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  1. #1
    CAR REVIEW ADMlN Registered Member Easy E's Avatar
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    Chevy Citation Race Car Project

    Ok I my brother we are working on a race car its the lowest class they got at the track but its real popular. Basically take a 4 cyl car strip it build a roll cage and then paint it yellow. Its called the hornet class. We got our hands on a 83 Chevy Citation for cheap. Comes wit a 2.5L 4 Cyl Fuel Injected. Now it handles fine but we need a bit more power out of that 4 cyl. Any low cost low budget ideas anyone? Its purely a race car so exotic non street legal ideas work. Thanks.
    Thats my 2 cents.

  2. #2
    Spam Reaper Site Moderator Slanter's Avatar
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    This engine was a pretty popular race motor in the '80s.

    The 2.5 in your Citation is an "Iron Duke" motor. There was a large amount of factory support for racing them in the '80s. Searching Ebay for "Iron Duke" might turn up some interesting speed parts. You can also buy new intake manifolds from Clifford Performance, camshafts from most of the major cam grinders, maybe headers but I'm not sure who sells them.

    And here's a Fiero page with a lot of information about cheap tweaks you can make to an Iron Duke motor. These may be more relevant to a low buck circle track car than buying a carbed intake or other serious speed parts.

  3. #3
    CAR REVIEW ADMlN Registered Member Easy E's Avatar
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    Thanks for the link I been working on the car. Well now we want to lower the car. We have heard of heating the springs and collapsing the coils. I was wondering if u had anymore information about this. Since its for a POS junker car that will be gone after a few races we dont care about the car at all. So I was wondering if u got a few links to hook me up with. Thanks.
    Thats my 2 cents.

  4. #4
    Spam Reaper Site Moderator Slanter's Avatar
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    Heating the coil springs will make the car sit lower and make the springs more brittle. Unfortunately, those are all it's going to do - the spring rates stay the same. Most of the benefits on properly lowered cars are because lowering springs are stiffer. I would not try to heat the springs to lower this car. If you want to experiment with lowering, even cutting coils is a better choice.

  5. #5
    CAR REVIEW ADMlN Registered Member Easy E's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slanter
    Heating the coil springs will make the car sit lower and make the springs more brittle. Unfortunately, those are all it's going to do - the spring rates stay the same. Most of the benefits on properly lowered cars are because lowering springs are stiffer. I would not try to heat the springs to lower this car. If you want to experiment with lowering, even cutting coils is a better choice.
    K Thanks but we are just trying to get the center of gravity down a bit to handle the turns better. So heating the spring up wont do that all? We want the cheapest mod possible for lowering dont care if it gets brittle it only needs to last a few more races. Thanks.
    Thats my 2 cents.

  6. #6
    Spam Reaper Site Moderator Slanter's Avatar
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    While it will drop the C.G. a little, whether this will have enough of an effect to notice is debatable. So you have the exact same stiffness with less suspension travel. This will probably roll every bit as much in corners as an unlowered setup, plus, it will have less ground clearance (which might be an issue on dirt tracks) and less suspension travel (which is definitely an issue if the track you're racing on has banked corners). If you're going to lower it, cut the springs with a hacksaw or cut-off wheel. Cut springs get bad press, but they're nowhere near as bad a way to lower a car as torching the springs. Cut coils are not any more highly stressed then stock springs, so unless you bottom out so hard you bend something they can last indefinitely. Even if you have only a few more races left, I'd rather not risk a mechanical DNF.

  7. #7
    CAR REVIEW ADMlN Registered Member Easy E's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slanter
    While it will drop the C.G. a little, whether this will have enough of an effect to notice is debatable. So you have the exact same stiffness with less suspension travel. This will probably roll every bit as much in corners as an unlowered setup, plus, it will have less ground clearance (which might be an issue on dirt tracks) and less suspension travel (which is definitely an issue if the track you're racing on has banked corners). If you're going to lower it, cut the springs with a hacksaw or cut-off wheel. Cut springs get bad press, but they're nowhere near as bad a way to lower a car as torching the springs. Cut coils are not any more highly stressed then stock springs, so unless you bottom out so hard you bend something they can last indefinitely. Even if you have only a few more races left, I'd rather not risk a mechanical DNF.
    Well ok thanks, we got smaller tires to gear it down cause the old ones were getting pretty bad. So now we have smaller tires we can pound the wheel wells out and ground clearance isnt a issue. So I guess we might cut them or torch them how brittle do they get anyway, I think a few people have torched the springs already. Thanks for the help.
    Thats my 2 cents.

  8. #8
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    Lowering your Citation

    Quote Originally Posted by Easy E
    Thanks for the link I been working on the car. Well now we want to lower the car. We have heard of heating the springs and collapsing the coils. I was wondering if u had anymore information about this. Since its for a POS junker car that will be gone after a few races we dont care about the car at all. So I was wondering if u got a few links to hook me up with. Thanks.
    A easier method is to use Fiero shocks, struts, and springs (may need more parts), which should safely drop the car about 2-3" overall.

    Check out the Citation Forever Club in Yahoo for more detailed information if you still working on your project car.

  9. #9
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    im not sure this would work for you.. but my bro-in-law used to have a 1980 Tercel.. he had put shocks that were half inch shorter to lower the car about 3/4 inches (because the shock isnt bolted to the wheel but levered the drop of the car will always be more then the little bit less shock lenght) he kept stock springs and all that.. so the springs were preloaded a bit which made them act stiffer somewaht with a lowered car.. it handled MUCH better then stock.. he as well flipped his wheels inside out for a wider track...

    im usure if this would be possible for you.. so you would have some research do to... but its an idea none the less
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