Oh, and another thing... I was thinking of a rule change to submit to the SEB ... or whatever they're called.

How would you feel about letting cars gut their soft tops / motors as long as they ran a hardtop. So, it would bring a lot of the s2000 down to CR weight. However, CR would have to run a hardtop (Or not.. I don't care. The CR could be exempt... whatever).

I guess my reasoning is... I want to build a track car / STR car. I'd like to buy a Mugen Style Hardtop and gut my soft top. However, with the current rules, it would be an illegal mod. I certainly don't want to re-install it for every stupid event. I don't see the harm in it... you could just make the rules read. "Drivers who wish to remove their existing soft top and motor assembly may do so. However, they must replace that soft top with a Hardtop that cannot be removed during competition. Cars that do not come with an existing soft top are exempt from the rule change. I.E. Spec Miata, and S2000 CR.

What do you think? STR is still preliminary. The addition of a hardtop is probably worse than lowering your soft top... (almost same weight and higher center of gravity. Also, it's not like aerodynamics is going to come into play on a solo course....

 

Think about this from a "big picture" point of view - what other cars will this effect? You are also now making this a "must have" mod - and the must have mod will cost $5k because people will splurge for a carbon fiber top. Does it have to have OEM glass or can it be lexan?

I can guarantee you that our response will be "the current rule isn't broke".



OH and Aero is a very big deal - see the whole discussion we have right now regarding bodykits and wings...

 

Do you really think aero matters that much? What's the fastest you've ever gone on any course? Fastest I've been in my s2k is 71 mph....and it was basically a straight line. I'd wager that most of the time, you're not exceeding 35 mph through 98% of the turns. In which case, a wing is going to make far more difference than a hardtop.

I've thought of the big picture... Soft top weighs what? 45lbs with motor assembly? CR already has the benefit of no soft top and no motor assembly, better bracing, etc.... So what's the difference?

If you're thinking big picture the question shouldn't be directed at the s2000 (Because of CR). It should be directed at the Miatas and the MR2's. Although, my understanding is some miatas didn't come with soft tops either. Mr2's have an optional hard top... but my "understanding" is that MR2's don't have a motor on theirs. So, it pobably only weighs 20-30lbs tops.

Of course these are just guesstimates.. and someone is most likely going to come on here and tell me I'm retarded...and I probably won't deny it.

However, I seriously, seriously doubt that having a hardtop on is going to be any benefit whatsoever. Name on CR that keeps their hardtop on at a pro event... (unless it's raining).

Who cares if the rear window is lexan? Hell, 00-03 S2000's have a plastic rear window... oooh!

Sure, you can buy a carbon fiber hardtop for $4500 dollars... However, it still weights 40lbs with all the hardware. Might as well find a used oem hardtop. Those sell anywhere between $1500-2200.

 

You don’t have to gut the soft top to do track… However if you really want to do it, you should be ok as long as you don’t run any big SCCA events. You are right sometimes the SCCA rules favor some cars and/or models more than others.

 

Yeah, I understand... however, if I'm going to be adding 35-45 lbs. to the highest point of my car (except for the windshield), then I'd sure like to take off about the same amount of weight somewhere else.

Also, I re-read the previous post by "TheNick" and I really don't think this would be the "Must have mod." That's like saying the CR is the must have car and you have to spend and additional 10k to win...

 

Mike, it doesn't sound like you've been auto-xing for very long so I would suggest not worrying about trying to change the rules to fit your liking. I would focus more on doing national events and getting seat time. Hopefully over time you'll get a better picture of the state of the sport and how rules are made and changed.

 

hmm. Ok. You're the boss.

 

I didn't mean any thing by it and I'm not the boss. Just trying to fill you in. Keep on racing and I hope to meet you at an event some day. It sounds like you are doing pretty good with PAX.

 

I was pretty good at pax in my AS S2000... however, STR's a new animal for me. I am just setting up my car this weekend. We'll see what happens I guess. I only ran the S2000 in one Pro event... never a tour event though. Obviously the s2000 doesn't do to hot against a bunch of STI's... but I still ended up 4th out of 13-14 with a bone stock car (R Comps of course) and trophied. I was the only s2000 close to the STI's.... I remember I'd loose literally eitght tenths by the 60' mark... and have to crawl back on the course. I'm still kicking myself for redlighting on my last run (.460)... I was in 2nd before that mistake.

Oh, and 1st was Scott McHugh...

 

Finally some that can relate to this rattle. No vibration for me (yet). I plan to run as-is for this weekend. If I get the vibration then I plan to swap the inner CV cups. My car had 46.5k when I lowered it (47.5k now), and 20k miles since I got the car and started the hard launches.

See you there. I'm #199.