Dusting off the Challenge Fiero

Looks like my $150 GLH Omni (Trust me I paid too much) wont be ready for $2008 GRM Challenge, So I wiping the dust off the 2007 Challenge Fiero and turning that skinny girl into an anorexic B*tch. Just got new poly bushings in the mail, and somehow my budget is still under $1,600. Not bad.

Anyone else from the Tampa Bay area planning on going? (And retorically, Why do I wait for the peak of summer heat before I start building?)

Where'd you end up getting poly? I haven't seen any good deals on complete kits lately. So if you challenged it in '07, what weight did you leave on last year that you're losing this year? They sure are heavy in stock form, but that's part of why I got into Fieros long ago...the space frame chassis is overbuilt, so when you drop in double the hp/torque they don't mind it much (unlike many lighter cars).

Bryce

Yes, they are surprisingly heavy in stock form, especially when you are competing against a 1,800 lb, turbo charged superturd. I think the book says nearly 2,700lbs.

I have a lot of money left in the budget (and not much time), so I ordered the Poly bushings new from the Fiero store. I told them what I was doing and they were very helpful. They even tossed some build hints my way.

Last year I started 3 months before the event with a non-running car, with no brakes, no clutch pedal, and about 5 lbs of rust in the gas tank. It also had bubbling and peeling paint. Let's just say that it was a monumental effort just to show up at the event with a running car. (some people didn't.)

I say that to let you know that I did not have the time to do a lot of simple weight loss items: remove bumpers, sunroof, engine vents. (The superturd autocrossed without a trunk lid. Brilliant!) I've done a handful of small items like gutting the trunk lid, and moving the battery more forward. My rough guess is that she will be 135lbs lighter than last year.
Then I'll bring a scale to this year's event to weigh the "professional drivers" and pick the lightest one. Fair warning guys. :)

s00p3rturd ran without trunk lid to preserve their sweet rear wing. in 2006 i did the drags without my hood and rear hatch (probeGT). both of these could've been protested under the "all major body panels must remain" rule, but the lack of protests is a perfect example of just how cool Challengers are.

i had three pros drive my '06 challenger. al mccrispin was fastest of the three, and has proven to be pretty fast in some of the V8 monsters over the years. i'm pretty sure he muscled frankenstang's BBF fox to 5th place one year, and IIRC he drove the Nelson Family fiat to a high finish in '07.

they're all studs, no doubt. the slowest pro is miles faster than me.

angry... how much did running with out the hood/hatch help as far as ET? :)

All the "Pro" drivers are top notch. I'm hoping to have Danny Shields (the fastest autocrosser in Valrico) get some seat time in my Fiero before the Challenge, then have him drive it at the autocross.
Luckily Danny is slim, so I won't need to bring a scale.

You mentioned the Nelson Family, I wonder what they are bringing this year. I'll have to look to see if he has made a posting.

donalson wrote: angry... how much did running with out the hood/hatch help as far as ET? :)

removing both was worth about a tenth of a second. i was able to get down to a 15.12, on autocross tires at 13 psi.