Well, first things first. It is the driver's responsibility to classify his own car. It is not the tech inspector's job to classify everyone or verify class legality. That comes about in the event of a protest by another competitor. But by default, most tech inspectors are fluent in classes and will classify you accordingly. That said, you won't find many people looking for things like a shorter shifter but if it would bother you to be "found out" later as running a mis-classed car, run it in the class you believe it to be in.
As for SVT parts, the rulebook says you can update/backdate among cars on the same line BUT you have to do the whole assembly all or nothing. For instance installing an SVT throttle body and intake would be legal if it also included the lightweight flywheel and all the other parts that make an SVT engine what it is. In ESP land you can put on the whole 5.0 Cobra package, heads, intake, TB, etc and it's legal but just the intake is not. Makes a ton of sense, rigth? Well, who's looking anyway? Go ahead and do it locally but as you go up the ranks to divisionals and nationals you run a bigger risk of protest.
I'm babbling but as I read the rulebook recently I was ASTOUNDED at what you could get away with in the stock classes and at the same time what you could NOT get away with. You can get away with almost wholesale replacement of shocks and bushings but you can't have a non-stock appearance package. The pedal covers are illegal for Stock.
Go here for more details:
www.best.com/~mouton/sccasolo/Rules/stock.html ------------------
Calypso Green '92 Mustang LX coupe, 13.65/101
Pacific Green '96 Contour LX V6, loaded
White '97 Contour 4-cyl "the rental"
Crown Autocross Club 1999 Street Tire Champion
Crown Autocross Club 2000 Street Modified Champion
Graduate, Bondurant 4-day Grand Prix and 2-day Specialty schools
Graduate, Skip Barber 1-day school
Graduate, Derek Daly 1-day school
