April 2002 SportsCar, Fastrack News, page F-64, SOLO II STREET PREPARED
CATEGORY, Item 9.
Proposed: Add new Section 14.1.F as follows: "On all forms of suspension,
camber/caster adjustment within factory specifications may be achieved by the
use of shims or eccentric bushings. The intent of this allowance is to permit
cars to be restored to within factory-allowed specification ranges, not to
provide an additional method beyond those permitted in Section 14.8 to obtain
alignment settings beyond the factory specifications."
My take on this is that it flies in the face of what SP is all about. One of
the main attractions of the class is the ability to "correct" deficiencies
that the factory designed into a car. Often there is a great little car
restricted by one stupid design feature. In front drivers the restriction is
often in camber adjustment. On others it may be caster but the whole point of
the class (IMHO) is to allow each car to come up to its personal best through
modifications external to the engine itself. To this end SP is allowed to
change bushings, change ride height, install coil overs, install any size
tires & wheels, and altogether push the suspension to the limits of its basic
design. This allows each car to max out its potential and evens out the class
because everyone has the same opportunities.
This rule, if adopted, would force us all to stay within whatever suspension
settings the factory gods provided. Note that it would even require one to
stay within stock settings even if the stock suspension had more adjustment
available than that!
Beyond that, there is the matter of enforcement. I haven't seen a full
alignment rack availabe at the Nationals, have you? And then which set of
alignment specs would one use as a standard? The factory? Bear Alignment
charts? Chilton? Motors? What if there is a conflict between the different
alignment charts?
What about the update/backdate rule. What if a high-performance version of
that car, listed on the same line, had better specs? Can you use those specs
instead? Even though you have another version?
My vote is to soundly defeat this proposal by mailing loud letters to the Solo
Events Board. This is a bad idea in all regards.
Greg Laws
Team PhrankenPhrog 1987 Renault GTA
Solo2 autocross F/Street Prepared
Wichita Region SCCA
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