How to get into autoX?

[Vancouver83LTD]

hey guys, so as the title says, how do you get involved in autoX?
I drive a 22 year old floaty V6 sedan oubviously I wouldn't be racing that, but I'm interested in finding out how to get into autoX....
Any thoughts?

~Brett

 

[ShelbyGuy]

show up at one. seriously! you'll have a better chance of running if you show up than if you dont :thumbsup:

google for a car club in your area. someone has to be knocking over cones in a parking lot somewhere near you.

most sports car clubs offer driving schools. take one. not all clubs dedicated to a given marque require you to actually show up in one of those cars. eg., the porsche and bmw clubs dont require you to actually drive one of those to participate in their events. they may require club membership to participate. so thats what, $30 a year or something? no big deal.

open track and driving school events will get you way more track time than a solo 1 autocross/time attack event.

hey guys, so as the title says, how do you get involved in autoX?
I drive a 22 year old floaty V6 sedan oubviously I wouldn't be racing that, but I'm interested in finding out how to get into autoX....
Any thoughts?

~Brett

 

[Vancouver83LTD]

haha awesome, I should look into that after I get home this summer... :thumbsup:
heh, it'd probably be a kick to beat the crap out of my LTD against real cars though :lol1:

 

[ShelbyGuy]

and actually, if the mod bug bites, that LTD has very much in common with vintage nascar galaxies. im sure you could get springs and antiroll bars if the mod bug bites.

 

[Vancouver83LTD]

haha it's bit....
will be getting a 5-0 when the 3.8L dies (it's still running strong, why get rid of it?)
Also the LTD is an 83' - mid-size -it is on the fox chassis it has more on common with a 79-93 mustang

 

[Lethalchem]

I can't imagine they don't have something similar to the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) up there. That's who puts on most of the autocross events around here. I've seen all sorts of cars participate, including big trucks! Were they competative? No. But did they have FUN? Hell yeah they did! That's what it's all about.

In fact, a quick search brought up this:

http://cac.speedracer.ca/
http://www.kumhotire.ca/ecstaracing/about_autocross.php *Best one*

Enjoy :thumbsup:

 

[Vancouver83LTD]

Awesome
not for a few months can i go but that's great thanks!

 

[Vancouver83LTD]

The reason I'm looking into autoX is because I don't want to go to open track and be dogged by other drivers and have to rent a helmet, pay fees, etc etc...

 

[fastduo]

The mid size Ltd had a high performance option package with a HO V8. Even some police and Highway Patrols used to use that model LTD II. I think it was called an LX and most came in black with all the trim and the bumpers blacked out. You can use almost everything from a Fox Mustang on that car. Back in the day, I had a friend who even had a 5 spd in his. This is a cool 4dr.

 

[Vancouver83LTD]

yup, the LTD LX, and in Canada only, there was the Marquis LTS
It started when Bob Bondurant put in a V8 so he could take groups around the track to teach them - 4 in an LTD vs 2 in a mustang makes for alot more track time....
They also came in white with the blackouts.
Cop cars were great for the PD, b/c it was perfect - small and light (same as a mustang basically) and you could still put a prisoner in the back. cops could chase down a trans am in it and then throw the mullet wearing white trash in the back ;-)
Mine is a very early 83' model (stampings on the rad support, etc... indicate a december build) and it was delivered in january to my dad who ordered it. Mine has the extra large fuel tank, and the 3.8L V6 which was the largest they had.
The 5.0L is a direct bolt in (plus wiring) and I am going to go for the C3AOD... I have bucket seats and stuff, I like having the auto...
As far as cop cars go, these were used in the LAPD until the mid to late 1990's! far beyond a police car service life - because they found that due to their smaller size it was easier to get them through traffic...
Really, it's a great car - Ford prefers to forget about it and ignore it, and people make fun of it, but when it was intro'd it was a radical new design (hahaha ) and it was quite the car. It was a bit of a flagship, you could go from a 4 cylinder propane to cars with leather, trip computers, fuel economy computers, etc....
Good little car, no rush to get rid of it for me... First step will be tightening up the floaty luxury car suspension (think 1983 t-bird) and then I'll move to a 5.0L V8 and AOD, then rust repair and repaint, then I'll start modding the engine (TT setup anyone? ;-))
I personally consider the LTD LX the forerunner to the Taurus SHO, the Impala SS, and the Marauder...