Hello folks,

John here,

I am considering turning my street car into a temporary autocross star.

I attended an autocross last weekend that seemed to me to be a bit laughable.

It was a southern indiana SCCA event. I walked the course with my wife when most cars should have been going through tech. I went because my buddy wanted to do something with a Mustang that he recently acquired.

After the first few runs started, I was wishing that I had ponied up the $40 to join in the fun. Regardless, I would not know how or what class my car would fall into. Mine is built as a 1970 914-6 with a 3.2 engine, 7" wide wheels, stiff springs, sway bar in front, and SC brakes.

Looking through the SCCA rules, I can't determine what class I should say that I am in. I really don't care that much as I would rather drive than watch, but I mainly do PCA DE events (30+ years exp).

Any advise is helpful. I was considering telling them it is stock or super stock modified (SSM), but my engine seems to over do it. Perhaps I should say it is a 2.0 - 6.

Street Mod , SSM, or F Prepared (if it's heavy enuff)

There be monsters in both classes, so it really don't matter.
Show up with some kinda hot rod & they got a spot for it.

I'd pass on telling em' it's a 2.0L with EFI.......them boys didn't just get off the turnip truck.

John,

Bring that bad boy down to Bowling Green next season. The National Corvette Museum has a new road course with autocross pad. The Kentucky and Tennessean Regions will be doing autocross events there. If it's dry weather we'll be in a stripped down '73 2.0L in DP class. If it's wet (or even looking like it MIGHT get wet) we'll bring an '99 Boxster running in A Street Prepared.

Fresh asphalt but the site is a little tight. Either club will be lucky to squeeze 45 seconds out of it.

That brings up a pet peeve of mine. Squeezed courses suck for the most part.....they are usually a "sea of cones" and/or un-fun to drive. Give me a flowing course that is 10-15 sec shorter every time. I've seen entirely too many wannabe course desingers make a hash out of things.....done atleast one myself and learned from it.

We are currently stuck on a small lot. PCA will try to squeeze you in and I hate it. This is a SCCA course from yesterday on the small lot that was a whole bunch of fun. Fast cars were under 28 seconds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbc90QwwRVE

Well, I'm going to balance out the suspension at least from what I know about setting up a track car (which probably is all wrong for an autocross vehicle), but it is what I know. I will probably align it in the beginning as I do the track car and do a decent corner balance once I get the suspension evened out.

I built the car out of spare parts and it is a decent street car, but the front is WAY too soft for the springs I have in the rear, so it will get a stiffer front end.

This will not become a dedicated (super lightweight) autocross car, but something I can take to an event and not do too bad with, but at the same time a car that is still fun to drive on the street (no roll cage).

My problem with the rules/classifications that I have been reading is with the engine in the car (I cant find mention of a 914-6 3.2), then there is the issue that I seem to have with the 7" wide wheels on the car.

I was thinking if I could get away with it calling it SSM or F Prepared. I believe the car is approx 2,200 lbs without driver. (like I said, it is a street car and I plan on keeping it that way)

I suppose it really does not matter how I class the car unless it does well.

The car would fit right into SSM. Wheels are a non issue until you go over 10" wide, then its a weight penalty. With a 3.2 your minimum weight would be 2120 pounds.

Just for future knowledge, how did you determine that?

SoloWeights app on my phone. Looking at it again, the wheel size is a non issue, There is a 200 pound weight penalty for using tire wider than a 275.

If you're going to play at SCCA with a hot rod 914, the Rule Book is a necessity.
It is available "on line" but I was never well off trying to study it on a puter screen......a printed copy allows you to jump back & forth to find ALL the reqiurements of a given class. SSM would seem to be a slam dunk for ya, as Woody says. That rule book NEEDS time and attention....it's not simple to follow.....but maybe I'm a slow leak.

JP's advice is priceless. Read the book and understand the various classes before you decide to do anything.

No fun being outclassed.

Priceless (?), but free and worth every nickel.
A few observations from over the years.

There is a large difference beween PCA & SCCA autocrossers. Both have a large percentage of what I call "casual autocrossers" .......guys & gals that show up to have fun with their cars. Both get full measure of their monies worth....or they don't come back very often.

This percentage is smaller at SCCA events. What I term "Hard core AXers" tend to gravitate to the SCCA and towards the pointy end of the TTOD/upper classes scale.

The OPs hot rod 914 is gonna be right in the middle of them. He is gonna have "fun"
IF his doors are firmly attached.

I did the same thing a few (OK, several) years back and kinda wish I had responded differently to that challenge....and saved a lot of my few of my hard earned bucks. It was a pee pot fulla fun, tho........if you enjoy that sort of nonsense. In short, my car became an AX only car & non-street legal. In retrospect, I shoulda kept it street legal......and just taken my medicene which the "hard core" guys were dishing out......for free.

SSM, FP or could go XP. I ran a 3.0L track car in XP a few years ago plus my 70 2.0 /4 in DSP. I plan to run a 2.7 / 4 this coming season (once I get the carbs & brakes sorted) and just run in XP for this season. I have been a SCCA member doing AX for 11yrs now and still find their rule book to a bit confusing

with JP my street car has become more of a AX car, that is why I now have two 914s (well that and I have a sickness) so the old AX car will go back to more of a driver again. The other car is old track car that hopefully I can AX with and do some track days with.

*Free advice!!!*

Crabs are best when boiled alive, dipped in butter, & eaten.
Thas all I gots fer now.

Unless they're the itchy kind, then its just nasty.

Good point, I wouldn't be able to get past the "boiled alive" part....Hay, it was FREE.

After talking to some folks around here, it really doesn't matter what class I tell them unless I want to really be in some points running deal.

I really don't think it will go anywhere, especially since it is and will remain a street car.

I already have a race car for DE events (which is really what I prefer), but on occasion, I will go play with the SCCA guys in my street toy. The local PCA in Southern Indiana doesn't do much of anything (which is why I am a member of KYPCA, but I'm a bit too far from them to want to do any 1-day autocross events with them.)

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track car

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street car

I've been thinking again. (I know, a very dangerous thing)

What are your ideas/opinions of needing a 5-pt harness in an autocross car?

On the track, in the caged track car it really keeps me in the seat and I wouldn't consider running without it (although I frequently instruct in cars with no harness).

Other than keeping one from sliding around, any benefits or drawbacks to running with or without a harness? I currently have no plans for a harness and my seats are supportive (similar to but nicer than the old Scheel seats that were available once upon a time) enough that I don't feel that I will be sliding around.

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I have heard that most or all 5-pt racing harnesses are not street legal, and I am currently planning on keeping stock seat belts.

Thanks for your opinions/thoughts so far.

AX is by far more violent than DE a relatively butt smooth race track. The venues are(unless you're lucky) rough parking lots. The features of an AX course are tighter.....which also tend to throw you around more. Put those 2 together ( I'll leave out the sticky compound tires) and it's good to have your butt chinched down TIGHT. Those "features" come at you quickly.... no time to adjust your ass......or even look at the gauges. Use your own judgement.

That said, I hate using 5 points on the street.

When AXing, right before my run, I suck it in then jerk on the seatbelt to get it to lock when it is very tight across my body. Then, I exhale, and it's really tight!

Not as good as a 5-pt harness, but more effective than not taking that extra step. I agree, harnesses are very inconvenient for a street 914