4th Quarter 2005.indd
Transcription
4th Quarter 2005.indd
4th Quarter | 2005 | #04 TABLE OF CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS 04 | OUR GARAGE FEATURES 08 | EVENT COVERAGE Bfest 05 | READERS RIDES 26 | CLUB INSIDER 34 | IMAGE MANIPULATION 35 | WRECKAGE 12 | THE QUEEN Z 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 16 | FEROCE 1985 Pontiac Fiero SE 20 | CAVYTECH 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 24 | EVENT COVERAGE 3rd Annual V6Z24.com Bash 28 | EVENT COVERAGE 1st Annual GM Small Car Bash 32 | BEGINNER Drag Racing & Autocrossing Domestic Driver News: Cartoons created by Chris Beach Cover created by Eric Wood WHAT IS DOMESTIC DRIVER MAGAZINE? A quarterly printed magazine featuring Chrysler, Dodge, Ford and GM Small to Mid-Sized Cars from 1980+ This will be the last printed issue for a while. We have decided to switch the magazine to an E-Zine format so we can provide more pages of higher-quality content without raising the price. Once we have enough subscribers to print in larger quantities, Domestic Driver will return to the printed format. We want to sincerely thank all of our advertisers who have supported us over this past year. We hope they will stay with us through these temporary changes. Domestic Driver will continue to offer more online content for the small to mid-sized American car owner than any other. Please visit www.domesticdriver.com for information on accessing the temporary format. If you already have a subscription, we will transfer your balance to the E-Zine. The new E-Zine pricing will be between $8-$15 a year, depending on the frequency of issue-release. Again, without the cost restrictions associated with printing, we will be able to provide our readers with more amazing cars, articles and automotive information. Domestic Dr i v e r | | | 3 OUR GARAGE Welcome to the 4th quarter issue of Domestic Driver Magazine. We hope you enjoy this issue which features plenty of car show coverage and featured rides. In 2006 we want to include more event coverage, tech articles, how-to’s and more overall content. A lot of changes will be accuring this coming year so be sure to check out www.domesticdriver.com for all the news. Our Garage is our place to speak freely. It contains announcements regarding the magazine, and information on what readers have done to their cars. This will be the only page that may not contain car-related information. 2006 SUBMISSION DATES January/February - Submission deadline: December 1st - Available around: January 1st March/April - Submission deadline: February 1st - Available around: March 1st May/June - Submission deadline: April 1st - Available around: May 1st July/August - Submission deadline: June 1st - Available around: July 1st September/October - Submission deadline: August 1st - Available around: September 1st November/December - Submission deadline: October 1st - Available around: November 1st STAFF Owner and Layout Designer Jonathan Maynard Senior Editor Andrew Cleaver Graphic Designers Chris Beach and Eric Wood ABOUT THE MAGAZINE Domestic Driver Magazine is a place to show what you can do to with your car while learning what others American-car enthusiasts are doing as well. We hope to become a catalyst in increasing the domestic tuner population. This magazine is family-friendly and therefore does not feature female models. Domestic Driver is intended for those who want to focus on domestic cars. We are a Christian-owned and operated magazine, so putting cars first in a person’s life is not our goal. We also don’t want drivers to endanger themselves or others because of unwise choices. After all, there are many more important things in life than cars; like having faith in Christ and accepting Him as Savior and Lord - so if you were to die you would have eternal life with Him in heaven. 4 || | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING TO DOMESTIC DRIVER Featured Rides Checklist: • 10+ pictures taken with a 5MP+ digital camera (exterior, interior, trunk, engine...) • 8-20 paragraph article written in the third person. Please don’t simply write a history of your car. Try to make it interesting and different. Write about how it handles and what the modifications have improved or anything else you think should go in there. • Modifications list categorized by Performance / Audio & Visual / Control / Show • Any extra’s such as dyno sheets, 0-60mph times, track times... Reader’s Rides Checklist: • 4+ pictures taken with a 3MP+ digital camera (exterior, interior, trunk, engine...) • 1-2 paragraphs about your car - not including modifications. • Modifications list categorized by Performance / Audio & Visual / Control / Show How To Should contain at least four pictures (taken with a 3+ MegaPixel camera) of the steps taken in the how-to. Must include a complete article that provides our readers with a step-by-step guide to the final result. Computer Edited Photo Must have at least 2 images (before and after) at a resolution of 3MP+. Please include any tips you might have for our readers and how you made it. Product Review If you have road tested a new product please send us several pictures and include a full article describing your thoughts about it, how it performed or looked, and if you would buy it again or not. Give it a rating if you would like. News If you have any inside information be sure to send it to us first! We are all about exclusives! Club Insider If your mostly-domestic car club would like some exposure all you have to do is send some photos of your club members’ cars in a group and individually with an article about the club and each member’s car. Events If you have attended any domestic car related event, please send us all the pictures that you have of the event. Please include a 4-20 paragraph article on the event along with the event results. Wreckage Must have at least 1 picture (taken with a 3+ MegaPixel camera) of a wrecked or severely damaged domestic compact. Please include the story of how it happened. Letters To be in the Letters section Email us something about the Domestic Sport Compact scene in general or the magazine. Anything else We are always looking for new stuff to put in our magazine. Just send in your ideas. Rally action is always good. So are drifting, burnouts and track race-pictures and information. Things to remember when submitting All pictures that you send to us must be your own pictures that you took or have permission to give us. Please include who we should give credit to for the submission. You may also include your e-mail address so readers can contact you with any questions they may have. By sending in your articles and photos you are giving us full rights to it. Also, please keep all submissions exclusive to us until after we have printed and distributed the issue containing your submission. If your submission is used you will get a free copy of the issue it’s in! Send all submissions to contact@domesticdriver.com Owner: Dan Ciobanu Car: 1993 Ford Probe GT Location: Sacramento, CA ¼ Mile: 11.91 @ 114.87 mph (on stock motor + Nitrous) About: This is FrankenProbe, a former 1993 Ford Probe GT. It began life as a trailer-queen in the summer of ‘05 when a fully built motor and turbo kit were installed thanks to sponsor KeenKelly. Although it is still a full unibodied car, all non-essential systems were removed and all glass replaced with NIRA-legal lexan. It is expected to make in excess of 400hp on the dyno in early October when the final components are added. I decided to stick with a Ford Probe because it wasn’t the mainstream import racer like a Honda or DSM, making the car more unique. All modifications were done in my garage by myself and other BAPOC members (Bay Area Probe Owners Club). We hope to stand out in the tuner crowd for the remainder of the ‘05 show and race schedule. The full car details are at www. frankenprobe.com READERS RIDES Modifications: Performance: - OEM 2.5L V6 DOHC 24-valve engine - Crower billet rods - ARP rod bolts - JE 9.5:1 pistons - Competition 5-angle valve job - 65mm bored throttle body - Ceramic coated turbo collectors & downpipe - Tial 35mm external wastegate - Unorthodox Racing underdrive pulley - 550cc injectors (52lb) - Walbro 255lph high pressure fuel pump - Nitrous Express 75-shot wet setup - Kirkey aluminum drag seat - Lexan windows all around - MegaSquirt’n’Spark engine tuning software w/laptop - And so much more we don’t have room for Control: - SWRacecars 8-pt rollcage - front & rear coil over setup - 500lb/in rear and 450lb/in front springs - Tokico Illumina 5-way adjustable struts - Weld Racing 15x8 Front & 15x4 Rear wheels - Mickey Thompson 26x8.5x15 Fr & 8x4.5x15 Rr skinnies - Goodridge stainless steel brake lines - TMS stainless steel clutch line Show: - 2-tone paintjob - Autometer Guages - Grant GT steering wheel Owner: Josh Koch Car: 2000 Dodge Neon Location: North Carolina ¼ Mile: 13 seconds About: My car started off as a 2000 Dodge Neon ES but quickly transformed into something else when I purchased a totaled 2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4 and basically used everything from under its hood and chassis. The final product is a 13-second 1/4 mile “Dodge Neon”. Modifications: Performance: - 2003 SRT-4 motor/trans/turbo/exhaust/etc. - Mopar Stage 1 turbo upgrade & blow-off valve - K&N Typhoon cold air intake - Deyeme firm motor mounts - Greddy catch can - TurboXS manual boost controller - APEXi S-AFC Control: - Eibach Sportline springs - Energy Suspension bushing set - Excel 17” Gunmetal rims - 215/40/ZR17 Nitto NeoGen rubber Show: - Edge Aerospoiler (chin spoiler) - European export taillights Audio & Visual: - JVC Arsenal head unit - MTX speakers all around w/ 10” sub Domestic Dr i v e r | | | 5 READERS RIDES Owner: Brad Brabson Car: 2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4 About: Yes, a Neon. Other than sharing a chassis and name, the similarities end there. In stock form, the car is known to make over 230hp at the wheels, but that wouldn’t quite cut it for me. I started off small with the usual bolt-ons. Yeah, like that was going to be enough! The car was sent away to Psi-Fi Motorports in NJ for a 150+ hp upgrade. Naturally, my wallet was a little lighter on the trip home, but who cares? No one expects 400 hp in a Neon, especially that supercharged Mustang owner that laughed at me right before getting a great view of my tail lights. The car has taken over two years and more than $10,000 to transform into a tarmac-terror. Stopping, starting and turning; this car does it all, and does everything very well except holding its resale value. Modifications: Performance: - Psi-Fi Motorsports: Cold air intake, piggy back ecu, 2nd gen large front mount intercooler, turbo exhaust manifold - Lorenzo Inc 60mm throttle body with adapter plate - Neonparts solid transmission mount - Maxx Fab 3” downpipe with high flow catalytic converter - 3” catback exhaust with resonator and dual 4” chrome tips - Turbosmart Ultragate 38mm wastgate - Garret gt30R turbo - Walboro 225lph fuel pump - RC engineering 750cc injectors - Crane 14 turbo grind cams with titanium springs - Fidanza adjustable cam gears Control: - Psi-Fi Motorsports billit lower control arms - Mopar stage 2 coilovers - Mopar 25mm front swaybar - DC Sports front strut tower bar - Pwerks rear strut tower - EBC green brake pads - Mopar short through shifter - MB Motorsports Weapon 18X7.5 wheels in bronze with Falken RT615s in 235/40’s - Kosie K1 racing wheels (x2) in white on 24.5X8.5X15 M&H Slicks with tubes Show: - Blitz dcc ii turbo timer - MPX C/F fog light covers - 35% window tint - RVM C/F hood & decklid Audio & Visual: - Kenwood 922 MP3 player - MTX 952 2ch amp with all street wires - (2) 10inch Sony dvc subs (sealed) - (1) Corbeau A4 black racing seat Owner: Dave Brooks Car: 2004 Saturn ION Location: Gainesville, FL About: This car is 100% American. The slant tip exhaust, chrome 5 spokes, lack of neon...all of this says “American”. The red, silver and blue colors of this car are also American, but they represent Red Bull, too. The blue on the calipers, engine and shift knob, against metallic silver with red subwoofers, all work together to help me show the world how much I love (and need) the stuff. I’m not totally against rycers. I even started a business selling quality parts to real rycers. Head over to www.rycekits.com to check it out. Modifications: Performance: - Secret Weapon air intake - Custom bored TB to 55 mm - Cat Removed - 2.25” custom exhaust using Flowmaster muffler Control: - Eibach pro springs - Goodyear performance tires - Shortened shifter with Silver and blue shift knob Audio & Visual: - Four 6.5” Memphis midrange - Eclipse headunit - Two 10” Sony Xplod subs with 500w Kenwood amp - 17” Chrome 5-spokes by DBL-G - Lowered 2” (springs) - Removed pin stripes and “ion” logo on trunk - Blue calipers with black drums (blue drums are illegal) - 80/100 Hyperwhite bulbs 6 || | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r READERS RIDES Owner: Kevin Whitehead Car: 2005 Chevy Cobalt Location: Lockport, IL About: I originally went out looking for an ‘03-’04 Cavalier LS sport with my dad. We got to the dealership and (of course) the Cobalts were all up front and out of my price range. I decided I liked them, so we went for a test drive and I was basically sold after that: I knew I wanted a Cobalt. Before we went back to buy it, we found an awesome deal at a different dealership. It was not the color I wanted, but because it was much cheaper, we bought it. I couldn’t be happier. I love the color now and it goes a lot better with the black and blue theme I’ve got going. I am an active member of cobaltss.net and I may have one of the most modified non-S/C Cobalts out there. I slowly get things as money comes, but I’ve only had the car since May, so I think I’ve got a lot accomplished to it since then. Modifications: Performance: - Injen warm air intake Control: - Eibach Pro Kit lowering springs - 18” Damani Tech-5 gunmetal rims w/ Hankook tires Show: - McCulloch 6000K HID headlights - Painted headlight housing black - Carbon fiber OEM hood - Cleared out corners Domestic Dr i v e r | | | 7 ver 65 Berettas and more than 150 people made it to this year’s annual Berettafest. The event was held in Cleveland, Ohio, from June 23 to 26. The group hotel was infested with Berettaheads from all over the continent along with their friends and family. There were Bfest veterans as well as newcomers putting faces to the screen names seen on Beretta.net and Bstuff.com. Berettafest is as much about the people as it is about the cars. Some attendees no longer own Berettas, they come just to see the friends made through a common interest in Berettas. 8 || | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r Scheduled events included a group dinner, go cart races and laser tag at Magic Mountain Fun Center, drag racing at Marion County International Raceway, ^^ Partial group photo 2005 car show, awards ceremony and barbecue at Alum Creek State Park along with an autocross event. Berettafest is the large st an of Chevy Berettas on the nual gathering planet The group hotel was the site of many memorable antics. The “Cack Shack” tent supplied by Erich Dethloff was a staple of the parking lot hangout, nestled between dozens of Berettas. S TO C K O R E X T E R I Dave Holst’s S TO C K 1996 Z26 R I N T E R I O Mike Pride’s 1 S TO C K 8 8 - 9 0 990 GTZ R I N T E R I O Dave Holst’s C U S TO M 1996 Z26 O R E X T E R I Jon Janke’s 1 C U S TO M 9 1 - 9 6 995 Base R I N T E R I O Dennis Pape’s C U S TO M 1990 GTZ R I N T E R I O 8 8 - 9 0 9 1 - 9 6 995 Base Jon Janke’s 1 B E S T O F A F E S T B E R E T T Paul Keller’s TU 1988 Turbo G Domestic Dr i v e r | | | 9 S TO C K 2 . 0 / 2 . 2 S TO C K V 6 S TO C K Q U A D Dan Bundy’s 2005 Cobalt SS Mr. Mike’s 1993 GT 5-speed 4 Carl Millinder’s 1990 GTZ M O D N / A V 6 M O D N / A Q U A D Jamie Cole’s 1994 Z26 4 Mike Fischer ’s 1992 GTZ FA S T E S T O F B E R E T TA F E S T Scott Garabedian’s 1994 Z26 S/C 3400 5SPD 10 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r Track night was very hot and humid, but that didn’t stop dozens of Berettas from competing. Several rounds of test and tune took place with an eliminations tournament following. Jason Meleg’s 1994 Z26 took the top spot in the brackets with Ron Meleg behind the wheel. In the finals the winning ET was a 16.87 on a 16.8 dial-in. The fastest V6 was a supercharged 3400 5-speed that ran a corrected 13.7 at 103 mph. The fastest I4 was a supercharged Quad 4 that put out a corrected 14.6 at 101 mph with excessive wheelspin. The group hotel was the site of many memorable antics. The weather was so warm that many Bfesters stayed at the hotel and hung out with each other rather than sight seeing in Columbus. A tent in the parking lot dubbed the “Cack Shack” was a favorite spot escape the sun and hotel rooms to enjoy the weekend with fellow Beretta owners. ^^ Thursday night go-cart racing after check-in E N D L E S S R I D E Sha Sh an ne e Davis’s 47 hour M I L L I O N M I L E trip Brian Kramer ’s 24 G A R A G E 7k GT Q U E E N Dave Holst’s 54k WAT E R M E L O N Z26 Aaron Choate’s an T I N tics F O I L Jim Card’s barbec B F E S T O R ue skills B U S T Chris MIllinder’s GTZ ood Story by Eric W of Beretta.net Photos courtesy members and Bstuff.com Domestic Dri v e r | | | 1 1 The Queen Z 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 T his 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 nicknamed Queen Z has been featured in Domestic Driver once before, but has come a long way since that first issue was released. This unique vehicle has gone through several major transformations in just under a year. Queen Z has won many “Best of Show” trophies as well as other awards both nationally and internationally during the past 2005 show season. It has also been featured in television shows and other magazines. To build her dream car, Ashley Becker teamed up with Joe Hudson and Superior Auto Body of Great 12 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r Falls, Montana. She started the Queen Z project in the middle of December, 2004, and finished it at the beginning of May, 2005, just in time for the 2005 show season. Her goal was to make it one of the top show cars in the nation. The exterior is where Queen Z really shines. The first thing you notice when looking at Queen Z is her beautiful three-tone House of Kolor Platinum Pearl Silver, Pearl Silver over Kandy Apple Red, and Charcoal Metallic paint job. Once your eyes make it past the eye-“Kandy,” you’ll notice the custom body work ranging from a one-off custom wide body to the RKSport Pro Stock Spoiler molded into the trunk lid. A custom-painted Fiber Images carbon-fiber hood and unique taillights made of aftermarket RX-7 tails are a nice touch. Domestic Dri v e r | | | 1 3 The Queen Z Queen Z is also equipped with a Lamborghini-style door conversion and eye-catching 19” Racing Hart wheels that seem to get swallowed up due to the Easy Street Air Lift Technologies strut system that can literally put the Queen Z‘s body on the ground! Lastly, Ashley decided a brake upgrade was in store, so she chose to install complete Baer big brake systems for the front and rear, including 13” crossdrilled up front, 12” rotors out back and four-piston calipers all around. This Cavalier is not just about external sweetness. There are some treats on the inside, too. The most eye catching thing about the interior (besides the matching fiberglass panels) is the back-seat area, which is where you find chrome Audiobahn 12-inch Flame Excursion Subs in a fiberglass enclosure along with a billet chrome NOS Bottle with billet brackets. The cockpit also has five LCD monitors for entertaining onlookers, leather racing seats with red stitching and multiple MOMO Italy accessories. The trunk holds two Audiobahn amps and an Audiobahn capacitor, all displayed in a custom drop floor wrapped in black vinyl. 14 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r But wait! Ashley did not just make the Queen Z all show and no go. She knew if she wanted to compete with the big boys on the national show circuit she would have to give her engine a boost. She decided to turbo charge her 2.4 liter DOHC engine using a Garret T/3-T/4 turbine. Along with the turbo, she installed a stainless turbo manifold, a Tial 38mm wastegate, TurboXS BOV, 310cc fuel injectors, MSD high flow fuel pump, a huge FMI and many more performance adding goodies to complete the turbo kit and make her power plant stronger. The Queen Z is also equipped with a nitrous oxide system with purge kit that’s vented out both sides of her front bumper. In the near future The Queen Z PERFORMANCE - Garret Hybrid T3/T4 T04 V-Band turbocharger - Stainless turbo manifold - Tial 38mm wastegate - Exhaust downpipe - Holly NOS Nitrous Oxide System - Holly NOS dual purge kit vented out of front bumper vents - High flow exhaust - Huge 24”/31”/3” front mount intercooler - Custom 2.5” intake/intercooler piping - Silicone connectors & hose clamps - High flow catalytic converter - Beltronics Vector FX1 performance timer/accelerometer - 310cc fuel injectors - MSD high flow fuel pump - TurboXS manual boost controller - TurboXS BOV - Greddy turbo timer CONTROL - Racing Hart 19x7.5 RH Evolution C5 wheels - Toyo Proxy-4 225/35/19 tires - Easy Street air ride strut system front & rear - Easy Street air ride clear 10 switch box - Easy Street 5 gallon air tank & chrome viair compressor - Baer Track 13inch cross drilled & slotted big brake kit with 4-piston calipers in the front - Baer track 12inch slotted drum to disc conversion with 4-piston calipers in the rear - Baer metallic performance brake pads - Baer teflon stainless steel braided brake lines front & rear MODI F IC ATIONS - RK Sport pro stock wing molded into trunk lid with shaved 3rd brake light - Custom taillights using parts of aftermarket rx-7 tails - Auto Loc door popper kit - Varad red led under car lighting, suspension lighting, & headlight strobes - 2-Tone paint job with House of Kolor kandy apple red over platinum pearl silver - Fiberglass door panels, rear panels, dash, center console, speaker box replacing rear seat - Black leather racing seats w/ red stitching w/ tv’s - Momo black tuner steering wheel, steering wheel hub, shift knob, pedal kit, grid t200 alloy floor mats - Lotek 3 gauge a-pillar pod w/autometer boost, voltmeter, and air fuel ratio gauges AUDIO, VISUAL & SECURITY - Kenwood kvt-815 DVD 7” motorized in-dash touch screen TFT monitor DVD/CD/MP3/WMA receiver - Jl 100 amp 12-volt converter - (4) Audiobahn 12” aw1206t 2200 watt subs - (2) Audiobahn a2200hct 1600 watt amps - Audiobahn acap601q digital flame-amp style 6 farad capacitor - (2) 7.2” flat panel LCD screens in back of seats - (2)Custom 7.2” TFT LCD monitors in sun visors - Stinger sp800 dry cell car audio battery - Cerwin vega 6x9s, 4x6s, tweeters - Clifford security system - Directed audio video amplifier SHOW - One-off custom wide body - Molded and customized full drift body kit - Decah vertical doors - Fiber Images carbon fiber ss style ram air hood Ashley says she plans on installing new performance cams, forged pistons and forged H-beam connecting rods that are stashed away in her garage. As the car goes through more changes in preparation for the 2006 show season, we can only wait to see what else can possibly be done to this custom J-body. Ashley will be teaming up with Audiobahn and many other companies to fully complete the Queen Z. She would like to thank her sponsors - Superior Auto Body, Meguiars and Audiobahn. A big thank-you goes out to her husband, Ian, for all of his help and support, as well as Ashley’s parents, Mike and Kerry Crain, for everything they have done for her. Ashley would also like to thank Larry Mull and family along with Team GMCI Racing for helping Queen Z become one of the top cars on the NCCA Circuit and for taking a chance on her and her car by inviting them into their car club and family. For more information and updates on this jaw dropping Cavalier, check out teamgmciracing.com and cardomain.com/ride/325547. Domestic Dri v e r | | | 1 5 Feroce 1985 Pontiac Fiero SE W hen Ed decided to build this car he was 57 years old. It is not the first car Ed has completed, but he wanted to have something that nobody else has or could have. He started with a 1985 Pontiac Fiero SE V6 and added a $6,000.00 Fino body kit courtesy of V8 Archie in Chicago, Ill. “I chose the body kit because no other car on the road looks like it,” said Ed. “The front end is very nostalgic looking - like a Lotus from the 50’s and 60’s.” According to Ed, “A re-body is a start, but it is not a bolt-on job that can be done in a weekend.” Apparently, there is a lot of work to be done including fitting all parts by adding filler, 16 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r shimming, making brackets and then making parts to fill in areas that are not covered by the new body. This makes the car flow and look like it rolled off the assembly line at General Motors. Not only does the outside look good but the interior is just as impressive. The old interior was completely removed and the entire area was cleaned and painted, then all new insulation was put in. The wrap-around dash, center console, door panels and leather seats from PISA look like they were made for the car. New black carpet came from the Fiero store, while the headliner, rear area cover and sun visors had to be custom made by Ed. The trunk was completely redesigned to fit the new body and exhaust, and custom panels were fabricated to close all gaps. Leakproofing the trunk was another area of concern. The front compartment (remembering that there is no engine in the front of a Fiero) also needed to be redesigned to keep it dry, including removal of the master cylinder and brake booster to gain access to the floor, then stripping and painting the area before it was completely carpeted. Removal of the radiator, fan and shroud was necessary to move the new fan in front of the radiator. Closeouts were created to clean up the headlight area. Let’s not forget the sound system that begins with a Kenwood CD radio and 10-disk changer in the trunk. Front speakers and subwoofer are by Kenwood and the rear speakers are Infinity. There were originally no rear speakers in the ’85 Fiero, so adding them to the B-pillars was no small task considering the amount of metal cutting required. All of Ed’s previous cars have had a name, so he called his new creation Feroce, which is Italian for “Ferocious.” He then went to work on the logo for the car. The snake (in the shape of an “F”) on the front is a venomous Coral snake. The Coral snake was used because the Cobra and Viper Domestic Dri v e r | | | 1 7 were already in use. PPG Mandarin Orange Metallic was shot for the base color then ghost flames in a silver-blue were added. They are most noticeable when light hits them or you are up close. The complete suspension was replaced with Held Motor Sports’ Sport/ Widetrack Suspension, then widened 3” to fit the new body. Adjustable coilover shocks, fabricated tubular upper and lower control arms, polyurethane control arm bushings, three-way adjustable shocks and a high performance 1” diameter front sway bar keep the wheels firmly on the ground. Ed stayed with the factory brakes for insurance reasons (just in case they get picky). He installed stainless steel lines throughout the car, including stainless steel braded to all four corners. The calipers were replaced with stock rebuilt, and he used cross-drilled and slotted rotors along with a new master cylinder. Ed selected 18 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r Enkei RS6 17 X 7 wheels wrapped with Nitto NT 555 225/40ZR – 17 tires. All this made an extreme difference in the way the car handles. The stock 2.8L engine was tired and need to be replaced. Ed chose the 3.4L V6 Chevy Engine from a 1995 Pontiac Firebird and had it rebuilt and bored 030 over with Hypereutectic Pistons giving Feroce a 10.25:1 compression ratio. 3800 Valves, HD Springs, Comp performance Cam and 17 lb injectors were icing on the cake. He then backed it up with a 1988 Fiero MODI F IC ATIONS PERFORMANCE -1995 Firebird 3.4 V6 Chevy engine -Bored .030 -Hypereutectic pistons 10.25:1 -Comp Cams performance camshaft -Heads 3800 valves, HD springs -17-pound injectors -1988 transmission with lower gear ratio CONTROL -Front & Rear Coil-over shock with powder coated tubular control arms -Adjustable shocks front & Rear -Enkei RS6 17 x 7 rims -Nitto Tires front & rear NT 555 225/40ZR-17 SHOW automatic transmission with lower gear ratios for quicker starts in town. Ed knew what he wanted in an exhaust system, but designing it was much easier than building it. He wanted center exhaust with four chrome pipes so the bottom of the trunk needed to be cut off 12” just to make room for the new system. Then the rear lower fiberglass valance needed to be reworked to complement the new exhaust exits. Construction began in February of 2002 and Feroce showed the first time at the Detroit Autorama in February of 2003. Ed took 1st place in the Full Sport Class. Ed told us that the best compliment he received at the Detroit Autorama was that his car “looks like it just rolled off the General Motors production assembly line.” Ed is considering a 3800SC engine install, even though he is very happy with the power he has now. Out of the many trophies Ed’s car has taken, Best of Show, Best Interior and Best Engineered say it all when describing this work of art. -Speedhut white faced gauges -Grant steering wheel -Remote control start, doors locks, engine compartment and power windows -Embroidered center console and front & rear compartments -Sun visors and headliner custom made -PISA Wrap-around dash, center console, leather seats and euro door panels. -Four chrome center exhaust pipes -Steel braded hoses -Snake hubcap covers -Snake center steering wheel cover -Feroce aluminum emblem in front grill -Powder coated intake and valve covers AUDIO, VISUAL & SECURITY -Kenwood radio/CD -10-disk changer in trunk -Kenwood Front speakers and subwoofer -Infinity rear speakers THANKS TO -Kevin Personious (paint) -Gary Floate (snake & flames) -V8 Archie (Fino body kit) -Bob Steiger (engine) -Bruce DeLong vinyl graphics PERFORMANCE 0-60MPH..............................6.7 sec / MILE..................................14.7 sec 1 4 Domestic Dri v e r | | | 1 9 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 CavyTech 20 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r Domestic Dri v e r | | | 2 1 R ight outside Chicago, a 2002 Cavalier is being transformed. CavyTech is the name given to this custom Cavalier. Owner Ronnie “C” teamed up with master installer and owner of SoundzPlus, Marty Deane. They made their plans to build an amazingly creative show car with one goal in mind - to build a car that fits together and wasn’t over the top. After 3 weeks of planning and gathering parts, the project began with clean lines and a unique custom feel. The exterior of the car was refreshed even though the paint was just 3 months old. Cream white base with a pearl blue finish was the paint-theme of choice. They left the Accord/Prelude headlight-conversion in place, but the front end was changed using a Blitz bumper which was built up and around the new headlights. A radical change to the rear of the vehicle was made using LED chopper/motorcycle tail lights. The GT side skirts and fenders were molded into the Drift side skirt, creating just one piece that is molded into the door jams. The Lambo-door set up also makes for a great custom look. The car is accented by 18-inch ADR rims with a set of RK Sport Ground Control coil-overs. With the mods, the exterior of the car has a supreme feel and an amazing custom look. The focus for the ’05 season was the exterior, so the interior needed work for ‘06. Picking the fabric was a big decision. Since this project was to be something special, the choice was easy…snake skin suede! Auto Meter 22 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r gauges were molded in where the stock dash cluster once sat and a Racing steering wheel with a short throw B&M shortshifter was installed. The door handles and locks were shaved off, so the doors now open with poppers under the steering column. With Sony’s in-dash DVD/CD player at the heart of the entertainment system, the 7-inch touch-screen TVs and Sony door-mounted speakers keep this car thumpin’. All air vents were covered and shaved to give the interior a nice clean look. The headliner was also covered in snake skin, but that’s not what is unique about it. “CAVWHAT” is what you’ll see if you look up from the passenger seat. The interior was also customized with new white carpet and Tenzo Rally racing seats, giving the interior a true custom look and feel. This one-of-akind interior is what makes this Cavalier a work of art. Other custom upgrades were added to give the Cavalier more personality. Under the hood, a new intake was installed and a swaybar was added. The MODI F IC ATIONS PERFORMANCE - Intake - DTM exhaust 3 inch cap back - Short throw B/M shifter - 15 Lbs NOS CONTROL - Sway bar - 3 inch drop Ground Control coil-overs - Momo sSteering wheel - Bf Goodrich Scorchers - 18’ ADR rims SHOW DTM exhaust with 3-inch cat-back gives the car a racy look, but the most unique custom piece under the hood is the snakeskin battery cover. Ronnie “C” would like to thank the many people that have helped build this custom Cavalier, including Extreme Demotions, Sony and AutoMeter. Special thanks go out to Marty Deane of SoundzPlus for the long hours and amazing work. As we will have to wait to see what the ‘06 season has in store for CavyTech, we do know that it will be something special. More info on this custom cavalier can be found at www.CavWhat.com. - Tenzo Rail 2 racing seats - AutoMeter C2 gauges - Suede Snakeskin - Shaved interior door handles - now on solenoids - Shaved / smoothed the headliner - Raised Logo - Shaved /smoothed out the dash pad - Shaved all the turnsignal/ wiper switches - Shaved center console rapped in snake skin - White carpet - Blue snake skin rear deck - Snake skin battery cover - Lambo-door Conversion - Custom Accord headlights - Custom LED tail-lights - GT widebody fender flares - Blitz front end - Drift side skirts - Drift rear - Custom Paint white/ with blue pearl - Molded sides (indoor door jams) - Shaved inner tail lights AUDIO & VISUAL -7 Inch TVs in the doors/ PS2 - 15 Farad Alumapro cap - Sony In-Dash DVD player - Sony component speaker - Xtant amp - Alpine type E subs - Playstation 2 - DreamCast - GameCube Domestic Driv e r | | | 2 3 3rd Annual V6Z24.COM BASH Kalamazoo, MI W hat is up with all these Cavaliers? That’s what you could hear bystanders mumbling as they watched the horde of J-bodies flock in from all across the US and Canada. The 3rd annual V6Z24.com bash kicked off Friday night, July 22, 2005 at the US 131 Motorsports Park ¼ mile drag strip. The two previous bashes had been held in “Corn Country” (Cedar Falls, IA), but in hopes of drawing a larger crowd, it was moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Continuing with the historic itinerary, the Friday night race would be followed by a car show and cookout on Saturday, with breakfast farewells to an all-too-short, but oh-so-fun weekend on Sunday. The cars funneled into the track right as the gates opened. 15 cars turned out to race, including three cars driven by the GM Performance Division. One Saturn Ion and two Chevy Cobalt SS’s joined our J’s, the fastest of which was pulling mid-14’s with only minimal bolt-ons. As for V6Z24. com members, they ran the gamut from a 22 second quarter mile (hold on to your hat!) to the quickest time of 14.94@ 92.8 mph. The night was hot and sticky, causing slower than expected times by all. Regardless, the look on a drivers face after getting roasted by a Cavalier is always priceless. Saturday morning was spent cleaning and detailing cars in preparation for the big show. Drivers invaded the local car wash (including the next-door laundromat for quarters) and started cleaning away! With the cars all spit-shined and polished, they headed off to Markin Glen Park for the show. All together, there were 30 cars participate in the show. The laid back afternoon was spent talking with the GM Performance Engineers and checking out the impressive J-bodies. After the highly skilled volunteers grilled some mean burgers and dogs, the winners were announced. Following the awards ceremony, a heavy rain washed away all the shine, so they moved on to the highly anticipated raffle. Over $1800 in prizes, ranging from bumpers to gift certificates, were up for grabs. Many of the event sponsors were kind enough to 24 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r 3RD ANNUAL V6Z24.COM BASH donate their products. Some desperate souls bought 20 or more of the $5 tickets, hoping to win big. Fortunately for some of them, it really paid off! Everyone met at Perkins Sunday morning (well, those of us who weren’t crazy enough to hit the road at 5am) to reminisce over the weekends festivities. Bittersweet memories of the drunken hotel include the maintenance guy who gave away VIP access to the pool and Pablo-the-crazy-Canadian with his feeble attempts to get lucky with the waitress. As it has always been, the V6Z24.com bash isn’t just about the cars, but hanging out with the cool people who make the website what it is. Being able to put a face with a username is always a great experience. Next year the bash will probably move back to the corn, but Michigan was still a great time! As anybody will attest, once you have been to one V6Z24.com bash, no drive is too far. Thanks to Brad Andresen and Jason Bradwell EVENT SPONSORS: - A Plus Performance - Black Cat Custom - Diza Racing - FX Designs - Jbody Performance - Fast Forward Performance - Car Customs - Lotek - Domestic Driver Magazine R E S U LT S : 1st Place J-body: Kevin Richter (1998 Cavalier Z24) 2nd Place J-body: James Cahill (1994 Cavalier) 3rd Place J-body: Brad Andresen (1992 Cavalier Z24) People’s Choice: Brad Andresen (1992 Cavalier Z24) Fastest ¼ mile: Brad Andresen (1992 Cavalier Z24) Best non-J-body: Cory Lind (2000 Ford Focus) Domestic Driv e r | | | 2 5 CLUB INSIDER The Chesapeake Fiero Club (CFC) may have only been created eight months ago, but the experience accumulated by these rear-engine enthusiasts reaches back for decades. 35 members strong, the CFC is based in southern Maryland, even though its members stretch across the globe - from Texas to Iceland. The club does not have a president, so with no time devoted to making rules and regulations, they can focus on what they crave: their cars - and showing them off. Their passion for these often misunderstood 2-seaters is what ties them together despite their vast differences. Those that are not full-time students make their living with jobs like body repairman, professional auto painter, neon-sign designer, musician and flight simulator builder, just to name a few. A few of the guys from CFC recently got together at the Maryland International Raceway for some food, drink, photos and drag racing. They went to show off their rides and to show the imports how American sports cars can own the street. It’s easy to see why, with all of the engine swaps this group has done. Shawn Cunningham’s blue 86 GT has a 3400cc DOHC V6 and custom everything that puts down about 215 horsepower. Andrew Cleaver’s green 1984 notchback has been transformed using a Peter Ashdown designed body kit. With the custom interior and a Chevy 350 perched in the back, the only remnants of a Fiero are the roof, frame and suspension. Mike, who has just recently purchased his first Fiero, has a Design-1 Stage I turbo on an ‘87 coupe that’s pushing over 200 hp. His first run down the track is coming soon. Two of the other modified cars seen here are powered by 3800cc supercharged engines transplanted from Pontiac Grand Prix’. They are owned by Earl and Bill Sessions, 26 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r The Chesapeake Fiero Club twin brothers living in Waldorf, Md. Each of these 2800 lb. cars make more than 300 hp, propelling them down the ¼ mile in the low 12’s on street tires. These siblings have been modifying Fieros for more than 30 years combined, so their cars have been an influence on several other CFC members. “I am not saying the Fiero is the greatest car in the world,” said Bill Sessions, “but for cheap thrills, it’s hard to beat. I can reproduce my car minus the paint and rims for under $5K! For the “bang for the buck” factor, that’s hard to beat! Yeah, it’s almost 20 years old, but look at other cars from the 80’s. I think that the Fiero’s looks have held up VERY well.” “Fiero forums are the best thing out there” according to Andrew Cleaver. “When I got into this, the only thing I knew about Fieros was that they were a blast to drive. Now, with the help of club members and other Fiero owners, I can get advice on fixing anything on the car within minutes - just by typing in a question. It’s crazy – the number of Fieros with super-charged V6’s, Cadillac Northstars and even Corvette engines that are out there just waiting on an unsuspecting import.” Anything you have ever wanted to know about Fieros (buying, repairing or modifying) can be found at www.fiero.nl. Information on the Chesapeake Fiero Club can be found at www.chesapeakefieros.com. Once you have ridden in a boosted two-door or felt the rumble of a V8 in a tonand-a-half car, there is no turning back, except to see the competition. Written by Andrew Cleaver, CFC Member Earl Sessions - Waldorf, MD Bill Sessions - Waldorf, MD Shawn Cunningham – Pasadena, MD - 320 hp 3.8L Supercharged V-6 mated to a 4t65e HD automatic transmission - ZZP intercooler - 2.8 pulley providing 11 pounds of boost - XP cam shaft - 325 hp 3.8 liter supercharged V6 - 2.8-3.4 modular pulley system. Allows the smaller pulley for increased boost - ZZPerformance Short Stack intercooler system - ZZPerformance XPHOT cam - 42.5 lb injectors & 105 lb valve springs - Walbro 340 fuel pump - Custom PCM program by Ryan Gick at Sinister Performance - 1992 215 hp 3.4 DOHC engine with an Isuzu 5speed on a 1988 engine cradle - CRX cold air intake routed to an Aus side scoop Car: 1985 Fiero SE known as “HellRazor” Drivetrain Mods: Interior and Exterior Mods: - Nordskog digital speedometer and tach - Aeroforce scan guage - Mr. Mikes leather seats - Custom red and black interior theme by owner - Kenwood self-powered subwoofer behind seat with - Sony and Kenwood speakers in dash and doors Other: - Best quarter mile so far is 12.00@112mph on Nitto street tires - 0-60 in less than 5 seconds - 95% of all work done by owner, including the engine swap and paint Car: 1988 Fiero GT Drivetrain Mods: Interior and Exterior Mods: - Ultra-violet metallic paint - 17 inch Konig Flatline rims in black opal finish - Eibach lowering springs (1.5 inch drop) - Owner-manufactured side scoops with functional cold air intake - Mr. Mikes custom seats Other: - Best quarter mile so far is 12.48@106mph on Falken Azenis street tires - All work except paint was done by the owner Car: 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT known as “Shredd” Drvietrain Mods: Interior Mods: - Mr. Mike’s leather seats - Villian carbon fiber steering wheel and shifter - Carbon fiber headliner and third brake light - Late model GM CD stereo with custom leather wrapped center console & 10” Octane Sub - Custom carpeted front storage area along with front-mounted battery and amp Exterior Mods: - 2003 Corvette Electron Blue paint - Lowered with rear coil-over shocks - Aus Stage 2 scoops - Mustang air scoop on trunk lid with factory spoiler moved back and custom chin spoiler - Custom extractor hood vents - Corvette tail lights - 17x7” front / 18x8” rear Motegi DPK wheels Andrew Cleaver - Waldorf, MD Car: 1984 Fiero notchback known as “Finiero” Drivetrain Mods: - New Chevy 350 LM1 crate engine mated to stock 4-speed usingV8 Archie’s install kit - Edelbrock Torker II intake - Edelbrock 600 CFM carb - Custom dual exhaust through Silver Bullet mufflers - 4-core radiator - High performance starter - Racing clutch - Remote oil filter Interior Mods: - Nordskog Digital Dash – tracks ¼ mile, top speed and 0-60 times - V8 Archie’s dash, door, console and firewall kit - Mr. Mike’s leather seats - Custom carpet with steel diamond tread inserts - Green racing pedals accented with green floor/overhead lights - Green leather-wrapped steering wheel - Pioneer head unit and speakers with 10” sub on center console - Power windows and locks - Remote keyless entry and alarm Exterior Mods: - “Sublime” green paint - V8 Archie’s “Fino” body kit designed by Peter Ashdown - 16” American Racing Estrella wheels - Kumho Z-rated tires 225/45/16 front, 245/45/16 rear Other: - Website: www.finiero.com Domestic Driv e r | | | 2 7 28 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r 1s t Annual GM Small Car Bash A toasty weekend in July brought us to what we thought would be one of the biggest domestic small car gatherings in the country. The size of the show grounds was truly impressive, but with just 230 people participating in the GMSC Bash at Indianapolis Raceway Park, attendance numbers were a bit disap- Indianapolis, IN pointing. The list of things to see and do, however, was not disappointing, beginning with some traditional Friday drag racing. Lines at the track were not long, so those who raced were in hog-heaven. The heat continued through Saturday when the all-day car show took place. The show was accented with events like the USACi (United States Autosound Competition International) sanctioned “Sound-off” competition, XM Satellite’s informative display booth, a bikini contest and some live music. As you can see by the photos, the cars were as impressive as the venue. It was nice to see the many vendors and the large GM Domestic Driv e r | | | 2 9 presence featuring the latest cars from Chevy, Saturn, Pontiac, Saab and the newest performance hardware from GM Accessories. Brand new products like the 2006 2.4L Cobalt SS, Pontiac Solstice and Chevy HHR were on display, as well as custom show cars from GM’s private stable. The informative Chevy Racing Tour was also on display featuring Chevy’s entire racing heritage. Again, the event location was great with a nice track, plenty of space and a good central location. More cars and spectators will be needed to keep this event from losing money in the 30 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r future. Word is that the next GMSC Bash is scheduled for 2007, so you have plenty of time to spread the word. We look forward to coming back in two years to be a part of what we hope will be GMSC’s highest attendance numbers ever! S HOW RESULTS 1st and 2nd Generation J-Body - Original Restored - 1st Bryce Eastlick : ‘93 Chevy Cavalier 1st and 2nd Generation J-Body - Modified - 3rd Christian Geeding : ‘89 Chevy Z24 Conv. - 2nd James Cahill : ‘94 Chevy Cavalier - 1st Andrew Pape : ‘91 Chevy Cavalier Z24 3rd Generation J-Body - Stock - 3rd Bryan Detty : ‘04 Z24 Chevy Cavalier - 2nd Dave Bellanger : ‘04 Chevy Cavalier - 1st Ben Wenzel Jr. : ‘04 Chevy Cavalier Cavalier ‘95-99 - Street - 3rd Kevin Richter : ‘98 Black Chevy Cavalier Z24 - 2nd Casey Palmatier : ‘99 Chevy Cavalier - 1st Ryan Bauman : ‘99 Chevy Cavalier Z24 Cavalier ‘95-99 - Mild - 3rd Todd Miller : ‘95 White Chevy Cavalier - 2nd Laurie Lomax : ‘97 Chevy Cavalier - 1st David Ingram : ‘97 Chevy Cavalier & Roslyn Dolan : ‘97 Chevy Cavalier Cavalier ‘95-99 - Wild - 3rd Shane O’Brien : ‘96 Chevy Cavalier Z24 - 2nd Terry Mazzeo : ‘99 Chevy Cavalier Z24 - 1st Drew Smith : ‘95 Chevy Cavalier Cavalier ‘00-05 - Street - 3rd Joe Schulte : ‘01 Chevy Cavalier Z24 - 2nd Jason Knappenberger : ‘04 Chevy Cavalier - 1st Marc Jacques : ‘00 Chevy Cavalier Cavalier ‘00-05 - Mild - 3rd Adam Lochstampfor : ‘02 Chevy Cavalier LS - 2nd Ian Lacey : ‘02 Chevy Cavalier - 1st Dan Oakes : ‘00 Chevy Cavalier Z24 Cavalier ‘00-05 - Wild - 3rd Anthony Jones : ‘00 Chevy Cavalier - 2nd Ryan Egleston : ‘00 Chevy Cavalier - 1st Brandon Fetter : ‘00 Chevy Cavalier Sunfire - Mild - 3rd Angela King : ‘04 Pontiac Sunfire - 2nd Kevin Storry : ‘95 Pontiac Sunfire SE - 1st Jason Carroll : ‘01 Pontiac Sunfire SE Sunfire - Wild - 3rd Tony Sirch : ‘95 Pontiac Sunfire - 2nd Kevin Hopp : ‘01 Pontiac Sunfire GT - 1st Vince Edwards : ‘96 Pontiac Sunfire GT Aveo - Modified - 1st Nathaniel Kelly : ‘04 Chevy Aveo Berretta - Modified - 3rd Al Gaddis : ‘88 Chevy Beretta - 2nd brad hardebeck :’89 Chevy Beretta - 1st Todd Brickbauer : ‘95 Chevy Beretta Cobalt - Stock - 3rd Chris Waine : ‘05 Chevy Cobalt SS - 2nd Jeff Shepard : ‘05 Chevy Cobalt SS - 1st Steve Owen : ‘05 Chevy Cobalt SS Cobalt - Modified - 1st Robert Yurchison : ‘05 Chevy Coblat SS Saturn - Modified - 1st Gary Chamlee : ‘05 Saturn ION Redline Vibe - Modified - 1st Chris Roper : ‘05 Pontiac Vibe Sedan Vibe/Aveo Excluded - Mild - 3rd Andy Hill : ‘99 Pontiac Sunfire - 2nd Jakub Koter : ‘00 Pontiac Sunfire - 1st Todd Miller : ‘02 Chevy Cavalier Z24 Sedan Vibe/Aveo Excluded - Wild - 1st Aaron Lancaster : ‘02 Chevy Cavalier Under Construction - 3rd Place - Liz Thomas : ‘04 Chevy Cavalier - 2nd Place - Steve Haddock : ‘97 Pontiac Sunfire SE - 1st Place - Andy Brooks : ‘03 Pontiac Sunfire Fiero Stock - 1st Place - Brian Blair : ‘88 Pontiac Fiero GT Fiero Modified - 1st Place - Brian Blair : ‘88 Pontiac Fiero GT Grand Am - All - 1st Place - Natasha Jeffries : ‘94 Pontiac Grand Am Sunfire - Street - 3rd Place - Carrie Bachman : ‘02 Pontiac Sunfire GT - 2nd Place - Jason Sommer : ‘99 Pontiac Sunfire - 1st Place - Brian Wolf : ‘03 Pontiac Sunfire Best of Show Stephen Richnafsky : ‘98 Chevy Cavalier Best Custom Interior Trista Hoosier : ‘00 Chevy Cavalier Best Paint Chrystelle Marcil : ‘97 Pontiac Sunfire Best Chevy Kenneth Groves : ‘97 Chevy Cavalier Best Pontiac Gary Voyles : ‘96 Pontiac Sunfire Conv. Best Saturn Adam Wilczak : ‘91 Saturn SL2 Brian Klocke Sportsman Award Karo Mahdessian : ‘02 Chevy Cavalier Event Staff Choice Greg Klocke : ‘01 Chevy Cavalier Domestic Dri v e r | | | 3 1 INTRODUCTION TO AUTOCROSSING A utocross is a form of racing that many people outside the sport know little about. This overlooked motor sport is quickly gaining popularity because of its unique blend of competition and affordability. Autocross events are time trial competitions in which there is no wheel-to-wheel racing involved, meaning that there is only one car on the track at a time. Each driver races against the clock, not against a person in the other lane. Naturally, the winner is determined by the vehicle that completes the course in the shortest time. Autocross is a great starting point for anyone wanting to become a race car driver. It is a safe and cheap way to participate in competitive racing. Autocross events are generally run by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). These events are either sanctioned by the SCCA or are run under their rules by independent clubs. The SCCA calls their autocross events Solo II. Generally speaking, any safe, street legal vehicle can compete. Each driver is placed in a class based on their car’s performance potential (including modifications) and sometimes the racer’s auto-crossing experience. The only classes that are based on experience are the Novice classes, designated for drivers in their first season. There are also open classes and ladies classes. Open classes are for all experienced drivers and ladies classes are obviously only for ladies. The best way to find out which class your car fits into is to order a copy of the SCCA Solo II rulebook, or visit www.moutons.org/sccasolo/ for a summary of the classes based on vehicles and modifications. In general, a course is laid out in a large parking lot using traffic cones. Autocross courses are configured to emphasize the driver’s car control skills and car set-up, not speed. However, speeds up to 70 mph may be attained by faster cars. The SCCA and independent clubs hold events in locales across the nation throughout the summer. The best way to find a Image thanks to RJ Marquette 32 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r club in your area is to visit www.scca.org and look for a region near you or do a search for events on any popular search engine. Once you find a local club, you can sign up on-line or in person for the next event. To compete in an autocross event, you must posses the following: a valid driver’s license, proof of being at least 16 years of age, a vehicle that will pass a simple safety inspection and a DOT and Snell approved helmet. If you do not have a helmet, most clubs generally offer loaners. For the best results, you should clean out all loose objects in your car including the spare tire, jack, subwoofers, floor mats, any cargo and basically anything loose that may get caught under your feet. You should also bring a helmet, a signed consent form (if you are under 18), lunch and proper clothing. On the day of the event you should arrive at the race site early enough to get yourself prepared for the day. Autocrossing is generally an all day event, so be prepared. The day will normally start between 8:30 and 9:30am. This gives you time to arrive, check in at the registration tent, change your tires (if you have racing tires), look your car over and get it numbered for the event. For numbering, you can use masking Image thanks to Zach Garretson tape to do the job or, if you want to look more professional, upgrade to magnetic numbers. Once your car is ready and you have checked in, you can take your car to the tech inspection area to get it race approved. At tech inspection, a team will make sure your car is in good racing shape. This inspection will include checking for all wheel studs, a secure battery, removal of loose items, fluid leaks, a valid helmet and a properly assigned number. Once they clear your car to compete, you can head back to the parking lot to prep for the race. Make sure your tire pressures are good and your car has enough gas so you are ready to go. Following the inspection, it is best to walk the course. By doing this, you are able to get an idea of the course layout. Novices are encouraged to walk it with an experienced driver to get some pointers on what to look for. Many times the organizers will offer this opportunity to novice drivers prior to starting an event, or you might just look for someone to help you. It is generally best to walk the course at least twice, so you have a picture of the course in your mind as well as the best way to run it. After all the vehicles have been through tech inspection and registration has closed, the drivers’ meeting is held. Race officials will announce the work and run order. Most large events will have three running heats of vehicles. You will be required to work one heat in addition to running one. By working, you may be picking up cones that drivers have knocked over, working the start or finish line or even announcing. You will also have a heat where you are not running or working so you Image thanks to Carlton Casserilla can take time to watch and get a good idea of how the other drivers are running the course. By watching where they are braking and accelerating, you can get a good idea for yourself when you run. When it is your turn, proceed to the staging lanes and the officials there will get you lined up and ready to go. When they direct you, proceed to the start line to make your run. Follow the cones on the course and strive for the best run possible. Once finished, proceed back to the finish line for your next run. The most important thing for beginners is to try to improve your time with each run. Don’t worry about winning because this is your first event and it is more important to focus on racing than bringing home a trophy. Improvement will come with experience and your times will naturally improve with practice. There is no substitute for seat time in autocross and you will improve as you gain more experience. Usually auto-crossing entails three to five runs, then you head back to the parking lot. If you are working, report to the tent and get your assignment and head out to the course to get ready to work. If you are not working, you will have about two hours to do whatever you want, but it is best to try to watch others and learn what you can by watching from their runs. This may also be a great time to ride with an experienced driver to learn how the experts run the course. It is best to simply ask around to find someone who will let you ride along. After you have worked once, run once and had a break, your day is done. You can head back to your car and get it packed up and ready to go. The satisfaction of doing well in autocross is similar to doing well at tennis or golf. This is because driver skill is so much more important than the amount of money spent on the car. When you do well at an autocross, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your skill is what won, not your ability to spend more money than the competition. A driver’s skill usually accounts for at least 75% of his or her success. On the other hand, if you enjoy tinkering with your car, there are classes for modified vehicles as well. These classes can be quite expensive to be competitive in, but they do allow the owner to express himself with different modifications. Autocross is a form of racing that once experienced, you will be hooked like the many other enthusiasts. It is a great and exciting way to spend a Sunday afternoon - which may turn into several afternoons throughout the summer. As you gain experience, you will compete better, but remember that it takes time. Don’t worry if you do not win a trophy or finish in the top half of the class right away because you are racing against experienced drivers most of the time, and they have honed their skills. I hope you have learned a good amount about how auto-crossing works today. Autocross is something every car enthusiast should try at least once, as it is an experience you will not soon forget. You will also learn many techniques for performance driving that will subsequently improve your daily driving. Check it out, be safe and have fun!! For more information on beginning in autocross, you can visit the following sites: Forums: • www.solo2.org • www.sccaforums.com Rules, local regions: • www.scca.org Classing information: • www.moutons.org Novice Handbook: • www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm Written by: Jason Helferich Thanks to: www.streetstylecustoms.com Image thanks to Ken Stefancic DRAG RACING: S TAGING AND T E S T- A N D - T U N E T I P S F or those interested in drag racing, the fear and uncertainty of how things work can keep you from ever approaching the line. A good place to start is at a test-and-tune event. When running in a test-and-tune, don’t worry about a thing. It’s all practice time where you get to iron out your launch timing and try different strategies. There you can find out the best RPM level for your launch, learn about the light tree (when the last amber light illuminates completely - not before and not after!) and get a few runs in back-to-back. Don’t get too mixed up with the weather and how it changes things (track temps, air/fuel mix, etc.). For now - just go have fun! After you get comfortable it’s time to start bracket racing. This is where you’ll learn the terms “breaking out”, etc. Bracket racing is racing against the other guy - as well as yourself. After a few runs, you’ll get an idea of how fast you can go most of the time. Keep the runs identical as best you can; the same launch time, same launch speed, etc. For the sake of argument, let’s say that you are doing a consistent 15-second 1/4 mile. You need to tell the tower (and your opponent) your “dial-in” time. This is the time that you think you will go in the next 1/4. You want to be as close as possible (explained in a few seconds) but you DO NOT want to go faster than the time you post. If you do, you “broke out” and that means an immediate loss. So, you should say that you’ll run a 14.8 just for kicks. Your opponent is a pure drag car, and he posts a 9.8 - a full 5-second difference. Because you have the slower car, the times are subtracted (14.8 - 9.8 = 5.0) and the difference is the amount of a head start that you get. What this does, in theory, is level the playing field. At the end of the 1/4 mile, you both should be side-byside. Got all that? Good! Just don’t leave earlier than the green light or you will “red light”, and that, too, is an immediate loss. So is crossing over the center line. Sit and wait for the green light and you’re “snoozing”, which is costing you time. For those of you wondering about staging, it is very easy, but can also be a big head-game. There are two sets of lights the pre-stage and the staged. When you roll up to the line, the first set of lights will come on (you are now pre-staged). Inch forward and the “staged” lights come on. This tells the tower that you are ready to race. The head-games come into play when people sit on the pre-stage light. You may be anxious to run, sitting with the staged light on, while your opponent s-l-ow-l-y rolls to the line. This waiting game can seem like eternity and can catch you off guard. Tips: - Avoid the water/burn out box. This is used for heating the tires to make them stickier. For cars with good weight distribution, stickier tires are not needed. - Stage. Don’t play the waiting game. It’s not sportsman, and is really only used in the big leagues. - If you question anything, ASK. The track officials are more than happy to answer your questions. They want you to have a good time. - While on the subject of track officials, this is their world. They are the gods here, so their word goes. Make them angry and you might as well pack up the car and head home early. Respect them - they are only trying to keep you safe. - Have Fun! If you loose, no big deal. Seek out that person in the pits that whipped the pants off of you and congratulate them on a good win. You’d be surprised at how far that goes in gaining respect amongst racers, who (when you break something) will soon become your best friends. Article courtesy of Eric Schneck of Boomtastic Racing (www.boomtastic.com) Domestic Driv e r | | | 3 3 IMAGE MANIPULATION This page shows what can be done with modern day imaging software. This quarter we bring you 4 different manipulation’s, all which were submitted by fiero.nl members. In the future we might provide a few different images to work with and sponsor a contest to see who can be the most creative and make the car look better then it did at the beginning. If you are interested in making a submission see our “Submit” page on our web site. Andrew Cleaver (Saxman) BEFORE: AFTER: Joel Rood (justa6) BEFORE: AFTER: Rob Bartlett (MinnGreenGT) BEFORE: AFTER: Mike Moreau (maxsideburn) BEFORE: 34 | | | D o m e s t i c D R i v e r AFTER: WRECKAGE I was on my way to the ER, where I work, on July 26, 2005 in my 04 Chevy Cavalier. I was waiting to make a left turn, stopped by a flashing red light. After a couple seconds, oncoming traffic came to a stop, and I got the green arrow telling me to go. I looked on ahead to see that there was a brown van stopped, and no one in the lane to its left. I was about to shift into second when I heard the sound of tires squealing and experienced a jolt that felt like I was on a roller coaster. I was half a block away from work. I made it there - on a backboard, in a C-Collar and in the back of an ambulance. After hours of tests and radiation, (and being checked on by almost the entire staff of the ER) I was released and set out to see my car. She looked pretty bad, so I grabbed a few things, leaving the B&M Short Throw Shifter and the Weapon R intake for another time. Luckily, my Pacesetter header and Magnaflow exhaust were going to be put on later in the week. It turned out I was hit by a 94 Ford Ranger, which I only remembered as a black blur hours before. I guess he was speeding up to try to make the late yellow, and didn’t stop for the red. I’m sure all Cavalier owners will be pleased to hear that the airbag was rather cushy to hit, so I made it out with only some small cuts on my face and arm, along with some bruising on my hip. All this from getting hit somewhere around 40-50 mph. Bad news however, if I had a passenger with me, they would have been in some serious trouble. Before I even received the official word that she was being totaled I went to work on finding another car. Immediately, the Cobalt SS caught my eye. Once I received my insurance money, I placed my order for a new 06 Laser Blue SS/SC. Only thing left for me to do now is to wait for it to be built and shipped to me before I start all over again, only this time with force induction from the get go. Submission by Tim Tanason Advertisers Index: Submit your Wreckage to appear here in our next issue. 07 Custom Cobalt 23 Street Style Customs 36 Race Performance Parts If your domestic small to mid-sized car was involved in a major accident, please snap a few pictures with your digital camera and show us the aftermath. You can even send us 35mm photos. Even pictures you take for your insurance company will work. Explain in 1-4 paragraphs what happened and what you plan to do next. Send all submissions to contact@domesticdriver.com. ADVERTISE HERE Remember this is the worse way to get into Domestic Driver, so drive safely and pay attention to the road. Please visit our website to check our ad prices. Domestic Driv e r | | | 3 5