New from Philly, attempting to race an Accord

[jbl]

Hey everyone...just found this after looking for AT coolers and upgrades.

I'm working with a 1999 Sedan V6 (J30A1). A couple of friends and I have gotten together to turn this into a road track build for an endurance race for beaters.

I'm researching everything I need from here and a couple of other forums, but there's plenty left to do. Ideally, we'll install:

A transmission cooler
Rear sway bar
Strut tower brace
Cold Air intake
Sticky tires (Star Specs are recommended for this series of event)
Depending on whether or not I can securely mount some tubing, brake ducts

All of this will be DIY, and all of it will need to be done on the cheap (<$500). I've sourced the sway bar to a couple of different Acuras, now I just need to nail down which one and how thick I'm willing to get...18-23mm sounds like it's my range.

I'm also trying to source as cheap of a CAI as possible.

So, all in all, there's lots of work left to be done and still a ton of searching. I'll be sure to post picks as the build progresses, but right now, it's just a mess of a shell. The roll cage goes in in February, so the pics will be a lot clearer and more definitive by then. If y'all have something to add, I'm all eyes.

It should go without saying, but this will be ALL TRACK, no public roads whatsoever.

Looking forward to some Gen6 BSing with you all.

 

[RedRyder]

I'd scrap everything but the RSB and tires, and swap the transmission to a 6MT. Otherwise...well it won't be worth racing. lol Although if it is truly strictly an endurance race, maybe not, especially with that budget.

Anyway, welcome to the site.

 

[jbl]

I'd scrap everything but the RSB and tires, and swap the transmission to a 6MT. Otherwise...well it won't be worth racing. lol Although if it is truly strictly an endurance race, maybe not, especially with that budget.

Anyway, welcome to the site.

Thanks man.

Scrap everything as in scrap what few upgrades I've mentioned?

The car itself is stripped down to what we're legally required to have to race...frame, fenders, hood and roof.

I'd love to swap out the transmission, but the fact of the matter is that this car basically fell into our lap for free. The rear end was hit high, so no real structural damage, but the body work alone was enough to scrap title the car.

This is for a future 24 hour of Lemons race to give you an idea of where my/our heads are at, so yeah, major budget constraints in place, lots of backyard engineering over beers and a couple of bored yokels. We're not talking about sponsorships, SCCA, or anything else like that. This is more of a crapcan derby than anything else.

 

[AllGOnoSHOW]

I agree with what Chris said (RedRyder). The auto won't last.

Progress RSB
Good coilovers with decent spring rates
BBK good Pads

O yeah and definetly need something for the lack of power the accord has.

3.2 Cam
Head / Top end
S/C
Tune

 

[LeBirdNest]

welcome to the site man im sure you'll find a lot of information from the swappers and turbo tuned dudes on here and their built accords that will help you build yours turbo or non turbo!!!

 

[AustinJohnsen]

welcome to the site.The trans will do fine for the race if an AT trans wont last 24 hours then all of us auto guys would be out of a car. post some pics of the car. what are you doing for lights? most rules say they cant be more then 55w so you can do HIDs to help see. Good luck on the race and the build its fun I helped get one made in my town it was a pis neon did not win but lasted.

 

[RedRyder]

I'd love to swap out the transmission, but the fact of the matter is that this car basically fell into our lap for free. The rear end was hit high, so no real structural damage, but the body work alone was enough to scrap title the car.

This is for a future 24 hour of Lemons race to give you an idea of where my/our heads are at, so yeah, major budget constraints in place, lots of backyard engineering over beers and a couple of bored yokels. We're not talking about sponsorships, SCCA, or anything else like that. This is more of a crapcan derby than anything else.

Gotcha, I think we misunderstood. This sounds like a rat race with a bunch of rat cars that’s just for fun. Which would make doing any serious work not really worth it.

It’s actually called 24 hour of Lemons? I may have to look this up, lol.

The trans will do fine for the race if an AT trans wont last 24 hours then all of us auto guys would be out of a car.

That 24 hours of driving is racing though, braking hard and accelerating hard. Much, much harder on a car than everyday city driving to work, etc. And if it’s a true 24 hour race, that’s 24 hours of continuous operation, heat and components failing becomes much more of a concern.

 

[cirsurvive711]

welcome dude. PA ftw.

 

[jbl]

An update...if y'all care.

We ran in April at NJMP in The Real Hoopties of NJ '12. We ran 360 or so laps in the course of two days and ate ~6 lbs of bacon.

The car made it and so did the transmission. We were "slipping" in 3rd or 4th, but it'd catch right away if you backed out of it. She's going to get another shot at it in August '13 (we missed Loudon, NH last weekend) and we'll likely bring a 2nd car (manual...finally, but not a Honda).

Right now I'm looking at a wonky idle...a very harmonic up-down-up-down-up, etc....and only without a load, so only in park and neutral. I'm assuming it's the IACV, which I'll have to get into another time.

In the meantime, I need to figure out codes "20" and "65". And why didn't it flash a "14" at me for the IACV? The "Maint Req'd" light also flashes furiously at me, but has since the race (along with ABS and SRS<--airbags removed per the rules).

So, I've got some searching to do, but in the meantime, would love some insight. I'll keep you filled in on car #2....coming up to us from LA prior to Thanksgiving.