6G GT for LeMons! Options

[dunedin]

We are putting together a 94 GT coupe for 24 hour of LeMons racing (and probably Chump Car too). Our $500 car has 160k miles, a big oil leak, but not much else wrong.

Does anyone have any experiences or good ideas to make it go faster on the track? The twist is that $500 is the spending limit on the car, so anything we do has to be subtle and above all CHEAP.

So far, I have heard that the rear struts from a convertible are stiffer, and will help to keep the rear end in line. There is a pair on a car in a local junkyard. Is it worth swapping them out?

Also have heard that an ST anti-roll bar on the front is thinner so it will help traction in the corners and reduce understeer. True? Or should I just take it off? It will probably just come off if the track is wet.

Are there any standard (i.e. cheap) wheels off other cars that can give us wider rubber?

Any other ideas? Camber, tire pressures, engine ideas? Any inspiration appreciated!!

[4-eyed-freek]

strip it out, if it isnt going to be used while raceing, take it out, such as carpet, seats,ect.. posibly wheel spacers. if your not going to do an engine swap i would put a cold air intake on it, and a header with custom pipe all the way back. i would say making it light and grip will do you the best

[dunedin]

It will be completely stripped out with just a rollcage, seat and harness inside. Side and rear glass will be removed, as will A/C and anything else we can find that can be removed. There is a $500 limit on the cost of the car, and we spent that to buy it, but anything we get from selling un-needed parts can be spent on it. The only things not included in the $500 limit is safety equipment.
Anyone in the Tampa Bay area need glass, interior, dascboard, sunroof, A/C parts?

[SwissFerdi]

OEM struts between USDM ST/GT models, regardless of body style, are the same, so no gain there. I'd sell everything you can and put the money toward good rubber (use the stock 15" wheels, or find 16" wheels). Also, I'd recommend a rear strut bar to combat understeer.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Jul 19, 2010 - 4:01 PM

[Athorn]

I live in dunedin florida also..im assuming thats were you are. Do you have a dd celica? just wondering if i have seen you around town. Good luck!

[dunedin]

We bought it from Ocala, so it hasn't been seen around yet. We will get the motor etc. sorted before we strip it out, so it will be on the road for a couple of weeks next month.

[Athorn]

cool..it will be nice to see another 6th gen around here

[qatar11]

We are putting together a 94 GT coupe for 24 hour of LeMons racing (and probably Chump Car too). Our $500 car has 160k miles, a big oil leak, but not much else wrong.

Does anyone have any experiences or good ideas to make it go faster on the track? The twist is that $500 is the spending limit on the car, so anything we do has to be subtle and above all CHEAP.

So far, I have heard that the rear struts from a convertible are stiffer, and will help to keep the rear end in line. There is a pair on a car in a local junkyard. Is it worth swapping them out?

Also have heard that an ST anti-roll bar on the front is thinner so it will help traction in the corners and reduce understeer. True? Or should I just take it off? It will probably just come off if the track is wet.

Are there any standard (i.e. cheap) wheels off other cars that can give us wider rubber?

Any other ideas? Camber, tire pressures, engine ideas? Any inspiration appreciated!!

OEM GT wheels are a decent 15x7 - they match up nicely with the falken ainzens (sp?) that we use

You can use brakes from a ST185 to get bigger brakes - the cores are cheap - you have to do some magic to make them fit... its on a post here somewhere...

Ingalls makes a good camber bolt set that we are using.....


Oh and don't remove your defroster unit... or wipers... you may need both!

[Euphoria]

I'm pretty sure that ST and GT suspension is identical, although In America there was an optional sports suspension for the GT? which I can imagine just had stiffer shocks.

Aren't you the guy that was driving on dirt? If so I would say stay on stock suspension, a rear adjustable sway bar could help as you could dial in how much oversteer you wanted, without effecting much of your ride quality, strut bars are terrible in terms of value for money, not a big difference in the slightest (my Whiteline sway bar on full is ridiculous on dirt, any corner the thing just goes sideways)

If you are on road then Id say for $500 your best bet would be to stay with stock wheels with some good rubber (light and cheap for rubber) and new struts and or rear adjustable sway bar.

Brakes aren't the biggest of differences in lap times or the best mod for value for money, start with suspension then go brakes.

Also I wouldn't take a sway bar off, if you take the front off it may make the car oversteer but it will most probably be extreme oversteer and the front end will have too much roll, seeing as you're doing it on the cheap you could always buy or make stiffer and shorter end links which would make the bar act like it was adjustable and on a firm setting.

goodluck!

This post has been edited by Euphoria: Nov 1, 2010 - 8:35 AM