Stock Car (Production-Based) Quick Start Learning Guide
Get started on your race car project today with this Quick Start Learning Guide to help you choose books that will provide the best initial value, information and guidance.
Tips On Choosing Production-based Stock Car Books
Racing cars built from a production-based car (Showroom Stock, Street Stock, Pure Stock, U-Car) generally include only limited modifications, the most important of which are for safety (Seat/harness/safety cell/roll cage). Like all race cars, it is useful for you to have a good knowledge of vehicle dynamics so that the handling of the car can be understood during setup and racing. We suggest starting with a book on vehicle dynamics, preferably including oval/circle track racing.
We also suggest books on metal fabrication and production-based car preparation as these are usually required to make the car race ready. Books that cover both dirt and asphalt will give a more complete picture of vehicle dynamics, depending on the racing available to you.
| Book Category | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerodynamics |  Competition Car Downforce: A Practical Guide  (4.5 / 5)A comprehensive guide for understanding, designing and building aerodynamic devices for race cars. It includes aerodynamic theory, how devices work, design, and construction techniques. Also published in a newer version ("Competition Car Aerodynamics: A Practical Guide"). Get "Competition Car Downforce: A Practical Guide":    | |||
| Bodywork |  Automotive Bodywork & Rust Repair (4.5 / 5)Provides instruction on repairing damaged and rusty bodywork. Covers tools, preparing/cleaning sheet metals, fabricating sections and patches, welding options, fitting and smoothing, metalworking and finishing. Get "Automotive Bodywork & Rust Repair": | |||
| Chassis |  Advanced Race Car Chassis Technology: Winning Chassis Design and Setup for Circle Track and Road Race Cars (4.5 / 5)Primarily aimed at circle track racing cars, this book provides broad coverage of stock or circle track car handling principles. It includes weight dynamics, suspension, aerodynamics, gearing and safety information as well as dirt and asphalt setup information. Get "Advanced Race Car Chassis Technology: Winning Chassis Design and Setup for Circle Track and Road Race Cars": | |||
| Fasteners/Joining |  Carroll Smith's Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook  (5 / 5)Teaches how to use the correct fasteners and fastener materials. This book includes extensive information on fatigue properties, joints, mounts, and vehicle plumbing. Get "Carroll Smith's Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook": | |||
| Materials/Fabrication |  Engineer To Win: The essential guide to racing car materials technology (5 / 5)A comprehensive, easy-to-read guide on metallurgy (metal properties), fastening and plumbing. The book applies this information to many aspects of race cars with the goal of building cars that do not break or leak. Get "Engineer To Win: The essential guide to racing car materials technology": | |||
| Powertrain |  David Vizard's How to Build Horsepower (5 / 5)A guide to designing the engine as a system and constructing it to produce maximum horsepower. The design aspects use the airflow through each part of the engine as a basis for instruction. Provides detailed information on how to select, modify and tune each component to work at peak efficiency with others in the engine. Get "David Vizard's How to Build Horsepower": | |||
| Powertrain |  Stock Car Racing Engine Technology: Advanced Engine Theory and Design for All Levels of Circle Track Racing (5 / 5)Circle Track magazine's guide to the theory and design of stock car engines. Includes information on block prep, engine oiling, valvetrain, Blueprinting tips, cooling for power, component selection, cylinder head design, induction and exhaust systems. Get "Stock Car Racing Engine Technology: Advanced Engine Theory and Design for All Levels of Circle Track Racing": | |||
| Vehicle Dynamics/Handling |  Fast Car Physics (4.5 / 5)A great introduction to the world of vehicle dynamics, in language and explanations that are easy to understand. Learn basic vehicle physics, handling/dynamics, suspension types and geometry, and the latest approaches to green technologies for racing--energy recovery and storage. Get "Fast Car Physics": | |||
| Vehicle Dynamics/Handling |  High-Performance Handling for Street or Track: Vehicle dynamics, suspension mods & setup (4.5 / 5)Provides advice on planning modifications, installing components and tuning the handling characteristics of street vehicles. Includes an overview of vehicle dynamics and advice on selecting aftermarket components such as brakes, wheels, camber adjusters, anti-roll bars, springs, shocks and bushings. Also includes tire and wheel selection. Get "High-Performance Handling for Street or Track: Vehicle dynamics, suspension mods & setup": | |||
| Vehicle Dynamics/Handling |  How to Make Your Car Handle (5 / 5)Teaches how to improve vehicle handling through suspension and chassis modifications and understanding vehicle dynamics. Includes basic suspension theory on roll centers, roll axis, camber change, bump steer, anti-dive, ride rate, ride balance as well practical chassis modifications. Get "How to Make Your Car Handle": | |||
| Vehicle Dynamics/Handling |  Tune to Win: The art and science of race car development and tuning (5 / 5)The fundamentals of race car vehicle dynamics in a clear, well-written text. Explains suspension, weight dynamics and vehicle handling behaviours in a way that permits the designer to understand cause and effect and improve their race car design, vehicle tuning and even driving. Get "Tune to Win: The art and science of race car development and tuning": | |||
| Whole Car (Customize/Upgrade) |  Race Car Fabrication & Preparation (5 / 5)Production car preparation for racing. Includes information on transmission preparation, clutches, component selection, safety systems, wrecking yard parts, fabrication, welding basics, rear end setup, hardware, the cockpit, roll cages, wheels and tires, plumbing systems, electrical and cooling system. Get "Race Car Fabrication & Preparation": | |||
| Whole Car (Preparation) |  Prepare to Win: The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Professional Race Car Preparation (5 / 5)Carroll Smith's guide to preparing a race car for competition. Includes information about fasteners, riveting and welding, basic metal working, plumbing , fuel safety cells, electrical, brake system, clutch, suspension, wheels, tires, engine and gearbox and more. Get "Prepare to Win: The Nuts and Bolts Guide to Professional Race Car Preparation": | |||
| Whole Car (Preparation) |  Showroom Stock Race Car Preparation  (4 / 5)200 step-by-step technical illustrations and information on preparing a stock production vehicle for racing. Get "Showroom Stock Race Car Preparation": |
More Information
For complete information on the design and construction of the Stock Car (Production-Based) race car type and a full listing of books and learning resources, see our Stock Car (Production-Based) race car type article.