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3L track testing: 6th out of 92 in raw time this weekend

rollinstylee

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Mar 30, 2007
Messages
1,007
Location
Dublin, OH
Hi CEG, thought I'd check in with an update since I had a pretty exciting Sunday racing with Ohio Valley Region SCCA. I haven't updated/concluded my 3L build thread, which I do plan to get around to eventually, but suffice it to say the car is up and running and undergoing some shakedown and chassis tuning at local autocrosses. My first time out was just on street tires and a conservative alignment to evaluate the new drivetrain reliability (fine) and front/rear suspension coordination with the new weight and distribution (not fine). Based on that, I made a lot of setup changes and went back out this weekend on race tires to see what this thing could really* do.

The result was a pretty remarkable 6th/92 in raw time, and 10th/92 PAX using the CPrepared (very fast) index. Considering that two of the faster raw times were a kart and an FMod, the only faster car times were set by a SS GT3, an ASP RX-7, and a STU STi. I'll take it. Even before the engine swap and track build, the car was somewhat of a local crowd pleaser, but I'm excited at the new legitimate competitive potential it's now showing.

*I still have several chassis improvements in the works, the engine is only running on a rough base tune and hasn't seen a dyno yet, and it's a country mile from actual CPrepared-ness...heck, it still has A/C, stereo, and all of its powered systems and glass, and running 225s...in other words, it has a lot more performance left in it if I were to pursue building it for autocross.

Anyway, I thought I'd share in the hope of encouraging some people to join in keeping a glimmer of motorsports legacy alive with these cars.

Unfortunately there was no course photog out this weekend, but here are some static shots I took with my phone. You can see the GT3 and the RX-7 I mentioned, coincidentally gridded adjacent to me.

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congrats man! cant wait to start tracking my car. what springs/struts are you using? and i like those rims, what are they? any specs?
 
Yes, still basically stock brake system. Only modifications are race compound pads, braided stainless steel lines, and pulling the ABS fuse for competition.

The struts are off-the-shelf Koni Sports modified for Ground Control sleeves. I have an assortment of spring rates depending on what I'm doing with the car. The wheels are some old and long discontinued ASA IS6.
 
what spring rate combos have you tried? ive got 650-400 now and im still rubbing from compression in the rear in hard corners.

and why not run in SMF?
 
Because 3L and no interior...neither of which are SM category legal.

400 is a pretty soft rear rate for autocross, especially with 650 fronts. I've been using rates ranging from 500-600 at all corners for a couple years, and just bought some 350s that I plan to try in the rear for road racing.
 
Ok. Doesn't make it legal. Either he's claiming it as a 2.5 or he's just running it locally and no one cares to protest.

Direct quote from 2013 SCCA Solo Rules (available to anyone online):
16.1.D.1. "Engine block must be a production unit manufactured and badged the same as the original standard or optional engine for that model."
 
engine swaps are legal in SM as long as they bolt to the stock mounting locations. just like all the 88-89 civics at nationals that are running k series engines in SMF.

How much of the interior is gone?
 
How do they circumvent the explicit statement above mandating a standard or optional engine block? Does not compute.

More than just the backseat is gone. All trim from B-pillar back, all carpet, melt sheet, firewall pad...
 
all righty talked with one of my fellow SMFers to try and explain this and this is where it comes from..Nebraska region link

and

The rule: 16.1.D.1. "Engine block must be a production unit manufactured and badged the same as the original standard or optional engine for that model."

The important word is "as". The replacement engine must made by the same manufacturer AS the original or optional engine in the car. So, ford for a ford, Honda for a honda.
 
all righty talked with one of my fellow SMFers to try and explain this and this is where it comes from..Nebraska region link

and

The rule: 16.1.D.1. "Engine block must be a production unit manufactured and badged the same as the original standard or optional engine for that model."

The important word is "as". The replacement engine must made by the same manufacturer AS the original or optional engine in the car. So, ford for a ford, Honda for a honda.
Odd. That's definitely not how I interpret the wording of the rule. I read "manufactured and badged" as manufactured on the same line using the same processes and with all labels showing that it is the original type of engine available in the car. I would never have considered the phrase "manufactured and badged the same" to mean simply "sold under a brand of the same corporate family." By this interpretation, is the Noble M400 engine SM legal? What about a Ford 363 crate motor? Anyway, thanks for the link, that's interesting.
Cool shots and nice job at the event! Car looks nice setup like that.
Thanks!
Good to see those wheels still getting proper use.
I told you they'd be track wheels!
What is the skid plate made of? I like how it extends of a little further.
Birch plywood. Sounds rice but is used on many a legitimate road race car. Cheap, easily cut, stiff enough to carry aero load but forgiving of ground and curbing contact. I originally made it extending back under the oil pan to create a long flat undertray, but it was really heavy and of course covered the oil filter so I cut most of it out behind the trailing edge of the Duraflex air dam. I'd like to make one with just a frame extending backward to screw on a much lighter material like a polycarbonate sheet with a removable access panel for the filter. But there's a lot of things I'd "like" to do...
 
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