Any autocrossers on here?

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Ryan 64 Cuda

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I’m looking to convert my 64 barracuda into a auto cross style car, it’s currently set up for drag racing, but the high hp engine is gone in its place is a cammed up 318, backed by a 4 speed with a coil over 9” out back, the front suspension rebuilt stock, running 4 wheel Willwood discs, 10 point cage, frame ties, race seats and harness. I’m looking to upgrade the wheels and tires that are more suitable for auto cross and some sway bars, front shocks for starters. So I guess my first question would be what are you guys running for front wheels, I.e. sizes and offsets and such.

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Hey Ryan

I would get a tire/wheel simulator and get the real and true size of how big of a combo you could run steering lock to lock with stock suspension and wheel wells then look at what style of wheels are available it that size and backspace.
 
Ryan 64 Cuda said:
I’m looking to convert my 64 barracuda into a auto cross style car, it’s currently set up for drag racing, but the high hp engine is gone in its place is a cammed up 318, backed by a 4 speed with a coil over 9” out back, the front suspension rebuilt stock, running 4 wheel Willwood discs, 10 point cage, frame ties, race seats and harness. I’m looking to upgrade the wheels and tires that are more suitable for auto cross and some sway bars, front shocks for starters. So I guess my first question would be what are you guys running for front wheels, I.e. sizes and offsets and such.

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Posting that I have the same plan for my 68 Barracuda. Was drag race only, will still do an occasional run down the strip, but over the Covid down time I have re worked the car back into a street legal car that I plan to do SCCA autocross with. Will run in the CAM class. I went to an event this past fall at the Grissom Autoplex and it looked like a lot of fun.
Concerning your question on tires,
I want to continue to run the 16 inch diameter Torque Thrust wheels that I have on the car, I went with Firestone Firehawk, which is a performance all season tire. There are street legal warm weather performance tires available, but not in a 16 inch wheel size in the diameter I was looking for. The warm weather street performance tires were available in 17 and 18 inch wheel sizes.
What I recommend is:
1) decide if the car is going to be street legal and autocross or trailered to the autocross events. If trailered and you are willing to do chassis mods and tuning to make them work, there are some serious race tires available.
2) are you willing to change wheel diameter? If not you will have to see what is available. If you are willing to go up in wheel diameter, there are street legal warm weather performance tires that would have an advantage over all weather performance tires doing autocross.
3) check the local rules where you plan to run. The local SCCA has a Facebook page where folks ask and respond to tire questions.
4) to look at tires on line and to find info on different performance levels of tires, go to the Tire Rack web site, lots of good info there.
 
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I think I made 6 events this year, maybe 7. Last event I shared someone elses car due to the condition of my car's axle splines.

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ANY AUTOCROSS RACERS

Check the rules your local club is running. Most, but not all, are SCCA sanctioned and use SCCA National Rules with local supplements.
The coil over rear will probably put the car into C Prepared, but may be OK in CAM C. But do check. Even for CP there were restrictions on how the usspension was connected, otherwise it would get put in Modified. I haven't looked at those rules in years so just giving you a sense of the landscape.

In C P, there are (or were) wheel size restrictions. See what you can safely tuck in there before deciding. Partially used racing tires could be picked up off-season. Also see what other people are running in your region. If you're not going to National level events and no one in region is either, then you may find there is no need to go so extreme to be in the game. Years ago all the classic pony cars in NNJR ran in ESP or CP.

CAM C is another ball of wax. The CAM classes are restricted to usiung a 200 treadwear rated tire. Again, see what fits but for the most part you'll be looking in 17 or 18" rim diameters. My suggestion is to stay as small as you can with wheels to keep down weight and height. The 200 TW competition 'street tires' are not cheap so may be worth picking up a rim and used tire to do some on the car measuring and checking. Allow some room for tire and wheel flex.
 
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