My girlfriend wants to get into autocrossing/racing, but she wont have worthy car in the near future, so I want to set her car up for stock Solo 2. She has a stock auto 93 Accord EX, and while not a great setup to start with, I've learned its more about the driver than the car.

So to be anywhere near competitive, I'm thinking she needs to stay in the SCCA stock class as she'll be killed in STS.

The planned setup is

adjustable shocks
deticated racing wheels with r-compounds

I couldn't gather from the rulebook whether you could change the rear sway bar if the new one was the same thickness (but stiffness could vary). Are there any other mods that could be done to make it autocrossable.

 

just see how she does rolling stock before buying a few things

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xizor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I couldn't gather from the rulebook whether you could change the rear sway bar if the new one was the same thickness (but stiffness could vary)</TD></TR></TABLE>

If the book doesnt say you can, then you cannot.

 

Leave her bone stock and on street tires for a "season" of events say.. 8-10

She will learn lots of car control, and to begin playing with tire pressures. by the time she is ready for the goodies, then you will have seen what works on other peoples cars, and know what parts you can or cant use, or wont need..

The first "mod" should be a set of cheap wheels and R compounds. If she learns on the street tires for those events she will be able to make much better use of the R's and be a much better driver for it.

Jon K
http://www.seat-time.com

 

I would get a good aligment start with 0 toe in the rear and 1/8th total in toe front, if the car is not rotating well I would toe the rear out a bit.
You cannot change the rear sway bar at all but you can change the front, and I would go to a smaller one if there is one advialable for that car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Solracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would get a good aligment start with 0 toe in the rear and 1/8th total in toe front, if the car is not rotating well I would toe the rear out a bit.
You cannot change the rear sway bar at all but you can change the front, and I would go to a smaller one if there is one advialable for that car.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I guess unhooking the stock front sway would have the same effect too.

 

I'm with racerjon1. Forget results, and tell her to forget them. People mostly look for their times, and the top times. Enjoyment comes from driving, not times. When she starts to get bored/less excited, then worry about the car. I'm in my fourth 'season' (I usually do ~8-10 too), and I just got to the point at the end of last season where I thought, 'you know, this is fun, but it would be even more fun if...'

The automatic is a hard thing to overcome to be competitive. I also think putting anyone on R compounds straight off the bat is not a good idea.

[EDIT: Are you all gonna be at the Crossroads event on the 29th? I'm 33something, 00 Prelude. Stop by and say hi]

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xizor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I guess unhooking the stock front sway would have the same effect too.

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Yes but you will loose some in roll control and on a stock sprun car I would not do that.

 

Given that you are talking about an 11 year old car and that I'll bet the shocks are the ones it left the factory on, I would recommend new shocks right away. Since you are changing them anyway, I would consider KYB or Tokiko adjustables if they are available. If the tires are not too crappy, leave them alone except for adding enough pressure to keep them from rolling over, 40-50 psi depending on driver and tires. Leave everything else alone to start with. If that goes well and she wants to keep going with that car, then look into alignment, tires, front bar.

Remember to have fun

 

Having just switch from KYB's to koni's, I would get Koni's and nothing else they are truly the best shock for the price.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Steppin Razor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm with racerjon1. Forget results, and tell her to forget them. ...Enjoyment comes from driving, not times...

I also think putting anyone on R compounds straight off the bat is not a good idea.
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I agree with you folks, go out and have fun... you can spend lots of time even fussing with tire pressures, set em and leave them alone. Use the time to learn the course, go over it again and again in "first-person" perspective. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Train your brain, learn and have fun... you'll do better if you're enjoying it.

(see my signature)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xizor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The planned setup is

adjustable shocks
deticated racing wheels with r-compounds
</TD></TR></TABLE>

i thought you can't have r-compounds to remain in stock classing?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sijray21 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i thought you can't have r-compounds to remain in stock classing?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You can use any DOT-approved tire thats not on the exclusion list.