Forum: Sprint Car Tech Talk (go)
Moderators: BigDog

Looking for some expert advice here. Looking to put together a spec sprint for 2012 and was wondering when you would consider a chassis too old to use? Also what issues would cause you to walk away from a potential chassis (obviously one that is bent up). Have been offered an mid 90's Gambler that looks pretty clean and an 01 Maxim that has a few dents. Thanks in advance

If you are just starting out and on a budget, I wouldn't be real concerned about the age. There are a lot of older chassis floating around that haven't been raced much. Just look for obvious damage, especially to the cage area or anything that would affect the suspension pick up points. Insert a torsion bar in the torsion tubes (with bushings installed) to make sure they turn freely, which indicates that the tubes are not bent. Set the chassis on a nice flat surface to make sure it isn't twisted. The bottom rails should lay flat without "rocking". Look for any poorly done repairs. These things are chromoly and need to be TIG welded. And lastly, try to avoid a chassis that has had holes drilled in it without sleeves being welded in. These allow water to get in and rust the chassis from the inside, where you can't see the extent of the damage. Typically you might find these holes in the areas of the floorpan, seat mounts, or the rock screen. If you get a chassis from a builder that is still in business, it will probably be easier to get setup and parts information. Good luck, have fun, and be safe...

~John~