What classes should I be building for?
 

Hopefully you guys can give me some insight into this. I think I've been doing my research all wrong. I used to really want to drift, and as far as pro drifting goes, they are pretty lenient on power and car body and pretty much everything except safety. I've become more interested in things like Auto X and doing track days, but I'd like to someday be able to use my car for an actual race event against other people. I'd like to try to list a few things I'm looking for, and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction so I can do some more research and start planning some serious work to the car.

Starting platform: 85 GSL, 100% stock, power everything.
A list of what I've done so far is on my build thread.
https://www.rx7club.com/build-threads-293/new-rx-7-project-not-56k-friendly-973492/

Drivetrain: I've decided my only real option that's some what affordable is a TII swap. I'd like to make no more that 300 HP and realistically am only looking for 250-270HP. Something as light as an FB, I don't need too much power to have a good time. Looking into replacing the diff with a 1.5 or 2 way LSD. I'll make a better decision after more research.

Suspension: Looks like I'm going with Tokico Illuminas and RE-Speed coil overs. Still have chosen sway bars, or whether or not I should do a front and rear, or just front. I plan on trying to get a hold of Billy at RE-Speed. He seems to be the one to talk to about suspension from what I've seen.

Weight Reduction: I'm going as light as I can within reason. I don't have the money for lexan windows, and I'd like the car to be streetable, so I can't ditch headlights, and some other things I've seen missing on cars. Going with Manual everything though, although, I'm thinking of trying to go to power steering depending on cost.

Safety: Safety is important. I'm not trying to cheap out on that. I'm thinking cage, good seat, harnesses, but I'm not sure how extensive I need to go. I see guys run with 4 point roll bars, but I'd like (probably need) side protection if I'm running with other cars. Not sure if I'm looking at a class when I'll have to have FIA approved seats, or I can cheap out and buy a good seat that's not approved, but still good.

Aerodynamics: I'm not really planning on having to do a full widebody kit, or actually need a wing for downforce. I can't imagine I'll be going THAT fast to warrant such things, but depending on what I've posted so far, aerodynamics may be way more important than I think. Any advice is welcome.

Brakes: I need more research on what's possible and what I can get that will hold up well to stress and heat.

That's what I have so far. I realize it's a lot, and that it also may not be enough, but if anyone can point me into the direction of some classes I may fit into, or you think might work towards what I'm looking for, please let me know. A little push forward can go a long way doing research.

Thanks everyone!

It all depends on your budget. How many events do you want to run etc. Even the "cheap" classes are expensive to run. I would stay with the stock engine and start there. With a TII swap you are probably looking at NASA ST. There might be a class in SCCA ITE? STU?

SCCA classes-

Improved Touring/IT- Restricted suspension mods. Stock non ported NA engines. Stock brakes. Stock transmission. Stock fuel delivery
http://cms.scca.com/documents/Club%2...20GCR/ITCS.pdf

ITA- RX2, RX3, 12a First gen RX7
ITS- 13b first gen and NA second gen


Production/EP- Street ported NA 12a and 13b. Limited prep suspension, Open gear box, stock rotors and calipers. Stock tub no seem welding. Must use correct engine configuration for car ie. No 4 port 13b in a RX7. Carb or FI on 13b RX7
http://cms.scca.com/documents/Club%2...%20GCR/PCS.pdf

All NA RX7,RX2, RX3. No turbo cars

Grand Touring/ GT- Highly Modified or tube frame chassis, Open suspension and trans. Bridge and PP 12a or 13b (pending class), and 20b
http://cms.scca.com/documents/Club%2...20GCR/GTCS.pdf

GT3-
GT2-
GT1- 3 rotor


NASA-

Performance Touring/PT- Car starts off in a base class. Points are added per modification to the car.
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/2009/pt.pdf
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/P...ation-form.pdf

Time Trial/TT- Same as PT except each car has a transponder and fastest lap is recorded. This is not wheel to wheel racing


Super Touring/ST- Similar to PT based on power to weight
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/Super-Touring.pdf
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/S...ation-form.pdf

^ You are awesome. I'm going to screen shot this and start doing some research Working the holidays this week and I work at a call center. Were going to be dead so I'll have loads of time to search. Sadly 7club is blocked though =(.

if you do NASA's PT you can also do TT, or actually TT is a great place to start, and then you can add the PT. the rule set is the same, but PT is wheel to wheel, TT is just fastest lap. we've had a great time this year running both.

http://www.nasa-tt.com/Rules

ITA seems like a solid class to shoot for. I've still got a few questions about regulations though that I've not really found any clear information on.

1.) Removal of items under the hood. My car came with A/C and a lot more vacuum hoses than I've left on it. Will removing any of these cause me any issues?

2.) Intake options. I've seen cars that had the carb swapped, but the regulations I read said there can be no modifications to the stock engine configuration. Is that in relation to displacement and porting? Am I allowed to replace the stock carb and fuel delivery to make a bit more power, or is it only intake ducting I can change to try to get a bit more air in the stock configuration?

3.) Safety. More importantly seats. do Seats have to be FIA approved, or can I use something that is still stout but not FIA tested and approved? Also is there a regulation on harnesses? I've got a 4-point someplace, but should I be looking for a 5 or 6 point harness to run with.

4.) Brakes. I understand I can basically only change the brake pads, and have to keep the stock calipers and rotors. Can I switch to braided brake cables, or will that be a violation?

5.) Drivetrain. Can I replace the clutch, flywheel and shifter, or does this all need to remain to the stock specifications. With only running a 12a engine, I won't have a problem changing out engines and trannys when I need too, but should I invest in a lightweight flywheel and a better clutch, or will the OEM stuff do the trick? Also, my car came with an LSD stock, can I upgrade this, or do I need to leave it alone?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

1. you can remove any and all AC stuff, also any and all emission equipment. Most all of the vacuum stuff has to do with emissions or AC controls.

2. Stock intake from the carb to the engine, you can remove the choke stuff. Mods before the carb are allowed, try to get cooler air to the carb, no ram-air set ups.

3. Seats don't need to be FIA, if they aren't, they need to be supported up on the back, not just the bottom mounts.

4. All stock brake components, braided lines are allowed. You will also need some kind of brake cooling ducts and good RACING pads. You can remove the parking brake stuff.

5. LSD is allowed, flywheel has to be stock. Clutch just has to be stock diameter. I would suggest a clutch disc that has a springed center but only has 4 pucks. The trans is the weak link and you need to do what ever you can to make its life easy.

Great info thanks a lot.

Something that slipped my mind while writing this. Can I use a short shifter, or does it have to be stock.

Also, will this ITA set up be legal for IT7, or is there something different I should look for. Figured if it's all legal, that will improve the chance I have of getting to run the car.

I don't think short shifters are legal(they weren't when I was running one back in the early 90's, check the rules under transmissions.

ITA and IT7 are similar, I think it depends on the division rules. IT7 is a little stricter than ITA trying to keep costs down as much as possible. I would build for IT7 if that is the case, then progress the car to ITA as funds allow. I'm pretty sure anything allowed in IT7 will go into ITA but not the other way around. Again, check your region or division.

Short shifters are not legal in IT.

Head on over to improvedtouring.com if you think IT is where you might want to end up.

Hey you guys missed a class that the SCCA has - Super Touring. You can run an FB in this catagory as it just makes it past the age restriction - I got that rule clarified in the SCCA rule book. There are 3 classes in Super Touring - STO, STU and STL. The FB fits in STU and STL.

Super Touring is the SCCA's engine swap class with STO and STU being the most liberal. Engine swaps are limited to US spec engines within manufacturer families. For example Honda>Acura, Toyota>Scion>Lexus, Mazda>Ford, etc.

I am building an STU 83 RX7 that will have a street ported 13B with an IDA. Maybe at some point it will have a Renesis or a small displacement 4-6cyl. That kind of thing is legal in STU.

Go to www.SCCA.com and navigate Club Racing>Cars and Rules to down load the latest version of the GCR - it is FREE!

Thanks a lot. I've spent a little time on improvedtouring. I'll have to get on there some more. I think IT seems like a solid place to start racing against other drivers. Seems like a place to be competitive without spending a ridiculous amount.

Thanks a lot for this. I'll try to get it and read through it at work.

It looks like Super Touring has an age restriction of 1990 or above now....check and see as that is what I read last night....

Yea I was looking at that age restriction I'm kinda at a stand still right now with we're to go with ,y car and some stupid things I need to figure out