I'm picturing and FD set up for rally...... I'm first in line to co-drive/navigate!!

Still give Jerry a call to verify, also contact Conference, they have different rules.

I'll be sure to check that out then. Thanks for all the help Russ, and everyone else.

What about Super Production? SPO to be more precise. Basically GT style cage rules but way more open on induction, and I would assume powerplant, options.

Doug,

With an engine swap like that you are headed straight for Super Production. In SP you can do just about anything you want as long as the car looks something like a production model and meets safety requirements and for actual road racing that means a cage. IN SP you'll have people to race against and can have fun at track days, but you won't be in a competitive driver's series like Spec Miata.

I'm dropping a V8 in a FC to screw around on track days, autocrosses, drags and the street. It's all for fun not for trophies.

I'll be seam welding my car. I have fantasies about driving the car hard enough and frequently enough to fatigue the chassis, but they are probably just fantasies.

Here are some, sorry for the quality but it looks like a bead about every cm.

That's one way to do it.... Looks like a good way to add weight and not get much benifit. Assuming they did it with a MIG, there's not a whole lot of penetration going on with the tack/spot welds

You can still get plenty of penetration with a MIG if you have the temp up high enuff and know what your doing. I have only been welding for about 6 months a a hobby and I think my welds penetrate nicely.

Im building an FC now as a Drift project. Its bare Chassis and im in the process of stitch welding. After that its going to get a cage and chassis foam.

And after that.... and nasty stiff set of coilovers and a 450hp LS1 :)

For SCCA Autocross, putting in a V-8 engine will put you into one of the Modified classes. You will probably not be competitive unless you are very light weight, and have very big slicks.

For SCCA road racing, putting in a V-8 engine will put you into the Super Production class, a catch all class for chassis that started out as production cars. No limits to modifications allowed, so you have to be really light and fast and powerful to run good in this class, and the winners run very expensive slicks. Also, their are strict safetly requirements to run in Super Production. Around here your car must meet all SCCA GT car safety rules (FULL cage, fuel cell, braided stainless fuel plumbing, scatter shield, Halon fire system, windshield retaining clips, etc; plus full driver safety gear) This is not a cheap class to race in.

If your doing the LS1 don't plan on being competitive. You might be able to do fine at regional and local events but that will be because there won't be hardly anyone for you to compete against. I usually beat all the E-mod cars in my region with my SM2 car but thats just because none of the e-mod cars are even close to the levels they could be at. None of them are running even 1/5 of the amount of power they could be and still putting it down. The car will be fun to race but if you want to be competitive, the mod classes at local level (around here at least) just doesn't seem to have a whole lot of people to compete against.

how do you guys prep your chassis for welding?

I've been contemplating sandblasting or beadblasting, possibly CO2 pellets, or something similar but don't know how that would work with the thin sheet metal of a car body.

Well since no one else has mentioned it... seam welding will potentially undo any deformation (crumple zones) that mazda has engineered into the chassis. If this is going to be run on the street for any length of time it is something to consider.
Saying that I know I'd kick myself if I didn't seam weld when I'm at a bare chassis if I thought there was the remote possibility that I'd want to do it in the future.

Matt

when you come pick up the fender roller...you can look at a seam welded uni-body

http://www.roadraceengineering.com/r...-dashbar01.jpg

"about" 1.5 inches with .5 inch break between welds. You can do full welds, but the idea of putting the breaks in the welds is so if a crack starts...it will stop at the next break...instead of propgating

You can warp the unibody if you go to far too fast. But if you do a little on all the major parts to tie it together...and then go back and "fill out" the rest of the seams...it isn't too bad. this was more of an issue back on the "early" unibodies that weren't as well built as today's more stiff/better designed bodies. This is kind of my own opinon after listening to the "good old boys" of rally explain how many unibodies they ruined before they figured out what to do on their 70's datsuns...compared to the new guys who get into it and just go for it with their mid 90s dsms/subarus and don't have any major issues....

I haven't welded on my RX7 yet...so I don't know. But the mitsubishi entire body was galvanized. Note around all the welds all the white. Yah...welding it SUCKED and was a PIA. Even when I thought I got all the seam sealer out...it still was a PIA to get a decent weld. Make sure you have good ventilaion...I didn't have good enough and got mild zinc poisoning.

I don't think its worth it for the majority of the body. However...all the front suspension points and rear pick up points/rear subframe...I think there is some definite gains. If you have a sun roof car...there could be some gained there.

john

Considering what I'm doing with the engine in the car, I can't do much competitive racing. If I can't race competitively, I don't see much of a reason to take the extra time to go through seam welding the whole damn car. It sounds like it will just be a street car more than anything. I'll most likely leave it as it is. At the most, stiffen up around the suspension points like teeter mentioned.