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My SC300 Chumpcar Build (Now ChampCar Endurance Series)
I have been looking for an early manual trans SC that was borderline between ragged out and a total POS. As most on here would know, those are hard to find. However, my patience paid off and I found a 92 model about 7 hours from me. The guy said it ran but had been sitting. So I drive there and the car runs alright, but only on 4 or 5 cylinders and oil is pouring out of it. I talk him way down due to not knowing what kind of issues it had, he goes for it so I load it up and bring it home. Turns out it just had all manner of crap on top of the head and down the spark plugs so a set of plugs, wires, dist cap/rotor and she purrs. The oil leak was just a hole in the oil filter, what are the odds of that right? Changed oil and filter no leaks! Should have bought lottery tickets that day.
Here is a picture of this jewel. Check out the Lowes special PlastiDip paint job the dude who owned it put on this baby. Ain't it pretty? This is taken after I stuck some 5zigen wheels on it, it still had the original wheels on it when I got it.
The front bushings were all **** so I ordered the Daizen kit. Looking through the forum, it seemed some said removing the old ones to put these in was a big job, but it wasn't a big deal. Did it one afternoon. Just need a map gas torch and a way to hold the control arm, was a breeze and turned out sweet. Only problem is I didn't look the passenger side over very closely and I have a pretty good bit of wear in the lower ball joint. I am trying to get this thing ready for the track this weekend to try it out to make sure this is a build I really want to undertake. Given the time constraint I didn't have time to get the Supra lower control arms here and installed, so as I said I just put the Daizens in the lower arms knowing I will change them out in a few weeks.
Decided since I was going to try it out on track I would go ahead and do the LS brake upgrade. Ordered the calipers and rotors from Advance since they were offering a 20% off online deal. While I am ordering a chat request comes up, I say yes, the Advance rep asks if they can help. I tell them what I am ordering, they offer an even better 25% off. Sweet! I think I ended up giving about $230 for the whole friggin deal including some pads which will probably be ****ty pads on track but it's only to try this beast out. Here is a look at the brake set up.
Here is a pic showing the comparison between the SC and LS4 brakes. Sort of a no brainer to do this upgrade for a track car.
That's about all I got for the moment, just getting started with this build. Being it is going to be a race car if it all goes good this weekend and I want to take it further, I'll be stripping it out, caging it, etc. It's going to be a slow process, so don't expect updates very often. I am targeting Daytona of next year which is in May to have it fully Chumped. I'll probably refresh the motor, haven't checked compression or any of that yet so lots of work to do to decide what/how much work the engine needs.
So far, I have been impressed with what I have seen on the car. My only other experience with Lexus is an SUV, so not really pertinent. Most of my experience for track cars has been Porsche and BMW, but there are a lot of really cool aspects of this car. The biggest challenge is going to be getting the weight out of the car. It's a big ole sow hog right now. I am hoping for sub 3.000 pounds or better but I haven't added up all the numbers from the various threads I have seen on here about weight reduction. It won't be carbon fiber anything, too much possibility for contact in Chump for anything like that. It's going to be gut, chop, hack, you name it to get this pig down to fighting weight. Will keep you posted as this moves along at a snails pace.
Last edited by RXRodger; 03-23-18 at 03:54 AM.
Reason: Added brake comparison pic, Update new series name
this looks like it will be a fun build! as for weight reduction, there's quite a few things to do, especially since you won't be dailying it. AC Delete, PS Delete if you want, ABS delete, Change the seats, all the liners and plastic, and cutting out some of the bracing on the hood and trunk, removing the trunk and hood struts, i think you'll be able to get it to 3200 easily with just that. all of the AC components and ABS delete is like 150lbs at least and the seats themselves are almost 100lbs a piece as well, so changing those to anything will reduce the weight drastically lol. good luck, can't wait to see updates!
this looks like it will be a fun build! as for weight reduction, there's quite a few things to do, especially since you won't be dailying it. AC Delete, PS Delete if you want, ABS delete, Change the seats, all the liners and plastic, and cutting out some of the bracing on the hood and trunk, removing the trunk and hood struts, i think you'll be able to get it to 3200 easily with just that. all of the AC components and ABS delete is like 150lbs at least and the seats themselves are almost 100lbs a piece as well, so changing those to anything will reduce the weight drastically lol. good luck, can't wait to see updates!
I think I saw somewhere the doors weigh 95 pounds. Anybody have a clue what the weight would be totally gutted, including the interior skin and the internal bars? I wouldn't consider taking them out on a street car, but I'll have a full cage inside the door so all I really need is a skin. The hinge looks like it weighs 5 pounds, it's really a pretty cool 4 bar linkage, but won't be necessary in my build. I am thinking I should be able to cut well over 100# out of the 2 doors, including glass, etc.
but I took the car out on track this weekend. Ran 200 treadwear tires (Nitto NT-05's) per chump rules so I could get a feeling for the handling with those tires. The car was even more impressive on track than I was expecting. Handled great. I was mixing it up with cars with more power and running slicks. Very predictable. When I get some stiffer springs, replace the 2 blown shocks, and get a ton of weight out it is going to be awesome. May start gutting in the next few weeks. That's it for now.
have you ever tried Dunlop tires? i don't track my car but my Direzza DZ102 tires are absolutely epic in terms of grip and wear. i'm only on megan coilovers and i can take exits going 65-70, coming off the highway i don't even hit the brakes. the Direzza Z1 star specs should be great for their price as well. here's an awesome read and review of the best grip tires for the price.
have you ever tried Dunlop tires? i don't track my car but my Direzza DZ102 tires are absolutely epic in terms of grip and wear. i'm only on megan coilovers and i can take exits going 65-70, coming off the highway i don't even hit the brakes. the Direzza Z1 star specs should be great for their price as well. here's an awesome read and review of the best grip tires for the price.
the reviews are from 2012, but i'm pretty sure most of the same tires are still for sale
We have ran the Star Specs on our other chump car, they are a great endurance tire and grip well. Only problem we had was getting the size we needed, weren't offered in the width we really needed but we ran a little narrower and they worked pretty well.
yea i noticed that too, the biggest is only 275 right?
We aren't even close to that running a Porsche 944. We should be, but we aren't. As quick as you go through tires in endurance racing, I would like to stay with the 17" in a 255 width with the SC. When you get beyond that the tires get expensive.
yea they do, in 17" i think the SpecII largest is 255 and the DZ102 are 245 maybe 255 i don't remember, but the DZ102 are only like 116 a piece which is great.
After a second track weekend, I am convinced this is the car to build. I found a guy with some lowering springs, gave him $40 and installed them and had another alignment done. The car was more stable with less body roll. Times didn't decrease much, but the car felt better. Then, I found another car for sale, same 1992 with a manual trans for $1,000 so I bought it with the intent of putting the best of the 2 cars interiors so I would have a dd and start gutting the black one.
Some of the weight of items was pretty close to what I had read on here, some were way off. In pounds:
Back seats, both parts: 27.2
Passenger floor mat: 3.2
Passenger seat (heated): 58.0
Driver seat (heated): 71.6
Box of seat belt misc (front and rear): 13.8
Center console: 6.8
Climate control/radio with cassette: 7.2
Carpet: 22.8
Rear speakers (3) including controller board: 10.6
Interior panels (not doors): 14.6
Sunroof assembly: 33.4
Left door speakers: 4.6
Left door panel: 11.0
Right door panel: 11.2
Right door speakers: 4.6
Metal door bracket, both sides: 2.0
Side windows, each (behind doors) 4.8
All I have so far, I'll edit this post as I gut more out of the interior.
Edit: More:
Evaporator core w/ expansion valve: 6.0
Dash: 12.6
Glove box: 3.6
A/C plastic ducts: 1.8
Dash trim: 3.8
Door wiring harnesses (both): 4.0
Inside door seal: 1.4
Airbag module with harnesses: 3.8
Jack and lugwrench: 5.8
Trunk interior linings (incl. spare cover): 10.0
Antennae and harness from front: 3.6
Phone amp and transmitter: 4.4
Spare tire: 37.4
CD player in trunk w/ bracket: 12.2
Airbag charge (in steering wheel, after I blew it): 1.4
A/C compressor: 16
A/C condenser: 8.2
A/C lines, hoses, drier: 5.8
Power steering pump, bracket: 9
Power steering lines, hoses: 7.6
A/C and power steering, bolts, small brackets: 1.5
Rear glass: 17.8
Drivers glass: 10.0
Passenger glass: 10.0
Drivers window motor assembly and it's tracks: 3.8
Passenger window motor assembly and it's tracks: 3.8
517.5 pounds removed so far
Last edited by RXRodger; 11-13-15 at 10:20 PM.
Reason: Added rear and door glass
424 pounds out so far. Installed an aluminum plate over the sunroof hole. Plan to pull the a/c and the power steering this weekend. Will modify the steering rack so it won't be a killer on the arms/wrists to turn this baby. Will throw some pics on when I get a few.
09-16-15, 08:31 PM
My SC300 Chumpcar Build (Now ChampCar Endurance Series)
