Being the genius I am, I started to modify my na/fc before I read the scca rule book. Right now I have already put on an intake, and have a downpipe/presilencer bought and waiting to be put on. The car also has kyb's, ebiach springs, hawk hps pads, and kuhmo mx's, which I believe are legal in stock. (all but intake and d-pipe/presilencer). My question is should I put the stock air box back on and keep the downpipe/presilencer off so that I can race in stock? Or should I just put on everything and have at it? This will be my first go at autox so I know I have a lot to learn. But I was just wanting to know what to expect in the two classes, and which one to get into.

 

As the car sits now, you are Street Prepared. The springs put you there. If you are just starting, and just running regional, noone will probably say anything, but if the car is obviously lower, such as an Eibach Pro kit, 1-1 1/2" drop, then someone will probably say something. But according to the rules in stock, springs must be stock. Shocks are open, cat-back systems are legal, and air filter is open, but not the intake pipe and downpipe and/or headers. You will run in CSP in your current trim, in which you can change the whole exhaust, headers, downpipe, etc. intake is open, suspension is open, and you may do some backdating if you want to. The key to starting out is have fun and get familiar with learning courses and how to read them and the lines, and adapt quickly. If you race where there are some top level CSP cars, an FC is not the lightest or fastest, but not at all totally uncompetitive. FBs, RX3s, CRXs, and Miatas are some of the faster current CSP cars.
I have no way of knowing how serious you are, and just starting out, I would do it a while to make sure you want to stick with it before doing a lot of mods that will help in AutoX but make you suffer on the street. But later on, you might look at lighter flywheel, good bushings all around, better weight dist by removing/relocating things, etc, blah blah blah, $$$$.
Let me know if you need any further help or info, have fun and be safe. Keep racing legal and in it's proper place.

Travis

 

Don't worry so much about the classes. Just go into street prepared as your car should and have fun. Starting out you'll probably get killed no matter what class you're in; don't worry about it.

It was quite a few events before I could beat 90 hp Civics with my FD If you enjoy it and keep trying it will come to you.

 

Stick with SP trim and just learn to drive fast. You're not going to impress anyone until you've got a bunch of seat time in anyhow. If you're not running any regional/divisional/national events, I wouldn't worry about getting protested. Newbie driver + street tires = not fast.

My personal opinion is that you should stop modding the car and just drive the **** out of it. Once you can wring everything out of your current setup, start thinking about where you want to be in terms of auto-xing/racing. You might find yourself wanting a more competitive platform to build up.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I am likely to just go into street prep. I am not looking forward to getting killed out there, but I am looking forward to learning how to drive fast while in control. So I am ready to take my lumps. Also, I know racing school is a good idea, but I still have one semester of law school left, so the funds are limited to say the least But I did see that bondurant(sp) has a book out about the basics, would this be a good starting place?

 

I agree with what has been said above. Another consideration is that if you stop modifying your car right now, you will have that much more money to spend on entry fees. Seat time is what you need most at this point.

Seat time.

Seat time.

Seat time.

Seat time.

Seat time......

Run in more than one club, run all the events, attend any test and tune sessions offered by local clubs, do whatever you have to do to get timed runs in.

 

Ralph,
I am pretty much done with the mods for now. (maybe catback later) I will be on the look out for any events in the New Orleans area to try and get in. From what I have read, and from what the other guys have said, seat time seems to be the number one thing to do, so I will try to get up on that for sure. The first autox comes up at the end of Jan., and my goal is just to try and be smooth.