Advice for new bracket racer

[Bill Baer]

Originally Posted by shockme668

Found a 502 going to pick it up next week....thanks Bill...I am going through the car cleaning things up and noticed that the car still has stamped rear controll arms... would it be worth the money to replace them now with after market or just keep them...If yes is ajustable the way to go..Trying to stay in a budget but my safety has no budget......

The first thing you need to do is get a mirror and a flash light and verify that the frame is not cracked where the upper control arms attach. It's pretty common for them to be cracked there. Then if that's OK you can box the stamped steel control arms repace the upper & front lower bushings with poly bushings and the rear lower bushings with Competion Engineering C3165 solid aluminum buishings. Get new grade 8 bolts with locknuts and verify that none of the mounting holes are elongated if they are you need to fix them as well. You also may need to install an air bag in the right rear spring if the car exibits body roll to the right when it launches.
In my experience the bolt on ladder bars and bolt onslapper bars don't work very well and just cover up other problems (slop) in the GM stuff.
Some time back Mr. Gasket and Genuine Suspension sold "no hop" bars that relocated the upper rear control are attachment points higher and improved the suspension geometry but in my experience they tended to loosen up after some use and I am therefore very leery of them.
You also as a minimum need to have the front end alignment checked to verify that you have as much positive caster as possible. You might also consider replacing the front A-arm bushings and coil springs with Moroso trick Springs and 90/10 or front drag shocks which will increase the travel of the front end which can help plant the rear tires.
If you consider the aftermarket control arms they till give you the ability to adjust the pinion angle which could be useful but I myself have no experience playing with pinion angle for chassis tuning
I have seen some very fast cars with the stock or near stock chevelle rear suspension.
All of this may be overkill but, I like you, don't trust those stock stamped steel control arms and I do know that any slop in the GM suspension will result in wheel hop and will break stuff.

Hope this helps

[shockme668]

Thanks, I am going into this to have fun and hang with friends. I am going out to the garage to look at the mounting holes and start boxing them in. Thanks for all the advice keep it coming... Happy holidays to all....

[John Kelley]

Make sure your cooling system and battery charging system are up to snuff for hot laps !!!
Don't lose a race because your engine is hot or the battery is not charged enough !! :-)

[shockme668]

It has a electric water pump...I looked at the rear control arms the rubber in the bushings are rotted the arms are stock stamped steel...I am looking at after market...I was thinking of non adjustable lower and adjustable uppers...Any advice...Thanks to all for the help and Happy Holidays.....

[Geerhead55]

As long as you've got to replace the rotted stuff, you may as well go aftermarket and get the adjustables,,,also take the others' advice and check for cracks everywhere. Don't know if you said where your battery is, but get everything off the front end you can. As your budget allows you can eventually put a really nice suspension package together. I'd say go to a divisional or national event where there will be a good number of stockers attending and check out the 'A' body cars and look at their setups. Don't be afraid to ask those racers questions about their cars. There are plenty of wheelstanding Chevelles out there on only 9" tires, so with a little thought and work you should be able to hook it up. Also remember,, front tire diameter affects when you can leave and go red or not, also if you're footbraking or transbraking, but you'll pick this up in time.
By all means, get out there and have some fun,, get your butt kicked, and kick some yourself in return. Don't do something stupid to tick off the track officials, just follow the rules, and hope you pass tech the first time. They usually find something you'll have to fix until you make all the little corrections, but its usually minor, and sometimes they'll say "Get it fixed before the next time you come back".
Take care and have fun,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Danny Durham

[Keith 944]

get a practice tree!

[shockme668]

Going to World drag racing expo next sat in Schaumburg..Looking for some deals and going to some seminars..I'm going to try and race in the True Street Drag Racing series and set my car up for hot street...