no metal cut at 3100# with 235# driver with 12bolt and no fancy stuff.

 

I respectfully disagree, because while you or just about anyone can meet a 3400 lb class and be competitive (weight wise) alot of bolt on cars are not gutted, don't have chromemoly everything suspension, still have A/C, P/S, etc. I believe those true DD cars will be the bulk of this class, so they should be allowed a decent chance. Alot wouldn't even bother entering their DD bolt on 3,600# car to compete with 3100# strippers....and there would go alot of your entry field.

It would be alot cheaper for those of you who UNbolted stuff from your car to bolt it back in to "bulk-up" and meet the 3400# minimum. I know there are lots of NHRA rules about adding ballast safely, but anyone can re-install seats, carpet, spare, jack, speakers, interior panels, etc. to get back alot of the weight they gutted.

The only other way I think the gutted or really LW cars should be allowed to run at the low weight is with some kind of handicap added. I know we are talking a heads up class, which is what I think is always best. (Bracket racing is almost like the drag racing equivelant of communism!!) But, there could be a staggered start for the cars under the minimum. Say.....start their beams .001 th second for every 10# underweight?? That would be in lines with the 100# = .010th theory.

Personally, I would not like to see it run that way, but I would rather that than see a field of really good DD bolt on cars dessimated by a couple gutted, stripped &/or big $$$ lightweight cars.

Edit: I thought we were talking about 3400# with driver? That would keep driver weight out of the equation. I am not hung up on 3400#....I just think it needs to be a number that accomodates the real DD cars and keeps them competitive enough to encourage participation.

Also, I LOVE the B-bodies. Plus there is alot of information to be shared among fellow LTX'ers. Afterall, it's the LTXShootout not the LTX/F-bodyShootout. I do see how it complicates an already busy day for the organizers. Hope everyone can get it worked out. Sharing the event with them would mean sharing planning and expenses to ease that pain maybe?

 

the 1/10th of a second per 100# rule would be 0.1s, so every 10#s would be 0.01. I dont really like bracket racing, much prefer leaving the same time as the other guy. If were making a weight limit then to be competitive you have to be at the limit, and have every single bolton. Guy with the most boltons, IE the most money, will win. Same as if you have a guy with less weight will win. This isnt IROC racing where every car is the exact same, there are going to be differences. Like it was said earlier, most of the guys are 18-22 year olds who are broke college kids. Gutting is cheaper than an electric wp, or roller rockers and springs. If you really wanna make it fair then you have to put in the rules that everyone has to have headers, Y pipe, catback, roller rockers, electric waterpump, tune, gears, and weigh exactly 3400lbs. Right there you lose alot of people. Let people run what they have, but limit it to no cutting up the car.

 

Yeah I meant a hundredth per ten lbs....goofed with my decimal point in a hurry. LOL

You are right about the not liking bracket racing stuff...I already said I don't either. I don't think everything should be EQUAL or even fair. I just don't care to see a class where the super lightweight cars dominate. I don't think very many people would care to see that UNLESS it was a class within a class (which I don't think there is time for). I think a more realistic weight would keep things where the most people could have FUN! That's what this class should be about.

As far as running a non-cut up stripper vs. gutted vs. big $$ LW stuff.... I say to each his own there as long as the car meets weight. Why disallow a non-stripped daily driver with a tubular K member and stuff but allow a gutted car? It makes no sense to limit which direction the owner took in building his car, or how much he spent as long as it made an agreed upon weight limit and was truely bolt on only.

If someone chooses to run a heavier car then that's their choice, but I personally think most people want a limit that is within reason to include DD cars. Whether they are owned by middle aged guys (or women) who have cash, but just want a fun driver or broke college kids.....OR a broke middle aged single daddy with custody of his kids!! LOL

Maybe we need a seperate thread and poll to vote on a weight limit and other rules?

 

Tony,
That is great news about the possible marriage of the B-body guys into the fold. Keep us posted!


I think the weight limit needs to be set at something reasonable for the DD class. Personally my car probably weighs in the 3550 range with all the factory items in the car and working. I prefer to run a true DD class so that everyone has a reason to try and win. This is certainly a difficult task, but many more guys like myself will probably participate if they think there is a chance of winning I'm committed more than ever to actually taking my car to the 2011 LTx race for something like the daily driver class.

 

Lets not complicate things. Imho a weight minimum of 3300 or 3400lbs raceweight would be fine. And stick with the bolt on rules set by gmhtp. Simple and done. I daily drive my bolt on car at 3275lbs with full interior. It def is possible. The ultra light weight cars would have to add weight and the guys who are full weight and want to be competitive will have to cut weight. You have to meet in the middle. All these crazy rule proposals complicate things keep it simple

 

That's pretty much what I have been saying. I like the higher of the two weights you stated myself. I wasn't crazy about the noise requirements set by GMHTP but I know that was more the track's requirements. I hope that isn't the case for the shootout. I do think cars should be muffled in this class, but I think pretty much anyone's Loudmouth, or true duals with mufflers, and the like should be allowed. Anything that would be street legal noise wise.

 

GMHTP did not have any weight requirements but it did need interior panels and 1 seat.
with weight limits I dont see how this is any different than the 12 second heads up class, the way I thought it was done was who ever was the closest to 12.00 won that class, this is what you got if you have weights, now if you are looking for appearance then I can support some carpet/floor covering and interior panels and how ever many seats you want to require.

 

That could be a good route to go in. No weight limit but have to have an interior. Either way is fine with me i guess it really is all up to tony and the organizers when it comes down to it.

 

Got to think about the 'tech' of something like this, with 40+ other cars and limited # of people to tech in the cars it has to be a "quick".
I have volunteered to running scales so that should be done for all classes, and for this BO class I would think we would want to keep up with the weights just as an FYI.
it would be easy to look in interior and say go or not go then assume hooking up vac gauge (per GMHTP) that would be noted.
but if you call for floor covering, need to specify if it is from the front all the way to the back over fuel tank area or just to the rear of front seats.
The interior 'has to be there' for the photos that you hope get made and in GMHTP, i understand that 'rule'.

 

Lets keep this going!

 

as far as checking for cams go, just do like the circle track guys do and require the engine to pull a certain amount of vacume at a specified RPM and at the end of the shootout just do a tech inspection on the cars that run in the top 3. if they dont pass tech then they are DQ'd and move down to the next 3. it would still give people room to slip in with a cam, and even some head porting on stock castings but would definately limit them to a very small cam and would have them limited on how much difference their heads would make for them.

 

that is a good idea ^^ just inspect the top 3 cars to make it less of a hassle. i mean the track numbers wont lie, if someone has a cam or heads ported people will know.

 

Although I totally give my 100% support in this class taking place, we will need commitment from proposed participants. Secondly, I can understand if the time management with additional participant factor is going to play a large role in if this can happen or not. Sounds like their will be a definite need for more money for the added time. This I think is the most important factor to look at right now, for any of this to happen.

My boys here in Michigan are excited as hell for this bolt-on class, and we went out looking a rollers last week to get started on a bolt-on car.

 

^^^ hey no building nasty bolt on cars, i proposed this class so i could win it duhhhhhh lol j/p

yea we def will need more cash flow but maybe with the added racer support their will be added sponsor support? who knows.

oh btw do u think i could tow my roughly 3500lbs car with a open trailer with my fatherr's 01 f-150 4 door? 18 hours one way? i dont know much about towing

 

I towed my 3700 pound Z on an open trailer with a '05 Silverado 2500HD, but that was only from southeast Michigan and it was only an 8 hour trip. Not sure if that helps too much.

Oh, and most definitely, I will stop the nasty bolt-on car building right away. LOL

 

hahahha oh thx lol

yea that dosent help me much. i know a 2500HD could handle it no sweat, just trying to see if anyone has done a long tow with a f-150 4 door or equivilent. its got the 5.4 liter

 

dont see why not.....i towed my car at 3450lbs + my trailer plus three people in the truck with two tool boxes....20 gallons of race gas and two sets of tires 6 hours down to NJ with no issue.....i wouldn't be afraid at all towing down to KY with mine......we took my dads yukon this year and even that with the little 5.3 made it just fine.....think im taking my truck next year with the fresh 355 in it....more space and more power for them pennsylvania hills lol
we'll travel together too tony just incase we both start busting **** on the way lol

 

I pulled mine to the first 2 shootouts with a 1/2 Ton quad cab dodge.....no issues at all.

that F150 should easily be able to do it

 

I've towed a 3500# cavalier behind a trailblazer with the baby 4.2L for 8 hrs without an issue....you'll be fine.

BTW, what's the point of a DD class if you don't drive your car to the shootout....That would be a better rule IMHO.....