have car, what next?

steve remchak · **Posted:** Thu Dec 09, 2004 11:41 pm

i guess i need a rule book. where do i find these? car is bone stock as far as i can tell. from what i have learned here i can upgrade to a K&N type air filter as long as i keep the stock air box and i assume the stock MAF sensor. catback exhaust tune is permitted, but what if any restrictions (no pun intended) are there on mufflers? shocks? struts? these are well over my head. and lastly i guess, what about tires?

my next question is regarding the first event of next season. if i understand correctly, it is a testing session as well as a school event. what will i need to have to participate in this event? (i will be helmet shopping soon)

they say you are only green once, i just hope i don't stay that way.
thanks in advance for the help.

Mike Winn · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:30 am **Posts:** 110

For stock class you can hack the exhaust off at the cat (exit side) and stick in a piece of straight pipe all the way back and it's legal; Nationals guys do it all the time.

K&N drop-in filter is legal; no intake/airbox mods otherwise (stock class.)

Front swaybar and bushings for it are legal. (I believe endlinks too, but uncertain.) (Can't change the rear swaybar.)

Front shocks can be changed to no more than 2 way adjustable (i.e. bound/rebound not positions on a stiffness knob.) Stock springs, hats/strut bearing/etc still need to be used. (If you want more detail, check the rulebook.)

Stock wheels, but whatever rubber fits on those size and offset wheels. (Check rulebook for more specifics.)

What kind of car do you have? Most likely someone here has one like it and can tell you tweaks for your particular vehicle.

(I swear I think I'm missing something allowable on the stock ruleset but I can't think of what it could be.) :?:

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 1:27 am

Steve, from what I can tell you sound like want to stay in stock class. Your right so far. You can change the air filter, but not the intake. The club will offer rule books at the start of the season, so you can pick one up then. It's the SCCA rule book that we follow for classing. In stock class you can....

> change air filter
> cat back exhaust that meets our new decibel limit
> change shocks/struts but they can't have over 2 adjustment points
> wheels as long as they don't deviate from the stock size with in rule limits
> front sway bar and bushings
> brake pads
> tires!!
> fluids; brake, oil, diff and so on.

That's it in a nut shell and I may have left a few things off, but as you can see, there is very little you can to your car in stock class.

Hope this helps!

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

If you're new to this:

Just make sure the car is well maintained. If it needs a filter, sure a K&N is fine. If it *needs* shocks I'm sure you can find some recommendations - but if it's a late 90's BMW I'm sure the stock dampers are fine for now.

Don't even bother with new tires now unless they are needed. Run the car as is for your first few events.

You won't regret it. You'll learn so much for your first few events that you will be much better off putting a "plan" together after that ... if one is needed at all.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 9:01 am

thanks for the help everyone. the tires are shot. the two on the back are bald with one showing cord. the front ones might pass inspection. they are a low profile style.

i am trying to decide if i will register the car and i guess that is my determining factor on tires. if i install a good set of street performance tires (ie. Michellin, Pirelli) will i get a season out of them at least?

appreciate the feedback thanks.

Carl Fisher · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 9:09 am

RodneyWright wrote:

The club will offer rule books at the start of the season, so you can pick one up then. It's the SCCA rule book that we follow for classing.

Just FYI, although the club has offered SCCA rulebooks for sale before, it is not a regular thing and I wouldn't count on it. Basically the only times it's happened has been when someone has come on and posted, "Hey, I'm buying a SCCA Solo rulebook, who else wants one?". However, you could always be that person. I think rulebooks are fairly cheap, they're easily located on the SCCA website. OK, so for some reason I can't find the Solo2 rulebook on the SCCA site now (not that it's not there... :roll:

), but you can always call them up and order. They might tell you to call back in January, but I've always found them to be extremely helpful and friendly on the phone. Their # is (800) 770-2055.

Oh, Mike Winn said that you can only change front shocks, but you can, in fact, change all 4. I think he knows this and just mis-typed, but you may not. Everything else looked right.

Jason Mauldin · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 9:12 am

Mike Winn wrote:

(I swear I think I'm missing something allowable on the stock ruleset but I can't think of what it could be.) :?:

For what it's worth, spark plugs and wires are open.

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 9:40 am

Rumor is that the SCCA will actually start putting the rule-books on-line in 2005. I'll believe it when I see it.

Scott

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

scottjohnson wrote:

Rumor is that the SCCA will actually start putting the rule-books on-line in 2005. I'll believe it when I see it.

Scott

I'm surprised no one has posted the link to the (unofficial) rules that ARE online:

http://www.moutons.org/sccasolo/
and
http://www.moutons.org/sccasolo/Rules/index.html

Mike Winn · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:30 am **Posts:** 110

Scott,

I've heard this too. I think I saw a press release from them about it or some post from someone there on the SCCAforums. Definitely long overdue.

Jason; thanks! I had forgotten about that.

I think Mike Whitney has the best advice; don't do anything right now. Drive it like it is and learn. Too many folks try an event then decide on dozens of modifications and skip an important part of the learning curve.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

steve remchak wrote:

thanks for the help everyone. the tires are shot. the two on the back are bald with one showing cord. the front ones might pass inspection. they are a low profile style.

i am trying to decide if i will register the car and i guess that is my determining factor on tires. if i install a good set of street performance tires (ie. Michellin, Pirelli) will i get a season out of them at least?

appreciate the feedback thanks.

It's too bad you can't wait until after your first event ... you cold meet Mark Cooper who owns Hubcap Heaven (nearly the Spec THSCC tire shop), and you could see what about 50 drivers have for street tires AND have detailed discussions with them

With that said. though, just give Mark a call or drop by his shop in Cary - he'll steer you in the right direction. What car do you have? Did you say something in a previous post about a BMW? If it has 15" wheels, the Kumho 711 225-50-15 is slightly shorter than stock and is cheap, good performance, and durable. If 16's, well, I just bought 225-50-16 Kumho 712 for my 95 325i. You can get "ultra" high performance tires like Azenis for the 16's, but it's overkill IMO for your first season. The 711s or 712s (or any other HP summer tire) would be fine, and easily last a year street + autocross (especially true on a balanced rear-driver).

Jason Panciera · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 2:03 pm

Sorry for the Hi-Jack, but I have heard in the past there are some discrepencies between the Mouton site and the actual rulebook. Anyone care to comment on this?

I am contemplating some changes to my car for next year that may or may not bump me out of SP class, the Mouton's site doesn't seem to address them and I was wondering if the SCCA rulebook is any clearer?!?!

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 2:18 pm

Jason... wait on the changes and buy a rulebook/borrow one. Moutons, although it's fairly accurate, does have some flaws. - AB

Mike Winn · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 12:30 am **Posts:** 110

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Jason... wait on the changes and buy a rulebook/borrow one. Moutons, although it's fairly accurate, does have some flaws. - AB

I didn't post that link for the same reason. It's a good starting place, but if one really wants to see where the rules go the official book is...well, really about the only official way to do it.

Richard Casto · **Posted:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 5:53 pm

Mike Winn wrote:

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Jason... wait on the changes and buy a rulebook/borrow one. Moutons, although it's fairly accurate, does have some flaws. - AB

I didn't post that link for the same reason. It's a good starting place, but if one really wants to see where the rules go the official book is...well, really about the only official way to do it.

Rulebook AND FasTrack updates.

Steve, if you don't know what FasTrack is, it is how SCCA publishes rule changes, clarifications, etc. These are published (monthly??) on their website.

I would use Moutons for basic online research and then verify via current rulebook (and maybe FasTrack) before getting out the Sawzall or parts catalog.

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