SCCA, NHRA, and the 'vert
 

As the subject says. If I want to do things like Autocross (I seriously doubt I'll drag-race my car, I don't want to feel pressured to waste its handling to compete in a muscle-car competition), and some non-professional track days, will a simple four-point rollbar work like a number of people make for the 'vert, or must I start off thinking 6-point off the bat? I want the 'vert to be virtually the same with the top down for fun driving, and I don't want it to become a "race car". I just want to have fun and be amateur-ishly competitive.

Anybody know the rules for these types of things?

Oh, see my mods below for what I'll have by the time I'm done with this version of my car. I'm sure that will change the class I'm running in quite a bit.

One final thing, can anybody venture a fairly accurate guess as to which class these mods will place me in in the SCCA Solo II (auto-x)?

Thanks much! I'm brand spanking new to these things and I don't even know exactly which racing organization to join yet, but I'm leaning SCCA right now. Any pushes or pulls in either direction are welcome. Let me know what you think about this! :)

Again, my priorities for my car:

0. Personally feel like I spent my upgrade time and money wisely.
1. Get around town safely, sportily (not necessarily comfortably).
2. Impress chicks who ride with me (or see my car) safely, sportily.
3. Make DSMs, Honduhs, and Mustangs, among other vehicles, feel jealous.
4. Have no reason to lose an autocross in my class other than my sucky driving.
5. Find a timed, competitive-style road rally somewhere in the southeast and actually truly road rally once or twice in my life, preferably with this car, complete with handbrake turns and drifting.

:D

Am I screwed? lol...

Re: SCCA, NHRA, and the 'vert
 

This is the only unrealistic goal. The 2nd gen isn't that great of a candidate for the modified classes as the other cars there are at the weight minimum more often than not. I've only seen one RX-7 come close and that was a 1st gen at ~1625 lbs, still 125 over the min. That is, unless there was a turbo vert in Japan (can't recall) in which case you may slide into a prepared category.

Anyway, regarding the roll bar, I searched my solo rules and couldn't come up with anything notable regarding them in verts. Sorry for the long winded way of saying I have nothing to say :)

Redwood
"Limited by sucky driving"

Yes, ALL 'verts in Japan of the S5 genre to my knowledge were turbo. ;) Except I'll probably be prepared with my streetport, coilovers, lightened flywheel, and intake/exhaust, would I not?

The vert is a very flexible chasis and its just not worth turning it into a race car. I used to have a TII Vert conversion and it felt MUCH more flexible that regular FC chassis. The aerodynamics of the vert also work against you at speed. I was doing 130 driving it back from Cali with the top down and I could feel the chassis flexing the faster I went.

Also, you can't fit anything more than a 2pt bar in the car w/o loosing the top. Just look at the way the top sits when down.

The 4 point will be fine for track days, ahtough they may require you to wear arm restraints and a harness as well, check with your group. I know out here, Thunderhill street school is rumored to be discontinuing allowing convertibles in their school entirely.

As for auto-x, been ages since I looked at the rules for that, but I'm fairly sure a bolt in bar or cage is just fine.

PaulC

With a Turbo/Vert you're probably going to be in ASP or SM2. I didn't see anything in you mods that would push you into BP. You will not need a roll bar for Auto-X until you get to a mod class.

Rob