SCCA Solo II

[khall]

Has anyone entered their cobra replica in a SCCA Solo II event? What class do you run in? I have perused all of the information on our local ( Denver) SCCA web site and came away confused.

[Jamo]

In the San Francisco Region (SFR, Reg. No. 33), we have something called Open Street Prepared (OSP), which is basically a run what ya brung kind of affair. I'm not aware of any other region with it. DOT tires (BFGs, Hoosiers, etc.) are required, and the normal street prepared rules apply, but this is where you find street worthy Chevy powered 240Zs, etc. and Cobra replicas.

Now, there are proper Cobra classifications as well--but it's quite difficult, as you've evidently discovered, to make sure your car actually qualifies. Then there are the prepared classes, requiring full roll cages, etc.

Unfortunately, the folks who run Solo II, now in Topeka, have never really dealt with the situation correctly IMHO.

[Cal Metal]

Keith

I wouldn't worry about the classification system. For someone who hasn't done Solo II AutoX, it is more important that you spend the first season getting used to your car, riding and tallking with guys who have a ton of experience, and just getting used to your car. Completely forget about being competitive. Use yourself as a baseline to observe improvement.

I always try and hitch a ride with some of the better drivers just to observe their skills and see what I am not doing correctly. I just keep my mouth shut and listen to them.

Don't be surprised, either, that some clapped out Honda CRX will make times close to that of the later day muscle cars. The key is balance not speed, and not to have unreasonable expectations. You should have a lot of fun.

[rdorman]

I have done a few events and will be doing a full season this year. After much discussion they placed me in EMOD. There are some fast cars in EMOD.

Cal is right about the civics etc. I am usually one of the slower cars in the entire event. Autocross generally is not kind to Cobras, unless they are set up for autocross. If they are set up for autocross they are competitive. But my BFG radial TA and chassis setup will always keep me out of the winners circle.

But it is a fabulous way to learn car control at the speeds that most of us encounter on the street and highway. I always heard that Cobra will swap ends on you faster than any street car out there. I found the over steer in my car to be very progressive and controllable. So long as I was gentle with the loud peddle! I remember my first laps in Formula Ford. That car swapped ends on me so fast that I didn't even realize it until I was looking the wrong way! Of course those are higher speeds than you will ever see in Solo II and the faster you are going, the faster you loose it!

Have a ball

Rick

[khall]

Hey, thanks guys.
Jamo, I found that the Rocky Mountain Region also has the OSP class. I found it under the Supplemental Rules page. It requires the car to be street legal and adds:
"This class encourages maximum creativity for cars that do not fit in the SCCA's other categories."
Cal, I have to state a class to pre register. I will take your advice and fully expect that stock Honda 600s will kick my butt.

[Jamo]

There ya go! Hopefully, they'll make it a national class in the future.

BTW--get your butt to the Fling--Mid Ohio Region is hosting an autocross just for us!

[rdorman]

Jamo is right! All Cobra event put on but the OVR SCCA.

But wait....... there is MORE!!!!!!!!!

Rick

[Jamo]

Assolutely--everyone should plan on staying at DV's place for at least a month--bring sleeping bags!

[Cal Metal]

Rick is right. The fastest car at our track is a 6 yr. old Integra that two brothers hauled out of a junkyard with a collapsed top. Very few mods and they usually beat all the Corvettes when the NCCC puts on an event. Good car and even better drivers, these two. Doesn't make the BowTie crowd to happy to see a $3,200 car beat their $45,000 machinery.

I like when the NCCC puts on an event. The tin cars don't show up and they are happy to have my fee. We can get as many as twelve runs a day in when they sponsor an event. I just park my beat up Neon ACR a few rows away from them, so as not to invade their space.

[RallySnake]

Khali,

A few years back someone lobbied SCCA to get Cobra replicas into BSP. This was the approved class for a while. It is appropriate and you run with Corvettes and 240Z Datsuns. I have been signing up and running in "B" street Prepared without a problem here in LA.

The modified classes here are hopeless. Those cars are purpose built for Solo II and cannot be driven on the street. My Arntz never would have won a Divisional Championship event in that class.

Paul

[Excaliber]

I was running BSP here in Hawaii also. 240Z's made up almost the entire class. Also this class was consistently faster than ANY other class of cars, in Hawaii that is.

In the "A", AP and ASP class cars would be the M-Roadster (M3 souped up), Z06, Porsche, etc. According to the SCCA rule book of LAST YEAR all Cobra replicas were placed in the "A" class.

As I could easily beat the "local" competition in the A class I was "down sized" by "popular demand" into BSP where the competiton would be more equal.

I never had a prayer in ANY class UNTIL I put on some Auto-X race tires, changed the springs (lowered the car), and made some pretty heavy modifications on the suspension settings. This made the car "hell" to drive on the street but,,,,,, WOW! What a HUGE difference on the track! There were only TWO cars after that I had to worry about. A full race prepared 240Z and a full race Datsun 510.

Late model Camaros WITH race tires were no problem at all! Z06 and M3's with STREET tires didn't have a chance. A LOT of it comes down to two things:

1. Tires!
2. Driver!

Are you willing to let it "all hang out", "get serious" and "risk" damaging your car? DON'T DO THAT YOUR FIRST YEAR! But at some point, you will have to if you want to "place" decently in the standings.

Ernie

[Tommy]

I've been racing my Cobra at monthly SCCA autocross for almost exactly a year. I run in AP with several other Cobra replicas and a modified RX7. I decided to spend the first year working on driving skills before getting into suspension adjustments. I've learned a lot, but it still feels like I'm just beginning. Two things I learned the hard way are to use a rev limiter and watch out for oil pressure problems. I broke my original engine in my second race when the oil sloshed away from the pickup, and the oil pump siezed. Following the rebuild, I installed a road race oil pan, an Accusump and a warning light for low oil pressure. So far, the new engine has survived with no indications of oil pressure problems. But I did burn up the clutch. The moral of the story is that racing is hard on a car, especially a high performance car in the hands of an inexperienced driver like me. It can be an expensive hobby, but it sure is fun.

[Cal Metal]

Ernie:

We don't see any 240Z cars up here. I have one, too, that I bought new in '72 that sits in the back of my garage---hasn't been driven in years. I may have to look into that group with this car. What kind of mods are they putting on those cars?

[Excaliber]

Tommy,,,,,uh,,,,I forgot to mention the "I broke some stuff" part of SCCA, ha ha. I guess it comes under the "get serious" part. You WILL break stuff, but can limit the damage if you don't push to hard to win.

Well, do you want to win or not? You can't have it both ways!

Ernie

[RallySnake]

That's a good point, Tommy and Ernie. One of the first racing mods I made, was to put a really bright red light on top my steering column and connect it to the oil pressure sender unit. You want it to sear your retinas when it comes on, so you know you'll see it, even in bright sunlight. With a wet sump system, this can keep your engine alive. Mine only comes on in heavy braking.

Paul

[Cal Metal]

This may not be applicable here, but I always run a half quart over full on my Neon. In addition, I use Mobil synthetic. I have not experieced any problems with leaks and the additional oil gives me a little more protection. Smokey Yunick always said that if you happen to aerate the oil, synthetic will give you that 3-5 second protection you need from frying the bearings.

[Jamo]

Cal

I'll just bet that ACR is a bunch of fun!

[klayfish]

We don't have an OSP class in the Philly region. But we have something called SM2 (street modified), which is essentially the same thing. Street tired, run what ya brung.

Want to hear something odd? In the Phila region, all Cobras are classified as A STOCK . Now what is "stock" about a replica Cobra? Nobody complains or really cares though. Last year we didn't have too many cars running in AS, and the guy who eventually won the class was running a '95 'Vette with Hoosier tires, and I have street tires. And actually I would have won the class had I showed up at the last event.

The Cobra is a decent autox'er, but not fantastic. It will swap ends quickly in certain circumstances and can be a handful. Unlike other Cobra owners, my car actually has more of a push problem than oversteer. My car wants to slide the front end in the sweeping 180 turns. The Cobra is good, but don't expect to be among the fastest at the end of the day. My '85 MR2, with all of 112 hp, is a faster autox'er due to its' reflexes and balance.

As has been said, often the fastest cars are clapped out old cars. We have a guy in a an early '80's Scirocco, with about 30 lbs of bondo on it that will outrun about anything out there.

Steve

[Excaliber]

Cal,
Those little Neons can be quite impressive! I'm not much up on what all the 240Z guys do but I know a little about the car that beat me a lot!

He use's a bigger motor than what came with the car. Side dfraft Mikuni carbs (weber look a likes). Interior is totally gutted. Tires are "race slicks". Shock tower cross brace front and rear. Extreme camber on the front. I heard a comment about it "darting" if driven in a straight line at speed. "Fancy" shocks and springs. Low rear end ratio with torsen/gleason(?) style 3rd member.

It has "enough" power to break the back end loose easily on corner exit, but I never saw him "spin out". He competes NATIONALLY and, so you know he is a "serious" driver. He said the car is built "right to" the limits allowed by the class, and I think that is a big factor for ANY class. He makes the rest of the "Z"'s a mere "also ran". I could take them with the Excal.

Ernie

[Naja]

Keith -
As is typical, it looks like your thread has been stolen by others.

My intention, last year (and for the future) is to take my car around the country (touring) and catch SCCA events when I am in their Region and the timing works out. In an attempt to establish some commonality, I asked HQ (before they moved) to give me something "in writing" about the classification for 'street' Cobras, so that I could present their 'opinion' to the local officials when they started scratching their heads.

The letter I got back stated that A Prep was appropriate for Cobra replicas with Ford engines and under 2750 lbs. (and original Cobras), and that B Prep was for heavier Cobras with Ford engines.

The caveat is: It is entirely up to the local Regions as to what class THEY want to put you in (which includes some local politics, on occasion). In my region, I had to lobby quite hard to keep them from placing me in E Mod. 5 other Regions where I have run or contacted about info for their events have accepted the B Prep (in my case).

Hope this sheds some insight.

Regards,
Frank Newman