

Thanks in advance.

[Ebein]

I believe if it was available as an option for your class you can
do it. If you change the diameter of the sway bars it will change
your class unless that size was an option. Hotchkis makes some
swaybars for C5's in stock sizes that are supposed to be alot
stiffer, they may for C4's as well.

I know I can do an engine swap to a Z06 engine as long as I
do no other changes i can stay in 2H. However horsepower
isnt going to help me right now, suspension/tires and just
being smooooooth are what Im working on now.

[Black396]

Bushings - Can I replace all the suspension busings with urethane and stay in group 1? How long does it take? any special tools?

The old rule book says that bushings on Group I cars must be strictly stock. Now there was a rules change on this so which way it ended only Andrej or Brian can say.


Roll / sway bars - Can I go to 30 mm in the front and 24 mm in the rear? Any other suggestions as to what would make sense

Factory available for year and class. Currently you should have a 26 tubular on the front and a 22 solid on the rear. For your '88 you can go to a Z51 30 solid on the front and a 24 solid on the rear.


Brakes - I'm pretty sure I can go to the J55 brakes, they were an option in 1988. Am I correct?

Braided lines may be added without a problem.

THis one I know I have to have a shop do for me - Change the rear gear ratio in the Dana 36 from the 2.59 to the 3.07 performance ratio that was available that year. Will this take me out of stock? I know going to the Dana 44 wich wasn't an option with the Automatic will take me out of group 1.

This is another one of those that is restricted to year/engine/transmission. So if there was a performance option available for the automatic in '88 you can go to that gear.

[urtoslo]

The bushings can be replaced with polyurethane and the car stays in Group 1. You cannot purchase new control arms (with new rubber bushings) for the 84's and 85's, so the whole 1E group is allowed poly bushings when replacing them.

I'm ordering bushings for my car now, and will let you know how much work it is. I'm buying them piecemeal (sp?), replacing the worst ones first!

[Black396]

Bushings - Can I replace all the suspension busings with urethane and stay in group 1? How long does it take? any special tools?

When I replaced mine I decided to do the entire front end, rack & pinion, upper and lower ball joints, tie rods and all the bushings. I bought http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=42236 and http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=46389

I would have been better off getting one of these http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=2457

The easiest way to do it is pull everything down and take it to a machine shop to have them pressed out and in. You have to been careful pressing the new bushings into the control arms to avoid bending them.

Also the amount of grease they ship with the polys isn't enough to do the job. You really need to slather the grease on them to keep them from squeaking later on.

[Woods977]

On the bushing, the best way to get them out is to set them on fire. (Propane torch) Let the rubber burn and expand. Then push them out with a socket and extention. Of course the control arms are off the car.