i race a 87 RX7 non turbo, just wated to know how every one else is doing in there class, i usally will get 2, or 3rd. hard to beat the mx 5. well if anyone has some well tuned 7 that can beat the miatas would be really nice to know what mods to go with.

 

It totally depends on what class you are running. In SCCA type classing you would be in ES or CSP. The rules of what you can do are on SCCA.com.

If you have not been doing this long I would just keep going to events and work on your driving. For the cost of a Hoosier you could go to an Evo school http://evoschool.com/ . Work on the nut behind the wheel first.


Get a good set of tires on stock wheels in ES and some wider rims and tires in CSP

Beyond that it totally depends on your budget. Racing Beat, Koni, Ground Control all offer good parts to get you started.

Unless you are on top of your game and your car is really good it is hard to beat a Miata w/a similar driver/same type mods. They are just really good cars and are about 400 lbs less than an FC.

 

I autocross my FC in my region's unique "Novice" group that has its own PAX, but technically my car is prepared to E Stock specs. I get my butt kicked by the 2nd. gen. MR2s and Miatas, but I don't despair- I have fun out there!

FC non-turbos can also be put into STS, but only if they do not have a clutch-type LSD. I initially wanted to go into STS, but I'd have to change out the diff in my GXL for an open diff or a GTUs viscous diff. The new STR class that will be debuting next year will allow any factory LSD, so I am considering reclassing next year. It opens up a lot more modding options.

Besides the Evolution school, check to see if your local autocross group runs a novice school. If you need one, get an instructor for your first few runs of the day. Also check to see if there are any other auto-x groups in your area and try those as well.

 

I run in STS here in the Kansas City region SCCA and am slowly catching up to the Miatas as I learn and budget out more parts. It's a real bitch.

 

SSM, I win locally but the car is nowhere near national prep.

 

I was reading the SCCA rules, and it looks like STS allows tires with treadwear ratings of 140 and higher. I was told several years ago that I had to run in CSP just because I had a cold air intake. I ran an autocross this past weekend (my first in 3 years), and just stuck to CSP since I didn't know any better. I saw an RX-8 with STX but had never heard of that class. Back where I used to live they only talked about AS, BS, CS, ... and ASP, BSP, CSP, etc.

I don't want to invest in race tires, so STS sounds like the place to be. I have a non-turbo 1990 RX-7 with a GTUs diff. I have some basic modifications like the intake, a strut tower bar, Racing Beat springs, and tokico struts. Does my understanding of the situation sound correct to you guys?

 

I like Miatas, they're tasty! They can be a little tough to catch when they're on race rubber though, since I'm running Sumitomos. But it can be done.




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Is your whole car a true GTUs? Or do you just have the GTUs dif? By the letter of the law if the dif is not the kind that came with the car you would be in CSP.
If your car is not an GTUs then you can switch everything over onto you car to be legal (i know I am making it seem complicated but it is the same as Stock class and switching options packages on one model year instead of using a blanket option swap for each generation and line on the SCCA rules like Street Prepared ).
If you are running locally no one should care I am just giving you the true rule so you know.
When SCCA comes out with the STR class they will have a ruling of if you can run a different dif than stock (they are still trying to make rules as they create the class).

Hope that helps. If it just made more questions just ask.

To see what I mean in my circumstance I have an '87 GXL. I cannot run in STS because of my clutch type dif. If I wanted to run the car in STS i would have to run an open dif and switch over everything to a Sport optioned car (here is a complete list of options on FCs https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/specifications-what-did-2nd-generation-rx-7-come-w-options-standard-features-642372/ ) It is more work than I feel like doing so I have been running in E Stock when I run the FC. When STR is created I may start building to that class. There is hardly any way an N/A FC could compete Nationally in STR but it could be fun locally.

Ideally all N/A FCs would be in STS (old STS2) and all TIIs would be in STR. But the dif rules in STS and the no turbo rule in STR make that idea not work.

 

Thanks for the info finky. My car is not a true GTUs. It is a GXL, so it has the power sunroof, power windows, and power locks. I did more reading in the SCCA rule book after seeing your response, and I understand the complete conversion to another model requirement. I also don't want to go back to my open 4.1 diff, because I really like the way it drives with the viscous 4.3.

I'm also a little confused as to why a stock FC runs in E class while a modified one runs in CSP, but then again, I don't make the rules. I think it would be very difficult to be competitive in this class with an N/A FC even if it is modified to the limits of the class. The FTD was set by a CSP miata trailered to the event. Other cars with close times (+0.5 sec) included an RX-8 in STX and a Mustang in FSP (+0.52 sec).

I will keep an eye open about the STR class for next year. For this year I think I will just focus on having a good time developing my driving skills. Maybe next year I can invest in some better tires. I don't intend to turn my car into a race only vehicle.

 

The letter of the class in Stock does not coordinate with the letter in Street Prepared. SCCA has to class 9 Stock classes of cars into 6 Street Prepared classes. CSP is for most of the lower powered coupes and convertibles and ESP is for the high horsepower sedans and pony cars. Just the way SCCA set up the classes. When I started all N/A RX-7s were in CS. Classes get changed around as newer cars need a place to play.

 

This year I moved from ES to CSS (springs & swaybar), probably to CSP next year (RE-Speed rack & pinion kit, header)

I've got an 82 GSL

 

Rack and pinion won't be CSP legal. Otherwise I'd have one too.

 

I'll let you know how a CSP FB does at Nationals next week. It's not fully prepped for the class yet and the guy behind the wheel needs some work, but it's still fun. There are 24 entries in CSP. Besides my car there are 2 drivers in an old Datsun and 1 CRX. The rest are Miatas.

 

They are here in Canada. Our 'ss' classes are more like your 'sp', our 'sp' is completely different than your prepared, it's just extra prep points, change of suspension pickups allowed, forced induction allowed, etc, but the car lists are the same as 'ss'.

 

I believe the FC will run in EP, but I could be wrong.

 

The FC runs in F Prepared BUT if the car follows the full ruleset (tires and everything) of E Production Roadrace class you can run in E Prepared.
That was a couple years ago but I have not seen anything in the fastracks to make me think it changed.

 

Should have been more specific- I believe all turbo FC's run in EP. The FC we are running is actually not legal for EP either as it is 2100lbs driver up and the rules say I need to weigh 23-something IIRC.

 

Do you need a SCCA license to compete in autocross?

 

What you need varies with location, but most places you can show up, buy membership on site and pay your entry.

 

This was just posted in the Jan '11 fastrack for all interested:

4. Prepared: Per the PAC, the Mazda Rx-7 and Rx-8 listings in Appendix A, class F Prepared, are clarified to read as follows
(ref. #3369):
RX-7 (12A or 13B, bridge or peripheral porting allowed) (1979-85)
Alt engine: Renesis
Displacement: 12A – 2292 cc; Renesis/13B – 2616 cc
RX-7 (13B, bridge or peripheral porting allowed) (1986-91)
Alternate Engine: Renesis
Displacement: Renesis/13B – 2616 cc
RX-8 (bridge or peripheral porting allowed)
Alternate engines: 12A or 13B
Displacement: 12A – 2292 cc; Renesis/13B – 2616 cc
Standard intake manifold may be used.
Comment: The revised listings specify the effective displacement for each vehicle.

 

So, now that I got blindsided yesterday with ASN picking up SCCA classing, what class can I run with a 1st gen with the re-speed rack & pinion kit? It looks like SSM in my first read through the tortuous SCCA rulebook, but to anyone with experience with yankee rules, your opinion/experience would be appreciated.

 

I trhink that wil throw you all the way up to mod. I would need to check the 2011 rule book to be sure.

 

I found in SSM that you were allowed to change steering mechanism, but not the column inside the passenger compartment, all changes happen in front of the firewall, so it seems to me that it's fine, but we've got no experience with interpretations with the new rulebook.

 

Subscribed!

 

1st time autocrossing my car period and ranked first in the novice. I want to make sure my car is classed correctly because i was kinda confused. Classed as a STSN car and i think i was the only novice in STS class so i didn't get ranked with the experienced STS drivers. Didn't run the fasted between all the novice but scored low on the PAX timing i guess... i need to read more about it. Drove the hell out of my car and i heard it was pretty entertaining on my first couple of runs so i ended up running with some passengers for the last three runs. I wouldn't doubt my car was tipping the scale at 3300-3400 pounds lmao.

Link to preliminary results: http://www.odr-scca.org/index2.php?o...=120&Itemid=29

91 vert Loaded, all emissions, A/C, P/S, airbag. even the heavy headrest speaker seats.

Engine/drivetrain: stock port/ecu w/ corksport header and straight stainless 3" to can style muffler, K&N drop in w/ modded airbox, Mazdatrix lightweight steel flywheel, no idea what clutch but it seems to be either a stage one or near stock, SS clutch line, skunk2 weighted shift ****.

Suspension: Tanabe 210 springs, stock front struts, kokico blues rear, mazdatrix rear camber bar, S4 control arms with poly bushings.

Tires/wheels: Stock BBS vert wheels, 1" rear spacers, BFG 215/60/15 front, bridgestone 215/60/15 (can't think of exact brands but they are sportyish tires, but all weather.

Brakes: Stock, SS brake lines, drilled rotors.

External: TII hood, Corksport front lip.

Sorry about the thread jacking but i seemed to put a hurting on the miatas kinda... lol.