by "CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
Published 03/01/2017 at 15:30
by "CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
Published 03/01/2017 at 15:30
Tags: Race car
; 1990s
; corvette
; c4
; confusion
STARS: 1
Race car rant...
I have always had trouble wrapping my head around how rally and vintage race car interiors work. Well not that I don’t understand what is going on, but I guess I mean the need for it all and the functionality. I am much more a visual person and unfortunately no one talks about how they build the interiors of their race cars and what has changed. Aero, engines, power, and safety all get the Youtube videos and articles. But that doesn’t help someone trying to build a race car for the first time you know? Like why did they use that instead of this and where you can find specific information on certain products used at a certain time so you make you car period correct if you were going to.
The guages I understand, they make sense, but then they don’t hook into the factory wiring because they just don’t. So you hook them up to the senor or they have their own to replace the factory option. Or I suppose there are aftermarket ones that will fit you harness. But then you have all the switches. Which are unnecessary in a regular car, but if you are taking a production car and making it a race car, do you need them? Should you have them?
Why are there exposed fuses and relays?! I have a fuse block that I can quickly acces. And it isn’t like I am going to be going down the road and switching out relays while driving...
And then there are things like the proper vintage rally clock. How do yo pick the right era one? I can’t find any info on what was used properly for time periods between 1970 and 2005. Like it is either “vintage” or during the internet. Anything else is just garbage to people cause it isn’t old cars or brand new cars.
I want to build a road rally/ track car out of a C4 and make a C4.R as if Pratt & Miller had done it instead of starting with the C5. I have talked extensively with AfromanGTO about the engine modifications and power output which is all fine and dandy, but that is only a small portion of the car. Anyone know where I could get more information on the building of these cars? So frustrated right now, sorry if this seems like a rant.
"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig)
03/01/2017 at 15:36, STARS: 1
The switches and things activate things like the fuel pump. Some stuff is automatic on a road car, but a manual switch on a race car is one less thing to go wrong. Exposed fuses and relays are easier to swap out if they’re right on the dash. It might only safe you a minute, but you’ll need that minute if you’re racing.
"random001" (random001)
03/01/2017 at 15:41, STARS: 1
Jesus, man. Because Racecar.
"EL_ULY" (uly)
03/01/2017 at 16:13, STARS: 2
Dat enthusiast-gasm doe.
Gimmie fuel pump switch, fan switch, circuit open switch, ignition switch, water pump (electric) switch, Activate all switches switch, Which Wich Switch
MMMMMM!
"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel)
03/01/2017 at 16:18, STARS: 2
The gauges etc. aren’t typically connected to the factory harness because if you are reworking the car to this extent the factory harness ended up in the bin a long time ago. A large portion of the switches are doing the tasks the car would typically do automatically. Things like forcing the fans on, fuel pumps, ignition, starter, defrosters, etc. There are also the safety switches for killing all power in the car along with the additional switches for race car functions such as anti-lag and engine maps. In a rally car there are also adjustments so that the co-driver can handle some of the operation of the vehicle. Switches for headlights, windshield wipers, and other basic things which the co-driver can handle without the need for the driver to get distracted are moved towards the center where either person can get to them. You will see relays and exposed breaker switches in older rally cars because it gives the opportunity for the co-driver to troubleshoot electrical issues while the driver continues to drive. You won’t find exposed relays and breakers on circuit cars without a co-driver.
As for finding the correct vintage equipment your best option is to look at what was in the cars in period. You can also look for items which were produced around the time you want.
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/01/2017 at 16:37, STARS: 0
If we had comments of the day....
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/01/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 0
AI want all this because racecar! I just don’t ... can’t .... have an issue figuring out all I’d need and want and should do cause period correct race car
I.e. 1996
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/01/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 1
I suppose that makes sense.
"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw)
03/01/2017 at 17:07, STARS: 1
If only you knew someone who works in racing, who has built rally cars and knows vintage cars, who perhaps was nearby... and boy it’d be nice if that person had a shop at which you drink beer after work on Fridays and could talk about all this stuff... man, that would be nice.
"random001" (random001)
03/01/2017 at 17:11, STARS: 1
Best bet is to read up on all the specific regulations. There need to be a lot of switched and manual cutoffs based on regulations, etc. Start there?
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/01/2017 at 17:27, STARS: 0
That is a very very good idea
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/01/2017 at 17:28, STARS: 0
Fuck I feel stupid. But then again I do “bug” you quite often. But I know you’re willing, so I will see you Friday. MWA HA HA
By Vintage you mean 1990's right?
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
03/01/2017 at 17:29, STARS: 0
Thanks for the input. All very helpful. I guess that makes sense for rally cars that have a co driver to have more interior functions.