Robert's ASA chassis vintage Trans Am/IMSA car project

Picture is the car setting on my trailer just after getting it home.

I purchased old ASA chassis chassis number ASA9415 in July 2022.

Objective is a vintage Trams Am or IMSA style car based on a 1960's mustang body.

I have a 1967 Rustang coup body. Floors are gone, everything above is salvageable.

Wish I could find a 66 or 67/68 Rustang fastback. But I also wish I could win the lotto haha. So coup body it is.

Plan is to convert it to fastback with the fastback panels but only after I get it to be a running driving race car. Don't think spending $$ doing the conversion is wise thing up front.

Just the one pic for now and then a lot of pics a little later.

Primary objective is scrounging parts for now and discussing things here as there are people here with a lot more experience then me. So what ever you might have to say about this speak up.

Here is a you tube link if anyone wants to see a lot more details. Took this while the car was still on the trailer just after getting it home.

https://youtu.be/yJHaGAQh3Yk

Well a 67 Coupe is perfect for a Terlingua T/A clone/tribute, so just go for it with the body you have!!

Woo hoo!

Welcome!!

You're among like minded people here

inspirational photos

I like big flares... dunno why, don't like big butts but like those huge IMSA flares. My favorite IMSA car of all time is the Dekon Monza #20. I have seen this car race back in the day at sears point and at Laguna seca in the 1980's I think? memory is fuzzy. Have old pics some where?

More recently at laguna seca vintage races in 2015.

Dekon Monza #20

Dekon Monza #20

Spectra IMSA mustang - I took this pic at a 2012 SVRA race at pacific raceway in WA state. This car is a BEAST and runs with turbo 935 Porsches... really.. A few yrs after this photo was taken I happened across a youtube video of the car racing and started a conversation with the owner. I was offered the opportunity to buy this car for 120k. I declined, I don't have 120k then or now to spend on a race car but if I did .. well.. maybe.

1969 IMSA Mustang at recent M1 concourse event in MI. 2nd of the only 2 IMSA mustangs I know to exist and now I met and know both people who own them. This is/was the 1st time I ever heard of this car in all the searches and all the research.... nothing then BOOM here it is right in my backyard.

For those wanting to know more about this car

A guy doing a 68 coup on a Howe TA2 chassis. Starts out like this...

Then he decides to turn it into a fastback.

68 coup on a Howe TA2 chassis - build video episode 1

68 coup on a Howe TA2 chassis - build video episode 2

68 coup on a Howe TA2 chassis - build video episode 3

I will ether build it more as a trans am style with eye brow flares or go full IMSA and try to reproduce the Dekon monza body style. I'll do all metal then make molds and replicate the body from the roof lower rear sail panel where it meets the upper fender then around the rear. The goal it to have a metal roof, windshield area and rear window section then fiberglass lower body front rear and sides. As of now I have the full metal body so doing that from metal will be pretty easy, specially if I am going with the idea of making molds for a fiberglass version.

I imagine a 67 mustang version of the Dekon monza with full aero built on a vintage ASA chassis with a vintage but updated boss 302 stroked to 358 with modern ford racing heads, C3 or D3, and super T10 trans. Though a crash box like a TEX will be in the car's future.

Do you guys think an IMSA Dekon style 67 stang would be cool? I don't have the coin for those huge rear tires so I'll have to settle for maybe some TA2 take offs or similar.

I am open to suggestions on what would be a good tire size/type to go with for this car.

Look at those tires on it now? Never have I heard of TA racing slicks? Then yesterday I watched a few videos about the ASA series and found out that BF Goodrich sponsored the ASA for a while and made tires for these cars? Yup that is why my ASA car has TA slicks and they still hold air lol.

How ASA Shaped NASCAR

2000 ASA BFGoodrich Tires 200 at Lakeland

After I get it running maybe I'll take those BFG slicks for a final lap up the road and back then permanently retire them.... or not lol

So, aside from building a new cross member that is centered and not offset to the left, parts I need are many but I'm starting out looking for front spindles. Might just call Howe as they have some that would probably work and they are not really to bad for cost. Big thing will be what kind of brakes will bolt up. Can I use what I have now or should I find something better.

In reply to Javelin :

The 67 has no floors left at all. Nothing but rust. It was bought specifically to set on the ASA chassis.

I did buy a nice 66 coup and determined after a lot of measuring that it was just too narrow for the ASA chassis. That was ok because I paid 1800 and flipped it for 4500.

Im going full tube frame crazy on it or nothing... that is where my interest lie.

30 yrs ago I bought a 66 mustang coup A sedan race car with all good parts, boss 302 etc but a trashed body. Idea was to find a fastback and switch everything over for the street. Life happened did family thing and then turned around to find fastback mustangs are now worth their wight in gold.

Oh well.

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

That is a sweet project right there. Super clean chassis.

robert777 said:

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

That is a sweet project right there. Super clean chassis.

Ive essentially done the same thing youre doing (well, in the process. Not done yet). Its amazing how much was simple to find, but also how much is impossible. Mines an old cup chassis, but was square. Had to square suspension and brakes, but thats about it. We forewarned that you may have to change the a pillar bars to get the body to fit properly. I had to, jh36 had to on his camaro. 

Id suggest getting the body fit, then cleaning and painting the chassis, then mounting the body permanently as a good order of operations based upon my not doing that.

I have a whole build thread here on mine. 

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

I'm off to find your build thread.

Have read jh36's entire build thread. Awesome.

Yes I will almost certainly have to do as you said and change the front pillar bars. Though I can also move the roof front to rear and just center it over the cage then if the wheels are a bit off from original wheel wells no problem as long as it is not a massive amount.

In reply to robert777 :

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/making-an-ex-cup-car-turn-right-on-an-almost-challenge-budget/194590/page1/

Here yo go. 

robert777 said:

Do you guys think an IMSA Dekon style 67 stang would be cool?

Yes I do. 

In reply to Dusterbd13-michael :

Found it already. I am on page 19 where you painted the chassis.

Really great job. Im impressed.

Go to stop and go do some work.

Boss is giving me the evil eye.

That means get out of your chair and do something lol

...

Hay Michael you have seen this right?

Glenn Bunch’s 1974 Dodge Challenger

In reply to robert777 :

I wonder where that other Mustang hangs out in Dexter since that's my current home town.

In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :

Probably safely tucked away in a garage as I don't think there is anywhere to run it except for maybe some back roads.

I hope to see that car again. He did not run it that day I was at M1 he said there was a noise from the rear end he did not like so he decided to display it then take it home.

In reply to robert777 :

Howell?!?! I'm in Canton. Not exactly neighbors but close enough. I'll visit your garage if you'll visit mine. 

Great pics of that flared Mustang--that is an idol car, for sure.  There is a guy who used to run with NorCal Shelby Club in a 1965-66 fastback that was appended to some kind of stock car chassis; maybe he still does.  Their events are usually open to cruise the pits.  Anyhoo, the thing was very channeled over the chassis, so super low, and I think the doors were just pinned on . . .  You've just got to make it fit what you want.  A '67 would be great--I used to have a bench seat version.

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Take you up on that after I make some progress on this thing, as in get the body hung on the chassis later this yr.

In reply to robert777 :

I forgot about that challenger. Thanks!

In reply to robert777 :

I'm down for garage assistance too.  I'll grab Adrian and Elliot and Angry for a road trip to Howell.   

In reply to wawazat :

Sounds good. Might have enough people where I wont need my forklift to mount the body. If you can each bring a sawzall we can have the excess metal cut away and have the body on the frame in a few hrs, lol.

In reply to robert777 :

Forklift? We don't need no stinkin' forklift........

Three of us can easily pick up and place the shell of my duster over my NASCAR. Honestly two of us probably could if there was a better place to grip it where it wouldn't fold in half