Starting OVER (roller /chassis) 25.5

[turbocliff]

So I have decided to start over with a hard top regal since I am going to be going 25.5 to obtain a 7.50 chassis cert. I will be dropping off the GN roller with the new owner on saturday, and picking up the hard top regal on sunday and delivering to my chassis guy...

I probably should have decided to do this earlier, as now it will be a tight schedule to get everything done and back on the track when the season starts...

Here's the plan for the roller:
25.5 moly chassis
mini tub / frame notch
front and mid motor plates for SBC
Single Chute mount
FAB 9 rear
Double adjustable upper and lower rear control arms
Anti-roll Bar
Tubular front suspension
4-wheel disc brakes
Fiberglass hood, deck lid, and bumpers
Racing seats (undecided what brand)

Transmission:
Glide with brake / Converter (not selected yet, doing some research)

Turbo kit:
I am going to be redoing the turbo kit, but not sure at the moment if I will be staying with the air to air, or going liquid to air. Will still run a GT47-88mm turbo, but plan on having a full single 4" exhaust with muffler this time around.

Motor:
Runnin the same 358ci bowtie motor that I got the end of last season.

As construction begins, and continues, I will update with photos, ect.

The goal is to be turn key and ready to tune by May 1st.

I've got some work ahead of me- LOL

 

[John Wilde]

Cliff,

I am glad that you are making the car safer especially considering the power potential that it has. In regards to the converter you may want to talk to Dusty since he is a PTC Dealer. They even have a bolt together unit if you are interested. I think I can speak for the whole forum by saying we are looking forward to the pictures with baited breath.

 

[turbocliff]

Thanks John!

Actually I haven't selected the glide or converter yet, but will definitely give Dusty a shout about it...

and yes, with a now 1 year old, the safety factor becomes much more important.

I look forward to a fresh start, and submitting photos and info as it comes in!

 

[Dusty Bradford]

Sounds like a plan. My 7.50 will be up in 2 years which is one reason I'm getting a jump on the extra power now. To be honest....I can't say if I care to do to much 1/4 racing until I go 25.5 with the family to think about. Something about going 185 or so with a plain 10 point gives me butterflies. I'll see how the combo works out and if the chassis still handles it smoothly I'd like to crack into the 7's this year.

 

[DCVING 6]

Cliff,

Sounds like quite a project. It is always nice to be able to start from scratch and do it how you want it first time through. Also glad to see your sticking with a Regal body.

 

[INTHEEIGHTS]

i feel your pain i was going through the same thing and go 25.5 . i just could not just start cutting my car up to make pass cert. so im just going to have fun with what i have. it sounds like you have a plan. good luck with project...........

 

[turbocliff]

Dusty : OH MY! 7S!?!?!?! Yea, the situation I'm in is the class I intend to race you really need to be going 8.20-8.40 to be competitive, and I plan on having the potential to go a lil quicker.......

Oh, and I so badly want to go with the SB2.2 stuff as well, however the same class limits turbo cars to 23 deg heads.. .. but that's OK, I'll be happy drooling on the pictures of your setup!

Glen: It was almost NOT a regal body.... but the wife nixxed the other roller that I was hot and heavy about (it was an a-body buick)

INTHEEIGHTS: I'm just catching up on your threads as I havent been on the net as much over the past couple months, but are you still planning on running in Extreem Street? If so, then I am sure I will end up seeing you at an event or two. I won't have my turbo car there obviously, but am a big fan of the class.

Thanks guys-

Cliff

 

[Louie L.]

I think we are all in the same boat. Going 25.5 is a huge step. But i really dont think there is much more "cutting up" to be done. I also dont see how we would have to cut the roof off to finish the bar as some chassis shops do.

 

[INTHEEIGHTS]

Dusty : OH MY! 7S!?!?!?! Yea, the situation I'm in is the class I intend to race you really need to be going 8.20-8.40 to be competitive, and I plan on having the potential to go a lil quicker.......

Oh, and I so badly want to go with the SB2.2 stuff as well, however the same class limits turbo cars to 23 deg heads.. .. but that's OK, I'll be happy drooling on the pictures of your setup!

Glen: It was almost NOT a regal body.... but the wife nixxed the other roller that I was hot and heavy about (it was an a-body buick)

INTHEEIGHTS: I'm just catching up on your threads as I havent been on the net as much over the past couple months, but are you still planning on running in Extreem Street? If so, then I am sure I will end up seeing you at an event or two. I won't have my turbo car there obviously, but am a big fan of the class.

Thanks guys-

Cliff

Yea i still plan on running nmca but the rules on extreme street they wont let me run the d3r procharger so im in the market for f1r. so i will be legal for now to run truestreet.i should be able to run at less 5 or 6 races.ill see ya there ..........

 

[turbocliff]

I think we are all in the same boat. Going 25.5 is a huge step. But i really dont think there is much more "cutting up" to be done. I also dont see how we would have to cut the roof off to finish the bar as some chassis shops do.

I agree, the 25.5 on my car will not require the roof to be cut off, and I believe the floor cutting will not be as much as I had orginally expected. I am going to try to document as much as I can the chassis work, as I have not had much luck locating photos of other stock suspension g-bodies with 25.5 chassis work completed. I have found alot of ladder bar and 4-link cars, but not stock suspension.

 

[John Wilde]

Guys if I had the money I would have not problem raising the roof!!!!
Some of you guys are starting with too nice of a car for a race car project.
I made the same mistake with my first GN that I back halved.
THIS WAS REALLY STUPID!!!

 

[Louie L.]

I agree, the 25.5 on my car will not require the roof to be cut off, and I believe the floor cutting will not be as much as I had orginally expected. I am going to try to document as much as I can the chassis work, as I have not had much luck locating photos of other stock suspension g-bodies with 25.5 chassis work completed. I have found alot of ladder bar and 4-link cars, but not stock suspension.

The floor cutting should not be too bad. Im going to wait and see how the new combo works out. Im really attached to my car, but dont know if i would go 25.5 just yet. I think you did the right thing and start fresh..

I personally would like a white granny Regal N/A Limited with stainless trim and chrome bumpers to do all up in 25.5. Mini tub, my rims on it would look awesome. :biggrin:

 

[Dusty Bradford]

I would not have to do much cutting to go 25.5 and will go that route in 2 years. Our 1/8 mile racing may never require 25.5 because the speeds are slower but it's a nice piece of mind. I know I'll want to take some 1/4 shots now and then.

Cliff...you should look at the AllPro 23* heads if you can run raised runner heads.

The SB2 stuff is nice but if I didn't get these on a trade for my 23* I'd go AllPro RR245 or the BMF 18* This set-up on my car should go 7.6's at 185 or so.

 

[Louie L.]

Yup BMF.... The problem is the intake. None of the available units can be just slapped on...All the 18 deg intakes need to be worked ... So 4300 for the heads and rockers and easily 1k on intake including conversion...Ouch!!! BTW the BMF's went up $200.00 4 days ago !

 

[turbocliff]

Well just to give everyone an update, the car is at my friends shop on jacks, stripped down, and when I stopped there last thursday the wheel tubs had been cut out, and they should have the minitub and frame notch work completed now, as well as surface cleaning and preperation of the frame rails. I plan on stopping by this week to take a few photos of the progress so far so I can post a few.

Also, I ended up ordering the Chris Alston Fab9 rear, stock length, with rear bracing, and 35 spline gun drilled strange axles with 5/8" studs.

I will be ordering this week also the TRZ tubular upper and lower front a-arms for stock style springs, as well as their double adjustable upper and lower control arms for out back.

I should have some photos and more info this week-

 

[John Wilde]

Good work bro, but pictures are worth a 1000 words.

 

[turbocliff]

I know John, best I can do is this:

Here is a picture of the 85 Regal Roller I picked up from GNXBlues on here. (Good Guy)

It is a manual window, manual lock, hard top car. Little bit of rust under pass side door sill, and very minor surface rust on some parts of the top of the floor, but overall very straight and solid car. The hood is less than attractive, but I have a new fiberglass stock appearing GN style hood, deck lid, and rear bumper from Glasstek to replace it with..

 

[turbocliff]

Rear End

Here is a pic of the Fab9 from Alston Chassis works:

 

[Louie L.]

Cliff, The TRZ stuff is very nice. We checked out the control arms at PRI and they are super nice. The manual rack kit is sweet too. Lots of weight can be removed:biggrin:

 

[turbocliff]

Cliff, The TRZ stuff is very nice. We checked out the control arms at PRI and they are super nice. The manual rack kit is sweet too. Lots of weight can be removed:biggrin:

Yes, I had their front suspension on my GN, and was very happy with it, and also had their double adjustable rear stuff. All top quality!

While part of me would like to do the manual rack, I think I am going to stick with the manual box for now, but will get the flaming river box to tighten things up better than the stocker with the crappy rag joint.