Dennis Hale wrote:
>I think a
>$15K budget gets you there in Spec Miata.
>
It should actually be cheaper than that. The class was originally
advertised as around $7K to build a good car. But I think that to build a
really nice car to the limit of the rules would be around $10K. It's more
expensive than Spec RX7, where you can buy last year's champion's car for
around $5K, but the Miatas are a lot more fun to drive than the old RX7s (at
least most people seem to think so).
The rules can also vary slightly depending on the region. Most of the
regions allow coilover spec suspensions, either 1.6 or 1.8L cars (1.8L cars
have a restrictor plate and more weight), either bolted or custom welded
cages, and wheels up to 15x7. The DC Region only allows 1.6L cars with
stock wheels, Tokico street springs and shocks, and spec bolt-in cages.
They did this to keep costs down. But it looks now as if they will follow
the other regions' rules except they will still only allow 1.6L cars and
stock wheels.
As far as running one of these in CSP, it might do okay at local events, but
it wouldn't be competitive at the national level. The spec suspension is
probably a pretty good CSP suspension, but the engines are showroom stock,
including smog controls. You also have the extra weight of the cage and
hardtop (although partially offset by some interior gutting). And your
wheel and tire size is greatly limited. Since these cars are also legal for
Improved Touring, you could run them as an IT car in CSP and use 14x7"
wheels, but that wouldn't help you much.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a car that is competitive in both
autox and road racing and is streetable. If you want a street legal road
race car, you are limited to either Showroom Stock, Touring, or Spec RX7 (or
an uncompetitive IT car). Showroom Stock cars with trunk kits have to run
in SP for autox, as do Touring cars. Spec RX7 and Spec Miata have to run in
CSP where they have no chance. The closest thing I found to a car that can
be used for street, autox, and road race is a Sport Pkg Miata. It can be
street legal, does not have a trunk kit for SSB, and might do okay in
B-stock. But for Solo2 you'd have the disadvantage of the cage and hardtop
weight plus the stock front swaybar (you can't change your front swaybar or
shocks in SSB). And it wouldn't be the most comfortable street car either
because of the cage and racing seat. It might be nice to have an autox
class for Spec RX7s or Spec Miatas, but I don't know if enough road racers
would come to autocrosses to justify it.
Brad Burns
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