AutoSol

Fellow del Sol enthusiasts: I need your vote in order to participate in the Sport Compact Car 2002 Ultimate Street Car Challenge (SCC USSC). I am very excited to have been selected as one of the 92 potential participants of this event. My car appears on page 168 of the July 2002 issue of Sport Compact Car (SCC), car #30. According SCC, only 10 of these cars will be selected (i.e. the ten with the most votes).

In order to vote, you must fill out the ballot on page 189 of the July 2002 issue of Sport Compact Car. As per the rules, no copies of the ballot will be accepted. So in order to vote, you must obtain a copy of the July issue of SCC. I tend to find them at the magazine sections of grocery stores (Albertsons, Publix) or book stores (Borders, Books A Million, etc).

You will also find Hilario Cruz's '95 del Sol (car #27, listed directly above my own entry). There are many great cars in this group, and the ballot is organized such that you vote for the ten top cars that you would choose out of the 92 listed (not just one car). The results of last year’s Challenge are available in the March 2002 issue of SCC. You can order the video of last years Challange at the SCC web site (www.sportcompactcarweb.com).

I would very much appreciate the opportunity to represent the del Sol in SCC's Ultimate Street Car Challenge. I believe that I have the resources to be very competitive in this event and I am willing to "play hard" to put on a good show. My car is more potent than the description in SCC suggests.

Thanks for your vote! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me at stevelewis@email.com And also, I would greatly appreciate any help in prepping the car for this competition (such as sponsors, parts that I could borrow, etc.)

Steve Lewis
Team Del Sol Member #0288
T3/T4 turbo B18B, 4spd auto
Been Solin' Since Aug. 1996

ArmyGreenITR

dude im sorry i love honda's but the winner of that thing wont be a civic/integra there are so out classed as for your car it looks clean,but the hondas are just out classed also in your quote in teh magizene you said you beat a modena in what kind of race ?1/4 mile or a auto-x ?

tonyxcom

...because I dont have that issue handy...

Why dont you tell us something about your car. Show us pictures other then the sticker picture in the mag. List 1/4 miles times, autox or track achievments etc.

Maybe you can get more people compelled to pick your car to represents hondas and sols that way.

Good luck either way.

hybridreams

You honestly can't expect us to vote for you just 'cause you've got a Honda. Last thing we need is a Honda getting voted into this just 'cause it's a Honda and getting totally demolished by the competition. Best car gets my vote. We'll see what other cars are competing.

AutoSol

I "beat" the Modena at a 1/4 mile track (Texas Motorplex, Ennis, TX). He ran 14.9, I ran 14.7. Of course he was a bad driver (or was really unlucky with his horrible launch). Still, just because its $150k+, it still depends on the driver to perform. But, I admit it, mostly that remark was just smack talking

There's a good mix of cars listed this year. I don't see this as a 1st, 2nd, 3rd kind of deal. Read about last year's Challenge, and in there I think the Acura Integra Type-R did really well. No, it did not win overall, but it was still very competitive. I see the point of this is to provide benchmarks for people to compare themselves to and to have a little fun.

I'm pretty open when it comes to the details about my car. I have a ton of pictures and track times. Specifically, you can go to http://odin.prohosting.com/delsol94/...l/AutoSol.html

(or see my entire del Sol site, http://odin.prohosting.com/delsol94)

For me personally, I am an Embedded Software Engineer at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth. My del Sol is just a hobby. It's not the best looking or fastest Honda, because it is a work in progress like most cars. I've been to the track about a dozen times over the past two years, and I've been in two car shows.

At 0.4 BAR (~5.8psi), with stock '98 B18B motor and injectors, I've peaked 172whp, 149 ft/lbs of torque (to the wheels), resulting in a personal best of 14.7 @ 96mph. This is about the same power level as the Integra Type R, so as expected, the times are on par with a well driven ITR. Except, my car will run this easy (i.e. full interior, A/C, P/S, street tires @ 20psi, etc) with a race weight of 2710lbs, and it runs consistently (thanks to the auto tranny, which SCC does not mention in my description). Thanks to the turbo, increasing power is not a problem (read on!).

This is my daily driver car, and obviously not a trailer queen. I've put far more into performance than show, though I think the car looks decent the way it is. Basically a sleeper.

The turbo was installed by JoTech in Garland, TX, owned by Kenny Tran. Tran is one of the few people with sub-10sec Honda's, and he recently won at Honda Import Nights in Houston a couple months ago. I've been in touch with Kenny and his crew about a few more mods to my car. I'm also a member of Team del Sol (#288), and a few members in our chapter here in Dallas will be helping me out with other mods.

Unfortunately, I have not yet been involved with AutoX. Though, I've wanted too. But, fortunately, for the road course portion of the challenge, the 10 cars have the option of letting an experienced driver behind the wheel (as I recall from last year).

I have the following upgrades in mind within the next couple months: installing OEM del Sol VTEC rear disc brakes (to replace my rear drums), VTEC rear anti sway bar and tie rod. Ordering either an AEM computer system or Hondata and upgrading to larger injectors, to run up to 10psi. The B18B1 still has stock internals, and the stock MAP sensor can only read 11psi anyway, so I don't see much point in going over 10psi (perhaps next year, I don't see it happening this year). With that amount of boost, I am confident the car can push 220+whp after tuning. And it can be reverted to 6-8psi for street driving.

But I feel that traction will be the real problem at that power level. So I'm considering installing the Z10 traction bar, ordering stocky Hoosier track tires, and camber kit if still necessary. With these changes, I'm confident the car will be consistently in the mid 13's easy. Automatic, with A/C, daily driveable, over 28mpg, all sounds good to me for a street car. BTW, the automatic will handle this power because it's been rebuilt with Level10 parts (www.levelten.com).

Braking will probably be my weakest category -- even after upgrading rear drums to disc, new brake fluid and steel braided brake lines. I don't have ABS. I could go for AEM or even Brembo, but I don't really think the extra money spent in that area will be worth it. But handling wise, I think it'll be competitive enough.

Finally, if I am one of the 10 selected, and I have time left -- I'll work on some cosmetic options. Painted calipers and interior panels, probably custom clear corners up front, carbon fiber hood, maybe remove the rear wing, add a front chin spoiler. The power antenna that I have is one nice touch. Just simple things, nothing major.

So that's a little about me and my car. I don't claim to be the best Honda in any category, but I think I could give a lot of the other 91 cars listed a good run for their money. So again, I'd really appreciate your vote -- and prove that the good ol'e B-series and double-wish bone suspension can still be competitive. Thanks!!

Below are two pictures of my car (they also appear on my website):


http://odin.prohosting.com/delsol94/AutoSol/AutoSol.jpg


http://odin.prohosting.com/delsol94/.../EngineBay.jpg



[Modified by AutoSol, 7:54 AM 5/29/2002]

SkyeC

sorry but i don't think you stand a chance. i thumbed through that issue at the newstand last night. you're outclassed by almost everyone.

AutoSol

Yep, there are a lot of nice cars listed, and I'd be one of the underdogs Though remember that the USCC has 14 categories, not just straight line performance. So in that respect, I don't think I'm outclassed by almost everyone