Project SC300 Road Racer: Part 25 – WIDEST IS BESTEST!

Things were really finally getting close to finished on this body kit!

Most race track-going sanctioning bodies demand at least one accessible tow hook or tow strap. The SC300 factory tow hooks are under the front bumper and under the rear bumper near the exhaust. With an aftermarket body kit, it is extremely unlikely that the rescue vehicle will be able to access your front or rear tow hooks without destroying your bumper. They WILL find something to attach to your car, and they WILL extract you from the track. Whatever damage happens to you is your fault for not having an accessible tow hook.

I really should be running some kind of front crash bar, but, at this point in time, I am not. H Craft had fashioned this tow hook to attach to the front of the frame rail where the OEM crash bar used to bolt. We would have to make a slot in the new bumper to make this work.

A lot of people are transitioning to tow straps. They are a little easier to work with, and you don’t have to worry about them bending. When I got towed off the track after blowing up the old W58 transmission, the tow hook took quite a beating. Again, the rescue vehicle’s concern is getting you the hell off the track — not being gentle enough to keep your fragile tow hook from getting all bendy. I’ll be switching to a strap in the near future.

If this had been a fiberglass body kit, it would have been a disaster. Somehow the car had slipped slightly on the lift and came down onto the arms a little bit. The polyurethane side skirt just folded under the pressure, and as soon as we put the car on the ground and adjusted everything, it immediately popped back into shape. I was pleased as punch.

That was it. The kit was fully installed and ready to go! We could finally get the car aligned to see if the wheels and tires fit under the new body! But before I show you the final product, there’s one thing we have to take care of — holes.