Differences in Nascar chassis?

Hi, I have never been too sure what the differances are between the Ford, Chevy and Pontiac chassis in Nascar. Can anyone explain what their difference in real life is, and if Papy have modeled that accurately into N2/99 and N3? Thanks, I would really appreciate :) Regards -- Ivo Franic Franic Racing Home Page: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6776/index.html NetRex-Maserati: http://www.netrex.sim-racing.net/ ICQ # 5932591 Nick ICQ: Vosy

Chevy-more weight in the front Ford-more weight in the back Pontiac-neutral

In real life there isn't any. The chassis themselves are generic square tube contruction. The only differences that Papy could have modelled would be weight considerations that Nascar may have, based on engine horsepower. However given Nascar's recent ability to equalize the manufacturers performance, via aerodynamics. Weight considerations (or any other chassis dynamics between manufacturers) wouldn't be a worthwhile pursuit to model. i.e. Program-wise they only differ by name, and only by engine in real life. (Except Pontiac and Chevrolet which are pretty much identical except for the words cast in the cylinder heads and those on the valve covers.) Some fact, some opinion, Mike Basden (Long time ARCA crew member)

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> Hi, > I have never been too sure what the differances are between the Ford, > Chevy and Pontiac chassis in Nascar. Can anyone explain what their > difference in real life is, and if Papy have modeled that accurately > into N2/99 and N3? Thanks, I would really appreciate :) > Regards > -- > Ivo Franic > Franic Racing Home Page: > http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6776/index.html > NetRex-Maserati: http://www.netrex.sim-racing.net/ > ICQ # 5932591 > Nick ICQ: Vosy

no difference??? really?? hmm.. that's odd.. I recall last season, Ford had problems keeping up with Chevys. Then Ford changed their body style slightly and Chevy owners were ***ing to officials that Ford had an unfair advantage in speedways... so they added or removed (can't remember which) spoiler size. If you've watched NASCAR enough.. there ARE differences in them. NASCAR officials actually have seperate limits in spoiler adjustments for Ford, Chevy, and Pontiac because the body styles DO make a difference. As far as the game... there is a slight difference. If you race a Pontiac on a high banking short track, you have to adjust the spoliers differently than on a Ford (haven't tried Chevy yet). Try it... get a good setup for Pontiac.. then use the same setup in a Ford, you'll notice that you may seem loose coming out of the turns.

> Chevy-more weight in the front > Ford-more weight in the back > Pontiac-neutral Thanks g_major, That explains the difference I have experienced in the game recently. When changing carsets, I changed my chassis from a Chevy to a Ford. I never thought the Ford was going to be different , but noticed that the AI in my season where suddenly stronger, and I was struggling with the RF towards the end of the race. I know the AI are the same, I didn't change the season's list of drivers, so I must have done something. With the weight in the front, that would make the Chevy turn in better, right? I'm not too sure about this....did I get this wrong? -- Ivo Franic Franic Racing Home Page: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6776/index.html NetRex-Maserati: http://www.netrex.sim-racing.net/ ICQ # 5932591 Nick ICQ: Vosy

You're right: they had to change the rules for Pontiac a coupla years ago and since then they've done pretty darn well. IIRC Pontiac gets a longer spoiler, or something like that... Gunner

The initial post asked what the differences where in the Nascar CHASSIS for manufacturers and NOT body stylings. Yes aerodynamics plays a major role in handling and hence speed (as I stated earlier " However given Nascar's recent ability to equalize the manufacturers performance, via aerodynamics."). Afterall this has been the great debate. Nascar has always been trying to provide an equal playing field for all manufacturers. They do this by doing chassis dyno tests (which measures the horsepower and torque at the rear wheels) and wind tunnel testing (for drag coefficients) and then making aerodynamic compensations to equal them all out. However, when it comes down to the chassis themselves (ie the frame and roll cage assembly), they are identical (with the exception of perhaps minor changes between chassis manufacturers - Hopkins vs Hutcherson-Pagan etc..) Hope this clarifies thins a bit, Mike Basden (Long time ARCA crew member)

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> no difference??? really?? hmm.. that's odd.. I recall last season, Ford > had problems keeping up with Chevys. Then Ford changed their body style > slightly and Chevy owners were ***ing to officials that Ford had an unfair > advantage in speedways... so they added or removed (can't remember which) > spoiler size. > If you've watched NASCAR enough.. there ARE differences in them. NASCAR > officials actually have seperate limits in spoiler adjustments for Ford, > Chevy, and Pontiac because the body styles DO make a difference. As far as > the game... there is a slight difference. If you race a Pontiac on a high > banking short track, you have to adjust the spoliers differently than on a > Ford (haven't tried Chevy yet). Try it... get a good setup for Pontiac.. > then use the same setup in a Ford, you'll notice that you may seem loose > coming out of the turns. > > In real life there isn't any. The chassis themselves are generic square > > tube contruction. The only differences that Papy could have modelled > > would be weight considerations that Nascar may have, based on engine > > horsepower. However given Nascar's recent ability to equalize the > > manufacturers performance, via aerodynamics. Weight considerations (or > > any other chassis dynamics between manufacturers) wouldn't be a > > worthwhile pursuit to model. i.e. Program-wise they only differ by name, > > and only by engine in real life. (Except Pontiac and Chevrolet which are > > pretty much identical except for the words cast in the cylinder heads and > > those on the valve covers.) > > Some fact, some opinion, > > Mike Basden > > (Long time ARCA crew member)