First autoX of the season this weekend

[wawazat??]

Gotta swap out the front end links and strut mounts tomorrow to determine which (if either are causing the rattling) and then swap on the STi BBS with teh 'kooks and tear up some asphalt Sunday morning. This group is not affiliated with the SCCA and has their own classing system. First Detroit region SCCA event is May 6 and I'm regsitered for STX with all the ricer kids ( @ Ben )

[ensteele]

Go get em!

[SVXRide]

Todd,
Represent!!
-Bill

[wawazat??]

Originally Posted by SVXRide

Todd,
Represent!!
-Bill

From one old white guy to another Bill, I did! Coned one run, but my times dropped progressively and I had a good time. Not sure how many cars were in my class, or how I performed and times won't be posted for a week or so, but I'm pleased. A 2005 2.5RS guy did some ride alongs with me and just kept saying how impressed he was by the torque generated by 3.3L or raw furry . Beat his times handily and am looking forward to some intense discussions with you about bits and pieces this weekend!

Todd

[SVXRide]

Originally Posted by wawazat??

From one old white guy to another Bill, I did! Coned one run, but my times dropped progressively and I had a good time. Not sure how many cars were in my class, or how I performed and times won't be posted for a week or so, but I'm pleased. A 2005 2.5RS guy did some ride alongs with me and just kept saying how impressed he was by the torque generated by 3.3L or raw furry . Beat his times handily and am looking forward to some intense discussions with you about bits and pieces this weekend!

Todd

Nice guy, fellow old white guy! Looking forward to seeing you this weekend!!
-Bill

[Nomake Wan]

First AutoX of the season for the Finger Lakes region is in two weeks... I think I'll be ready for it (er, if it doesn't snow like crazy like it's doing now... ).

Glad ya had fun!

[zcarguy]

So how do these SVXs do in Auto-X?

I drive a 73 Datsun 240Z with a 350 V8 and 5-Speed so I'm set. I've been letting my daughter drive my 93 Mustang 5.0 convertible but it's a bit unwieldy for her and she wants to find something better.

I picked up a 92 SVX with some problems (missing crank pulley, left front fender damage) that has 188K miles and as far as I can tell original tranny. I got it running again this last weekend, it seems to shift good and has much more HP than I expected.

I guess where I have questions is do these cars have a tendancy toward understeer, oversteer or both and what suspension parts are available if we decide to make it the "family" Auto-X car?
How many of you guys actually Auto-X your SVXs?
Do you use the manual shift mode or not?
How long do you figure a stock auto tranny would last being Auto-Xed?
If coolers were installed, would the tranny be able to stand up to the harder driving? Are there performance valve bodies available for SVX auto trannies?

Ok, enough questions for now, as you can probably tell I'm very interested in using the SVX for an Auto-X car but am concerned the tranny will die or it'll be more than my daughter can handle, she just got her drivers license and has driven in 1 Auto-X event.

[SVXRide]

SVX are very predictable in stock form...unfortunately, I've forgotten what that is They will understeer consistently. The automatic seatbelts are worthless when it comes to holding you tightly in the driver's seat, so you should see about converting the car to the manual shoulder belts.
I'd suggest going with the Koni inserts and a set of Mychailo's springs along with a set of Azenis on the stock rims (they have a wear rating of ~140). This should provide you with a nice, comfortable G-stock vehicle that your daughter will have fun learning in. FYI - it will not be competitive with the Minis that dominate G-stock.
-Bill

[benebob]

Originally Posted by wawazat??

First Detroit region SCCA event is May 6 and I'm regsitered for STX with all the ricer kids ( @ Ben )

With that statment you're already a step ahead of the comp. on the learning curve . What have you done that takes her out of stock? That's where you'll have a fighting chance on an open course. If ya wanna go back that direction we have some nicely worn 225 victoracers you could throw on for most of the season with a small donation. Just would need to know by Thurs and I'll have them dismounted for ya.

Zcarguy, the SVX has a ferocious understeer almost comparable to my fwd xt6 but as SVXride said it is a very forgiving ride. I autox mine 1 time a year or so just to clean out the system. It won't be the most competative car out there but in most competative areas in GS she'll be mid-pack unless the lot is tiny and tight. Best way to handle the tranny is a nice large B&M with a dig. gauge. Arrive early and let it cool down a bit, the tranny will be fine (maybe even better than if you were driving it spirited on the street) as you'll want to simply stick it in first and let it shift at redline (which it does and then will shift back down when it senses the speeds are less than 6000 or so rpms for 1st. Manual if you haven't read about it just locks out 1st gear completely if you're in 2nd or 3rd. In drive it does nothing but light up the light on the dash. Provided her mustang is stock it'll be about equal in times with it (equally tired) but will be a peach to get around the cones. Just don't let SVXride drive it. He'll hit a wall and blame it on the car.

Harry (newsvx) is the only one left who autox's regularly with a mostly stock car but there are quite a few that are running street mod/ street prepared and of course Hocrest and I run F Prepared in ours. It was good enough to beat a very nicely prepared 944 equally above average autox driver for the local 1st and 2nd this past year. This year we're moving on to hill climbing her but will make some autoxs as well later in the year as we get the current modifications finished. Congrats on the car! You'll have fun with it!

[wawazat??]

Originally Posted by benebob

With that statment you're already a step ahead of the comp. on the learning curve . What have you done that takes her out of stock? That's where you'll have a fighting chance on an open course. If ya wanna go back that direction we have some nicely worn 225 victoracers you could throw on for most of the season with a small donation. Just would need to know by Thurs and I'll have them dismounted for ya.

Thanks Ben, but I'll pass on the tires. If I bring home one more set of tires or wheels I'll be sleeping in the garage...for good!

I've stepped up to 17" wheels which is what pushed me in to STX. 17" tires are cheap when the STi guys decide to dump them. Last summer I picked up a set of <2000 mile RE070 STi stockers (225/45-17) for $250. The year before I got my current set of 235/40-17 Hankook RS-2's (at shaved depth) for $200. I pick up their cast-offs and burn 'em the rest of the way down. The only other thing (for now) is Koni inserts using the stock springs. After I get back from Reading (or maybe before) I'm swapping a set of Koni/GC coilovers and then bushings and brake upgrades. From there???

Detroit SCCA has highly competitive racers in every class and Minis are rampant here. I'll stay where I am and upgrade the car to the full extent allowed over time and see how she does. I have no illusions of being competitve in this car in this region regardless of class. I just want to have some fun in the old girl.

Todd

[Nomake Wan]

My SVX is in STX as well, due only to my wheels having a +40mm offset, which is way out of the +/-0.25mm spec for Stock. Damn wheels...

Good to know STX is all ricers though. Should prove interesting.

[zcarguy]

Thanks for the replies.

The Mustang is my daily driver and is pretty much stock with a auto tranny. It's a bit of a dog unless you really get on it but it's best not to when in the middle of a corner. My daughter almost found out the hard way just how expensive Auto-X timing lights can be when it got a little squirrelly exiting a corner close to the finish. Get on it hard in a corner and your promptly rewarded with snap oversteer, it's something fox body Mustangs are known for.

Maybe at the next event I'll have her drive the SVX instead and see how she likes it, I'd rather have her in a car that understeers than be afraid of spinning out. She's been in the Z with me several times when I've spun but she got shook pretty good when she was piloting and it almost happened to her.

Once she's got more experience are there rear sway bars available so we can tune the understeer out?
What about routing more power to the rear wheels? I imagine thats a major mod that involves installing a manual tranny from an STi and adapting the computer control some how, right?
The springs mentioned by SVXRide, are they the only aftermarket brand available? Will STi springs and or struts work in a SVX?

BeneBob,
Is that your SVX that ranked 25th in the GRM 2006 Challenge?
If so, good job!! If not, is the owner a member here?

ZcarGuy

[benebob]

Z yeah that's our SVX there from the 06 challenge. I was kinda disappointed with our finish. Not having been there we didn't have a clue on the concours thing. Finshed like 38th in that. I gave my last two runs to a pro driver and he didn't beat the best time I had. I know on the autox I had another good second to find out there as we were using corded tires I hadn't been on in 3 months and the first couple runs were just figuring out how they were handling. Lastly we couldn't come up with a small shot of NOS which from Paul (the other person who ran at the GR a few years back) who thinks it would have put us into the high 12s in the 1/4. If the stars were aligned right we could've been close to the top 10, even with our "honest" car.

We're running aftermarket Impreza struts on ours but we're about 2700lbs vs 3700lbs wet. Things will fit but lower the car too much with that weight. As for springs the ones he mentioned come with a decent reputation around here from those who have bought 'em. As for the rear bar, I really don't think that helps too much on the SVX. Yes you could in theory lessen understeer but like all subies it has understeer inhereit to the design. You'll never get rid of it without a major reshifting of the car.

As for a manual tranny, TomSVX makes a fabulous kit at a great price. We put it in our racer and it lined up to the holes for a 3 foot by 3 foot crossmember within a 1/16 of an inch. Very impressive for a non computer welded fabrication! A 5 speed will have the power at 50-50 in normal driving. Of course all that kinda work will take her out of stock where the car has trouble unless you're willing to go all the way.

[Mr. Pockets]

I'm running in STX this year, as well. I'll be driving my friend's '96 Eclipse GS-T. We've been working on the car for the past couple of months, putting in new brakes and suspension parts. The car is still on stands, but I have an appointment to take it to the shop on Thursday to have the alignment done and Azenis mounted. Our first event is this weekend.

I'm really looking forward to this season. I won the regional championship in my class in the MR2 for 2006, so I'm hoping to add STX to my wall this year. Even if I don't, I'm excited about sharing a car all season. I really enjoy that kind of direct competition.

Anybody going to the Milwaukee NT? I haven't actually signed up for it yet, but I plan on going.