I'm back...

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Well, it's official - I'm going to be back in STS. Really soon. Like, as soon as I can get an OE clutch/flywheel in the RS.

With Aaron's success in FL, and me deciding I didn't want to be on R compounds this year, it got me thinking. I was going to just start off running DSP on street tires this year, and at some point make up my mind about the STS thing. I was kinda planning to buy another Impreza RS and fully prep one of them for STS autox, one for street/rallyx. But now that my clutch release bearing is chirping like a 10ft cricket, the decision has been made for me. If the beeotch has to be disassembled anyway, I might as well put the STS-legal parts back in this one and go for it. (shrug)

Oh, and I assure you that...

IT WILL BE FULLY STS-LEGAL.

PS - do we have 2004 rule books available for purchase?

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:31 pm

Giddy up. Glad you're back. I just ordered the big meat for Laurinburg: 225/45/17 MX's. Hopefully there will be a lot of 3rd gear on the course, for I won't need to shift anymore

- AB

Peter Baio · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:48 pm

Cool, i sent you a pm man. Might be able to help you out with the clutch and flywheel sooner than you think :wink:

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Mmmm... you should love those. I was really happy with the 225/45/17 Azeni I used last half of last year. I had sidewall stiffness issues with my 215/45/17 MXes (used for a few night autoxes), but my car weighs around 2800 lbs. Grip was great, though - but they did get a little slippy when they only had a couple of mm remaining.

For this year, I think I'm going to go with 225/50/16 Pirelli PZero Neroes, as soon as the 205/50/16's wear out - which won't be anytime soon, if they keep wearing like they have been.

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Peter - pmed you back.

jimpastorius · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 12:59 pm

Kevin Allen wrote:

Mmmm... you should love those. I was really happy with the 225/45/17 Azeni I used last half of last year. I had sidewall stiffness issues with my 215/45/17 MXes (used for a few night autoxes), but my car weighs around 2800 lbs. Grip was great, though - but they did get a little slippy when they only had a couple of mm remaining.

For this year, I think I'm going to go with 225/50/16 Pirelli PZero Neroes, as soon as the 205/50/16's wear out - which won't be anytime soon, if they keep wearing like they have been.

Have you looked into the Toyo Proxies? I was talking with Strano yesterday about brake pads for the front of the MR2 and we started to chat about rain tires. He runs the Toyo's at local events and really likes them. I will probably go with a set for rain tires and run them at season end.

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 1:55 pm

We dialed out a lot of that sidewall flex issue with very high pressures. At the Tour event, we were running 55# up front and 50 in the rear on day 1, and that's on a 205/50/15. I bet with these big boys I'll be running around 65 psi or so

- AB

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Quote:

We dialed out a lot of that sidewall flex issue with very high pressures. At the Tour event, we were running 55# up front and 50 in the rear on day 1, and that's on a 205/50/15. I bet with these big boys I'll be running around 65 psi or so - AB

Wow. I set mine at 50 psi for autox, and they didn't feel any better than at lower pressures (30's). I took a few pictures of the sidewall squishing at different pressures from 35 psi to 50 psi (ugly), and did some comparison shots of Azeni (which hardly squished at all, even in the 30's). Also - won't you end up losing contact patch (and grip) if you go that high?

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:10 pm

I would have thought the running that high would have rounded the tire too much, but front end grip wasn't changed a bit going from 40# to 55# on the 205/50/15's, and that was on a 15x7. On a 17x7.5, the 225/45/17 will be very hard to round, regardless of the pressure

- AB

Adam Ligon · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:50 pm

Aaron Buckley wrote:

Giddy up. Glad you're back. I just ordered the big meat for Laurinburg: 225/45/17 MX's. Hopefully there will be a lot of 3rd gear on the course, for I won't need to shift anymore

- AB

Ok I'll play the Jim Pastorius card here just to start an argument :twisted:

We have a PRO class, and if you compete on a national level shouldn't you run PRO? I mean otherwise what is the point of the class at all? I mean trailering a street tire class car to events kind of goes against the whole idea doesn't it?

:deadhorse:

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Cool. Maybe the tread area is stiffer than the sidewall?

Anyway, it's definitely going to be even more fun this year, now that the Celica's been pumped up. We'll definitely be keeping each other on our toes.

:cheer:

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Quote:

We have a PRO class, and if you compete on a national level shouldn't you run PRO? I mean otherwise what is the point of the class at all?

I'll be running PRO/STS, just like Aaron. Of course, if somebody shows up in STS/Open and starts challenging us (or beating us :shock:

), I think that it would make sense to take the competition back to Open. And naturally, if a fast driver from outside the club shows up at an NCAC autox, we'd have to defend our own club's wood. :wink:

Diane Hall · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 2:58 pm

jimpastorius wrote:

Have you looked into the Toyo Proxies? I was talking with Strano yesterday about brake pads for the front of the MR2 and we started to chat about rain tires. He runs the Toyo's at local events and really likes them. I will probably go with a set for rain tires and run them at season end.

I know treadwear ratings are not "exact science" or anything but I find it interesting that my Kuhmo V-700 (Victoracers) has a treatwear of 50 while my Toyo Proxies RA-1 has a treadwear of 40. Go figure... :roll:

Kevin Allen · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:42 pm **Posts:** 3479

Actually, I heard that Toyo has just increased the treadwear rating to 100 (the tires haven't changed).

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Tue Mar 02, 2004 3:08 pm

Adam Ligon wrote:

Ok I'll play the Jim Pastorius card here just to start an argument :twisted:

We have a PRO class, and if you compete on a national level shouldn't you run PRO? I mean otherwise what is the point of the class at all? I mean trailering a street tire class car to events kind of goes against the whole idea doesn't it?

:deadhorse:

I actually am running Pro for two reasons:

1) To show that it does dilute the overall open classes

2) For the competition. Other than Kevin, there is not a single STS car prepped to the level of my Celica.

If the people in STS want Kevin and I to run there, we'll gladly run in open

BTW, the car will only be on a trailer for National events. Locally, it will be driven to and from events just like everyone else - AB

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