Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 13:09:12 -0400
From: dg50@daimlerchrysler.com
<<This is long, and I'm looking for feedback. But PLEASE, if you respond to
the
list, DO NOT quote this thing in it's entirety! Do the list a favour, and snip
out the little bits you intend to discuss. Thanks. - DG >>
I cut it here, most of the list knows all about this by now.
I really like the idea, and sooner or later some class like this is going to
come about. I spent a year trying to make a Street Mod class here and it
failed because no one ran it but me for more than a couple events. The rules
were similar with goofy limits in some areas because of fears of radical cars
and such. I would love to help with ideas, but it seems the list is chiming
in with most of what I wanted to say. I will just give a few thoughts.
YES you need some weight to displacement rule. Ballast is easy to add. To
even up the small and light to the heavy and powerfull, I came up with a
square root factor. The square root of CC's times 35 or so gives you pounds.
A turbo would be CC x 1.6 and a blower would be CC x 1.4, factors for twin
cams or 16 valve could be added to. If a car is light, bolt lead bars to the
floor. A 5.0L would then be 2475 pounds. A 2.4 turbo (me) would be 2170. A
supercharged 1.6 comes in at 1656 pounds. I know, it is arbitrary at this
point, but I played with it for a while. Too bad it will never get accepted.
We never have scales at local events here.
The fully street legal part is good, I do drive my car, so do many others.
The STU class out of the 99 rule book is not too bad, but I would open it up
a bit more. I actually like the 7 inch rim width limit though. Keeps the
crazy power out. We have a Civic Del Sol running here that would be perfect
in ST, but no 2 seaters, WHY? it is just a heavy Civic missing the back seat.
If Steve Tamandli put DOt tires on, added 1000 pounds and emissions
equipment, lights etc. I would race him heads up. He may still win, but I
would make him work for it. I have run against him, and he got me by 5
seconds with our cars in close to current trim. He will also be at
Evansville, I will see how close I can run now. If I do Nationals, I will be
chasing him for real. STU will probably not run at Nationals, so EMod, here I
come.
No that was not a DTN plug for me. It would sure be nice to win, but I am
realistic, very few on this list know me, so I can only dream about actually
getting it.
I will keep an eye on the SST talk. With three Touring classes, I see room
for all of the hot import and domestic street performance enthusiasts. One
for street tires only, the others for big motors and small motors with almost
no limit on mods as long as it is fully street registered. I have my passing
emissions certificate in my car to take to Evansville.
Gary M.
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