A friend of mine recently started doing autocross and it looks like a lot of fun. I was thinking of taking the XJS and given then I basically drive my car down rural roads where respect for my neighbors combined with punitive anti-speeding measures means I don’t really get to stretch the cars legs. Therefore, a few autocross mods would increase level of sportiness I get without compromising too much on a car that isn’t my daily driver.
I already have a reverse manual valve body with full engine braking. I already have a 3.31 diff but have a full rear subframe sitting in my garage that could be used for 4.10 gears.
I suppose if you were building a car for the sole purpose of autocross what would you change? I was thinking steering reduction, anti-roll bars, and poly bushings everywhere. Anything else?
As an old autocrosser, before you start dickin’ around with major mods, just run it in whatever stock class, learn how to autocross—which is NOT at all like road racing—then, think about modding the car.
In my autocrosser Datsun, I had converted it to a small Toyota truck third member, with 5:11 gearing.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
4
It’s probably worth noting that the optimum vehicle for autocrossing is a go-kart. The XJ-S is about as far removed from that as you can get. You will be soundly whipped by everyone out there. You’ll probably have a blast, though!
A guy showed up at an event with a shifter kart: at the time, there was really no class for it, so he ran in Exhibition: he EASILY set TToD!
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Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
6
I saw a guy in an autocross in Orlando who had a homebuilt car. It was about the same size as a kart, but it had full independent suspension and a motorcycle engine. That thing was REALLY fast!
I recall once hearing that the Opel GT was a highly preferred car for autocrosses simply because the car is so narrow. Narrow is good in an autocross. Power is virtually unimportant.
Sorta…one of the TToD cars I had the ocassion to drive was a Formula 440: 65 hp, virtually no suspension —rubber bands, smowmobile clutches, and minimal suspensionmocement —but, if the guy with the mid-engined Deserter showed up, it was all over but the crying!
only had that happen once! just got my license and a BOTTLE rolled under the brake pedal, I did manage to break it and get stopped but 35 years later, I still avoid having anything that could end up there.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
11
I had a loose carpet jam the loud pedal at WOT once. Once. That’s the kinda thing you make sure never happens again.
I am not sure when the next event is but I’m pretty excited. I do actually have another option, my old Volvo that was written off only has dented rear quarter panel and would pass tech inspection, it also happens to be stored at the airport where the autocross events are held. It is just uninsured and registered as parts only.i will have to look into that.
Still want to take the Jag at least once, if they let me use the Volvo at all. Tire pressure tip is a good call! I have no racing experience or anything besides “spirited” road driving
Decades ago, I worked in CA’s Imperial Valley. gocarts were very popular. From very basic and a direct drive # HP B&S to Twin McCullough (?) two cycle chain saw engines.
My neighbor bought the simple version. We took it to a parking lot and laid out an oval course. And, whee, he had a stop watch. Race is on. He was very aggressive and managed to toss the little car a few times in turns. “Over steer”.
I recalled my junk desert racing days and a technigue used by the Jeep powered car. Smoooth, short way around. I did it that way. No on off throttle. Hammer down all the time.
Who cut the fastest time???
We had a ball. I was working on getting one. Faster of course. Interrupted. Promoted and transferred.
Carl
Yes…and Cook’s hookup, always helped me, auto-x, or road racing.
Kirbert
(Author of the Book, former owner of an '83 XJ-S H.E.)
18
My brother has a kart. He’s a little bit nuts, so this is how he went about it: He bought a used kart sans engine, a serious racing kart with hydraulic disc brakes and a radiator beside the driver. Turned out the current regulations limit wheels to 5" and this kart uses 6" wheels, meaning it cannot be used for competition – but he doesn’t care, he just wants to rip around in the thing. It has hydraulic brakes that I don’t understand; there is no reservoir, they are apparently just filled with fluid when assembled.
Anyhow, he also had a 450 Yamaha dirt bike. So, being nuts, he ripped the engine and transmission off the perfectly good dirt bike and installed it in the kart. It’s apparently geared VERY low, like you can bang through all the gears in about 5 seconds. His cobbled-together motor mount breaks every time he runs it.
My mother would have never let my father get me a cart, I’m probably a little old to get one now, though at under $5k it is mighty tempting.
I’ve accepted that any serious motor sport is out of my league, I’m really excited for the chance to do something other than drive on the street and develop a new skill set and way to relate to the car. Autocross seems like the best bet for the weekend event here and there. I can say I will most definitely have fun, I’m not really a nerves guy, I thrive under pressure so I think breathing won’t be an issue. And knowing a mistake doesn’t mean hitting a wall or rolling the car is comforting as a noob with sentimental attachment to my car.
