entering a demolition derby...need some advice

if there was every a group of people who were picked off the internet for advice, ITS YOU GUYS

ok i plan on entering my 94 LT1 powered roadmaster in the Tennessee Valley Fair Demolition Derby next monday.

here are the rules... http://tsbderby.sports.officelive.com/RulesFor2011.aspx
however im gonna assume that cheating is pretty rampent in this sport.

what type of mods or prep should/can i do to the car?

any trick to running the car with no coolant after the radiator gets it?

what type of oil should i use?

any old school tricks?

im allowed to reinforce the driver door, and weld the bumper shocks, but thats it i've never done this before before...discuss

haas

i 'plan' on using the motor/trans as a donor into a 77 firebird for a challenge apperance...

Don't mount the back-up camera ON the rear bumper.

By the way, we want a video!!

• Spray foam in tires??
• What was that crap from the infomercials a few years ago that they used in the oil, then drained the oil?

It's funny that the safest place for the gas tank is behind the drivers seat

Radiators:

I didn't notice if they let you add reinforcing in front of the radiator.

Remove the manual fan and install an electric one. Gives more space, and removes the metal fan blade from behind the radiator for when the space is reduced. I'd also remove the shroud, and make sure you are running multiple v-belts, instead of a single serpentine. Remove the stock radiator mounts and strap the radiator in place using ratchet straps. Reinforce the hoses- either use reinforced flexible hoses, or wrap them with wire and several layers of duct tape. Move the overflow hose to discharge under the car. If you can't reinforce in front of the radiator (which you usually can't), add a tranny cooler and condenser (or several) in front of it. Mount them well- they should transfer impact as if they are reinforcing. Protect it with the largest bumper you can find- mount higher than normal if allowed. Rules say radiator should be in OEM position, but do they disallow a 2nd one? How about multiple heater cores? If you had to discharge the heat in the passenger compartment, it would still run a bit longer. I'd run a water/ stopsleak mix with no coolant.

Take JB Weld and raw eggs with you- both can stop leaks.

Radiator: It says ANY bumper as long as it came off a car and it isn't upside-down.

Here:

do you have to run a radiator? I would be tempted to run 10 gallons of water in a protected container

How long can a demo derby last? Could you use a cooler full of ice/water mounted in the car in place of the radiator? Keep original radiator mounted in original position, but do you have to have coolant going through it? I figure a cooling system with water at atmosheric pressure would be a lot better than the same system without water.

This is probably one of the first things you learn, but... cut slits on the underside rear of the car so that the trunk folds up when it gets hit, not down. I think they're supposed to go just behind the suspension mounting points.

Oh, and take your hands off the wheel before impact.

That's all I've got. Have fun!

mad_machine wrote: do you have to run a radiator? I would be tempted to run 10 gallons of water in a protected container

Oooo, I like it!

Disconnect the radiator, mount a 30 gal ice chest in the rear seat and run a coil of of pipe inside. Pipe the water pump through it. Fill cooler with ice. Add beer as necessary.

Here's a good link:

LOTS of good ideas here

Tires:

An old set of snow tires would be really nice. Traction on the dirt is important. Put tubes in them. Gorilla glue or liquid nails makes a great bead sealer.

My local mechanic says that demo guys buy old tires from him, cut the sidewalls out and stick them inside the tires that they run on their cars. It makes some sort of runflat tire.

good point on the tyres inside tyres.. I imagine there is a LOT of crap on the "track" that can cause punctures

• take the windows out nicely. Shooting, kicking, hammering them out makes for glass all over the inside of the car. (even if you shoot from the inside)
• cut the bumper horns off, just a little. This keeps you from hooking on another car.
• remove all the hood latch stuff, and do the two chains.
• run the best battery you have! Drill and bush the hole to the starter. Tape the cable, put it in rubber hose. TIE DOWN THE BATTERY WELL!
• wire the car to start while it is in gear. wire the fuel pump to run all the time. When you put in your 5 gallon tank, cut the original metal return and supply lines long, and shove them through the drain hole in the floor. Make a bushing for the hole.
• run a radiator, with no thermostat. Remove the transmission cooler lines and loop them. Remove the AC condensor. Remove shroud, and fan. Leave in your overflow tank, secure the lines. Use an electric fan.
• bring a pipe rad. hose size to bypass the radiator. Use water wetter.
• when you hit sometimes the shift linkage comes apart. I put a pull wire from the linkage into the car so I could pull it into gear
• weld the rear differential. Run snow/ mud tires if on a dirt surface. Love the glue idea above, I used self tapping screws on both sides10 totalper tire through the bead into the tire. short ones!
• run smaller than stock tires to help with tire clearance. Remove the rear shocks, as they can break off and cut your tires. Put in heavier rear coil springs.
• cut off ALL your exaust. Leave just enough so your car won't start on fire.
• remove air bag stuff. Replace steering wheel if you are required to remove the air bag off the wheel.
• weld anything they say you can. Remove sunvisors, passenger side headrest.
• leave the mirrors on. Hit with the back, keep your head strait when you hit.

• bring a sledge hammer, long pulling chain, jacks, torch, gas, water, oil.
• wear an open face helmet. The smaller the better, as rules allow. Bring a few in case they don't like the one.
• be that guy!

clownkiller,

I just printed that out. It is my new BIBLE.

haas

Double wrap the hoses with larger hoses if you can.

When everything is in place, the fluids are filled, and you are ready to race, seal every cap with silicone glue. I use that E36 M3 on everything!

Can I just say I love how many people on this board are regular demolition derby competitors, or have put significant thought into it?

FWIW, the one derby I assisted with years ago had similar rules regarding bracing as shown above. When we got there we were very shocked to find an old Eagle Summit with FULL ROLL CAGE & TUBULAR BUMPERS!

Yeah, it won.

I wanna know why he's crashing an LT1 Roadmaster.

The front bumper needs to proptect the radiator. Steel bends, so you need something tougher. Get a 6x6 long enough to go all the way across the car, then drill a hole in each side which the stock bumper shocks will slide through. Put the 6x6 over the bumper shocks then bolt the bumper back on. Some flat black spray paint could help get this through tech. (looks off and whistles) In fact, if you can do that on the rear too...

If you can, move the radiator back closer to the engine. Not too close- if the engine jerks on the mounts when you nail someone the fan could gnaw a hole in the radiator. EDIT: Drat. I see the radiator must be in the stock location.

Does it say anything about a radiator crash cage?

davidjs wrote: Can I just say I love how many people on this board are regular demolition derby competitors, or have put significant thought into it?

I second this thought!

I don't know if it was in the link provided, but I have heard they get rid of the engine mounts and mount the engine and trans on chains. Apparently the mounts simply won't survive, so you go with the flow.

Regarding radiator in the passenger compartment. Almost boiling water inside the passenger compartment of a car that will be hit very hard seems like a bad idea. Some sort of boil off, or total loss system might be nice though, if allowed.

swap in a carbureted engine and get rid of the factory plastic fuel lines so you don't have a high pressure fuel system that will explode in your face.

your stock gas tank is plastic and has the filler behind the rear license plate, both of which are bad things for this kind of event.

don't hit with the front of the car, and don't get hit in the front of the car.

sometimes they let you move the radiator to the back seat, sometimes they make you keep it in the stock location.