I just got this 1970 chevy wagon for free and was wondering
what do you half to do to the driver side door.
does anybody know?

 

I think all you have to do is remove the glass and weld it shut. Don't quote me though.

 

hope a FORD don't hit it ?

 

find out what the rules are specifically at the place you plan to enter. but trust me, they dont look over the cars too closely.

you dont need to do anything to the driver door specifically but make sure all the doors are either welded or chained shut. make sure there isnt anything sharp sticking outta the door. i got thrown against my door quite a few times and i had a seat belt on. another good idea is to re-route the shifter linkage, through the floorboard. the gas tank goes in the back seat, the battery goes on the floor in the passenger area next to you, cover both of those 2 things. definitely get ridda all the glass. if i think of anything else ill let ya know.

oh and dont be like those wierdos that put a couple grand into the cars...just have fun, thats what its all about.

 

Weld the doors shut and to the body, all the way around, inside and out
Brace them if allowed
Weld the hood to the fenders
Weld the tailgate closed, all the way around, inside & out
Yank all the A/C plumbing
Pull the swaybars
Remove the fan, run an electric pulling air OUT of the engine compartment (reversed)
Replace at least a foot of trans cooler lines with rubber hose
Ditch the power steering--cap the box fittings
Run a driveshaft safety loop
Leave the radiator cap loose
Weld the spiders in the rear axle for a spool
Run the shortest front tires you can, with at least some tread
Try for at least an all-terrain or snow tire in the back, if allowed
Run inner tubes all around
Coat the sidewalls with grease
Put plenty of padding on the steering wheel & B-pillar
Run a floor shifter--make sure the hole is big enough to allow for the tranny moving when you get hit
Wire it so you can start the engine in gear
Run the biggest battery you can, with the cables routed CAREFULLY inside the car covered in rubber hose
Run all rubber fuel line (no hardline!), in the car if allowed (I suggest the right side of the trans tunnel), shrouded in heater hose
Cut the ends off the bumpers
Cut out the rear wheelhouses
Mount the radiator with zip-ties or wire
Dump all the extra wiring
Tie the choke open

 

Here are the rules that are used around central Wisconsin by Action Auto Promotions, for whom I worked several summer's as a tow vehicle driver/ helper during the summer demo season.
All plastic , glass, and carpeting has to come out of the car. All doors are either welded or chained shut. A hole must be cut in the hood above the carb(no air cleaner allowed). Battery on the floor on passenger side in a box bolted to the floor, and gas tank with clamped down fuel lines run into the area behind the driver's side seat. Exhaust must be cut off. No mods to suspension. Stock tires only.
My suggestions- take some of the back seat stuffing and duct tape it to the door-helps cushion the beating you're gonna take.
Don't use a marine battery box-build a wood box.
Use plumber's strap to hold down the gas tank and battery box.
Paint the driver's door orange-door hits around here will get you dis-qualified automatically.
Always change the shifter linkage-had a few jam and break on me.
Also, go with a toggle switch/power on- off- and push button start set-up-you may break the key off.

I agree with rebel_ford- we've got a bunch of guys around here that travel to Kentucky-Virginia areas and come back with $1200-$1500 mid 70's GM wagons/4 doors. Waste of money, because the biggest pot of money I've seen around here for 1st place was $650-and you have to run 3 heats to get a chance at it.

Good luck with your car.

 

I wanna see a demo derby with all F250s, and lesser brands 3/4 trucks

now that'd be TOUGH

 

Thanks for all your info im going to get started first thing tomarow when I get home from work. Good idea drunkenmonk that would be great.

 

id list what id do... but its been listed already. lol
Also... they orange door?
I see why to pain tit, but why orange?

 

You just want the doors painted a different color than the rest of the vehicle. A color that stands out is recomended. That way if someone takes a door shot at you some of your paint will end up on the other vehicle. The judges will see it and that person will be disqualified.

 

What I thought.
I just didnt know if Orange was required or what :P

 

I'd get a set of rules for where you plan on running the car. They can differ a lot from location to location. I've seen some places that require you to run the stock fan, some that don't allow doors/trunks/tailgates welded shut(chained only), no snow tires, etc. If you can, find a set of lowboy trailer tires (7.50-15) that are 8 ply or better rated. I also cut the beads off a smaller tire and put it inside of the outer tire and also use a tube. Use some kind of hi tack on the wheel beads so the tire stays stuck to it. Trim away anything that may get pushed into the tires but try not to disrupt the structure of the body like cutting body seams. Use a big hammer and bend the fender lips up instead of cutting them off. And please, cut the ends of the bumpers off, they tend to snag on other cars rendering them both immobile. We have truck derby's around here, along with full size cars, compact cars and I believe next year will be a class for compact trucks.

 

One tip for running a chebbie is to cut a space behind the distributor, chebbies dizzy's are at the back and I've seen quite a few break after a few hits in the front.
Any derby I've been at you need to paint the driver door white, and some derby's make you fill the door with sand or gravel, to protect the driver.
Chain the motor down in case you break motor mounts.
Double check the rules before you start.

Jaraxle...just curious? Why run small front tires? Alot of people I've seen like to run taller front tires to lift the front end up for more of a Rad puncher, I guess you might get hung up easier, I dunno.

 

When the front fenders are pushed in by impacts, tall tires can hit the metal & become steering-limited.

 

Never thought I would know so much about a demo derby car