Viich

First:



I don't compete under SCCA rules, I'm Canadian and we've got our own. We tend to use a modified version of the SCCA class list, even if ASN doesn't want to admit it, but the classes are different, ours are: stock, SS, SP, and Mod. We've also got Touring 1 & 2 that nobody bothers with.



I'm in CSS with my 82 GSL(ish). My car is registered as a GS, but it's got LSD and disc, so who knows.



First thing I did was brakes. Rebuilt the front calipers (surprisingly easy), and installed Hawk HP+ pads on all 4 corners. The bite is impressive. There was immediately a significant rear bias, so much so that there wasn't much braking force happening at the front at all.



Originally, I had a huge amount of body roll. Because there was an event when I was partway done, I went to one event with rear shocks and springs done, rear bar disconnected, front still stock. Much better than it was fully stock, probably because the rear shocks were toast. The shocks were Illuminas, with Respeed's adjustable perch and 150lb springs.



Next, I installed Respeed's race front coilover kit with 300 lb springs, and illuminas on the front as well, with Respeed's tubular front bar and the rear bar back on. At this point I went to a 2 day regional autocross, with a test and tune the day before. I only got about 6 runs in on the test and tune after checking over the whole suspension after the drive (it was in a different province).

Noticed a HUGE problem on all corners that had to be braked for, especially any time I tried a late apex / trail brake / fast in, slow out technique. The rears would lock up, the rear end would try to pass the front end, and then I'd have to modulate the throttle to steer around the corner. Turns out, I accidentially built a pretty good drift car, minus some power.



Brake bias valve - I went with the Wilwood **** adjustable model. I was actually looking for the lever-style so as to have reference points if I wanted to set the brakes to different settings for different things, but the **** was fine. Bought it a local shop that normally serves the roundy roundy guys for a reasonable price ($50 CAD)



Next, I installed exhaust - I happened to have a spare center section with the cats deleted, and swapped this in when I ran into trouble trying to put together a system for my RB Road Race header (fall/winter project now - only good thing about the long winter is lots of time for projects)



There seemed to be a not in-significant power gain even with the air pump still in place. The weight savings was at least 20lbs too.



I then had the last autox for my local club. It was a momentum-type track, no real stop and go type elements, a high speed straight section with a brake into an offset slalom, a couple good corners, nice flowing course. Probably my favorite course I've ever run in autox. I finished MUCH closer to the front than I normally do, and was incredibly thrilled with how stable the car was. There was plenty more time there, I just ran out of talent.

Kentetsu

I missed this when you posted it. Nice read. Having the right equipment makes all the difference, eh?

Viich

Kentetsu:



If you liked it, I'll keep writing.



This winter, I put in the Re-Speed Rack & Pinion kit, which would have bumped me up one class with some fast miatas, crx's, etc. It was called CSP, but allowed a fair bit more than the SCCA CSP, including the R&P kit. Unfortunately, after doing this mod, Canadian autocross classing changed to match SCCA. Which is great for a robust ruleset that will actually change as cars change, and class new cars in less than 2 years, but bad for those of us that were doing things that were aimed at a class.



Welcome to FP. Why not SSM? Not allowed to swap subframes.

So, now that I'm in Prepared, I figured why not run slicks? So, off to ebay for used Hoosier road race slicks for $40 a tire. Better than shelling out the cash for new Toyos or A6's.



Fired the car up for the first event, and had a vacuum leak. Wasn't there when I was driving the car to work all week, but when I drove home from work the night of the event (we do ours on Wednesday at the local oval track) the car was making a loud intake noise, I couldn't figure out what else it could be but a vacuum leak.



My wife had trouble getting the boy ready, so she didn't make it to the track in time. I'd been wanting to get one of the better drivers in the club to co-drive the car sometime this year anyway, so I took the opportunity. He'd been going to drive his Dodge Magnum for giggles, and was happy to drive it. He ended up FTD, I was about 4 seconds behind in raw time, with one cone down for 6 seconds behind him. I was beaten by M3's, Celica GT4, WRX's & STI's. Kent beat them all with my car, which means the next mod will have to be behind the wheel.



Good thing about this FP thing, the Renesis is an alternate engine for a 1st gen.