Think Safety Please Here Guys

[Tony Nesbitt]

ok as most know i am building a 2001 vette for NPS i am having an issue with the rules here as noted in our rules for the firewall I must retain the stock firewall to run at a backhalf weight,I was just wondering if this is a safety issue running a 632 cubic inch motor with about a 300 kit of spray on top of that is there any issue of maybe a fire in the stock firewall being fiberglass ???????


if you think maybe this is dangerous i would like some posts here or if you have any ideas how to resolve this issue the chassis builder will not go any further with this car since he feels safety is an issue this was a letter sent to the pro tech advising them of our situation when i spoke to the chassis builder my car is still sitting waiting for a response now please realize this is not an arguement it is simply me trying to resolve a problem so i can see all of you next year in bradenton 2004

(this was sent to pro from our chassis builder)
This memo is in regards to the construction of a 2001 Corvette for competition in Nostalgia Pro Street. Due to the flammable and smoke producing characteristics of the factory firewall on the Corvette and NHRA rules requiring either a steel or aluminum firewall I am requesting the following: Consistent with the rules already in force in PRO concerning engine setback I believe that the factory firewall should be removed and replaced with a flat .024" steel firewall in the stock location. I believe this can be accomplished with the interest of safety in mind and not give anyone an unfair advantage. Because the rules dictate specific engine setback allowances this should not affect performance. On a Corvette with the factory firewall the block will not touch the firewall if the 4 inch guideline from spindle center line to number one spark plug is adhered to even with the big block. This would make the ruling easy to patrol from a tech standpoint also. Thank You,


TONY NESBITT

[Bob Curran]

I would agree with Tony, as I have had conversations with Pat Budd about my Corvette after his Chassis Shop started a project on building a S/S Corvette, his concerns as a Tech Official and a Friend to me were if I had a accident and the car caught fire I would have more damage from the toxic fumes then a fire itself, so he felt for the safety of the driver he would revise the rule for a corvette in S/S and S/M (or anycar that had a fiberglass firewall) In Limited Street he is revising the rule so that i would be required to run a Halon system in the driver area and on the firewall itself. SFI has not wrote the rule, but i am sure it will be something they will incorporate in the future. I know these are NSCA rules and not PRO but the main issue is saftey of the driver, then retaining the stock placement of the firewall both which should be addressed for by Tech. I myself will install a fire system before the season starts, and most likely will have to address the firewall issue when my chassis cert is expired.


Copied from NSCA Rules for

NSCA Ramchargers Super Street & NSCA Drive Train Specialist Super Modified

REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Firewall – Stock, steel firewall required. In the case of Corvette, or any other vehicle with a non-steel/aluminum firewall as produced from the factory, a flat STEEL firewall no thinner than .024 is permitted/required. This is not intended as a performance enhancement. NSCA tech must be consulted before modifications for vehicles without a listed set of dimensions.
Corvette: The back of the block (face of mid-plate) may be no more than 16” rearward of the driver’s side rear lower control arm bracket (unmodified in stock location), as measured from the flat, vertical plane of the rear bracket to the face of the mid plate. A big block may have the #1 plug no further rearward of the spindle centerline than 4”. SB’s will fit a stock Corvette further rearward than this, reference above mid plate dimension.

I believe that Pat is submitting this to SFI for future consideration.