JBMChump

http://www.chumpcar.com/

We are currently starting a ChumpCar project from our '88 RS with a 305 TBI. I will be fabricating a full cage for the car. This car is getting completely gutted on the inside, so if anyone needs any red interior parts, hit me up. As far as body goes, I am looking for a hood and front fenders right now for it, as it was in an accident and then parked for the last 6 years. It also needs a fuel pump, since this one stopped working. I will be posting pics of the build as it progresses.

Here are some pics from the day we picked it up.

1ADan

iTrader: (4)

good luck, sounds like an awesome race. i remember seeing the 24 hours of LeMons and thinking it was a cool concept, glad to see there's another one out there

JBMChump

So, I pulled the tank yesterday to get all of the 6 year old gas out of it, and replace the fuel pump, and its junk.. Full of rust and no good. the rust is probably holding it together. A new pump, and cleaning of the tank would have run me about $150. HGopefully I can find one thats in good shape for the same amount. We'll see. No fabrication yet, waitning to get it running first, otherwise it would be a waste of time and money. Got the wrecked front end off and the interior gutted.

DiabolicalRS

drive it like that with no bumper and you wont have to worry bout over heating issues haha jk dont do that

JBMChump

I will be building a full front cage/bumper set up to go behind the bumper cover. Since it will not have the inner bumper/supports, that way the rad. is protected and the cover has some support.

This build should be a walk in the park considering its what I do for a living.

Here are some of the build I have done throughout my career:

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

DUDE!!!! I soooo want to do this chumpcar thing!!! hell if I didn't want to beat up what i have now I'd just enter my 88,lol. It's pretty much done.

el_muerte

They'll accept a Camaro for ChumpCar races? I thought the car had to be commonly available for $500 or less...

JBMChump

There are a handfull of them racing right now. Plus I think we'll be ok, my wifes company insures ChumpCar, J B Motorsports. Were pretty much doing it for fun and for show. Everything will be within specs. I think it also depends on the condition of the car. If its pristine, it can be the same make/model of car that is most common for this racing, and it would be woth more obviously.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

3rd gens are commonly available for 500 or less, there are tons of them here. Might not be pretty for 500 but you can get them

captainrat

Nice to see another Camaro heading for the track! I built a Camaro for ChumpCar 2 years ago and it has completed in 8 events since then. It can be a fast car. In the hands of an expert driver (not me!) my Camaro posted the third fastest lap time of the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway this past April. I can tell you what works and what doesn't. I've blown/wrecked/used up every part on my car and have made enough changes to make the car more reliable and fun. Let me know if I can help. Here are some before and after pictures of my car.

startat2

iTrader: (2)

What was the base value of the camaro for chumpcar?

JBMChump

We paid $500 for ours. The fuel pump was bad, so I put in a new one, and a new tank. It runs with starter fluid in the throttle body, but still no power to the pump. Trying to figure that out before I start "racing" it out with the cage and safety equip.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

how do you build a complete race ready car for less than 500 bucks??? This is insane

RS Chris

The value of the car has to be less than $500. Not including safety equipment.

startat2

iTrader: (2)

Yea, but I glanced over the rules, and it says you need documentation of your value. Just wondering what captain rats base value for his camaro was...

I also agree 500$ is cheap for a race car, but it seems more like an endurance race than a fast race if you know what i mean.

captainrat

ChumpCar looks at a 3rd gen Camaro as a $500 car. Any mods to the stock car (headers, bushings, ignition, etc.) adds to that $500. The trick for the Camaro is to modify what you've got. Cut the springs, adjust the camber and toe, remove as much weight as possible and run the best pads you can afford (PFC, Hawk, Porterfield). Keep everything cool! Get max airflow to the radiator (the stock one works fine), and if you run the auto use a big cooler (ChumpCar does not add value for the tranny cooler).

Of course if you go over the $500 it's no big deal, you just get penalty laps. If your car is found to be worth $575, you may get 5 or so penalty laps. A lot can happen in 7/14/24 hours that makes those 5 laps meaningless.

It is an endurance race, but a race nonetheless. From the green flag to the checkered flag there are fast laps set, rubbing between cars, blown motors and high speeds. These cars routinely exceed 100mph. There is a reason why this is so popular - it's real racing!

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Hats off to you guys, that would be a challenge. Hopefully you can find an L98 Irocz that you can "value" at 500 bucks and cut off the y pipe and go racing. Race ready package there!

JBMChump

Being a fabricator and being able to do it yourself is definately a plus in the overall cost of build. It may cost $1200 to take it somewhere to cage it, where 2 days, and $300 in material and its done. $200 for a seat, $80 for harness, $30 for nets, and $150 for fire extinguisher is all you really need, you have to know where to modify what you already got, just like captainrat said.

robertfrank

iTrader: (27)

What about "homemade" mods? Like chassis bracing and suspension pieces? Even homemade headers? would that count against you?

JBMChump

It depends. Chassis bracing not such a big deal, but suspension and "performance enhancing" items, will count against you. Homemade or bought. Certain things you get x2 leniency like wheels/tires and brakes. Meaning you can spend twice what stock costs and be legal

JBMChump

Are you racing this weekend in Iowa? We'll be there checking it out

JBMChump

A little update. Got it running!!! found that the fuse on the fenders by the battery was blown. took the TB apart and cleaned it, fires right up and runs smooth. I need to replace all of the vacuum lines so it wont have any leaks from cracked hoses. next is to replace the radiator hoses, and find an AC delete pully, and start on the cage and interior building.

JBMChump

Thinking of adapting to 2010 18" wheels and tires. I can find the steel 18's for less than I can buy 4 new 15" tires by themselves. Bigger wheels = less sidewall to roll = better cornering. It also allows for brake upgrades later down the road as well. maybe 2010 camaro, or corvette brakes.
Also going to be getting one of these front ends for the car, since ours is busted up. Makes it easier to remove to work on the car, and wont break when bumped.

Zombie_Reaper

Just curious and I hope you don't mind me asking, but have you or do you race autocross frequently or is this your first outing? The reason I ask is I have an 82 camaro that I was going to build for autocross and came upon this thread. I have no experience what so ever with autocross and thought that chump car would be a good oppritunity to start. I have a team in the works and posted up on a local forum for recruitment when I was told that Chumpcar/24hr Lemons is for experienced drivers and not to even try my hand at the game. So, I figured I would post here and see what you other Chumpers thought on a novice team joining the fun?

JBMChump

ChumpCar is a great place to start out. Nice and cheap(comparitively) to get a feel for your car and see if its something you want to advance in. As for the 24hr of Lemons, that is a littl harder. If you mess up and bump someone, they pull you off the track and put you AND your whole crew into pink underwear and parade arounf for like 5-10 minutes.
I have not raceed road racing before. I am from the offroad industry, and have race Trophy Trucks, Class 1 cars, and I race quadcross for 6 years. I am not new to racing, and or handling a big horsepower vehicles doing 100 mph.

Zombie_Reaper

Thanks for the reply. I have been doing plenty of research about Chump Car Racing and just recently printed off the rule book.
Same here. I am coming from the drag strip to the track. Gonna be a bit different from going straight to taking many turns. Again, thanks for the reply and best of luck.