Hyundai suitable for drag racing?

[S Callahan]

I am looking for information and suggestions from experienced golf cart drag racers if I may.
I am a senior former drag racer. That means I drag raced almost full time back in the 60's and 70's. Sitting at a friends repair shop the other day I made the comment that a golf cart dragster would be about my speed now a days. That lead to friend telling me to take the abandoned Hyundai golf cart home and get started on it.

Having built several hi-perf Kohler V-twin engines for garden pull tractors I thought about building a Kohler for the GC dragster. Around 5 to 6000RPM should do it. I plan to stretch the frame about 24" and set the seat on the floor inside a roll cage (because I already know that fast ain't fast enough for me and I don't let up until it rolls.)

I have a bunch of questions;
1. Steering. Will the Hyundai front axle and steering set up handle hi speed?
2. What castor and camber is good for drag racing a GC?
3. How much HP and torture will the original rear drive/axles take?
4. Are there any nationwide GC drag racing organizations that can provide general class rules? Should I build it and just go have fun? I hate bracket racing but guess I could do that just to get on the track and go fast.

Is anyone here drag racing at any tracks in NW Florida?

Thanks you for any assistance and information. I know I'll have more questions.

[TheNewGuy]

Welcome to BGW!!

Check out the Big Block section.> http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/big-block-talk/

[smallblock450sl]

Welcome sir! All good questions. I would recommend a search of "Rifter's" builds, he is the closest thing we have to a legend in gas golf car racing. As for the Hyundai, unless you plan on changeing the front suspenssion to new upper and lower control arms/rack and pinion steering and adding brakes, you will find the "worm shaft/pitman" steering just has to much play (to be safe) at anything over 45 mph. Yes there "WAS" a true racing golf car orginazation, but things went very wrong. As Ron "TheNewGuy"said, check out the BigBlock section. Can't wait to see a true racer's vision of a "drag racing golf car". I would like to see your "vision" Knowledge is everything.

[S Callahan]

Originally Posted by smallblock450sl

Welcome sir! All good questions. I would recommend a search of "Rifter's" builds, he is the closest thing we have to a legend in gas golf car racing. As for the Hyundai, unless you plan on changeing the front suspenssion to new upper and lower control arms/rack and pinion steering and adding brakes, you will find the "worm shaft/pitman" steering just has to much play (to be safe) at anything over 45 mph. Yes there "WAS" a true racing golf car orginazation, but things went very wrong. As Ron "TheNewGuy"said, check out the BigBlock section. Can't wait to see a true racer's vision of a "drag racing golf car". I would like to see your "vision" Knowledge is everything.

Thanks New Guy. 450 you have placed me on a pedestal with "a true racers vision" LOL. Thanks for the info. It sounds like perhaps I should pass on the Hyundai? unless I run it in a somewhat Stock Class?

Is there a brand that comes with rack and pinion and brakes? This will be built on a budget (you know, retired old guy deal). Need to sell my ultralight aircraft (powered parachute) or trade it for a cart and parts.

[rifter]

Welcome to Buggies Gone Wild, you can find just about any kind of build you can imagine here. We have many members with great ideas. Be sure to post pictures!

[classycarts]

4. Are there any nationwide GC drag racing organizations that can provide general class rules?

Welcome S Callahan. I can answer this question for you. NO. There's one out there that thinks they are but has very little knowledge of/or members with a drag racing background.

As you know from your past, most tracks are sanctioned by NHRA/IHRA and covered under their insurance. I know for a fact that IHRA will never sanction modified golf cart racing. Pit cart races for stock cart, yes. But modified, no. That came directly from talking with Mike Baker head of the tech dept for IHRA on the subject. If a track holds such an event, and don't carry their own ins. coverage to cover such an event, the driver will not be covered if they get hurt or killed. Plus track are not that interested in cart racing.

Even if you can get a track interested, there are so few cart racers in a given area that you can't get enough carts to participate.

I don't want to discourage you because carts are fun to modify. But unless you have the funds, in the end your going to have something exspensive setting around that has very little use. JMO! Good luck with your project!

[S Callahan]

Originally Posted by classycarts

4. Are there any nationwide GC drag racing organizations that can provide general class rules?

Welcome S Callahan. I can answer this question for you. NO. There's one out there that thinks they are but has very little knowledge of/or members with a drag racing background.

As you know from your past, most tracks are sanctioned by NHRA/IHRA and covered under their insurance. I know for a fact that IHRA will never sanction modified golf cart racing. Pit cart races for stock cart, yes. But modified, no. That came directly from talking with Mike Baker head of the tech dept for IHRA on the subject. If a track holds such an event, and don't carry their own ins. coverage to cover such an event, the driver will not be covered if they get hurt or killed. Plus track are not that interested in cart racing.

Even if you can get a track interested, there are so few cart racers in a given area that you can't get enough carts to participate.

I don't want to discourage you because carts are fun to modify. But unless you have the funds, in the end your going to have something exspensive setting around that has very little use. JMO! Good luck with your project!

Thats the info I was looking for. It would be senseless to build a racer with no place to race. Although I most likely would be allowed to make passes at the local drag strip. I'll continue reading the forum and give the idea more consideration. I appreciate everyone's responses.

[rifter]

Originally Posted by classycarts

4. Are there any nationwide GC drag racing organizations that can provide general class rules?

Welcome S Callahan. I can answer this question for you. NO. There's one out there that thinks they are but has very little knowledge of/or members with a drag racing background.

As you know from your past, most tracks are sanctioned by NHRA/IHRA and covered under their insurance. I know for a fact that IHRA will never sanction modified golf cart racing. Pit cart races for stock cart, yes. But modified, no. That came directly from talking with Mike Baker head of the tech dept for IHRA on the subject. If a track holds such an event, and don't carry their own ins. coverage to cover such an event, the driver will not be covered if they get hurt or killed. Plus track are not that interested in cart racing.

Even if you can get a track interested, there are so few cart racers in a given area that you can't get enough carts to participate.

I don't want to discourage you because carts are fun to modify. But unless you have the funds, in the end your going to have something exspensive setting around that has very little use. JMO! Good luck with your project!

Daryl is right. I have raced with Daryl and several more members on BGW but had to travel half the USA to do it. Golf Cart racing/Golf Cart Drag racing will probably never get past Novelty, about a half a dozen or more still have Drag Carts and meet occasionally. The money that I invested in building my Drag Cart was for fun, to see if I could do it, to Boldly Go Where No Cart Has Gone Before, And I did, so far I have not heard of any Gas engine powered Golf Cart that's gone faster than me. It was fun for a while then the fun went away and I quit the Asphalt Drag Racing my cart. Now I blast through the neighborhood once in a while or run it at the ATV Dirt Drags which is alot of fun. If you want to build a fast cart make sure you have a place to use it first or you'll have a Garage Ornament/Hanger Queen.

[S Callahan]

Originally Posted by rifter

Daryl is right. I have raced with Daryl and several more members on BGW but had to travel half the USA to do it. Golf Cart racing/Golf Cart Drag racing will probably never get past Novelty, about a half a dozen or more still have Drag Carts and meet occasionally. The money that I invested in building my Drag Cart was for fun, to see if I could do it, to Boldly Go Where No Cart Has Gone Before, And I did, so far I have not heard of any Gas engine powered Golf Cart that's gone faster than me. It was fun for a while then the fun went away and I quit the Asphalt Drag Racing my cart. Now I blast through the neighborhood once in a while or run it at the ATV Dirt Drags which is alot of fun. If you want to build a fast cart make sure you have a place to use it first or you'll have a Garage Ornament/Hanger Queen.

Well, just as a project I 'could' take on the challenge of beating your 1/8th mile time/mph. Of course you'd have to give me info on how to do that. LOL. Hey, we could set up challenge runs at being the worlds fastest 4 stroke GC's. That may draw a crowd for the strip owners. Maybe get us some sponsor/win money. We could split the money to defray construction and travel costs. Yeah. I have a lot of good ideas. LOL.

[smallblock450sl]

A "racer/hopped up" Vtwin is fun and extremely "torqey", if you can run it at a local track, build it. You'll have a blast and you can still drive it sensonable everday.