Racing our Cruisers

[KR4MC Steve]

Originally posted by Overtake
Don't forget, pros usually have different ratioed gearing for the track! If we just changed the differential (or whatever it's called for front drive), we'd get WAY better times!

Just putting some M&H 20 inch diameter 8 inch wide slicks on 13" Aluminum wheels would drop any PT's ET like a ROCK.
Effective gear ratio will go up about 25% numerically & traction should not be an issue.
But 5-Speeds better tighten up the motor mounting or they would probably HOP the axles out after a few runs.

At the "Strip" guys used to say gears & tires are worth 100 HP.
A 300HP car with gears & slicks could easily run with a 400HP car with street gears & tires.
Based on 150HP, I would guess an extra 50HP effect..


My .02 worth

[goldenturtle]

Dan, thanks for the info on the amtrac, equipment such as these
should be preserved for the memories of the men who took the
things into battle.
My daddy said one could always tell a Marine, ya just can't tell them much!

[GOLDMEMBER]

Haaaa haaa

[Dan N Terri]

Heck,

I have been a jarhead for 19 years and I still can't get anyone to tell me anything..... LOL

But, some how some way I figured out the right car to buy....


Take Care

Dan & Terri

[RubyRed]

Originally posted by KR4MC Steve


Just putting some M&H 20 inch diameter 8 inch wide slicks on 13" Aluminum wheels would drop any PT's ET like a ROCK.

I've heard of the ricers using 15 inch wheels for the track when they normally run 17's on the street -will a PT Cruiser's brakes fit into a 13 inch wheel ? Or are you talking about some special track-only rig? I was under the impression that the smallest wheels that will clear a Cruiser's brakes are 15's.

As a side note, I'm glad your talking about taking your racing to the track. We just had another street-racing accident here that killed three people. A college kid was racing some redneck in his pickup(with two passengers). The cars touched lightly at about 100 and the pickup went over the guardrail and tore itself apart after rolling repeatedly after the initial impact. The kid survived- his car only had damage from hitting the left-lane guardrail and I think all he had were bruises. He was convicted of street-racing and they are supposed to sentence him this week.

[Dan N Terri]

I too am glad that we are cutting down on the number of street racing but let's not try to kid ourselfs, kids are still out there playing. What needs to happen (and this is only my opion) is the local communities need to get involved and come up with other options.... Local tracks starting more 'run what you bring' events on weekends, low cost entry with sponsers from local businesses donating funds equipment etc. Also some of the local small airports can be used for that type of activity.

I will admit I was one of the crazy that went to the street races each weekend out here in Riverside California on South Main St. We would cruize Market Street and find the machine you wanted to run with and then it was off to the wash on Main St. and you do your thing. It got pretty crowded and to my knowledge we only lost one girl who ran across the street in front of the racers. But there was a lot less cars on the road back then and we didn't have the forementioned options... Rialto Airport out here did a yearly thing for a while with a car show on Saturday and then the drags that evening. I think Beaumont still does them each weekend.

How about some of the local clubs looking into a PT Cruiser dragrace event with one of the local small airports or the local law enforcement agents for a street that can be shut down for this type of event... This may have already been done before but since I am still new to the Cruiser world I don't know about it...

Later....

Dan & Terri

[KR4MC Steve]

Yeah .... Street racing is Illegal & Dangerous.

I've banged it through the gears on an empty sideroad or run it up briefly to 105 or so on a long straight lonley Interstate stretch on a dry sunny day though.

But side by side racing on two lane streets or with traffic around is just plain stupid.

Starting going to local NHRA sanctioned Dragstrips since I was about 18 years old. When challenged to race by ANYBODY, I would always tell them to bring it to the strip & we will grudge race. The results were they almost always were beat no matter what was under thier hood. They would show up, cut a crummy light & spin the tires off. I would cut a close light & be equipped with wrinklewall slicks , skinny front tires, open headers, etc.

[renichms]

Originally posted by KR4MC Steve
Yeah .... Street racing is Illegal & Dangerous.

I've banged it through the gears on an empty sideroad or run it up briefly to 105 or so on a long straight lonley Interstate stretch on a dry sunny day though.

But side by side racing on two lane streets or with traffic around is just plain stupid.

Starting going to local NHRA sanctioned Dragstrips since I was about 18 years old. When challenged to race by ANYBODY, I would always tell them to bring it to the strip & we will grudge race. The results were they almost always were beat no matter what was under thier hood. They would show up, cut a crummy light & spin the tires off. I would cut a close light & be equipped with wrinklewall slicks , skinny front tires, open headers, etc.

To be honest, I've never seen side-by-side racing on a two lane road. I have yet to go watch the guys who race around here but I'm told they go waaaaay off in the middle of nowhere and once they're sure there's not the slightest hint of traffic or police around, they do their racing thing. I believe it might be on a two lane road, but more likely are some of the less traveled 4-lanes near here. I, at least, know not to participate in that...very bad idea.

RN

[achr]

Originally posted by RubyRed

I was under the impression that the smallest wheels that will clear a Cruiser's brakes are 15's.

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You would be right. Some 15" custom wheels will not fit either, even with the correct offset. I had a set of Eagle Alloy deep dished 15" rims with spokes that kicked back at the outer edges. Just kissed the front brake calipers. Rears were O.K.

http://www.salesco.com/wheels/eagle/...series_160.asp

[Dan N Terri]

I just been looking thru the new Cruiser Quarterly and they have an artical about putting NOS on the Cruiser but do not talk about any build up to the lower end of the engine. I am wondering if anyone has actually done this to their rides and what have been your results, have you worried or do you feel the need to worry about exploding the lower end of the engine such as would be the normal results of NOS on a V8.... I am not very smart in the ways of NOS but all of the articles I have read about doing it to V8's recommend beifing up the lower end of the engine....

Of course they only encressed 1/4 mile speed by 12mph.. does that make sence to spend the money for just NOS to only gain 12mph's??