Hello,

I have big plan me and my friends of running a Cavalier in 2004 in Touring class racing in Quebec,Canada. We gonna need some help and advices against the big teams like Key Motorsport,Hondas and Vw,the idea to race a Z24 is mostly due then for now for my knowledge nobody race it in Quebec,I own a Cavalier myself and I think then Torque can be our partner during the races. We plan to swap engine for a 2.2 Echotec and upgrade the brake system. Now the big questions marks are:What can we do to tune the Echotech to boost power (Normally aspirated only) to reach at least 190 Hp at the wheel with a reasonnable price and what type of suspensions parts and brakes we need to perform in racing with these guys?

I want to thank you in advice for your advices...

Fritz...

First of all take care of your handling and suspension first. It's much easier to drive a car that may be under powered than an overpowered car that is slop going around turns.

The biggest thing that you can do for your car is go tire shopping. If you have the money get slicks, hoosiers are a great brand. But if you need more tread life for multiple races (which I don't recomend) go for a good street tire. Something with profile of 45 or less.

Next would be the rear sway bar. They sell these for almost any compact car these days. The adjustable sway bar is nice, but you can achieve nearly the same results with just an aftermarket rear sway bar. The thicker the bar the more stiff your ride will be.

Springs will be helpful. Do not get lowering springs-they don't offer much performance. Go for a nice set of adjustable coilovers, and if you're really into racing you might find it a nice combination of leaving the stock springs in the rear and installing some coilovers in the front. This will reduce the understeer (it will throw the rear end out more on turns) that front wheel drive cars are notorious for.

One of the cheapest things that you can do is completely strip the car of everything. take out the seats, carpet, stereo, anything you don't need to drive. relocate the battery in the trunk, any kind of weight balancing you can do is a good idea you want to aim for a 50/50 weight balance; in your case this is near impossible. 111 pounds (I'm sorry I'm using american measurement) equals 10 Hp. It doesn't add power it just frees up power. not to mention, that 111 pounds that you don't have to carry around a turn.

Get a big radiator. your car is going to be running hot.

To increase your HP in a N/A engine is pretty easy. 1. Port and polish your head and intake manifold
2. Buy headers
3 Fabricate a exhaust system at least a 2.5 inch diameter pipe. Don't bother buying a muffler
4. But a cold air intake, or if you're poor, like me, cut the bottom of the air box off, and install a K&N air filter.
5. Increase your compression ratio.- buy domed pistons, shave the deck of the block and the head. Buy performance ring seals. Bore out cylinders.
6. Performance cams, get something that would fit the characteristics of your driving.

This is a long long process, if you can cut corners great, but it's damn expensive to do all that. lemme know how everything goes.