AU’s drag setups.. is gutting a legitimate “street” time?

[Casper]

So now’s probably to get a consensus on running lightweight cars at the drags as it’s become the next big thing. This is more for the AU guys (although all opinions are of course welcome) as each series of Falcon seems to work to their own internal levels of acceptance on these sort of things.

Until now it has never really been done with the AU’s in any significant ways (some have, its not new) however, in recent times, it has certainly become a hot topic of interest to many of the more serious drag racers here. Probably more so in the BA cars but, as we all know, what effects any of the E, AU and B series cars will have a flow on effect to all the others.

Before you start typing though, here’s a few thoughts for you all to consider. Over the last 4 years the world of drag racing and AU’s has changed dramatically. Here’s some comparisons to take not of:

4 years ago: An AU running 15’s (I6 or V8) was considered doing well. 14’s were a goal for 99% of AU’s
Now: If you are not running 13’s you are not even close for an AU V8, the top ten starts in the 13.7’s. Even for the AU I6 a 14.9 is considered a starting point for the top ten and that’s always under attack to go lower. Mid 14’s is now the pointy end and 13’s are now the new target times. This is a full 1 second drop from 4 years ago

4 years ago: Street rims, street rubber and street tunes were the normal setups
Now: Race rubber or specialist street tyres are now considered acceptable. Lightweight rims are, for the most part, still not in big numbers but a “run them if you have them” mindset seems to be the standard now.

4 years ago: The best tuning tools were the unichip and the chiptorques. While around the vast majority of AU’s at the drags didn’t have them
Now: Most AU’s that are taken to the drags either already have a custom tuned edit/Unichip/Chiptorque or are certainly going to get one. Its become the standard issue mod no different to exhausts and intakes.

4 years ago: Histalls/performance clutches and modded diffs were a major talking point on any AU
Now: Meh, accepted as just another bolt on mod

4 years ago: All the fastest AU’s (V8 and I6) were manuals. A manual conversion was considered a major performance modification
Now: While the manuals still dominate the V8s the top 4 I6’s are all auto’s. A manual conversion is now no longer considered a drag racing advantage in the I6’s at least.

4 years ago: Pretty much any mod was fair game. Opened and unopened didn’t exist and an ET was an ET, apples with apples, regardless of the level of power and performance mods.
Now: Nothings changed. All mods (except Forced induction/Chemical induction) is still considered fair game. “Run what you ‘brung’ and hope you ‘brung’ enough” still stands true today.


So, is gutting the cars for the track just another step along the drag racing evolutionary path or is it that one step too far? Is it just another mod that need to be done or has it taken the street cars to a point they are no longer street cars?

Feel free to state your opinion (no poll, a Yes/No is too simplistic) but lets keep it civil and reasonable. Remember, there is no right answer, just personal opinions.

To start this I’ll add what I think. I believe that, in essence, we all drive street cars. Therefore a “street trim” has always allowed a measure of comparison. This has been the case for a long time however, as much as I personally don’t like the idea, I think pandora’s box has been opened and the “gutting” idea is here to stay. Its impossible to police, impossible to restrict and impossible to disallow. Its an inevitable progression and, while I choose not to do it at this time, it will affect ¼ mile times enough that those of us who don’t mind chasing ETs will have to look at it as another mod that can be done. If you choose to do it or not is up to the individual however its there, its an advantage and if you take it you reap the rewards. All I ask is that those that do post an ET from a gutted car please disclose it is so.
In summation.. if you want to gut your AU then I personally have no issue with it but disclose it please. Running gutted and claiming full street trim is as bad as running NA and forgetting to mention you had a 50hp shot of NO2 in the system. Its an ET but lets keep comparing apples with apples please.