Topic: HELP........I want to race

[gmrwizard]

???HOW DO I GET STARTED???
I have a couple Toyota 4x4 chasis (solid front axle chasis and an IFS chasis) to play with now.
I don't know which one would be better to use as a "BAJA" racer. I don't know where to look for required items like rules and regs, safety cages, Fire suits, performance items, on and on and on.
Is there one place to look or a couple places? All the help I can get will be appreciated.

[RokCrawlinToy]

Here is some links to get you started 

You can contact these organizations for a copy of their rulebooks.
SCORE http://www.score-international.com/
Mojave Desert Racing http://mdrracing.com/
Best in the Desert http://www.bitd.com/
Protruck http://www.protruck.com/

Shops

JD Fabrication http://jdfabrication.com/
Baja Concepts www.bajaconcepts.com
Inland Trucks(used to be ATS) http://www.inlandtrucks.com/

Hope that helps

[gmrwizard [OP]]

Thanks. I new I could count on getting help here.

[UNBREAKABLE]

IFS is what most of those trucks run But it is a proven winner

[RokCrawlinToy]

Since you want to race here is a link to some cool vids.  Enjoy    http://www.race-dezert.com/~steve/xyz/videopg.html   

[Hyena]

Total Chaos Fabrications       http://www.chaosfab.com

[MagPede]

ESB fabrications      www.esbfabrications.com     one kit will get you over 19 inches of travel

[iNfErNaL]

DAYUM Rockcrawlintoy!!!!!!.Who is that in your avatar?.I think I'm in love................Anyway Gmrwizard,Are you looking to race,or just pre-run?.The reason I'm asking is because to get started in actual racing is really expensive.Specially SCORE.I know there's other organizations that are a little cheaper to get started in,specially in SoCal.....What state are you in?.You might want to PM BLUECOYOTE,he's a member on this board as well,and he races a solid axle Toy.

[gmrwizard [OP]]

Gmrwizard,Are you looking to race,or just pre-run?

Whats the difference?

I live in the Fresno area. I just want to go play fast in the desert with others, doesn't have to be SCORE. I know full blown race is real expensive. I didn't know of any other "race" orginizations.

[iNfErNaL]

Okay,what I'm asking is are you looking to actually compete,or just play in the desert?.

[gmrwizard [OP]]

Well, when it comes down to it ......ponder.......I want to race.
I just don't have barrels of money to spend.

[The_Blue_Coyote]

So you wanna race.....
First have you head examined. Didn't work for me either....
Facts - it cost 3 times as much and takes 10 time as much work as you thing it should.
But flying over doubles or hitting woops at 50 is priceless. THe most adicting thing I have ever done.

Race series-
SCORE - the 'big leagues'. Race mostly in MX. Bring cubic $
BITD - more big leages. Race in NV. Bring big $
MORE - we run in S CA - Barstow and Lucerne. Yes, Barstow is imfamously rough.
VORRA - N CA - not sure if they are still doing dez racing
Whiplash - racing in AZ
 We run a 7s (production mini truck) 84 Toyota 4x4 in MORE. In fact we set up the 7s class.
MORE = www.moreracing.net
mdr - also in S CA. Cater to the prerunner crowd. PM me for other comments if you wish. Will leave it at that.

We run in 7s at MORE. Our class = http://home.earthlink.net/~moresevens/. Events, rules, series are all there. We set up this class to cater to the 7s trucks, especially the little guys. In fact the overall class champion ran an 94 SAS'd truck. 7s requires mostly stock stuff with some upgrades and reinforcements. We have set  up a 3 race series for 05 - interest is high right now.
My page = http://home.earthlink.net/~bluecoyoteracing
Best way to get involved is attend a few races and see what / who is doing.
As for IFS trucks - ran a guy with one, he was faster but was constanly breaking steering parts. SAS is simple and strong.

[iNfErNaL]

Told you The Blue Coyote was the man.

[gmrwizard [OP]]

You bet. Turtle points for the intel.
Thanks

[gmrwizard [OP]]

WHERE CAN I GET  A ROLE CAGE?
I have looked on the internet for one and can not find it. I see them in race trucks in the magazines and on web sights but can not find one to buy.

[RokCrawlinToy]

If you don't have any fab skills, I say find a fab shop you like and have them make one for you. The majority of the shops that I know of that deal with this stuff are in the 909, Orange Co., San Diego areas. Since you're in central Cali, don't know if they will but you could ask the guys @ MARLIN if they can    fab 1 up for you?  Can't hurt to ask.

[RokCrawlinToy]

Do you have a SCORE INT. Rule book? Here are SOME of the roll cage specifications in there. (From 2003-2006 Rulebook)

CR33 ROLL CAGES

All vehicles in competition except motorcycles and ATVs must be equipped with a roll cage. Minimum design and tubing size based on seamless mild steel for roll cage structures are as follows:
                                                                        Tubing Dimension
Veh. Weight                                  open cockpit                           closed cockpit

under 2000 lbs                               1.5"x.090"                              1.5"x.090

2000 to 2999 lbs                                1.75"x.120                             1.5"x.120

3000 to 3999 lbs                                2"x.120"                                1.75"x.120

4000 lbs & over                              2.25"x.120"                            2"x.120"

NOTE: For equivalent strength in alloy steel tubing, see manufacturers reference charts. No aluminum or other non ferrous materials permitted.

                                                  MATERIAL

Material for roll cage construction may be CRW, DOM, WHR, and WCR mild carbon steel or 4130 chromoly, 4130 chromoly is recommeded for all types of roll cage construction. All welded intersections should be stress relieved by flame annealing. Welds must be high quality with good penetration and no undercutting of the parent metal. No oxy acetylene brazing on roll cage is permitted. Use of other materials is contingent upon the approval of SCORE.

                                                ROLL CAGE DESIGN

All roll cages must be constructed with at least one (1) front hoop, one(1) rear hoop, two(2) interconnecting top bars, two(2) rear down braces and one(1) diagonal brace and necessary gussetts.

Theres more to it but I think you get the idea and I'm tried of typing,
 SCORE's Tech. rules Ph.# 760 559 1013 M,W,TH noon till 7pm
Corp 818 225 8402  Both are Cali #s

So when are you going to start building this thing?

[gmrwizard [OP]]

Thanks for all the great information. I have been looking into raceing the MORE circuit. It is a lot less expensive to get into than SCORE. They have a "stock" vehicle class that will make it fun to race in without doing the " second mortgage the house " thing to finance a race truck.
I got the MORE rule book and it references the SCORE rules, I can see I will need to go ahead and get the SCORE rule book also .
I got the '88 EFI for a donor truck to do an EFI engine swap into my '81. After I bought it I got bit by the race bug. But first things first. Got to do the engine/trany swap and EFI electronics switch over into the '81.
Then I can start building the race truck. Right now I am just planning ahead and getting sources for the race truck goodies
As for the roll cage, I am pretty handy with a wire feed and a buz box but I have no way to bend tubing. A pre bent kit would not be hard to put in.

[The_Blue_Coyote]

Glad to see your project is coming along.
As for the cage, most of the older trucks are running 1.50x .120 CREW mild steel. For new construction I would reccomend 1.750x.120 HREW for the maincage, and 1.500 for the rest. 4130 is too costly and not a good idea, DOM is okay, but spendy. A good brand of CREW is just fine.
Bolt in cage kits will require lots of additiional work to make safe and competion legal. You will need to add cross bars, diagonal bars, V bars, roof bars, the list goes on. Your best bet is to bend one up. If you do not have access to a bender (JD2, ProTools, ets), I am sure there are guys on this BBS that can do the bending. I do quite  a bit of tube bending for people, and they take the tube home and assemble them. A 120vac welder is fine for up to 3/16. Anything bigger use a bigger welder or arc. Use lots of gussets on all the corners. Let me see if I can find some pics of mine 'unskinned' so you can see the tube work. Or attend some races and see what others have.
 

[gmrwizard [OP]]

As for the cage, most of the older trucks are running 1.50x .120 CREW mild steel. For new construction I would reccomend 1.750x.120 HREW for the maincage, and 1.500 for the rest.

I am guessing CREW is Cold Rolled Electric Weld and HREW is Hot Rolled Electric Weld?

Your best bet is to bend one up.

Without knowing what I am doing to bend one or have it bent at this point in my "Race Carrier". I see lots of companies who offer "Roll Cage Kits" (got the spelling right this time) are any of them any good? How much do you charge to bend one? I am not in a big rush right now I will wait and see what you all are doing when I get to the race.

As of now I am planning on going to the:
Suck It Up Racing 400
January 29, 2005
Lucerne Valley, CA

Will you be there? What is a good time to get there to talk with you all?

I found Lucerne Valley, CA on Mapquest (close to Victorville and Apple Valley) but once I get there where do I go for the race?

[The_Blue_Coyote]

Gary,
You have email on the cage issue.
I do plan on being at the Suck It Up 400, but probably not racing. Still sorting out some issues. The truck may be there as well. No sure of where the start will be - either of Soggy Dry Lake or Anderson Dry Lake.  Will know more next week on www.moreracing.net. Both are located just south of Lucerne Valley off Hwy 247. Location is between Yucca Valley and Lucernce Valley. Once I know I will post exact directions.