Memory lane, 2004 Options

[Blue6]

was moving into my new garage/shop and found some old racing memories. Earned me a checkered that day, but had a home track advantage. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[VegasRacer]

SPEC-RX7 was the most fun, most competitive and least expensive class I ever competed in.

[Blue6]

John, I could not agree with you more. Moving up in classes just cost me a lot more $$. Momentum cars were a great learning tool and the completion was plentiful. What yrs did you compete, and did you ever make it to Buttonwillow, Willow Springs, cal speedway, or PIR?

[brant]

Pretty cars
I bought and started to build a spec 7
Then the motor blew on the street

I’ve been thinking about FF
For all of the spec reasons and costs
Locally they get 40 car fields in vintage’s

[VegasRacer]

What yrs did you compete, and did you ever make it to Buttonwillow, Willow Springs, cal speedway, or PIR?

I ran SCCA SRX7 from 1995 - 2000. Raced at Buttonwillow, Willow Springs, PIR, Holtville, Firebird, Vegas Speedway inside & outside road courses plus Spring Mountain in Pahrump.
Did make it to Cal Speedway in a different car a few years later.

[Blue6]

Brant, it’s to bad you didn’t get a chance to race spec-7. Shift the damn thing all day at 8,200 rpm, and only freshen the motor with new apex seals after the season. Trans were a little weak, but still affordable and plentiful.25-35 car fields were common which made for great racing. In FF you won’t be able to bump draft or lean on each other entering turn one. As John can attest to, spec-7 motto was “rubbin is racin”.

John, I didn’t get started until 2003, then moved to CSR in 2007. My. Brother is still at it, but went to Spec Miata.

[VegasRacer]

C Sports Racer. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif) Now that's a Real race car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Good for you. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)





In 2000, Las Vegas SCCA disbanded their race program after the local tracks became no longer available.
So I decided I wanted to race a 914 in Vintage and POC/PCA. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/MDB2.gif)
I wasn't even smart enough to buy a Race Car, but made the expensive choice to build one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

Three year$ and I tapped out.




. . . but it sure was fun.
(most of the time)

[ChrisFoley]

Hmm, I had a pretty good year on track in 2004.
These are from the NARRC Runoffs at LRP in Sept that year

[slivel]

PCA Club Race at Calclub Speedway in 2003.

[stownsen914]

@vegasracer I like the RX7. I see the Dave Turner Motorsports windshield banner. I met Dave a few years ago when I bought I car from him.

[seanery]

Great thread guys - we all had so much fun back then, love seeing your stuff!

[Charles Freeborn]

Hmm, I had a pretty good year on track in 2004.
These are from the NARRC Runoffs at LRP in Sept that year

What would the engine specs be now-a-days to compete in FP? I'm thinking on building a spare that would qualify. Current one would not (by a long shot).

By my reading it seems that one would have to maintain 94/72 and run 40mm Webers or Del's. Beyond that it seems pretty much any mods would fly - i.e. head work, big valves, etc. Not sure about ignition restrictions, but I'm guessing it would still have to run a distributor?

[rhodyguy]

Would the Weber venturis be measured or would the stamping on the carbs get you in the door?

[ChrisFoley]

What would the engine specs be now-a-days to compete in FP? I'm thinking on building a spare that would qualify. Current one would not (by a long shot).

By my reading it seems that one would have to maintain 94/72 and run 40mm Webers or Del's. Beyond that it seems pretty much any mods would fly - i.e. head work, big valves, etc. Not sure about ignition restrictions, but I'm guessing it would still have to run a distributor?

There may be more than one preparation spec for F Production 914s these days, I'm not sure. Greg Amy would be more familiar with recent additions to the rule set. The specs I prepared my car to have been mostly static for a long time. Stock stroke (66mm), stock bore (93mm) + up to .047", stock length ferrous rods, stock dia valve heads, 40mm carbs, not sure about crankfire ignition. Dry sump is allowed on a "full prep" 914 FP engine.

[ChrisFoley]

Would the Weber venturis be measured or would the stamping on the carbs get you in the door?

Something like that would only be measured after a protest, or at the Runoffs for a high placed finishers.

[stownsen914]

Each vintage org does it differently, but many will confirm to a certain year's SCCA regulations. Here's the 1981 SCCA GCR for reference. A 1.8L 914 ran in E Prod at that time. It gives specifics about bore, stroke, valve sizes, induction, etc.

 1981_SCCA_PCS.pdf ( 844.01k ) Number of downloads: 37

[Charles Freeborn]

Took another read through the rule book and at best I'd get it into EP with a bunch of modifications. Would have to source a 2L engine, change brakes, probably some suspension parts, maybe ignition. etc etc .... so not going to go that route. I'll stick to VP2 (up to 3.2L). If I were to build a 1.9L engine I could go down to VP1, which would be fun (lots of Sprites, some 510's etc) but it would be hard to get weight down enough to be competitive with those smaller cars. with the current engine, and if I were to build a 2.5L engine for it, SPU under ICSCC rules (based off of SCCA). SPU is a catch all group for all the odd ball cars. The 914 fits that description rather nicely. In the past my car was also run in SB1 (small bore) but I can't find anything about that in current rules. I would guess it was a sub-class of GT.

I would actually like to build a 2.5 with 102/76 B/S, 44 IDF's and a properly built gearbox. That would be a fun car. In it's current state, with that drive line, my car would weigh in at a tick over 2K# with me in it. Could be a hoot.

For now I plan to get what I have together and be ready for early season testing. I'll get some photos together when Ive got it all uncovered next.

[GregAmy]

There may be more than one preparation spec for F Production 914s these days, I'm not sure.

We're talkin' the 1.8, yes? The 1.8 (or a 1.7) engine is still in FP with the same basic specs as before, "Prep Level 1" or full-race spec. Porting/polishing, open cams, open compression, 1.2mm overbore, cylinders free, pair of 40mm Webers or Dells with 38mm chokes, dry sump. 1970# minimum weight.

Chris' 1.8L engine is already built to these specs. I borrowed it for the historics car for a couple weekends and it's very very good (I wish he'd sell it to me).

You can also run the 2L in FProd, but it's "Prep Level 2" or "limited prep". Port matching within 1" from intake manifold interface, 11:1 compression, .450" cams, twin carbs with 38mm chokes, 2-stage dry sump allowed. 2030# min weight.

If you're feeling flush, you can run a "full prep" 2L in E Production at 1820#, same prep as the 1.8L full prep. But that's a big engine class, so bring your wallet (BMW Z3 has won the last couple years, 944S before that?) For comparison, Kip van Steenburg has an EP 2L /6 he's been trying to get to the Runoffs but has had a world of trouble with it. But when he gets it runnin' it'll be runnin' good...

Or if you want to build a "limited prep" 1.8L, that's in H Prod at 2100#. Might be fun there (I should just remove the 2L badge and tell 'em it's a 1.8L lol)

EP: 2L /4 Full Prep 1820#; 2L /6 Full Prep 1900#
FP: 1.7/1.8L Full prep 1970#
FP: 2L Limited Prep 2030#
HP: 1.7/1.8L Limited Prep 2100#

Maybe someday Chris will sell me that 1.8L... - GA

Edit: I got 2-stage cam-driven dry-sump pumps allowed in all the Type 4 engines for the Porsche 914s, due to our shitty oiling system. So that's the standard CB Performance 2-stage pump or similar. I've asked a couple times to get the 2L limited prep engine allowed into HP but they're fraidy-skeered of it and want me to campaign it in FP so they can measure the performance...you know, the realm of Hondas and Miatas...nope.

[Charles Freeborn]

There may be more than one preparation spec for F Production 914s these days, I'm not sure.

We're talkin' the 1.8, yes? The 1.8 (or a 1.7) engine is still in FP with the same basic specs as before, "Prep Level 1" or full-race spec. Porting/polishing, open cams, open compression, 1.2mm overbore, cylinders free, pair of 40mm Webers or Dells with 38mm chokes, dry sump. 1970# minimum weight.

Chris' 1.8L engine is already built to these specs. I borrowed it for the historics car for a couple weekends and it's very very good (I wish he'd sell it to me).

You can also run the 2L in FProd, but it's "Prep Level 2" or "limited prep". Port matching within 1" from intake manifold interface, 11:1 compression, .450" cams, twin carbs with 38mm chokes, 2-stage dry sump allowed. 2030# min weight.

If you're feeling flush, you can run a "full prep" 2L in E Production at 1820#, same prep as the 1.8L full prep. But that's a big engine class, so bring your wallet (BMW Z3 has won the last couple years, 944S before that?) For comparison, Kip van Steenburg has an EP 2L /6 he's been trying to get to the Runoffs but has had a world of trouble with it. But when he gets it runnin' it'll be runnin' good...

Or if you want to build a "limited prep" 1.8L, that's in H Prod at 2100#. Might be fun there (I should just remove the 2L badge and tell 'em it's a 1.8L lol)

EP: 2L /4 Full Prep 1820#; 2L /6 Full Prep 1900#
FP: 1.7/1.8L Full prep 1970#
FP: 2L Limited Prep 2030#
HP: 1.7/1.8L Limited Prep 2100#

Maybe someday Chris will sell me that 1.8L... - GA

Edit: I got 2-stage cam-driven dry-sump pumps allowed in all the Type 4 engines for the Porsche 914s, due to our shitty oiling system. So that's the standard CB Performance 2-stage pump or similar. I've asked a couple times to get the 2L limited prep engine allowed into HP but they're fraidy-skeered of it and want me to campaign it in FP so they can measure the performance...you know, the realm of Hondas and Miatas...nope.

Yah, I avoid classes with Miatas too... those guys are nuts. Pro 3 is worse (3 series BMW's) - that's little more than a demolition derby. Unfortunately the SPU class is often shared with the Pro3 group as well as some other bigger cars so that's less of an appeal to me too.
As it sits now my car would fall into the higher level prep groups on account of bodywork, suspension, yes it's dry sump, crank fired ignition, etc. I fear a rather large rabbit hole looming if I go down that path. I have no intentions of national or for that matter, regional points or championship aspirations. Frankly at my age I'll probably only race it for a couple years and then take it out to the occasional track day. Vintage groups will be enough to scratch my itch, so I'll slot it in where I can and enjoy the ride. SVRA runs up here as well as a PNW based vintage body called SOVREN. Entry costs are a little higher, but it's relatively gentlemanly, which suits me fine.

[stownsen914]

Misread the most recent posts. I thought you guys were talking about vintage classing. Would be great to see some 914s in SCCA Prod classes, it's been a while.