well since i moved closer to a place where they have more autocrosses, im tinking about getting into it. i read the sticky and have a general idea of some things but i have a few more questions.

first im going to be running my stock ap1 wheels with some summer tires becaue i want want to run them in the winter anyway instead of the works, but in the spring i plan on buying some r-compound tires. what sizes shoudl i get for the ap1 wheels? any brand sugesstions?

I already have springs but i knwo there not going to be any help for autocrossing so hopefully next month im going to order some coilovers. im probrally going to go with the megan racing coilover becaue i have heard some good things about them. any thoughts??

What sway bar is recommended. i know from readign i need a racing front sway bar, but will it be ok becaue the car is a daily driver. also will a sway bar help if running the car on street tires, until i get the r-compounds in the spring?

now something i have been wondering is cooling. having the car in vtec for an extended period of time would worry me. is any cooling mods recommended?? like a radiator??

and i have heard a oil catch can is a good investment? thoughts on this??


also is there anything else i should get for autocross?? i have the mods listed below. but im not going to run the s1's just the stock 16's like i said above.

and any advise??

thanks guys!!!!

 

Well... If you are not going to run stock then I would advise against R-comps they will put you in BSP where you will be outclassed. I would recommend some good summer tires on a set of 17's along with your proposed mods and run the new STR class that is coming next year. (no r-comps allowed)

Option two is go back to stock springs, get a big front bar and put 245/45-16 R-comps all the way around on your stock wheels and run A-Stock.

 

^well they do with nasa and wiht r compounds and suspension i will only bump up one class. which i can handle. cant remember the class, but nothing crazy in there.

 

I have an AP1 on street tires (Dunlop Spec Stars) and I have a Grendon FSB. It has helped dramaticly with the oversteer S2000 are prone to and the car is still very streetable.

I agree with the Bronx Bomber on going into STR instead of BSP. In STR you wont have to trailer r-comps to every AutoX which is a pain.

 

well i thought i could prob drive the car to the autocross. about 18 miles away with the r compounds on. my roomate said it would be ok, hes done it before to the track. so im taking that wouldnt be a good idea??

 

You could probably get away with that in dry weather. Wouldn't try it in the rain. FYI-The R-comps will throw a lot of stones too.

 

That'd be a horrible waste of tires... they will wear and heat-cycle out super fast. It'd be cheaper to buy the trailer and hitch, and just swap tires at the course (which, unless you're really just that lazy, is not THAT big of a deal)

If it were me, i'd stay with street tires, and run in STR... I don't know about your region, but 'locally' you may be fine in BSP... but the new STR class is showing a LOT of promise of being a very fun and very competitive class that actually still allows you to have some fun modifying your car, which A-Stock kinda frowns on... lol!

 

Don't drive the r-comps on the street. You would not save any money in the long run. I would go STR in your situation. Not sure about NASA classes, but I would prep for the scca class since (as a whole) it's a much larger auto-x scene. Search here for the rules or on scca.org

Sway bar is a must on an AP1. The Gendron 1.375" hollow or the ARE bar are to two I recommend. However, since you already have springs (assuming they are stiffer) you may not need to compensate as much for the soft front springs. If that is the case, I would at least look at a Saner.

 

 

It takes me 5-10 minutes tops to change tires. The best part is rolling the trailer into the garage and walking away when I get home from an event. No packing/unpacking crap from the car. The trailer ran me <$300 6 years ago. Used ones can be had for less. The hitch can be pricey, but I got mine used for $250 6 years ago.