Getting Started In Street Stocks

In most applications, the car will have a steering column that's designed to collapse in a front-end collision. You should not have to replace the column. If you don't have to remove it in the construction process, try to maintain the safety feature that this column provides.

It's possible you'll want to remove all the wiring in the car and start over and develop a simple electrical system. This could make a race-day electrical problem much easier to solve. Remember, think reliability. You can purchase premade wiring harnesses for under $50. If you've priced wire, connectors, and switches, this is a real deal.

You'll need a battery. Chances are that a $500 car won't have a new battery or one that's up to the rigors of racing. Don't skimp on this purchase; plan on buying a good battery. You'll wish you had spent the extra money if you spin and stall the engine and the whole field drives by you twice because the battery won't spin a hot engine. You won't see the value of saving $25 at that point. Also, take the time to mount the battery where it won't be damaged in a front-end hit, and mount it solidly so it won't get damaged or fall out.

Brakes need to be in peak form. Fortunately, brake parts for cars of this era aren't expensive, and turning the rotors and drums isn't an expense that will break the budget. It's possible to get upgraded pads and shoes at the local parts houses or through the mail from many of the racing parts vendors. Inspect the brake lines, both the metal and flex hoses, at each end of the car. Using the stock components should be fine for this application.

Most Street Stocks utilize an automatic transmission, and it's possible-depending on the condition of the car and the number of miles it has been driven-that you may need to only change the fluid and clean or replace the screen. If you find that you need a substantial amount of repair work, it may be less expensive to go to the local auto recycler or wrecking yard and buy a different transmission or one that's been rebuilt.

When it comes time to paint the car, whether you're considering repainting or some touch-up, the cost can be reasonable. You need to remember you are not building a show car. The car will more than likely be raced at night, and the general finish of the paint is not that important in the grand scheme of things. I've seen cars turn out well when painted with spray paint from the local discount store. Some well-placed vinyl graphics or lettering do a great job of dressing up the car as well.

You'll likely have to budget for some noncar expenses like a floor jack and various tools, including a good tire-pressure gauge, a battery charger for between races, fuel jugs, and some other nondescript tools.

Let's go over our budget and see how much money we'll have to spend to build this Street Stock.

This still leaves you a good bit of your budget to spend on a driver's suit, a helmet, and gloves. If you get lucky and the donor car's engine is in good mechanical shape, you won't need to spend that portion of your budget. Please remember, these costs are not absolutes.

Also remember that how much money you spend will be a matter of how resourceful you're willing to be. It's time well spent going to the track and taking pictures of the cars and getting a real understanding of what goes into building them. You'll learn about the cars, the people, and the process of racing. Every short track in the country runs the show a little differently from every other track. It's a good idea to understand how the show is run at the track you'll be racing each week. Remember, this is doable, and you can do it.

Take the plunge. Get started. You never know what will happen or where this could lead. We may be seeing you every Sunday afternoon spraying Pepsi, Coke, or Gatorade all over your crew.

But let's work toward those Friday and Saturday night races first.