I'll Bite Pat!!!!
I've NEVER been SERIOUS about any vehicle I've autocrossed! But I had more
fun than most can imagine autocrossing 2 Chevettes and 1 Pontiac (Canadian
twin) 1000......... They actually handle quite well and the '83 Pontiac 1000
that I drove to Topeka in 1995 to compete in DSP was basically stock (sagged
springs and ALL and was bought for $75) except for a 32/36 Weber carb and
Non-cat Walker DynoMax exhaust....AND going airborn through a ditch in the
fog that spring REALLY didn't do anything for the front-end
geometry....After 6 or 7 autocrosses that year I went to Topeka for the fun
and found after the first day the the reason for the dartyness on the trip
out was 3/4" of toe-in! I had toe adjustment done that night at the
Goodyear store in Topeka...Gained 2 seconds the next day on my competition!
I measured the steady state skid pad at 1.08 G right and 1.10 G left on
215/50-13 BFG R1's with my G-analyst...BUT 0-60 in 12 seconds just doesn't
make it anymore.....
The 1981 Chevette was more serious and developed up to 1.23 G before
bicycling.....and the one year I had the Pacesetter header and Koni's and
everything working, I couldn't attend Nationals at Salina..due to job
problems...It could attain a 16.9 quarter mile(with 19 in stock) for that
one season but it took me 5 years to figure out the "valvespring problem"
that wouldn't allow me to get 0-60 in the almost quarter mile across the '92
Salina courses with J.G.Pasterjak of Grassroots Motorsports aboard in 1992
...regretfully ...The CAR deserved MORE than that!!! It was like
running a marathon with the Flu !!!!
I do want to restore the '81 and attend at Topeka again....but it may be a
while..and the car now has 170k on it.....I ran with the Pennsylvania
Hillclimb Association for a while but just never really got the engine back
to work before I gave up due to lack of funds in '94.......I DID find the
best parts for suspension and BRAKES during that time though...and helped a
few others set up a GM 'T' platform for autocross....
There were a number of V6 Chevettes done by Chevrolet but never made
production...GM must've been afraid of a pint-size rocket that would beat
their F-body and Corvette in the early 80's....and they already had the
brakes under development for the Fiero to stop the beast....If you want to
SEE what the British Vauxhall HSR- 2300 & 2600 V6 CHEVETTE was capable of
with 270bhp on tap there are still numerous Scots winning competition there
recently ......
http://www.s-s-a.demon.co.uk/pchGordon~.htm and
http://www.s-s-a.demon.co.uk/pchAlan~.htm
I imagine that Phil Ethier may enjoy this Chevette spiel again....
Have a great season!
Alex Quirk TLS#2
St Marys PA vquirk@penn.com
'81 Chevy Chevette DSP '92 Salina Nationals
'83 Pontiac 1000 DSP '95 Topeka Nationals
'89 Pontiac (YOU'VE got to be kidding!) Safari SW ESP
"enjoy what you drive and DRIVE IT WELL!!!"
-----------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 01 Apr 1999 19:02:14 -0600
From: washburn <washburn@dwave.net>
Subject: Chevette
I was just wondering, has anyone ever seriously prepared a Chevette for
SP or P? Anyone have any stories?
- --
Patrick Washburn <washburn@dwave.net>
Wausau, WI Land of Cheese
95 DS Neon
Moooooooooo.
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