FC Bodies

Hey folks, what's the options for an alcohol funny car body these days? I understand that Hairy is the only supplier and that he can only sell 1999 Trans Am, Avenger or a 2000 Camaro. I also understand that you have to go to GM for a newer body. What's up with that? What are people doing that are building new cars? Lastly, what are weight savings from fiberglass to carbon fiber? Are fuel bodies considerably heavier than alcohol? Any other insight on this issue is greatly appreciated.

Greg

 

the options arent good at all. youre right the older firebird and camaro and avenger is all thats really out there. The fuel bodies have to be bought thru GM and they hit you with a surcharge. If you look at the cars that have run big speed, the Camaro / Firebird seems to be the choice. Carbon will hold up much better than a glass body.

 

Yeah. Bad deal on the bodies. The deal with GM is not a good one. They charge about the cost of a body five years ago. Then the cost of the body is on top of that. (Some people get the GM deal. Not sure how they get it, but GM lowers their fee considerably to run the GM sticker package.)
The pre 01' cars are what you are looking for. The new fuel bodies, 01' and later, have too much drag before the rear of the door. Also, the angle and agressive flare of the lip behind the rear tire needs to be removed to kill the enourmous drag.
Carbon is way superior to glass. Not only in weight, but strength. Every lay up is different, and you can order from hairy, a lighter lay-up. the standard fuel body and standard alcohol body are right around 40 LBS difference. (If my memory serves me right.) The fuel bodies add kevlar in the decklid. And also, generally beef up the back of the car. It is really not that big of a deal. So if you can find a good fuel body, just get out the jig saw and "help" the aero package as much as NHRA will allow.
Now comes the problem. Rumor has it NHRA will not allow any modifications coming out of the mold on these cars. (A few teams have been getting a tad 'radical' with their body modifications.)
I would love to make bodies out of here. But GM will not let me. Sorry.

 

There is talk of a 2004 1/2 GTO body being worked on. We need a new one for next year, but we don't want to spend $15,000 on a new body and mounting with 6 year old body styles. Regals used to have a Vette body that looked good but he said he can't sell them any more. He would not say why.

 

Thanks everyone for the insight. I agree with the "dated" body and the fact that contingency payout and national event eligibility are based on the model year of the car. I wouldn't want to take a new body and saw it up either. Are there no 2002 or newer alcohol bodies? It seems that everyone refers to fuel bodies when talking about new models. Maybe we can be more like Pro Mod in a few years with our "nostalgia" body styles. Just kiddin'.

 

The problem with the bodies in development is simple. To do it, you have to have a deal with Detroit. Detroit couldn't give a hoot about alcohol. They will design the bodies, and thus, the mold, for fuel cars. These cars will have the giant boxes on the rear, and will design the front ends to balance this box effect out. That means drag to equal downforce before the rear of the door. The alcohol cars do not want this drag. But no one is making alcohol bodies. (They used to be inerchangable, but now the molds are leaned way tward fuel cars only. And thus, called 'fuel bodies'.) There are those that could or would, Riggels for example, but the detroit deals are tough, and not cheap. They want their cut of every body, and have a copyright of sorts to keep people away from making a body style off of one of their cars. So when the GTO and the Monte Carlo come out, it will be the same old stuff. Pay GM for a fuel car.
Either we will make a deal with Hyandai to do a Tiburon alcohol car, or we are doomed to pay the big bucks for a fuel body and cut it, or an outdated pre 01' car.
The future ain't pretty.

 

"The problem with the bodies in development is simple. To do it, you have to have a deal with Detroit."

Buzz, I hope you're ready for what might be viewed as a series of really stupid questions...

Does a Funny Car body actually have to be remotely modeled after a car that saw production? Must it carry an actual manufacturer's badge, with the approval of the manufacturer? If not, couldn't a company like Hairy Glass begin creating their own updated body molds and sell the bodies as custom bodies to the purchaser(s)? As long as the bodies pass tech, is there a provision in place that would prevent you from racing an alcohol Funny Car with a 2004.5 Wannabe Racing body? If that could happen, might it not make Detroit pay a little more attention to alky Funny Cars and the need for updated body availability?

....I hope my first post to this forum isn't too full stupid questions. I don't have a current rule book handy to look up the answers to these questions... ...and my "off season" started at the end of the event in Chicago two weeks ago. ...it's gonna be a long winter!

Bob

 

As per the rule book when a body is created and mounted if has to be within so many inches of the vehicle it is molded after. If its not a replica of an actual car theres no way it would pass tech because theres nothing to compare it to.

 

Bob,
My mouth started watering when you stated that. The 2004 Wannabe Racing body. We are doing that, but it is with a body that should not have copyright infringements.
The problem is with the rule book for TAFC
"Any body that meets the Funny car body requirements. . . All bodies must be a two door sports car, 2-door coupe, or 2-door sedan body of a type originally mass produced by automobile manufacturer (domestic or foreign). Must have originally measured 63 inches wide or more at centerline of front and rear axle." Blah, Blah Blah.
My problem is what is wrong with us using a body by a maker. We are doing free advertising for them. Let me run whatever I want- huh?!!
Sorry BOB. To play their game, gotta play their rules.

 

Here's the latest in the body saga. It seems that NHRA made my choice of new bodies easier.

"Top Alcohol Dragster and Top Alcohol Funny Car
Only blocks and cylinder-head designs used in NHRA competition prior to April 1, 2001, will be permitted in competition. The two classes must also use a liner on non-beadlock wheels. Beginning Jan. 1, 2005, fire-extinguishing system meeting SFI Spec 17.1 will be mandatory on all Top Alcohol Funny Cars and on Top Alcohol Dragsters where the driver sits behind the engine or on those that have an enclosed cockpit.

Body specifications and guidelines for Top Alcohol Funny Car have been amended to accommodate the growing use of nitro Funny Car bodies within the class. All bodies that run in competition must be campaigned as they came from the respective molds. Mounting trees for the body may not be adjustable, and the framing must be a permanent fixture, free of adjustments.
"

 

While In Phoenix, I ran into Ronnie Stidham, he had said they were considering giving up TAFC over the Body issue