Whats the best cheap used car to buy for AutoCross?

[Jeff Shyu]

Some of our new members are BIG Guys. The one fellow, Kurt I think, said he just doesn't fit in a Miata ... but does fit in a Mini. Too bad ... he would Like RWD.

miata actually feels really "roomy" for me..

how's the ES class? ie, if i get an early miata, am i going to be all alone in ES?

[Michael Palero]

If you don't mind running on street tires run SK2.
In ES the Clements run with Theo and Ringer. Ringer has spotty attendance.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

94-97 Miatas can also run STS2, just not the ones with the limited slip.

I vote Miata, since I have one! Awesome daily driver and great fun to race.

Yes they can, but you need sort out whether it has one. Specific packages did and didn't and that varied for every year. Calling Mazda with a VIN is a waste of time. Anything installed at the port probably didn't get accurately updated.

Actually, the '94-'97s only came with a Torsen LSD (when they came with an LSD) rather than the available viscous LSD of the '90-'93 Miatas, and therefore aren't legal in STS2. But anyone building a Spec-Miata (road racers) has no use for the VLSD, so they are fairly cheap. Now, whether they still work is the question.

David, that's what Max I said. 94-97 with LSD can't run STS2. I didn't say "yes the ones with Torsen can run," I said the "ones without can." And we didn't say the 94-97 came with anything other than Torsen.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Some of our new members are BIG Guys. The one fellow, Kurt I think, said he just doesn't fit in a Miata ... but does fit in a Mini. Too bad ... he would Like RWD.

And Dave Webb from AZ is pushing 7-feet-tall and drives a Mini.

[Kurt Rahn]

Some of our new members are BIG Guys. The one fellow, Kurt I think, said he just doesn't fit in a Miata ... but does fit in a Mini. Too bad ... he would Like RWD.

I resemble that remark! It's comical to see me try to pry myself into the passenger seat of a Miata. I can't imagine trying to get into the driver's seat, with the steering wheel position.

[Kurt Rahn]

If you want something older and unique, consider one of the older sportscars for FSP. A Triumph TR6, MGB or Midget or a Porsche 912 would all be fun FSP projects

If you get an old English car, you should also go ahead and hire an old English mechanic to work on it full time as well. They're fun but fragile.

[Jeff Shyu]

They're fun but fragile.

the mechanics?

SK2 is a regional class, right? what's allowed?

[Christine Grice]

They're fun but fragile.

the mechanics?

SK2 is a regional class, right? what's allowed?

STREET TIRE (SK1 & SK2):
(a) Purpose: To encourage drivers who compete in CSCC SOLO events to race
on the same tires they use on the street. (Also referred to as “Street
Stock.”)
(b) Eligibility - SK1 & SK2: Any Stock Class legal car, prepared in accordance
with Para. 13 of the 2003 SCCA National SOLO II Rulebook, with the
exception that all of the tires mounted on the car must have a TREADWEAR
number of 140 or higher molded by the manufacturer on the sidewall.
(c) Indexing: Each car competing in the Street Stock class will be indexed in
accordance with the PAX (performance) index. For the sole purpose of
team championship point calculation, times shall also receive an additional
“Street Tire” index (SK) which is listed in Appendix C.
(d) Separate classes:
1) SK1 consists of SS, AS, BS and FS.
2) SK2 consists of CS, DS, ES, GS and HS.
3) Men and Ladies shall compete in separate classes.
(e) Registration: Each Street Stock competitor shall, in addition to listing SK1
or SK2 in the Class block, shall list the class he/she would normally run in
(e.g. if a competitor normally runs CS, he would write SK2 in the Class
block and CS in the Indexed Class block).
(f) Results: Every Street Stock competitor will have their corrected times
listed, then the PAX index for their car, followed by the best 'indexed' time,
arrived at by multiplying their best corrected time by the PAX index number
for the cars class and also the SK index from Appendix C. [Example
Calculation: (Best Time) X (Class Index) X (Street Tire Index) = Final
Indexed Time]

http://www.solo2.com/MiscDocuments/2007_supp_regs.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Jeff Shyu]

[Example
Calculation: (Best Time) X (Class Index) X (Street Tire Index) = Final
Indexed Time]

i was told i don't have to know math..

SK2 sounds like fun though, and cheap!.. that part i really like!

[Kurt Rahn]

the mechanics?

LOL. You're on fire today! BTW, I love that shortbus smiley!

[Kurt Rahn]

SK2 sounds like fun though, and cheap!.. that part i really like!

I've been driving my bone stock daily driver. I haven't even needed to spring for new tires yet, though I imagine they only have 2-3 more events in them. I'm not competitive yet (doubt I'll ever be in Moby Dick), but I'm having a blast and so far it's only cost me the event entrance fees.

[Jeff Shyu]

SK2 sounds like fun though, and cheap!.. that part i really like!

I've been driving my bone stock daily driver. I haven't even needed to spring for new tires yet, though I imagine they only have 2-3 more events in them. I'm not competitive yet (doubt I'll ever be in Moby Dick), but I'm having a blast and so far it's only cost me the event entrance fees.

well.. i learned my mistake with my 914.. modding a car is a downward spiral, and i was better off just playing in the stock class. at least the car didn't break every other day..

are there many (any?) people that run miatas in SK2 though? i guess i'd like to have a benchmark without going through the pax index stuff to calculate a goal. It'd be nice to just be able to compare raw times against similar cars in the same class.

[Kurt Rahn]

are there many (any?) people that run miatas in SK2 though?

Absolutely! They generally run the fastest raw times, though they're brought down by the CS pax. Have a look at the results from the last few events. http://www.solo2.com/results.asp

[Aaron Goldsmith]

are there many (any?) people that run miatas in SK2 though?

Absolutely! They generally run the fastest raw times, though they're brought down by the CS pax. Have a look at the results from the last few events. http://www.solo2.com/results.asp

Jeff likes his info spoonfed to him.

[Jeff Shyu]

Jeff likes his info spoonfed to him.

[Steve Ekstrand]

The NA miata's can be fun in ES if you spring for MEGA dollar shocks.

I still love the STS2 Miata's, but I'm not actually gay so I'm not sure I'd be allowed to own one?

[Cam Correa]

I wish you could have seen Mary Pozzi thrash the Shelby GT through the course on Saturday (she had MANY Sunday issues). That would end all thought of trying to make an SVO or other 80's mustang competitive in stock class. The Shelby GT's are monster class killers in the right hands.

That brings up another queston.....

Shelby is not actually assembled at the FORD factory yet is a factory approved Hot Rodder ( if you will ).
So I'm wondering, I've not looked into how many shelbys there our out there.
Probably more than than Saleens.....

The book seems to say they had to be available in numbers of 1000 or more to the public.
Looks like Saleen only produced 140 mustangs in 1985, does this mean even if I had a fatory Saleen I would'nt be legal to run it?

Being that was also a fatory approved Hot Rodder aftermarket builder, Might that be considered fatory options?

In other words might I be allowed to run Saleen parts & such to up-grade my stang to higher levels of performace?
Or would it have to have a Saleen factory plate on the car proving it was built by Saleen?

Yes I would still have the tire issues..
I hope you guys dont mind me asking so many lame newbie questons..

[Max Hayter]

I still love the STS2 Miata's, but I'm not actually cool so I'm not sure I'd be allowed to own one?

Fixed.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

I still love the STS2 Miata's, but I'm not actually cool so I'm not sure I'd be allowed to own one?

Fixed.

[Don Salyers]

In other words might I be allowed to run Saleen parts & such to up-grade my stang to higher levels of performace?
Or would it have to have a Saleen factory plate on the car proving it was built by Saleen?

Yes I would still have the tire issues..
I hope you guys dont mind me asking so many lame newbie questons..

Cam the Saleen (Mustang) is listed in A Stock. If you want to be competitive locally FS is the choice--you will be the only one most of the time. If you want to be competitive nationally turn you Mustang into a C Prepared rocket.

But, on the other hand, it would probably be cheaper, in the long run, to buy a new Shelby GT rather than put the same money into a CP car....

Don

[Bob Beamesderfer]

But, on the other hand, it would probably be cheaper, in the long run, to buy a new Shelby GT rather than put the same money into a CP car....

Don

That's an understatement! The other thing about Prep and Mod cars is that there isn't a 1-800 helpline for anything you do. If you're not Guy Ankeny or someone like him, you'll need help, which might be co$tly.

[Mako Koiwai]

Even Guy needed help ... luckily he's got Craig Nagler/TriPoint in his corner!

[Bob Beamesderfer]

Even Guy needed help ... luckily he's got Craig Nagler/TriPoint in his corner!

Well, he does work at Tri-Point. ;)

[Mako Koiwai]

But he didn't when he was developing the AP version of his present car.

[Steve Ekstrand]

Hey man!!! I'm soooo cool I'm cold! ;)


This is what you should be checking out.... Cheap Southwest 1 way flight and drive her home.

http://sccaforums.com/forums/1/311492/S ... spx#311492" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edit---Well not currently street legal, but easily made that way.