C3 Race Car Build

Daytona Vette

Well-known user
Yes the rules don’t allow anything else.

Is the Borgeson one the one with a box?

I don’t like the rack ones they screw up the geometry
Great thread, great knowledge, great skills and great to follow thanks for posting - what is it with a rack and throwing out the geometry?
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
Great thread, great knowledge, great skills and great to follow thanks for posting - what is it with a rack and throwing out the geometry?

Because of the position that a rack fits in it changes the angle of the steering tie rods in relation to the wishbones and can cause a significant increase in bump steer. The C3 has a less than optimal setup for bump steer to start off with and a rack can make it worse.
 

Daytona Vette

Well-known user
Because of the position that a rack fits in it changes the angle of the steering tie rods in relation to the wishbones and can cause a significant increase in bump steer. The C3 has a less than optimal setup for bump steer to start off with and a rack can make it worse.

Cheers that is what I thought, some rack sets now come with the track rod ends with longer bolts (studs) and spacers to facilitate adjusting the angle of the tie rods

I had had a recent body off including installation of a steering rack and the Vette went to another but this time (so called Vette specialist) for some odd jobs, all of which, he either screwed up or failed to do and one of his cons was: "I know it is all new but one of your track rod ends was faulty, so I replaced it," he then showed me the one he allegedly had taken off, I Knew it was not mine because of the length of the bolt was short as per normal set up - I looked at him and smiled.

Your blessed you have the knowledge and capability to do it all yourself

You are certainly not lacking in your ability and for a new owner you certainly know your way around a C3

If I may ask, what is your back ground that has given you the understanding of what you are doing, engineering or just good "hands on" experience and in depth knowledge gained from preparing race cars ?

Great Thread thank you.
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
I’m a civil engineer on the railways so I don’t think that counts.

Basically just 25 years of building and maintaining cars. My Dad taught me a lot as did an old boss who was British Autocross Champion in the 70s. Basically if you can bugger it up on a car I probably have!

Bodywork is the one thing I really don’t think I’m good at. Not happy with this at the moment.

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Eurovettes

Supporting vendor
Thanks for the tip on the captive nuts.

I’ve found a secondhand 355ci race engine at a reasonable price so going to go the small block route to start with. Which will free up some cash to sort all the body out properly.
I import from usa approx monthly. Bit delayed atm due to lack of planes from usa. I have accounts with all the major plus summit and jegs. Tyres from tirerack. Other specialists too. Let me know if I can help. Cheers Keith: Eurovettes. Keef@eurovettes.com
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
Little bit of free time this evening and I think I’ve done the last fibreglass repair. :p

Need to clean and tidy the bulkhead and some filler in a couple of places then onto paint.

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Knodty

CCCUK Member
Great thread Oneball 😀 really interesting read, what spring rate are you having on the front end unless I missed it I think you said you were going with a 400lb rear spring. Will it be composite or is that not allowed also?
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
We’re not allowed composite ones plus I’d not use one on a race car as I’m not convinced they take abuse as well.

Think I’ve gone 474lb front. 330lb rear. It’s the HD factory setup. Will go with some mono tube Bilstein shocks that a friend is valving for me.
 
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Knodty

CCCUK Member
I used to have 550lb coils on the front of my BB which lowerered the ride height by about 40mm which was too low for the street, 1 1/8” ARB, and 360lb rear spring, and bilstein gas shocks all round all from VB&P. Would that be too heavy for the front end with a SB you plan to use?
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
It’s a bit suck it and see really. A lot of it is personal preference as to how you drive as well as lap times. The other things is I’ll hopefully have lost 300kg of weight out of it too.
 

Knodty

CCCUK Member
It’s a bit suck it and see really. A lot of it is personal preference as to how you drive as well as lap times. The other things is I’ll hopefully have lost 300kg of weight out of it too.

Didn’t think you would lose that much weight from the strip down. Especially when you have all that extra metal from the rollcage?
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
Didn’t think you would lose that much weight from the strip down. Especially when you have all that extra metal from the rollcage?

You’d be amazed how much weight there is in some things, like seats and window winder mech, no bumpers or spare wheel, all the headlight and vacuum stuff etc.
 

Oneball

CCCUK Member
I never asked, whats the plan for the interior? Will it be totally stripped out?

Pretty much. Haven’t completely decided on the dash but the only bit of Vette you’re likely to see will be the dash top. Everything else is gone.
 
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