Thinking of building my mk1 for SCCA...help a guy understand rules.

[SGLoki]

So I have wanted to build this old 1981 clunker as a weekend toy for ages, and I realize that I have probably shot myself in the foot with some of the mods if I want to fit into a SCCA class that I won't get completely creamed in all the time. I would like to at least be mildly competitive, although I don't care about winning as long as I have a ton of fun.

Current pile of parts and mods that might screw me over:

shaved the heater system, I think that pushes me out of the street stock class.

1.8 from a fox, 8v head from a g60, waiting to do a P&P.

Dual weber DCOE40s sitting on the shelf.
Planned on an electric oil pump, im shaft delete.. and a programmable spark (sitting on the shelf too)

suspension: koni str.T.s with neuspeed coils... (the fronts have a coil cut off.)

I wanted to do some body mods, mild aerodynamics, shave some things, swap in rear disc brakes, cage it with door bars... skinned doors, lightened all to hell... fuel cell for safety, battery relocate..etc.

essentially make it something that would be technically street legal just to get into a class, but never drive it on the road or buy tabs for it.

What I am asking here is just a shove in the right direction... if I am going to be screwed for class, I can just wait a year and buy a wrecked car with a 1.8T or a 20vt to drop in and go for the gusto with it.

Are there other clubs I should be looking at with my current ideas for oldschool mods?

I don't expect to make much more than 120hp if I am lucky, and the car already has some weight reduction.

[SGLoki]

Bump....

Any links? Articles explaining the basics?

Navigating scca rulebooks is a bit of a pain, I am sort of hoping for some summaries to help me head in the right direction.

[Ian F]

I remember seeing a sort of "classing chart" that described popular mods and what classes they are allowed in SCCA Solo classes. I think it's linked in thread on this forum somewhere. What I did a few years ago when I first started is print out the rules and read them over and over again.

The general rule is, "if it doesn't say you can then you can't.

Most of the mods listed would put you Street Mod. Except the heater delete. I believe that puts you in Prepared. However, the engine mods might kick you out of Prepared and into Modified.

[Claff]

I don't know nuthin about VWs so correct me if I get engine stuff wrong

Engine swap will throw you automagically into a "serious" class. No Stock, no Street Touring, and probably not even Street Prepared for you. So you'll end up in Street Modified, or Prepared, or Modified. They allow you to do a lot, but on the flip side they allow everyone else to do a lot of stuff and they will. We're talking dedicated race cars in Prepared, nothing street-driven and probably not even street legal.

Good luck!

[87GOLFITB]

No reason to go through the entire SCCA Solo rule book. Skip to the Class section and start skimming. Remember that if it doesn't say you can, then you can't. I have a frankensteined car and started with one component (the engine) and found a category it would fit in (Prepared in my case and likely yours too). From there you go to the appendix and figure out what subset its in. My car is in G Prepared due to a JH head on a GX block, gutted interior, and some other minor things. I could also class it in X Prepared or D Modified if I was nuts. Its a fun place to be since you can practically do anything you want to with the car.

Shaved heater puts you in a Prepared or Modified class so any Street classes are automatically ruled out (Sreet Touring, Street Prepared, Street Modified). An engine swap with gutted interior is also an automatic move to Prepared/Modified.

I wouldn't be competitive nationally but its a ton of fun thrashing something with 100hp and I've won a couple of local championships. If you have NASA in your area, their classing is a little easier to figure out since its based on a point system.

[SGLoki]

Thanks guys, that was pretty helpful, especially the bit about "if it doesn't say you can, then you can't." I usually assume the opposite, if it doesn't say I can't.... lol

I'll get to reading some more.

[Autocross83gti]

Just a warning.
Some of the rules the SCCA has are archaic and tough to understand because they try to word it as if there's more to understand then there needs to be. You can contact the SCCA directly for any clarifications.
Don't miss a single little piece of plastic or someone can protest you and win. There is no honor among some SCCAers.

[MusicCityGTI]

Here is a quick rundown of things you can typically change/improve by class. Others can chime in if I misstated anything:

Stock:
- Any DOT tire, shocks (must maintain stock ride height), alignment, exhaust, wheels in OE size, any brake pad compound

Street Prepared:
- Above items plus sway bars, springs, any size wheel, any ignition (no adding forced induction), race seats, harness, remove cats, stress bars (must attach to factory mounts)

Street Mod Front:
- Above items plus ANY engine from same manufacturer 1.8t, VR6 turbo, superchargers, etc are all acceptable. Lots of suspension mods allowed, swap those rear drums for disks, you name it and it is likely OK. MUST retain interior!!!

Want a full on gutted racer. I don't know b/c I've resisted the temptation to go that route. I'm sure at some point I will but not just yet.

[Claff]

To take the edge off an earlier post, I wouldn't sweat protests really. In three or four years of running a bunch at the local level, I haven't seen a protest yet. For the most part, if you're new and not up to speed, the established folks will let a lot of stuff go. If you stick with it and start competing for wins, you might get a talking to if what you're trying to do is way illegal for your class and/or sticking out like a sore thumb.

On the plus side, as a Prepared or Modified driver, you're probably not going to be up against a lot of competition so you won't have a lot of people telling you what you can or can't do.

I wouldn't show up at a national-level event with an illegal car, though.

[AutoX Matt]

You're at least Street Mod because you changed the engine. So, you can skip right to page 107 in the 2012 rule book.

I wouldn't worry to much about what class you'll be in. Chances are even if you had the fastest car there you'd spend the whole first season learning how to autocross it. I remember a highly modified 3000GT VR4 doing about 10mph through the course because he kept getting lost.

Besides, the goal is to have fun. I promise you'll have a ton of fun driving anything sporty.

I'm pissed because this year I'm going from a very competitive ST class to the only car in STC. Getting 1st place because I'm the only car in the class sucks.

One note re springs & ride height: lowering a car with MacPherson struts screws up the handling. The lower control arm should be parallel to the ground. If you lower the car so much that it's not, it'll hurt your handling.

[turboVdub02]

You're at least Street Mod because you changed the engine. So, you can skip right to page 107 in the 2012 rule book.

I wouldn't worry to much about what class you'll be in. Chances are even if you had the fastest car there you'd spend the whole first season learning how to autocross it. I remember a highly modified 3000GT VR4 doing about 10mph through the course because he kept getting lost.

Besides, the goal is to have fun. I promise you'll have a ton of fun driving anything sporty.

I'm pissed because this year I'm going from a very competitive ST class to the only car in STC. Getting 1st place because I'm the only car in the class sucks.

One note re springs & ride height: lowering a car with MacPherson struts screws up the handling. The lower control arm should be parallel to the ground. If you lower the car so much that it's not, it'll hurt your handling.

Hi, Matt

I didn't realize that you were on the Vortext. This is Glenn with the black A4. I see that you are the only one signed up in STC, but I suspect that a few more may turn out at the event. If not, I may jump over to STC. My class is rather sparse and you and I usually put down similar times anyway.

See you on Sunday.

-Glenn

[AutoX Matt]

Hi, Matt

I didn't realize that you were on the Vortext. This is Glenn with the black A4. I see that you are the only one signed up in STC, but I suspect that a few more may turn out at the event. If not, I may jump over to STC. My class is rather sparse and you and I usually put down similar times anyway.

See you on Sunday.

-Glenn

I was staying in the Scirocco forum until recently. Your A4 is a 1.8T? For some reason I thought it was a 3.0 or 3.2. I'd love to have someone to run against, though GS will give you a slightly better pax then STC (.814 vs .82).
In other news, after 2 years my car is finally fixed!!!

[turboVdub02]

I was staying in the Scirocco forum until recently. Your A4 is a 1.8T? For some reason I thought it was a 3.0 or 3.2. I'd love to have someone to run against, though GS will give you a slightly better pax then STC (.814 vs .82).
In other news, after 2 years my car is finally fixed!!!

My A4 is a 2.8, which I believe I could run in STC. I'm not too worried about pax. I don't plan to be in contention for DOY. I'm still leaving a lot of time out there and need to work out some of the fundamentals in my driving. As long as the RTA class continues to have a turnout I'll probably stay there this year.

I was working the final part of the course yesterday by the way and you looked pretty good coming through that final stretch. A number of cars struggled through some of the tight parts.

[AutoX Matt]

My A4 is a 2.8, which I believe I could run in STC. I'm not too worried about pax. I don't plan to be in contention for DOY. I'm still leaving a lot of time out there and need to work out some of the fundamentals in my driving. As long as the RTA class continues to have a turnout I'll probably stay there this year.

I was working the final part of the course yesterday by the way and you looked pretty good coming through that final stretch. A number of cars struggled through some of the tight parts.

Unfortunately only 1.8T A4s are STC. All the other A4s are STX. (page 181 & 182)
There was a bit of an impromptu meeting at Chickee & Pete's after the last event and it sounded like they were going to get rid of the tire pax classes (like RTA) because we already have to many 1 car classes.

Thanks. It was the long middle section that was getting me. You probobly saw me spin the one time.

It's been crazy since the event. Found out the next tuesday that I had somehow bent my rear axle. No one can give a good explanation of how. So car's been at a shop since Tuesday and I'm getting a rear toe control brace welded in.
On the other hand I found out my new Golf R is at the dealer & I'm picking it up this Friday.
Unfortunately I don't think I should autocross it for the next 3 years.