Daren
04-01-2011, 02:36 PM
Fist let me define what I mean by going pro-touring. I'm looking to improve the car's driving dynamics and cornering. Here are some questions I have and would love some feedback from multiple sources. The car is a 74 Firebird formula with a racing 455 in that is getting a T/A conversion and a 73 face. Hp is roughly 600ish flywheel running a high stall torque converter.
1. Steering I'm shooting for some steering communication as the factory type power steering feels overly light and over boosted. I'm not too picky, just some vague tactile indication as to where the wheels are pointed through the steering wheel without having to convert to rack and pinion system.
a) Is there any type of, I would assume smaller, power steering booster to provide a less boosted feel to the wheel yet still provide sufficient operating pressures to the steering box?
2. Breaking The car has some sort of 4 wheel disk slotted and drilled rotor conversion on it, however no brake booster as the cam generates practically negligible vacuum pressure.
a) Is electronic vacuum generators the solution to this?
b) If so is there a preferred design or name brand?
c) The car does not have a booster however it will recieve one, so is there also a perferd make and type or is OEM spec the best option?
3. Rear end The car has an eliminator kit with spools on a GM 12 bolt with 3:90 somethings. Looking to go to a LSD true track with reduced gearing as the car only has a 3 speed auto in it. Top speed of 115mph is a bit embarrassing.
a) 3:55s sound about right?
b) Is there a "pro touring" type rear end? Something with additional suspension attachment points to tie it in? The Mosers I've been looking at seem very drag race orientated?
4. Suspension and general cornering I really haven't beat on the car hard in the corners yet due to the fear of blowing up that spooled rear end, however the car is promising on fast sweepers. It has unshakable grip in the rear, the steering ratio is very quick and being a restored car it has new bushings and the like. There are some problems. It has no sway bars. It transitions out of corners strangely, as in upon exiting the apex the car behaves as if it is a spring, releasing tension and wiggling about up front before settling down. It's not dramatic and is sort lived but it's there. Is this because it also has no cross braces, g braces and whatnot? It does have sub frame connectors. With the caltrack traction bars and stiffer leafs is there a need to run a rear sway bar? What's the fact from the fiction on suspensions and bracing? What really needs to be done to make these old cars handle better and what's just cosmetic?
5. Seats and speedometer The real stiff ride and ultra soft springy seats keep you in a constant bobing up and down motion in the seats. It's hilarious. The racing trans does not have mechanical speedometer support so the speedo is functionally dead.
a) Do racing seats such as procars provide a firmer and modern seat material?
b) I'm going to go GPS based speedo, any one use these or some other means to running a speedo?
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img155.imageshack.us/i/73wallpaper1236x700.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img600.imageshack.us/i/dsc06222h.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img88.imageshack.us/i/dsc06217l.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img189.imageshack.us/i/dsc06239ox.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img153.imageshack.us/i/dsc06240c.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img816.imageshack.us/i/dsc06253o.jpg/)
(http://imageshack.us)
1. Steering I'm shooting for some steering communication as the factory type power steering feels overly light and over boosted. I'm not too picky, just some vague tactile indication as to where the wheels are pointed through the steering wheel without having to convert to rack and pinion system.
a) Is there any type of, I would assume smaller, power steering booster to provide a less boosted feel to the wheel yet still provide sufficient operating pressures to the steering box?
2. Breaking The car has some sort of 4 wheel disk slotted and drilled rotor conversion on it, however no brake booster as the cam generates practically negligible vacuum pressure.
a) Is electronic vacuum generators the solution to this?
b) If so is there a preferred design or name brand?
c) The car does not have a booster however it will recieve one, so is there also a perferd make and type or is OEM spec the best option?
3. Rear end The car has an eliminator kit with spools on a GM 12 bolt with 3:90 somethings. Looking to go to a LSD true track with reduced gearing as the car only has a 3 speed auto in it. Top speed of 115mph is a bit embarrassing.
a) 3:55s sound about right?
b) Is there a "pro touring" type rear end? Something with additional suspension attachment points to tie it in? The Mosers I've been looking at seem very drag race orientated?
4. Suspension and general cornering I really haven't beat on the car hard in the corners yet due to the fear of blowing up that spooled rear end, however the car is promising on fast sweepers. It has unshakable grip in the rear, the steering ratio is very quick and being a restored car it has new bushings and the like. There are some problems. It has no sway bars. It transitions out of corners strangely, as in upon exiting the apex the car behaves as if it is a spring, releasing tension and wiggling about up front before settling down. It's not dramatic and is sort lived but it's there. Is this because it also has no cross braces, g braces and whatnot? It does have sub frame connectors. With the caltrack traction bars and stiffer leafs is there a need to run a rear sway bar? What's the fact from the fiction on suspensions and bracing? What really needs to be done to make these old cars handle better and what's just cosmetic?
5. Seats and speedometer The real stiff ride and ultra soft springy seats keep you in a constant bobing up and down motion in the seats. It's hilarious. The racing trans does not have mechanical speedometer support so the speedo is functionally dead.
a) Do racing seats such as procars provide a firmer and modern seat material?
b) I'm going to go GPS based speedo, any one use these or some other means to running a speedo?
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img155.imageshack.us/i/73wallpaper1236x700.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img600.imageshack.us/i/dsc06222h.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img88.imageshack.us/i/dsc06217l.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img189.imageshack.us/i/dsc06239ox.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img153.imageshack.us/i/dsc06240c.jpg/)https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif (http://img816.imageshack.us/i/dsc06253o.jpg/)
(http://imageshack.us)