Midget Race Car (Full Size) 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 Full Size Midget Books
Midget cars can be built from a pre-fab chassis or from a scratch design. In either circumstance, 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.
For both pre-fab and scratch builders, we would also suggest a guide to chassis and suspension setup for circle track which is useful in understanding the particular hardware associated with the car. For scratch builders, we would suggest books on chassis/suspension design and metal fabrication. Look for books that cover both dirt and asphalt.
| Book Category | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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":    | |||
| Chassis |  Chassis Engineering: Chassis Design, Building & Tuning for High Performance Handling (4.5 / 5)Chassis Engineering is a great introduction to race car design. In a practical and down-to-earth way, it covers the fundamentals of how race cars handle and the requirements for designing and constructing a car. The book includes chapters on chassis design, suspension design, frame construction, aerodynamics and tuning. Overall it provides the reader with the foundation of how the key components of a race car work and interact together. Get "Chassis Engineering: Chassis Design, Building & Tuning for High Performance Handling": | |||
| Chassis |  Dirt Track Chassis and Suspension: Advanced Setup and Design Technology for Dirt Track Racing (4.5 / 5)Technical guide to the design and setup of dirt track race cars. Includes chapters on dirt chassis theory and design, chassis tuning, setup tips and driving tips. Get "Dirt Track Chassis and Suspension: Advanced Setup and Design Technology for Dirt Track Racing": | |||
| Chassis |  The Race Car Chassis : Design, Structures and Materials for Road, Drag and Circle Track Open- and Closed-Wheel Chassis  (4 / 5)Aspiring designers will find Forbes Aird's book on chassis design to be a good introduction to the fundamental purposes, structures and materials of race car (or road car) chassis. What the book might lack in formulas and design calculations, it makes up for in sheer breadth of chassis design and construction ideas. It provides sufficient information to the reader to leave them with a solid understanding of the various chassis types, materials and construction so they can make informed choices about designing their own chassis. Get "The Race Car Chassis : Design, Structures and Materials for Road, Drag and Circle Track Open- and Closed-Wheel Chassis": | |||
| 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": | |||
| Materials/Fabrication |  Metal Fabricator's Handbook (4 / 5)Teaches welding techniques, metal forming, hammerforming and practical metal fabrication projects. Project include forming custom body panels, tanks, roll cages/safety cells and exhaust headers. Get "Metal Fabricator's Handbook": | |||
| Materials/Fabrication |  Professional Sheet Metal Fabrication (5 / 5)Teaches the details of professional sheet metal fabrication including shaping, cutting, and joining . The books also includes how to plan sheet metal projects, acquire tools, repair dents, patch panels, copy shapes and finish the final products. Get "Professional Sheet Metal Fabrication": | |||
| 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 |  High-Performance Differentials, Axles, and Drivelines (4.5 / 5)This book explains how to select and match driveline components to engine power output to minimize or eliminate driveline breakages. Also covers gear ratio selection, differential rebuilding and driveline components. Get "High-Performance Differentials, Axles, and Drivelines": | |||
| Powertrain |  Racing Engine Builder's Handbook: How to Build Winning Drag, Circle Track, Marine and Road Racing Engines (4.5 / 5)Practical tips and techniques on building a racing engine. This book covers applications such as drag racing, circle track, road racing and boats. The author's approach looks at math used in modifications, combined with examples and guidance on when and how to apply complimentary modifcations. Get "Racing Engine Builder's Handbook: How to Build Winning Drag, Circle Track, Marine and Road Racing Engines": | |||
| 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 (Design) |  Race Car Engineering & Mechanics (5 / 5)Paul Van Valkenburgh's guide to understanding how the many components of the entire race car fit and work together. He provides design theory and practical information on tires, wheels, suspension geometry, springs, anti-roll bars, brakes, aerodynamics, handling, engine supports, chassis, safety and even racing operations such as testing and pit lane procedures. Get "Race Car Engineering & Mechanics": | |||
| Whole Car (Preparation) |  Midget Chassis Technology (4.5 / 5)Midget race car guide to chassis tuning and setup. Provides information on understanding and adjusting the midget chassis, step-by-step chassis setup, chassis alignment, chassis tuning with shock absorbers, at-the-track chassis adjustments. This book covers both dirt and asphalt cars and includes Ford Focus midgets. Get "Midget Chassis Technology": |
More Information
For complete information on the design and construction of the Midget (Full Size) race car type and a full listing of books and learning resources, see our Midget (Full Size) race car type article.