How to Build Race Cars

Amateur drivers and professional racing teams have built race cars since the beginning of the 20th century. The tradition of taking a raw design, compiling quality parts and creating a high-performance car illustrates the pioneering spirit of the sport. You can pave your own path in racing when you learn how to build race cars.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Engine
• Roll bar
• Fire extinguisher

1. Clarify your designs for race cars with the help of your mechanic and driver. A mechanic can point out structural and aerodynamic problems in a design. Your driver can speak up about interior design problems as well as suggestions for improving control.

2. Study the engine and car body specifications for your racing class before you build race cars. Most racing leagues have strict guidelines on modifying stock cars that should guide your design.

3. Purchase new engines when you build race cars for your team. The age of a race car is determined by its engine, which means a new team needs parts that have a limited number of miles.

4. Lay down a durable racing frame for race cars built from scratch. A car frame made of light metal and reinforced at major impact points will keep your vehicle on the road despite in-race collisions.

5. Connect roll bars to the cockpits of your race cars to protect your driver during an accident. A roll bar should be welded to the frame, starting at the driver's seat and running back to the rear window. This will provide maximum protection.

6. Install a driving harness and window net as part of the driver's seat when you build a race car. The harness needs to buckle into the seat as a safe replacement for a traditional seat belt. A black window net should fasten to the top of the driver's side window with metal snaps for easy removal.

7. Anticipate fires during a race accident by including an extinguisher and fire-retardant coverings in your car. Strap the fire extinguisher to the driver's side door and use seat covers to decrease body damage.

8. Construct a top-notch axle and steering column to give your driver great handling during a race. A strong axle will help protect wheels from bumps and taps from opposing drivers. Responsive steering is necessary to deal with fast turns and quick maneuvering.

Tips & Warnings

• Lighten the load on race cars by removing extra equipment and unnecessary seats. You can customize high-performance cars for racing by removing the passenger seat and the back bench. A race car does not need a spare tire, tire iron and jumper cables during competition.

Resources

• Formula 1 Race Cars

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[sassygirl7]

on 6/19/2009 how long does it take realistically, to build a decent race car from a painted, empty shell?