Lightest 17/18s... Starting a "mile racer"

[Adam Connell]

Well I've decided that I am going to begin my TX mile car. I am going to start with a standard regal (unless I get a hell of a deal on a TR roller) and throw a 4.8 or 5.3 LsX and twin 76s in it... My goal is 200mph in the Texas Mile (I've got a "hidden goal" of doing it for under 12,000$ too, but that's a bit insane to most people). The overabundance of circle track parts for Gbodies is where I'll be getting 90% of my parts. It will be street legal, but a saturday night cruiser at best. Shooting for 3300lbs with me in it (this too may also be insane lol).

So my quest has started for parts, and I am starting with the parts I know least about since they will most likely require the most time to research.

Who or what makes the lightest weight 17s or 18s? We cannot run drag radials/slicks and I want this thing as stable as possible on the big end.

Also price is a MAJOR factor... a good set of 3 piece wheels or CCWs is NOT an option. I'd like to have less than 1000$ into the wheels (minus tires) so that puts me in the 250$ a wheel range.

Any suggestions? The only thing I am REALLY worried about is their safety at speed when it boils down to it though haha.

 

[~JM~]

Basic Centerlines?

I have a set of 15" Centerlines & was shocked at how light they are.

~JM~

 

[83hurstguy]

My 17" billet specialties street lites are pretty light, think I paid $1200ish?

 

[charlief1]

Adam, contact UNGN since he's in southlake I'm sure he can give you more advice on what you want to do since he's been doing the flying mile for a while. I believe there's some speed restrictions on the course as well so 200 may be to high.

 

[Adam Connell]

Awesome Charlie! Thanks! This one's going to be built with the mile as it's sole purpose, and I am going to go ahead and order an ISP seat and a HANS style device that I can swap in and out of the car. They're about 1200$, but that's not going to be included in the budget.

The only reason I am buying one is that it significantly increases my chances of getting to drive monster trucks... well and that I've seen an ADRL car lose it after the line and the driver walked away haha. Those seats have revolutionized high speed/high G impact survival.

The car/chassis/suspension/fuel system will be built to do 200+ according to the rules (which are very light IMO), but the engine department is where I'll be skimping. I kind of want to see how fast I can go on a junkyard 4.8 with a cam... there's a guy up here running one in a first gen Nova deep into the 9's on one and the LsX stock block record is like 8.64 at 163 in a 2400lb first gen Rx7 with a junkyard 5.3 and a Zo6 cam... For 200-300$ an engine, I can afford several spares lol.

 

[charlief1]

Glad I could help Adam. You might want to take the frame out and do some welding on it too. The seams on my spare were horible. I reduced a lot of frame flex in it just by welding things together like they were supposed to be done in the first place. Take a look at my thread in the B4black section which will give you some ideas. Almost all of the frame bracing is scrap metal that I fabbed up to stiffen the chasis. I still have the templates for the rear LCA's if you need a copy for them.

 

[LETHALV6]

running the Tx Mile is a blast and I havent seen any G Bodys that I can recall competing. I can tell you for that 200 mph mark youre probably going to need a motor making somewhere in the 700-800 hp range and thats probably the minimum. The high speed record at the Oct. run this year was 246.1 in an 4th gen F body and he's making around 1800 I think.

 

[scot w.]

Adam,

Contact me and I will go over some wind tunnel tests that might be very helpful in reaching your goals. Plus I can get you in contact with a man who has been 200+ mph in his g-body at the Salt flats, Maxton and the Texas mile..


Scot W.

 

[motorhead]

At those speeds and given your budget I would strongly recommend these made to your specs: www.diamondracingwheels.com : Custom Steel Wheels

 

[dsapper]

Weld street wheels are three piece forged wheels welded together. They are fairly plain but they are a pretty bulletproof option and are only 250 each. They are actually better than a three piece in most ways minus some cool factor. I would consider those if I was trying to stay in a budget. Just make sure your looking at the forged wheels, cast are scary at those speeds with the imperfections casting allows

 

[87chrisss]

i understand most of us are on a budget but your going over 200mph brother buy something to insure your life budget and price i would throw it out the window... i rather spend the cash then to risk my life because of a cheap mistake...not trying to offend anyone.. but seriously safety should be 1st... and if your getting something for under 1k i can guarantee your not buying quality and precision.. please do research on different rims and different forged wheels.. like the old saying "you get what you pay for"

 

[~JM~]

Again... I say Centerlines. They were originally designed for the aircraft industry where zero failure rate is the norm.

~JM~

 

[1984 t-type]

not sure how safe they will be at the rate of speed that you are looking to reach but the cheapest and lightest that i can think of in a 17'' would be the summit racing brand fast five aluminum wheels they run about 160.00 apiece i believe.

 

[HIboostGN]

Adam,

Love the sickness in your goal ! I am buying a house in OK and will be moved in by end of Jan. I have fabbed up more things then i care to remember and since i will be driving down to DFW very often LOVELY Lady down there i am STALKING:biggrin: If you need something welded up or fabbed up let me know. Oh the new house has a 1200 SG FT garage that is going to be a race shop by summer !
Jerry

 

[John Wilde]

Call Duttweiler and see if the silver state challenge car is still around.
The owner Stan Davis was going to sell the roller a while back, not sure where it ended up.

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