Cal Club Autocross Forums

Bobby Beyer wrote: I just don't feel it would be fair to some competitors if your car can get ton of negative camber and others can't. A spec camber allowance which would be easily policeable and allow some give while still keeping the streetability aspect in mind.

Doug Teulie wrote:I think the "camber spec" will be controlled with the way it is done. No cutting of towers and no drilling of holes and possibly no top plate assembly would limit the amount and prevent damage to the cars. I agree that some cars will get faster and others will not. Street class (if passed) will most likely need to shift all the cars to different classes (or think of it as the class mates will be different). Pax is going to look different. Solo is going to be different.

I think the street class plates, shocks (I think shocks will be expensive), bars and possibly the wheels will appeal to drivers that like to tinker and have a used car (or a 3 year old car). I don't see someone who has never auto-xed showing up with a new car with bars, plates and shocks installed. I can see Auto-xers getting new cars (20K-50K+) and then spending $5,000 (or much more) to set up the car just for solo in street class. The advantage is that dedicated auto-xers will have a car that works better, not need to change wheels at the track, not cord as quickly, have the chance to tinker with setup, and have more fun racing the car they have. The disadvantage is that people outside of SCCA will not have a car that is configured or not configured properly for street class and they will have no place to run without investing in Solo (I am not sure anything changed). SK1 and SK2 was different in that shocks were the only real investment other than tires. The entry bar was not that high (SK was a popular local class not SCCA national).

I thought that RT was going to expand to:
RTA, RTB, RTC, RTD, RTE.... with no PAX and add camber plates. That would be an easier transition. I think 13s and 14s should be replaced with 15s (OEM sizes if possible). I also think that you should be able up date or back date OEM wheels from trim or model years.

Doug Teulie wrote:I think the street class plates, shocks (I think shocks will be expensive), bars and possibly the wheels will appeal to drivers that like to tinker and have a used car (or a 3 year old car). I don't see someone who has never auto-xed showing up with a new car with bars, plates and shocks installed. I can see Auto-xers getting new cars (20K-50K+) and then spending $5,000 (or much more) to set up the car just for solo in street class. The advantage is that dedicated auto-xers will have a car that works better, not need to change wheels at the track, not cord as quickly, have the chance to tinker with setup, and have more fun racing the car they have. The disadvantage is that people outside of SCCA will not have a car that is configured or not configured properly for street class and they will have no place to run without investing in Solo (I am not sure anything changed). SK1 and SK2 was different in that shocks were the only real investment other than tires. The entry bar was not that high (SK was a popular local class not SCCA national).

Sebastian Rios wrote:I hope that the diff cover rule doesn't go through, but only because it will make Fair even more unbearable.

Bobby Beyer wrote:Not an LTD but close enough.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mAbswOf ... r_embedded
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/02/meet ... -chevelle/

Hmm that place looks familiar.

Sorry about the off topic, I just couldn't resist.

Ira Cruz wrote:I propose that Doug be our official spokesman to SEB!! ;)

Ed Holley wrote:

Ira Cruz wrote:I propose that Doug be our official spokesman to SEB!! ;)

On that very subject, I'm seeking opinion from those more wise...
Would it be more effective to draft a collective letter to the SEB that essentially has multiple "signors", or will it be better to have individual input? I'm thinking that if a multiple signor letter could be created, along with a sentence referencing that "we have discussed the proposal among our forum members and recommend the following for consideration" MIGHT be easier for the SEB to react to. NO?

Jason Isley BS RX8 wrote:

Ed Holley wrote:

Ira Cruz wrote:I propose that Doug be our official spokesman to SEB!! ;)

On that very subject, I'm seeking opinion from those more wise...
Would it be more effective to draft a collective letter to the SEB that essentially has multiple "signors", or will it be better to have individual input? I'm thinking that if a multiple signor letter could be created, along with a sentence referencing that "we have discussed the proposal among our forum members and recommend the following for consideration" MIGHT be easier for the SEB to react to. NO?

Well thought out individual letters always hold more weight. A draft letter, no matter the quality, wont be seen as multiple input from members - same applies to multiple people sending in the same letter. If you did not care enough to take the time to email your original thoughts it wont be seen as that important.

Sean Fenstermacher wrote:

Doug Teulie wrote:I think the street class plates, shocks (I think shocks will be expensive), bars and possibly the wheels will appeal to drivers that like to tinker and have a used car (or a 3 year old car). I don't see someone who has never auto-xed showing up with a new car with bars, plates and shocks installed. I can see Auto-xers getting new cars (20K-50K+) and then spending $5,000 (or much more) to set up the car just for solo in street class. The advantage is that dedicated auto-xers will have a car that works better, not need to change wheels at the track, not cord as quickly, have the chance to tinker with setup, and have more fun racing the car they have. The disadvantage is that people outside of SCCA will not have a car that is configured or not configured properly for street class and they will have no place to run without investing in Solo (I am not sure anything changed). SK1 and SK2 was different in that shocks were the only real investment other than tires. The entry bar was not that high (SK was a popular local class not SCCA national).

Prep levels are still relatively low, IMO.
If you're a A-arm car, you get to add 1 more bar ($150-200ish?).

Bill Martin wrote:

Kurt Rahn wrote:

Bill Martin wrote:I could end up spending $30,000 to save money on tires.

I'm pretty sure I didn't write that. But now that you mention it...

David Barrish wrote:Doug,

add "STOCK SPRINGS and spring hats", at no cost, in Stock. ( with plates )

Leonard Cachola wrote:have SK1 and SK2 be for cars with zero mods from the factory (other than tires)

Vincent Wong wrote:

Leonard Cachola wrote:have SK1 and SK2 be for cars with zero mods from the factory (other than tires)

If you asked me 2 months ago, I wouldn't be opposed to this. But now, I would because I have to undo a stock legal mod.

Rich Grunenwald wrote: Today, it's a pretty straightforward conversation:

Newbie - "Wow, you are fast"
'Shoe - "Thanks. These Hoosiers are the bomb"
Newbie - "How much are the Hoosiers?
'Shoe - "About $275 to $350 a piece depending on the size. I use about (pick your number) tires a year, and rotate them"
Newbie - "Hmmm...kind of pricey. Do I have to run Hoosiers?"
'Shoe - "No but they are by far the best. You could run the RT class and probably get two years on a set of Dunlops or Hankooks running locals, and they are cheaper to boot"
Newbie - "Really? Tell me about that...."

Underlying message - buy a good set of tires, and you can be in the ballpark. Simple. Any newbie can understand it.

Under the proposal, the same conversation will go like this:

Newbie - "Wow, you are fast"
'Shoe - "Thanks. I just got my car set up. The camber plates and sway bars really helped, but the big difference was the ECU and going (plus or minus) 1 on the wheels to run the better tires".
Newbie - "Geez, sounds like a lot of stuff to do. Where did you get it done?"
'Shoe - "Well there's a guy out in Arizona that does the ECU's for these cars, and most of the rest of the stuff is readily available. My mechanic installed it"
Newbie – “What did you do the ECU?”
‘Shoe – “Disabled the traction control so you can make the car do what you want”
Newbie – “Doesn’t that void the warranty?”
‘Shoe – “Yes, but that’s what you have to do to run towards the front”
Newbie - "Hmmm...How much did that all cost?"
'Shoe - "Well, the ECU reprogram was $200, the camber plates were about $500, the wheels were $1000, and the bars were around $600 for the set. Probably have another $500 - $600 in labor. Then, it took me most of last year to make it all work".
Newbie - "Do you have to do all that?"
'Shoe - "Most of the faster guys around here have some or all of this stuff done. Driving can overcome some of it, but you really need to develop your car."
Newbie starts thinking that while autocross is fun, it's not something they want to put all that much energy into.