As stated above just go out and drive whatever you have then worry about what class you want to end up in. THEY WILL TAKE YOUR MONEY IF YOU SHOW UP WITH A CAR AND WANT TO RUN. You can run your car in Prepared if you want even if its stock.(but not the other way around) If nobody else is there in Prepared you will win.
You aren't going to find the perfect class that allows everything YOU want to do, or have done, to your car. You can only do what the rules allow or you get bumped to the next higher prep level. That happens in any kind of racing.

You aren't going to get out 2nd gear auto-xing usually so save that $5000 you were going to spend on the dog ring race tranny.

 

Nope. Stock in both. Limited porting is allowed in the Production classes. I assume that you are talking about porting the irons or the housings. "Port Matching" is allowed for the first 1-inch length of the intake and exhaust runners, but nothing beyond that and no polishing is allowed.

-b

 

Pele,
What is your goal? Do you intend on being competitive in road racing and autocrossing or just want to drive fast and have fun? What is your budget?

 

I mainly want to have fun and drive fast legally... But being competitive wouldn't hurt. I don't expect to get anywhere for the first couple seasons, but I'd like to be able to be taken seriously on the track rather than some kid who's just out to **** around.

My budget is whatever I need... I bought the RX-7 for $250... It needs shocks, springs, tires, and an e-brake cable... I'll buy those things. It needed a roll bar. I already bought that... Still looking for the rest of the cage.

I'll spend a couple hundred here, a couple hundred there...

 

Okay, I get it. That's all I needed.

What kinda info does a logbook have to contain?

 

The logbook is the official record of inspection for your car. Consider it like the equivilant of the state inspection and registration for your race car, all rolled into one.

 

So when your car gets teched in at the track, they actually GIVE you something... Good to know...

So what'd make a good logbook? 3 ring binder? I assume they give your insepction results on standard 8.5x11 letter paper.

Would it be a good idea to keep receipts for parts in the logbook or would that create clutter? I assume that the insepctors can tell that I've replaced brake pads or wheel cylinders recently... Perhaps to prove origin though.

Does anything other go into the logbook? Why would one keep old inspections that are invalid an superceeded by new ones?

 

Do not show up for a race and expect to get a logbook there. An inspection for a log book is more than they want to handle at tech at a race. Logbooks come in a couple sizes, its just a little booklet that you put all the info about your car including a couple pictures.

A log book inspection happens only after you have all of the safety equipment installed in your car; cage,fire bottle, harness, window net etc.
They will stamp a number in the cage and write it in the logbook.

You need to get a hold of somebody locally that will do it for you and answer questions.

 

Pele,
If simply having fun driving fast is the goal, yes you already have autocrossed which anyone can and should do, but for driving faster on a track why not just sign up for HPDE?
http://www.nasaracing.net/hpde.htm Run what ya brung
Later on after gathering more skill and $$$ then step up to wheel to wheel racing.

 

I thought you had to class for that. I saw some spec7's at Hyperfest when I last went...

 

NASA HPDE (and Summit Point's FATTs) are for any street cars that pass basic pre event safety tech (not obviously broken or spewing fluid). Washington DC region Spec7 guys are tracktime junkies and will take it however they can get it (Hyperfest included).

 

We run our Spec7 car in CSP under the IT clause, and only for fun, carb debugging and miscellaneous check outs.

IT Cluase in Solo II rules:

"Cars listed as eligible in and prepared to the current national
Improved Touring rules are permitted to compete in their respective
Street Prepared classes. Neither Street Prepared nor Improved
Touring cars are permitted to interchange preparation rules.
Improved Touring cars may use tires which are eligible under
current IT rules even if they are not eligible in Street Prepared." ...that means it is autocrossed in a configuration legal under IT.

We have taken that to mean as-is in Spec 7 trim, which leaves a lot on the table performance wise. The SP guys can run ultra wide wheels, fancy shocks, camber plates, light flywheels etc. The IT cars, fancy shocks, camber plates, coilovers, modified rear suspensions .. major allowance area of IT is basically fit suspension to original body mounting points. Gray are of Spec7 car is wheel size; Spec limits or open IT limits .. in Texas we run 13 x 7's which is good enough in stock body.

Only reason to run a race prepped car in Solo is for fun, National competitiveness .. unlikely!

 

Just know what you want out of it and be happy when you achieve that. Get seat time and as much instruction as you can. Remember in SP some guys are willing and have spent $100,000 in car prep. They have also spent alot behind the scenes on self prep.