Autox 2010 season

I've got a bit of a dilemma for next season. I didn't get anywhere near the amount of driving i wanted to do in 2009, and i want to make sure i hit a LOT more this year.

But, which car? All these classes are confusing to me, and even though i'm mostly in it for fun, the competitive side of me will be really depressed if i come in last every single time this year.

I apologize if this is all a lot to digest, but here's a list of the cars, and current modifications, as well as what each would need to be ready to go:

1992 Celica GT mods:
Full adjustable coilover setup w/ camber plates
Whiteline front and rear sway bars
Stainless braided lines
Fully gutted
Brembo blanks/EBC Yellows
Short ram intake
Resonator removed
16" Enkei RP01 wheels wrapped in 245/45-16 RS2s
Motul high temp brake fluid
AllTrac front fenders
Front strut brace
Rear 3-point strut brace
Cusco Underbody brace
F/R motor mount inserts (do we care?)
Superpro poly suspension bushings
Alltrac seats

This car would need probably a clutch, driver's axle, and some mounts filled.

1990 MX6 GT mods:
50 trim turbo
440cc injectors
Addco 1" rsb
Poly suspension bushings
2nd gen MX6 GR2 struts/2nd gen MX6 Megan Racing springs
Brembo blanks/Axxis Ultimates
FMIC w/ 2.5" hardpipes
Greddy EBC
Greddy Type S bov
Aeromotive AFPR
3" side dump exhaust (boom hole!)
AWR engine mounts
17" wheels

This car would need: tires, maybe some better struts, and i'd like to put stainless braided brake lines on it.

1993 Escort GT mods:
Tokico Blues/Megan Racing springs
Brembo blanks/EBC Greens
Roodworks motor mounts
F/R strut bars
K-code hybrid VAF

This car would need: new suspension bushings, and tires.

I think the Celica would be in FSP or Street Mod, and i don't know if it makes a difference, but i'm considering replacing the 245/45-16s with 265/45-16s since the fronts are pretty worn already.

The MX6 i'm pretty sure would be in Street Mod?

And the Escort in.... ST?

I'm afraid the answer would be the Escort from both a competitive and finance standpoint, but that's the one that i'm trying to avoid, since the girlfriend drives it daily, and i'm sure she won't be real happy with the thought of me taking it to race.

Halp? I'm lost. The last time i ran the Celica, i ran FSP (i almost wonder if it'd be STX legal) just because i wasn't sure what to class it, and i erred on the overclassed side just to be safe. I'm sure none of these would be competitive with me behind the wheel, but again... i don't want to go through the whole season in dead last, because of my ego.

If the Escort is your SO's DD, don't even think about it. It's NOT an option, unless you trade her one of the other cars in it's place or buy her something she likes better.

Escort isn't an option, the other two are terribly outgunned in their classes, unless you're willing to startvdropping big coin on tires.

ReverendDexter wrote: If the Escort is your SO's DD, don't even think about it. It's NOT an option, unless you trade her one of the other cars in it's place or buy her something she likes better.

Yeah... that's what i was thinking when i was trying to rule out the Escort. She can't drive the MX6, she'll kill herself, and the Celica isn't DD'able at all.

Arg. Do i seem on point in what classes they'd be in? Either of them seem less outgunned than the other? I'm afraid it's one season too early for the Celica to be able to do any damage, it's horribly crippled by it's current drivetrain, and i'm going to be too busy this winter to get the 3sgte in, in time.

z31maniac wrote: Escort isn't an option, the other two are terribly outgunned in their classes, unless you're willing to startvdropping big coin on tires.

Well... depends what big coin would entail. If you think that tires would be the ticket to launch me into midpack on either, i think i could swallow that expense. You thinking r-comps or flat out slicks? You thinking the Celica over the MX6? I know it's a far more capable car from a handling standpoint, but it's probably got less than a third the power the MX6 does, and is probably only about 300lbs lighter. The suspension and the fact that i can fit far more tire under it seem to be it's strong points when compared to the MX6.

After perusing TireRack, i could probably swing V710s for either car. What does that do for me besides probably let the Celica go around any course at WOT.

Which one's the most fun to drive? That's the one I'd use.

What type of courses do you usually have?

Where I autocross, we have big open courses, and you NEED power to be competitive (to give you an idea, I usually will hit 70 at at least one spot - FTDs usually go to Corvettes). Back where I used to race, the tracks were MUCH tighter, and power was more of a liability (FTDs usually went to Miatas).

ReverendDexter wrote: What type of courses do you usually have? Where I autocross, we have big open courses, and you NEED power to be competitive (to give you an idea, I usually will hit 70 at at least one spot - FTDs usually go to Corvettes). Back where I used to race, the tracks were MUCH tighter, and power was more of a liability (FTDs usually went to Miatas).

Bobzilla would be able to better answer that... the few that i saw last year were a little more open, i think 70mph or so would be likely.

Keith wrote: Which one's the most fun to drive? That's the one I'd use.

Good question. Hard to answer that, actually. They're way different, and i don't know which is "more fun."

The Celica has power steering and is much more face distorting side to side. The MX6 has to be wrestled around anything (which is fun) and is more likely to make you poop yourself. (Also fun.)

I'm assuming you're of the "it doesn't matter, neither will be even remotely on point with the class it's in" opinion?

Celica IMHO. Just a gut level reaction.

But Celica.

Chris

If you're running Indyregion, join our local "ricer" class SMS. it's basically SM-esque rules with street tires. Usually have huge turn outs (15-20 per event in that class alone), lots of fun. Both cars would fit nicely in that class.

Assuming you are running SCCA classes and the MX6 has interior, go with the MX6. Gutted interior puts you in places you never want to be (Prepared or Mod - Not Street Prepared or ST*). MX6 (thinking street mod) would have much better luck.

With a gutted interior, the Celica is not eligible for street prepared, street mod or street touring; you're looking at mod or prepared.

The Mazda sounds like it will still fit in sp, sm and st; it's a question of whether or not you want to run street tires or r-comps.

Neither will be the "hot set-up" against the competition, so go with the Celica; your pants won't smell as much.

As said the Celica is not legal in FSP SM or STX without some unmodding. It sucks that there's not a better way to class cars and make it fair, but there's going to be only one or two halo cars for each class and everything else is at a disadvantage.

Its winter, time to buy a Miata. Its cheap to own, reliable, and competitive in a number of classes and even if you don't win at least you got sideways.

Again..... since you are in it for the fun, the SMS class locally will accomodate both cars as is. You'll have fun, you'll learn more as you go and you won't spend any cash trying to make it "legal".

Plus it'll let you try BOTH cars to see which you like better. It's not a National class, only reagional. But we're more fun anyway.... ;)

I would tell you the answer to your query, but it's not one of the three cars you listed.....

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

.

subaru! . . . . . . I mean...er...miata.

on a serious note though....if being competitive is your goal, you really need to start with a car and class in mind in which it will be competitive IN...miata, civic, evo...the usual suspects.

If you just have what you have, then just pick what you enjoy driving the most and run the hell out of it and don't worry about where you finish. Hell, I ran a STU-then-DSP-then-EP 2000 Nissan Maxima for 3-4 years.....and actually finished mid-pack in most events in most of those classes. ...but wouldn't have cared if I finished last.

^ On that note I took the Regional year end STS trophy for 2008 (no ST, still spec civic nationally) in a 2002 Hyundai Elantra. I ran the wife's bone stock Accent in STS at our last points event and placed midpack...... it's less about the tool, more about the person using the tool.

Come out, we'll figure out where to stick you where you'll have the most fun. Check out www.indyscca.org for our schedule this year. We've got a couple new sites this year we're working with for a total of 5 different sites for the whole season.

Perhaps consider a 4th option:

Try to get a ride as a co-driver. It can be cheap (depending on the expectations of whomever you partner with) and its really good for developing your skills as a driver also as an added bonus you can get a chance to drive a car thats already preped "to the rules". I am currently co-driving an AW11 MR2 in STS and thus far it has been a great experience.

Before I was co-driving, I was driving a Mazdaspeed6 in STU. I was hopelessly outclassed, because I didn't have all that many mods on the car.

I was competing to improve my driving I didn't have any illusions of glory. Yet at the end of the day I was left wondering what percentage of my slowness was due to poor driving, and what percentage was due to being underprepared.

Now that I am driving with another person in the same car there is no question as to how much time I am leaving on the table due to poor technique.

Capt Slow wrote: Before I was co-driving, I was driving a Mazdaspeed6 in STU. I was hopelessly outclassed, because I didn't have all that many mods on the car. .

it wasn't the lack of mods....it was the lack of being an Evo.

if all else fails, sell both cars and go by a miata if nothing else since it be would not take much to getinto a class and then work on the driver to get up to spec in getting better.

93celicaGT2 wrote: I'm assuming you're of the "it doesn't matter, neither will be even remotely on point with the class it's in" opinion?

No, I'm of the "I do this for fun, so I'll take the most fun car" opinion. I don't pay any attention to classes when I autocross.

Of course, it's much easier to say that when you're usually in the running for FTD.

Hey if it's a co-drive you want.... my Swift's Corbeau is open most of this season.

Keith wrote: No, I'm of the "I do this for fun, so I'll take the most fun car" opinion. I don't pay any attention to classes when I autocross. Of course, it's much easier to say that when you're usually in the running for FTD.

+1, but I've never been in the running for FTD. I'm probably gonna be kicking myself going from the Cobra to my 5.0 this season, but I've got my reasons (it's paid off, for one )