THSCC Forums

In anticipation of being dispatched back down to the 40000 acre ground fire in Hyde county, I took yesterday off and did some work on the car, as I'm going to run with track daze next month at VIR....

The last time I was at VIR, after the second go round on the skid pad I started to hear a clanking noise coming out of hog pen, and a 10. I checked the struts and shocks, sway bar bushings, U-joints, ball joints, and the exhaust hangers for issues with no apparent red flags.

Just for shits and giggles I put a wrench on one of the bolts on my roll bar and found that it was four full rotations loose!!!! All of my floor mounted bolts (90*angle to the floor) were loose, the ones mounted at an angle on the fender were fine (+-45*angle to the floor). These are double nutted hardened bolts which came with the autopower cage...

I've heard of engine fastners stretching but always thought that it was product of heat.

I couldn't believe that there was that much force present (side to side) within a unibody car. I'll be dusting off the physics book later today, and spending the rest of the weekend re checking my work (tightness) from the past 3 years.

Jake,

Do you have full-length subframe connectors on that Fox body? If not, I highly suggest getting a set from MM or someone. Body flex in the Fox chassis is terrible and FLSFCs are a must.

Another thought, when you installed the roll bar, did you get the floorpan fully flattened between the bottom plate of the roll bar and the plate underneath the car? I am wondering if the flexing of the chassis worked to flatten the uneveness of the floorpan.

Good post, I guess I need to crawl under the 01 and see if I need to tight up anything on the roll bar. I haven't heard any noises on the track like you described though.

_________________
2003 Torch Red Corvette Z06 ST3/TT3 #01

Road Courses: Rock - VIR-F - VIR-N - VIR-S - VIR-P - VIR-G - RRR - CMP - Road Atlanta - CMS - NSS - NCCAR - Mid-Ohio - Watkins Glen
Drag Strips: Red River - Byron - Cordova - Route 66 - Raceway Park - zMAX

I was able to hammer the floor pan flat, when I installed the bar in January.... Actually it was the rear fender mounts that I was concerned with because the metal is thinner.... but those connections were tight.

I do have subframe connectors which are welded in.... but your right I should look into MM and see if they have any ideas I can copy...

I'm still going through the car... as I always do before a track event. I can't stand loosing a session for a 4 dollar part or simple problem!!!! Last time I was at VIR I had a huge meltdown when my brand new clutch cable broke... Its amazing how a piece of metal can cause you to act like a 4 year old..