So as the title states im building me a derby car, not positive on year but its an 80's Buick skylark...its gonna be built over this fall and winter...but as of now i am starting to gather parts and other needed stuff....i've got a good cross bar and a decent set of bias tires for the rear(still looking for skid steer tires)....I dont have the car yet(at my grandpa's farm about 110 miles away) i have seen it a few times but unsure on a few things until i go to pick it up...but anyway, im looking to weld the rear end, stretch out the springs for more height, stuff some rags in the shocks so its stiff, remove the rubber body mounts and replace with steel washers, put a 350 in it(if it doesn't already have one), upright headers, custom derby shifter with a pin to delete park while the derby and pull the pin for park after the derby, weld doors and trunk, bolt hood and trunk, fold fenders, fuel cell, battery/switch box, plastic radiator fan(so it wont wreck the radiator when smashed), strap down the radiator so it wont fall out, tranny cooler with an electric fan or in a custom box so it can be filled with ice to keep it cool...not sure on which yet, compress the bumper shock and weld them solid, fold the bumpers tight to the steel behind them, might notch the frame(not sure if i have to with the buick, heard it wasn't needed...that they bend up anyway)...Im sure im missing more...but anyway for all you derby guys out there have any tips or tricks for me....i'd love to hear them

Once i get the car i'll post pics of it and as i build it so some of you newbie derby guys can learn how to build one yourself...im a newb to derbying myself...but i have a near pro helping me out and giving me a ton of tips...so it should turn out to be a pretty good car, and a great help for you other first timers

Forgot to mention...i'm building this car for the two local derbies...they are very limited on what you can do to your car, so this will be far from an extreme build, and nowhere near what i want the car to be...but got to abide by the rules
They wont even let you run a bar across the drivers door...there is no protection allowed on the drivers door at all Dont see why...its a safety thing, cant see why they wont let you take safety precautions...not like it adds a ton of strength to the car...just safety if the drivers door is hit...but whatever, rules are rules.lol

P.S. The near pro i have helping me out has a 60's imperial, wedged trunk, 9" rear end, 383 stroker(rebuilds it every year)...so needless to say i most likely wont win...but with him on my side, i have a good partner

 

Here's a link to the shifter.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

And headers: Flip them upside down and weld on some stacks
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

Or go this route...i like the other though...its cheaper
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

 

I saw you r last paragraph. I was going to say to hell with the buick. You need a 65 Imperial if they still allow them to compete. They do not fold. Ever.

 

Driver's door is because it is generally considered an illegal hit. If you protect it, you can throw it defensively to try to get other drivers bounced.

Don't forget to kink the bottom of the c-pillars at the top of the trunk with a big hammer. Then the trunk will fold up when it gets hit instead of down. Dragging the rear bumper on the ground is not helpful.

Try to hit GM cars hard right in front of the front doors. If you can buckle the firewall enough it will pop the distributor cap off.

 

Oh. and if they allow all-thread to secure the trunk and hood, use the absolute largest pieces of threaded rod you can find. I'm talking 2 foot long by 1"-8 UNC or bigger. run it all the way through the lower frame if you can. If it doesn't say it's illegal, it's legal.

 

Shifter-wise, I always just fab'd blocker plates on the trans that only allowed for D, N & R and then just ran a rod with a handle bent into the end into the the cabin. You don't need anything fancy.

 

And just flip the cast manifolds over and bend a piece of pip to get it about 2' over the hood. (If you want to be like me, turn it another 90 and shoot the exhaust straight out the front. The other competitors love that.)

Cheap is good.

Don't forget to mount smaller tires inside your real tires. Flats are bad. Barring that, fill them with great stuff foam.

 

If anyone is running a toronado, stay away from it. Nobody like FWD and it will be ganged up on and destroyed pretty quickly.

 

Sorry i wasn't able to get on for awhile(computer took a crap).
But anyway thanks for the info 2evil4u.
I would defiantly run an imperial if i could find one for a decent price.lol
Also found out from my buddy that we cant touch the drivers door at all, and there can be no bars ran from the front cross bar to the back...and i can run ready rod through the trunk but there is a certain size i cant go bigger than.

 

Chain the engine down on each side. I had a 1960 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 four door that I ran in two derbies, but I had very little luck. The first time in the ring I got hit hard and it knocked my battery cable loose and killed the engine. The second time in the ring the arm on the fuel pump broke at the very moment the starting flag was dropped. My second derby was just as bad. I did NOT chain the engine down and it torqued over and busted the distributor cap when it hit the wiper motor on my first hit in reverse, killed the engine instantly. I had to "borrow" a distributor cap from a parked vehicle in the parking lot just to get the car back up on the trailer.

You should also rig up a push button start for your car.

 

An 80's Skylark (an X body?) it's FWD btw.

 

Ok i know i posted this a long time ago...but i finally got the car...more info on it...its a 70's model(76 i think) so its a v8 rear wheel drive...got it all stripped, most the sheet metal folded, and the bumper mounts welded...need to pull the motor and find me a transmission. Here's a quick pic....yet again any tips or tricks would always be appreciated.

 

Just picked up a sbc 350 for it today Now i just need to get a tranny to complete the drivetrain...finish the cross bars, battery box, tranny cooler, fuel tank, weld and chain the doors, bolt and chain the hood and trunk and she should be ready to rock....o yeah and a sweet paint job

 

Looking to buy a tranny for it this weekend...anyone know if a 70's 350 tranny will work with the early 90's 350 motor i have?

 

It should, you may have to find the proper flexplate at most.