Is it true that NEXTEL CUP cars mostly use the same chassis- just different engines?

Answer 1

You are correct. The COT is almost a "spec" chassis, in that all of them must be the same. The teams have very, very little to play with, and MUST submit each chassis to NASCAR for approval. Each chassis must be re-submitted after major repairs as well.

Answer 2

Yes. They all use the same 'type' of chassis. Each chassis is built by the actual teams or are bought from a variety if chassis builders. They all must conform to NASCAR's rules.
NASCAR has tightened the rules alot with the new C.O.T. but I believe it's because it's all new. Hopefully, after they run the new car for a season or two, NASCAR will relax some of the "grey area's" and let the builders put there own tricks into them like they've done since the '80's. Time will tell I guess.

All NEXTEL/SPRINT cup car's no matter what make of body/engine use the bullet proof Ford 9" rear differential derived from old school Factory Ford Musclecars, trucks and big sedans etc. like the Mustang and Lincolns. Starsky and Hutch's Torino came with a 9" from the factory.
9" is the diameter of the ring gear and is simply a way to refer to this particular design and is'nt why there stronger. Though it does play a part. As a comparison, The good, old school GM rearend's were referred to as 12 bolts because there were 12 bolts that held the cover on compared to it's weaker counterpart the 10 bolt. Again, just a reference and not 'why' there stronger.
They all use the same 'Long Arm' rear suspension derived from a '69 Chevy pick-up truck.

Which ever make of body that is on the car, IE: Ford, Chevy, Dodge or Toyota mean's that, that is the make of engine in the car.
Ford, Chevy and Dodge engine blocks came from the old day's and have devoloped over 50+ year's to what they are today, there architecture is based on current production engines yet purpose built for racing and never put in a production car. The actuall blocks are available, however, through any big 3 dealership's parts department through there Performance Division's.
Basically, Warren Johnson in NHRA drag racing and Jeff Gordon in Nascar are using the same GM Performance bare block but are built 'completely' different in every way from there.

The Toyota NASCAR block was newly designed and made by Toyota around the best features of the big three and shares many internal and external dimensions etc. as the Chevy block. For example, The Toyota and Chevy bellhousing bolt patterns are the same. In other words, a Chevy transmission will bolt up to a Toyota racing block.
It seems to be a mystery where to buy a 'TRD'(Toyota Racing Development) block however. You can't just walk into a dealership and order one for your muscle car, street rod, etc. like you can the big three.

Only the noses on the body's are different between makes now. The body's are 90% the same.
Alot of people blame NASCAR for making everything 'too equal' but the fact of the matter is, Car Makers can't afford to build a purpose built car just to race in NASCAR year after year AND sell them to the general public like they did in the old day's. Nascar has bent over backwards to keep the Car Makers involved in the sport.
Global economy AND safety etc. snuffed alot of the 'stock' out of stock car racing.
NASCAR is a business and is just changing with the times to be able to grow and want's a safe car.
How many people would continue to watch Hockey, for example, if a player was fatally injured once a month?

The #1 reason NASCAR is using the same chassis is to insure the safety of the people driving them.
The #2 reason is because the 'Big 3' and 'Toyota' sure as heck aren't going to spend the money to build an entire car just to race in NASCAR.

Answer 3

To an extent yes. But all chassis very. You are not going to take a superspeedway chassis, with 3 in of ground clearance, to a road course, where you need 5+ in. of clearance. Nascar is trying to Limit the number of chassis you have with the COT, saying that you can use it at every course out there for one car, but that will NEVER happen. All the high dollar teams will continue to develop different chassis for different tracks. And with the way computers play a role in the racing scene today, there will always be a gray spot in the roles, to bend them a little. Nascar can't think THAT much outside the box, though they try.

Answer 4

Yes, but there are still some individual adjustments, shocks, springs, wedge, front alignment, rear alignment, etc that can be made to fit the individual drivers' needs. Also, every team has their own little tricks they build into the gray areas in the rules, but that gray area keeps getting smaller.
Frankie C--the reason you can't get a Toyota racing engine is that they only build fuel injected engines for sale. The engines that use spark plugs are available to the racing teams in the different series they support only. It's a technology security thing. Otherwise, your answer pretty much covered it.

Answer 5

well having own a ford escort mk1 and mk 2 which where just overhead valve engines and then a mk 3 and mk 4 and 5 yes they where poles apart as the mk3.4 and 5 are all over head cam engines a lot quicker and far more responsive and as for the cos-worth a highly tuned beast how on earth did anyone manage to fit the original exhaust to that beast is the question you should ask it was a twin pipe type.

Answer 6

The car of tomorrow has this basic idea but other than the engines being different, the set-up on the suspension is different. They are set to how the driving style of the driver.

Answer 7

Yes that is basically correct. A chasis built in their Home Shops Chassis Department!!!!

Answer 8

Yes your theory is true and Nascar pretty much tells them which engine parts they can and cannot use,,
In a year it will all be about reaction time,,No brains just
quick thinking. that will thin all the older ones out.

Answer 9

Yes, that is correct. And NASCAR has been going this way long before the COT was ever implemented.

Answer 10

yes the COT set up or chassis are alike