Since the beginning of February, my inbox has been filled with messages about track-day events in the Southeast, mainly because I’ve occasionally been able to go play at NCM Motorsports Park every once in a while. I love running autocross and I love circuit driving, but let’s look at my inventory for a minute: at the time of writing, I’ve got a late-model Chrysler that weighs a mint (the money factory, not the plant), a Mustang that’s about to be blown apart, a 1980s Chrysler that has never been touched by Buddy Arrington, therefore would be absolute crap on a track, and the Cougar. And not to be too unkind to the $400 Mercury that managed to do well for King of the Heap racing, but in the normal world, that understeering, underpowered tip-toeing personal luxury barge needs the exact same suspension go-through before I’d dare take it to a normal track day. Oh, and brakes…ones that don’t inspire me to crap myself in fear during trail-braking.
I have never driven a purposeful, appropriate car on a circuit, and the one time I autocrossed a Mustang GT it was in the parking lot of Local Motors in Arizona, so it was more like being a teenaged delinquent, but with a couple of cones nearby. And that’s a goal I have…I want to have a go in a car that really is built to handle a track. I want to better understand what a proper set up is, what no-kidding brakes are like, and to have a reservoir of power at the ready. That’s why this 2002 Pontiac Trans Am on RacingJunk is perfect. It’s a body-in-white car, so no VIN number, no registration…that means no sweating about the street car getting hurt if I screw up or someone else has a bad day at the track. It’s an LS-powered machine with a realistic power level (346 HP and 360 ft/lbs at the wheels), it’s a six-speed, and it’s built to kill. Seriously, look at the build list:
Engine & Drivetrain:
• Fresh, Balanced/blueprinted 5.7 liter LS1/LS6
• 346 RWHP, 360 RWTQ @ 5,500 RPM
• Long tube headers into a single 4” exhaust, Header turndowns included
• SLP air box
• Comp Cams pulley tensioner
• Huge 4 core radiator, electric fans, oil cooler
• Oil catch can
• Exedy clutch and light weight flywheel, ARP flywheel bolts(stock dual mass included as a spare)
• Tilton starter
• 3 qt Accumsump
• Turn One power steering pump and pulley
• Rebuilt/fresh T56-017 from Rockland Gear
• MGW shifter and Hardbar shift knob
• Painless wiring harness
• Recent battery
• 3:73 Auburn posi with aluminum cover and bearing girdle
Suspension
• Wilwood 6 piston front brakes with 2 piece rotors. Hawk HP Plus pads. Front cooling hoses and front brake fans, ARP studs. 2 psi Wilwood residual valves to prevent knockback. Several spare rotors and 2 alumnium hats
• Stock rear brakes with drilled and slotted rotors, ARP studs. Hawk HP Plus pads
• Bilstein shocks and struts, with dyno curves for compression and rebound, 2 extra front Bilstein struts
• All poly bushings
• “Stock” configuration suspension in accordance with class rules at the time. Could be converted to coil over for track days and HPDE.
• Cockpit brake proportioning valve adjustment
Wheels
• New 17” X 9.5” and 17” X 11” OEM (light!) five star wheels with Hoosier rains (275/315)
• Spares: (2) 17” X 9.5” and (4) 17” X 11” OEM five star extra wheels with two old Hoosiers
• I ran 18” X 10.5” C5Z Corvette wheels with A6, A7 Hoosiers or Continental slicks, 315 square when I tracked the car. Great grip and great balance! The use of 17” Hoosiers on the 5 stars is an inexpensive wheel/tire combination with fantastic grip.
Safety and Interior
• 20 gallon ATL fuel cell with roll over valve, vent and quick fill
• All fuel pumps and fuel filters are external with external AN lines, interior fuel pressure gauge
• Autometer 2 5/8” mechanical fuel pressure, oil pressure, amp meter and water temperature gauges
• Manual and automatic control of electric fans
• Autometer Monster tach with shift light
• Joes Racing Products wide angle rear view mirror
• Full roll cage
• Momo steering wheel, tilt
• OMP racing seat with harness and roll bar seat support
• Aluminum interior panels
• Passenger seat added. Car did not originally come with a passenger seat. Bolt in Petty bar was removed to allow the installation of the seat and new harness. Petty bar included. Passenger seat can be removed and weight box installed in its place.
• Wipers work
• Drivers side safety window net
• Halon fire suppression system
• Bolt in weight box, bolts in to the mounts for the passenger seat
I’m already envisioning the noise and the sensation of ripping around the right-hander and onto the 4,000 foot straightaway on NCM’s Grand Straight layout, ripping gears the whole way before setting up for the corners with the same kind of confidence.
The thought of climbing in and out thru the window just killed it for me. My body just doesn’t contort like that anymore which really sucks! Car must be a blast to drive!
And a fair price, you couldn’t come close to building it for that.
just wondering – race car since new?? I didn’t think “body in white, no v.i.n.” was available from factory since the old days – not counting, of course the current Camaro-Mustang-Dodge super special offerings