I am thinking about prepping my 66 Barracuda for SCCA type racing. I have read some sites where they run them in Vintage classes but I believe it would be open for normal SCCA classification. Anyone know which pieces for other cars or maybe designs that can be made to improve the handling of the cars like stiffer sway bars, rear sway bars, newer style front suspension, 4 link rear kits??? There is all sorts of this stuff for Camaros and Stangs, but what about for a real race car?

Mike Ritz's 66 Vintage FIA GT car would be a good place to start if you want to race in that class. You can't really change all of the suspension out and still race in that category, but he's got a lot of info on what you can/can't do on his site: http://www.teamstarfish.com/index.html

Before you start ordering parts, you should decide what kind of racing you want to do. Do you want to run in SCCA Solo, or vintage fender-to-fender, or current club racing. For solo you should review the SCCA Solo rule book for the E/Street Prepared (ESP), Street Modified (SM), or C/Prepared (CP). Your Cuda could also run in F/Stock, but that's a little too restrictive for you to be competitive against the current crop of Pony cars.

You should be aware that most club racing, either SCCA or NASA can get pretty rough with contact being pretty common so you should be prepared for a lot of between races body and frame work. Vintage is more genteel, as you are expected to run as if there is a bubble around the car and incidents can lead to a 13 month suspension followed by 13 month probationary period. Each of these venues has its own set of rules with CP and the various Club racing classes generally having the most allowances and the greatest expense to prepare for. Vintage racing rules are generally the most restrictive on chassis and brake mod's, While SCCA's Solo ESP class requires the engine to be basically stock internally (just external bolt-ons).

Here's the set of supplemental preparation rules I wrote for the early A-bodies that have been accepted by SVRA/HSR:

• Safety modification: replace front spindles with those from ’73-‘76 Valiant, Dart,
• Duster; or ’76-‘86 Aspen, Mirada, Diplomat
• Edelbrock LD4B, LD340, Performer, or Performer RPM intake manifolds (see footnote 9)
• MSD type electronic ignition, must be triggered from distributor (see footnote 10)
• Roller type camshaft & roller rocker arms
• Accusump (see footnote 3)
• External dry sump (see footnote 5)
• Springs, shocks, sway bars, axles, spindles, hubs, etc. are free as long as track
• remains correct 2-piece rotors of correct diameter (aluminum hat & steel rotor) (see footnote 14)
• “Police” brake system (11.75”x1” rotors/iron single piston calipers)
• 11” rear “station wagon” drum brakes
• Polycarbonate windshield and rear window, side windows may be replaced or removed
• Tex/Richmond Super T-10 transmission (see footnote 4)
• Removal of turn signals, parking lamps, bumpers
• Removal of passenger and rear seat (see footnote 16)
• Wheel openings may only be mildly relieved for legal wheel and tire clearance.
• Contour must appear stock when viewed from the side

SVRA approved options or modifications which have weight penalties:

• Replacing headlight assy. w/closed cover, add 20# to official weight (1964-66) (see footnote 6)
• Jerico, T101 transmission, 2.20 or higher first gear, add 150# to official weight (see footnote 7)
• If no charging system, add 25# to official weight (see footnote 8)

Specifically prohibited:

• Fiberglass doors or trunk lid
• Removal of rain gutters
• Spoilers or air dams
• Alloy brake calipers
• Unlisted intake manifolds
• Fabricated front control arms (A-frames)
• Remote reservoir or coil-over shock absorbers
• Aluminum cylinder heads

As you can see the rules can get pretty picky, but these are based on what's allowed for the early Mustangs and they are lapping faster today then they were in the '66 and '67 TranAm series. Check http://svra.com/ for more info; no they have not posted these supplimentals on the website yet, but I have Jack Woehrle's, SVRA Technical Director, word that they are approved and will be posted eventually. I believe he's researching the inclusion of \6 motors and their weight rules.

As far developing the car's handling, I recommend you decide on what wheels and tires you want/need to run for the type of racing you plan to do and get those first, then develop the rest of the chassis to best exploit those doughnuts. Good shocks are WORTH the money (KYB should be paying people to run their shocks they suck so bad). Big T-bars from Firm Feel should be your forth purchase (after wheels, tires, and shocks).