To stay in stock class, if i remember correctly you can do this.

* any tires on original wheels (basically)
* cat back exhaust
* any Shock, but not lower coilsprings (?).
* change swaybars

- Has anyone here purchased any different shocks?

-Are you allowed to have stiffer but same heighth coils?

I am trying to determine if it would be better to make the car handle better and not be in the stock class auto-xing, or make it stay in stock class.

- thanks in advance...Scot

 

As much as I hate sending you away from the S2000Online site, there is a mailing list dedicated to racing the S2000, particularly autocrossing. It was started by Jason Saini, whom you've probably seen here. He and two others bought a brand-new, 2001 Spa Yellow S2000 for the purpose of autocrossing it.

A lot of the S2000 autocrossers are on it, including Annie Gill (Banannie), her SO Ron Bauer, Jason Keeney and others.

This is an eGroups mailing list and the list can also be viewed as a Web page. Check it out at www.egroups.com/group/S2000-Motorsport .

 

Scot, with all your questions, you should really just buy an SCCA rule book! They're only $20 ($15 for members), which is less than almost any mod you can make to your car.

As far as remaining legal for A Stock, not being legal doesn't mean you can't run. You also have to decide whether you want to be competitive or just be able to learn how to handle your car better.

If you don't care about the trophies and points, just do whatever you want to your car and take it down and run it in whatever class you qualify for. Or you can usually run "X" runs, which is no class/no points or trophies. Any engine modifications (with the exception of the air filter) or popular modifications such as larger wheels/tires or springs, strut bars, x-braces, etc. would put you in A Street Prepared. This class allows a huge amount of modifications and you would probably be at a disadvantage.

As far as your specific questions:

* any DOT-approved tires (you can't run real racing tires. The Kumhos, Hoosiers and Yokohamas that are used for autocrossing are DOT-approved and are designed to meet class specificiations)
* anything after the cat can be changed, but it has to meet the sound specification, which I believe is <93dB. Jason Keeney runs with a straight pipe.
* you cannot change springs at all
* you can only change the front sway bar, not the rear sway bar.

Several of the top autocrossers, such as Gary Thomason, Annie Gill/Ron Bauer and Jason Keeney have changed shocks. Some of them have been custom built. Koni makes a racing shock that can be modified to fit. It runs about $1,000 for the front pair.

The front sway bar has been identified as the single greatest improvement in handling for autocrossing, particularly if you are running on autocross tires. Some people like Gary Thomason and Annie/Ron had their bar custom built. Jason Keeney is running the large Mugen bar, which is the one that I have on order.

Ron Bauer or Jason Saini actually reported that a stock car with stock tires actually was less prone to spin than a stock car with autocross tires and no front sway bar.

 

Thank you tom! I will eventually get around to spending the few $$$ to get that rule book..ehhe

I am not sure that I have the time to be competitive, but i thought I would find out some in's and out's...

checking into that link right now!

scot