Late Model Stock roadracer

For the 20 something years I’ve been doing track days, champcar/chumpcar, racing cars and building cars.  I’ve always wondered about those NASCAR latemodel stock cars I’ve seen at track and race events.  I’ve had guys and gals tell me they’re the most fun you can have for the least dollar spent per cubic inch.  I always thought “Man I’d like to give that a try”. 

Mind you, I’ve owned a lot of cars.  Spec Miata, Yup.  E36s?  Multiples of multiple build levels/power.  Corvettes?  C3, C5, C6GS.  Mustangs?  SN95GT and 2011 GT.  Hell I even owned a 350HP stage 4 focus ST.  Not counting all the Datsun S30s (over 20) or the Porsches, from GT3 to Twin Turbo, 944s and Carrera.  

I currently race a 944 aptly named Petunia in 944Spec in the MidAtlantic and I’ve been having a blast with her when I have compeition, which generally means all the VIR events.  I have contemplated swapping over to ST6, since half my races I’m left competing with those guys, anyway.  

So two weeks ago I found myself passing thru Concord NC and I figured I would stop into a shop and look at a car I had seen on Racingjunk.  The owner lives in my town and runs a bar there.  I’d spoken with him about the car, and figured it would be “now or Never”.  So I swung by and looked at the Gen5 Camaro Body late model stocker built by TORP Chassis out of Richmond Va.  It was originally built as a road race chassis, so all the “right” parts are there.  

The car had been parked in May and the motor and trans pulled to go into a new car build for the owner.  Otherwise, it was as it had been run at the last CHIN event at Sebring in May.  It literally needs a motor, trans, starter, power steering pump, alternator and clutch/bellhousing.  That’s it.  

Last weekend I drove round trip, 684 miles down to Concord and back on a Saturday.  I ploped down $6500 and I brought her home.  I have no idea what club or what class I’ll be racing it in, just yet.  But I’ll take my time, build it out, and spec it properly to race in a class in NASA/SCCA/SVRA, somewhere.  So This is my kickoff to a build thread.  I hope you enjoy it and please chime in.  

Trying to add more pics.  IPad not cooperating.  

The car came with the airbox, the driveshaft, and even the battery and fire system are still intact.  It needs a motor and transmission.

That's awesome! Looks like a lot of car for the money, indeed. And so clean in the engine bay...

What's that crazy looking center/drag link? Is it just cut from bar stock? 

In reply to Ransom :

It’s their version of the “steering” rack.  They gave me a spare, so apparently they get damaged.  Oh, they also gave me the exhaust/headers which dump out the passenger door.  

In reply to Ransom :

It’s their version of the “steering” rack.  They gave me a spare, so apparently they get damaged.  Oh, they also gave me the exhaust/headers which dump out the passenger door.  

In reply to Mikelly :

I was just boggling that it looks like it was cut out of a giant piece of bar stock, since I think of those as being forgings that look more like this:

I guess if you need one to custom dimensions you're not going to get a forged piece. Heck of a job, that one!

It's probably a Howe racing center link, like this one - https://howeracing.com/index.php/store/steering/howe-stock-steering-replacement/replacement-racing-centerlinks/center-link-adj-camaro.html

In reply to Gimp :

Ah! Mystery solved! If it isn't a Howe, it's certainly something like that, and I had no idea that was a thing.

I have always thought these looked like fun! Following along. 

You can probably run scca GTA. 

Im just finishing mine up, hopefully, been a lot of work 

What motor was in it?

In reply to ctk339 :

They had a 500HP and then 700HP tradition (*not an SB2) Chevy smallblock.  Car ran VIR and Sebring this spring and then was partked.  

I think I’m gonna run an LQ9 6.0 Liter Chevy. 

If you search ct525 there’s a lot of accessories that fit, motor mounts for one that used the vertical bolts

Ill try to check in on here if you need help, or message me

Are you planning on running a dry sump?

im hopefully about to scale my car but the aluminum block is pretty neat, I’ve picked it in and out of the car by myself when doing mock up

looks like the car will take the weird over motor headers, I think schoenfield makes some 

I have a friend who was the cnc machinist for Stuart haas. He made centerlinks like that from aluminum for them. Really trick pieces. 

Every so often an ex-NASCAR car shows up on BaT, usually of the 10-15 year old variety.  I remember one seller commenting on how fun it was to take it to the track, hear all the guys with current-model track variants of the various hot sports cars grumbling under their breath about the ancient-tech American car, and then get out on the track and blow by 911 GT3's like they were minivans.

Looks great.  

Now that the season is over and my 944 is put to bed for the winter, I'm moving BACK over to my late model stock car.  Here are some updates!!

I picked up a trans and motor for it over the winter of 2019-2020.  I managed to piece together all the parts (Primarily thru Speedway) and I now have the motor and transmission in the car, along with the shifter (Pain in the arse to fabricate shift rods and relocated shifter brace), Accusump, Titlon Transmission pump and cooler/lines, Transmission brace I had to fabricate.  I also bought a Holley Sniper EFI setup for the car.  It's getting very close.  Pics below:

350 Chevy 86-newer Vortec heads/roller cam should make somewhere around 325-350HP

Muncie M21 close ratio Transmission and Hurst Comp Shifter

Titlon Pump and lines:

The motor and trans were interesting to mount in the car.  Previous configuration from the other motor that was in it used some funky mounting I'd never seen. I sourced similar parts from Speedway and then I made the transmission mount myself:

I also plumbed in a 3 quart accusump and solenoid to the remote filter manifold:

I also added a temp "T" to the trans line from the cooler for the transmission:

Finally I topped off the engine with the sniper:

She'll look a lot less like this once I wrap her and put the Mike's Sports Car Hobby Shop logos on her!

So what's left:

1. Wrap all header/collector pipes after I mount my 02Sensor bung in the Merge pipe

2. Wrap the lines for the trans cooler at the trans, closest to the exhaust

3. Mount a new mini-alternator that will allow me more room, better routing of belts

4. Wiring - Fuel pump/Sniper/Cool Suit/Rain light/Fan blower/Data logger

5. Prime all fluid systems and bleed those requiring it.  Check for leaks

Then...

FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!

rad, looks like a lot of fun!

Looks awesome. It seems like this is a great way to go fast on a budget. Kevin Gale has an awesome thread about his retired Modified hill climber. 

NYN

Any idea what this puppy weighs?

In reply to Mikelly :

i support your choices of Gen1 SBC and M21.  Good enough power, reliable as gravity, cheap replacement parts.  Outstanding way to get this beast on track!

Finally got the switchbox and 95% of the electric done in the stock car.  The existing wiring was suspect AT BEST.  The switch panel wiring for the ignition was dangerous. The electric fan wiring was bare at the switch where it had burned through the casing. I have yet to find a single fuse anywhere in the car.  So It's been a journey. 

My switchgear now consists of the following circuits:

1. Master on/off
2. Ignition Switch of MSD/Coil
3. Data/Holley Sniper
4. Fuel Pump Over-ride switch
5. Electric Fan
6. Trans pump cooler
7. Accusump
8. Cool Suit 
9. Radio

I'm using a combo of Cage mounted stand-offs with a Jegs Fused switch panel with 6 circuits and a starter button, and I'll repurpose the master off and the switch panel with three toggles that was in the car originally.