11. A fire suppression system is a great thing to have. Even if a car comes with it, this is one of those things that you are better off replacing before you hit the track. Our bottle said it was still full, but we know the car had been sitting for a couple of years, and if there was ever a fire, you wouldn’t want to gamble with an old, untested system.

Ctrp 1301 13 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Dash And Gauges
12. Inside the car there is a lot to look at. The dash and gauges are difficult to check if the car isn’t able to run. Inspect all of the wiring and connections.
12. Inside the car there is a lot to look at. The dash and gauges are difficult to check

Check all of the suspension pick-up points for bends, cracks, or rust. Any signs of failure need to be fixed before going on track. Beyond the obvious, any variations from the original mounting points will change the suspension geometry. Measuring everything is key here because the right changes will improve handling, but the wrong ones can cause major handling issues.

Beyond the chassis, go through all of the various systems with a fine-tooth comb. Subtle things can tip you off to larger problems. Check things like fluids. Old, nasty oil, transmission fluid, or rusty water with stop-leak in the radiator can all be signs of neglects or lack of maintenance. Brakes are another big area to pay attention to. Check the brake pads and rotors for wear. Check all of the brakes lines for kinks, and the fittings for leaks. Check the brake fluid, as old, dirty fluid will not perform as well as fresh fluid. In fact, you should change all of the fluids regardless of how they look. There is no way to know how long the fluids have been in the car and how many laps are on them.

Ctrp 1301 14 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Ignition System
13. Inspect the ignition system. This is another one of those components that may be worth replacing before racing your new car.
13. Inspect the ignition system. This is another one of those components that may be worth replacing before racing your new car.

There are a thousand other things to check and look at, and we simply don’t have the room to hit everything here. It comes down to common sense. Look at as much as possible, ask as many questions as you can, dig for as much info as possible.

There are a thousand other things to check and look at, and we simply don’t have the room to hit everything here. It comes down to common sense. Look at as much as possible, ask as many questions as you can, dig for as much info as possible. Your new car should be entirely stripped and all components inspected before the season starts, or before racing it the first time. The more informed you are, the better decisions you’ll make, and you’ll end up with a better race car!

Ctrp 1301 15 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Switch Panel
14. If the car has a battery, and you have a test light, the switch panel is easy to check. Make sure all of the wiring is in good condition, and check for power at as many places as possible. If there is any doubt, re-wire the car and buy a new switch panel. This is exactly what we’re going to do as there’s no sense in risking victory for a small wiring failure.
14. If the car has a battery, and you have a test light, the switch panel is easy to check. Make sure all of the wiring is in good condition, and check for power at as many places as possible. If there is any doubt, re-wire the car and buy a new switch panel. This is exactly what we’re going to do as there’s no sense in risking victory for a small wiring failure.
  • Ctrp 1301 16 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Braking System
    15. Brakes are extremely important, and should be checked thoroughly. Surface rust can be a bad sign, but looks can be deceiving also. We were worried about our braking system upon first inspection, but we were pleasantly surprised. Look for more info on the brakes in an future issue of CT.
    15. Brakes are extremely important, and should be checked thoroughly. Surface rust can be
  • 16.0 Take a wheel off and look at pad and rotor thickness.
  • Ctrp 1301 18 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Pad And Rotor Detail
    16.5 New or almost new brakes pads are a good sign, as are new or like new rotors.
    16.5 New or almost new brakes pads are a good sign, as are new or like new rotors.
  • Ctrp 1301 19 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Master Cylinders
    17. Take a good look at the master cylinders. Check for leaks, and check the fluid. Old nasty fluid can be sign of brake problems, and broken down fluid will reduce performance.
    17. Take a good look at the master cylinders. Check for leaks, and check the fluid. Old n
  • Ctrp 1301 20 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Rearend Issues
    18. The rearend can be expensive to replace. Check as much as possible. Put a straightedge on the tubes to check for straightness, look at the gears, check the axles, and look at the fluid. Rearend issues are fairly easy to spot if you know what to look for.
    18. The rearend can be expensive to replace. Check as much as possible. Put a straightedg
  • Ctrp 1301 21 Ultimate Racing Buyer Beware Rearend Cooler
    19. If you car has any additional coolers, like this rear end cooler, check for leaks, solid mounting, and damage.
    19. If you car has any additional coolers, like this rear end cooler, check for leaks, s