Street Speed

Getting Started
Have fun but be safe. Determine your total budget and include money for safety items –brakes, bracing and suspension items. A supercharged engine and a $2,000 paint job may result in a wrecked car. Paint the car after the brakes, bracing and new shocks! Remember to select components that can be upgraded or can accept upgrades if and when the “bug” strikes. Otherwise, you will spend money replacing parts that were selected in a haphazard manner.

Select a performance level and build to that level for the entire car. It will be much more enjoyable. I’ll describe 3 to 4 performance levels or plateaus. A) Casual, go to work, daily driven. B) Modified Level, can attend autocross or club road race events and have safe, fast fun. C) Seriously modified, borderline legality. A very fast car capable of beating nearly every car on the street and track. Remember that today’s EFI engines are still very powerful in emission legal, street trim. Your “race prep” may consist of nothing more than removing the spare tire, jack and stereo box after driving to the track. Also, remember that maximizing tire contact patch area while maintaining ride quality and /or vehicle composure is the goal of all handling modifications. Stiffer, lower springs coupled with stiffer shocks and larger swaybars will lower the center of gravity, reduce body roll, reduce brake dive and increase cornering speeds. However, altering suspension geometry by changing pivot point locations, control arm lengths, bushing durameter, etc., may generate even greater improvements.

’86 – 95’

Casual Level

• Tune – up, gears, mufflers and a chip. Forget the pulleys and ram air kits.
• Shorty headers, 65 mm throttle plate and EGR block.
• Subframe connectors, G load and strut tower braces.
• Brake hoses, turn rotors and drums, pack bearings, performance pads and shoes.
• Heavy Duty (HD) upper rear arm, strut and sway bar bushings.
• Good shocks and struts.

Modified Level

• 8 psi supercharger kit with fuel pump and a hot ignition. High flow catalytics, ported intake manifold, valve springs, aluminum roller rocker arms, MAF and injectors. For those who wish to remain normally aspirated, substitute a good set of aluminum cylinder heads and a cam for the blower.
• Springs, shocks and struts, sway bars. Consider the Griggs Coil Over Kit.
• Mc Castor kit, offset rack bushings, tie-rod ends, Stainless Steel Brake Co. 10” rear disc kit with ’84 – ’91 Lincoln MK7 front calipers and braided flex hoses or
• 12” / 12” Baer Claws if the wheels fit. T/A girdle for the 8.8” axle.
• Fixed, non inertia-locking lap belts. Fire extinguisher.

Seriously Modified

• Supercharger system or a stroker motor.
• Aluminum heads and aftermarket cam, MAF, injectors, ignition, large fuel lines.
• Blueprinted engine short block with high volume oil pump and large road race pan.
• Roll bar with racing 4-5 point harnesses. Fire extinguisher / system.
• Front A – Arms, rear lower arms. Global West Track -Link
• Or
• Griggs K member, torque arm and panhard rod.
• 13” / 12” Baer Claws
• Or
• 12” Wilwood / 12” Baer Claws
• Or
• 12” Wilwood / 12” Wilwood with modified axle housing
• Or
• 13 – ½” / 12” Alcon / PBR Baer Claws.
• HD transmision with HD drive shaft.
• Griggs frame kit or Global West supplemental subframe connectors.

Part 2 Coming Soon - Brakes Bracing Handling and Horsepower