I'm shooting at getting almost everything done so the car can run 200 MPH at land speed races, look nice enough for people to think it's a show car, and be very safe and capable on road tracks. I can't afford the engine, trans, and fuel cell setup I want now but everything else is game. This car sort of evolved over 20 years rather than starting as a restoration. So this time round I'm doing more restoration type stuff and show things than the first time. I've been saying I was going to do several other things to the car and so I'm going to take the opportunity to do everything at once. On top of the Baer brakes, Rushforth wheels and Yokohama tires I won which prompted the project .....
1. Replace core support. Mine was rusted out when I bought the car 20 years ago. None were available repro or used, so I fabricated a new bottom section so the radiator wouldn't fall on the ground (literally). I got a good used one from Arizona Rust Free about 6-7 years ago but never put it in. So the plan is to strip, paint, and install it.
2. Replace hood. My hoods not a real TA hood, just a stock hood with a hole cut in it. A guy in an Alfa Romeo lost an engine at Palm Beach International just as I was about to pull out to pass him. Some chemical from his engine damaged the paint on my hood and shaker scoop. So now's the time to paint and install the new hood. I bought a nice TA hood maybe 10-12 years ago but never installed it because I'd need to paint it. I'll have the paint out for.......
3. Repaint front spoiler & rest of car that isn't being replaced so there's no unmatching paint. I hit a chunk of 2 X 4 that flipped up on a highway south of New Orleans while on vacation that took a chunk of paint out of the spoiler. Then I started going fast enough on track so the air pressure was folding the center of the spoiler straight down which the paint didn't like so it started peeling. If you've seen pics of my car with stickers on the front spoiler it was to hide the peeling paint ! LOL There were a few chips on the rear wheel flares etc. also so might as well paint the whole damn thing top & bottom!
4. Spoiler extension and splitter. Aerodynamic benefit and the supports will keep the stock spoiler from flexing so much at speed. Another thing I've been saying I'll get to. Since I'll have everything apart and be painting, now's the time. I've been working on a design, will try to make it a reality.
5. Custom front valance. Already have a spare valance to work with that's better than the one on my car. Gotta design in mind, will try to make it a reality.
6. Rear diffuser & custom rear spoiler. Again I have designs in mind and will see how it works out. With a splitter etc. up front I need to try to get more downforce in the rear to balance the car.
7. Install NOS Hooker side pipes. I bought a set of side pipes a couple years ago to replace the ones on my car. The ones on my car are limiting performance because they are not headers to side pipes, but regular exhaust manifolds with custom bent exhaust tubing to the side pipes which have a fake "header" section on the front of them. They look cool (to me) but limit the engines performance to reach my speed goals. Drawback is the new pipes are black and so the "look" of the car will need to change. I'm considering a couple options.
8. Install foilers. Foilers are wheel well flares like the ones TAs come with but they fit behind each wheel. I bought a set about 10 years ago but never painted them or installed. Since I'll already have the paint out..... However there may be a glitch in the installation because the new side exit headers that came with the sidepipes may interfere with the front ones, we'll see.
9. Install trunk filler panel and trunk lid. Again, parts I bought long ago and never installed. I found a better deck lid and better filler panel on a 76 TA I parted out many years ago so I'll use them now.
10. Put the car on a diet! I added 200 lbs. of roll cage and adding a spoiler extension, splitter, and diffuser will add more. I would like to figure out some ways of getting that back out of the car. It weighed about 3500 lbs before the safety equipment install and I'd like to get back near that weight if possible. So while I've got the car torn apart I'm going to look for some places to do some automotive liposuction.
