Bill those pics are sweet. That's funny you were harassed by people in a VOLVO.
Can't wait 'till spring man! Are you doing the auto-x thing again this year? I'm actually thinking of trying a few milwaukee events since I'm up in gurnee. I know, I'm gonna be an SCCA ****.

 

Thanks, Nate.

It's funny b/c I forgot how easily FWD and RWD cars can get stuck! :-)

I think they should have an Autox event (not Ice on a lake) in a parking lot when there's a lot of snow like that.

Yup, I'm swithching to STU this year. I'll probably run Windy City BMW, Tri-State, and Chicago Region SCCA events. Gonna try to do at least 1 track day (more if the budget allows me to).

Maybe you will be able to make it to a couple of Chicago Region events too.

Hopefully Jerry will have something new to run this year, and just think; in 3.5 more years Bob will be out of school and able to afford an EVO.

Later,

Bill

 

haha, if Bob gets an evo that might actually be good for us, as he kills us on index every time. Then again he's probably smokin fast in anything he drives!
Why STU? ESP has a better index and lets you run fatter tires and has more competitors. Then again you can pretty much go back and forth between ESP and STU if you want, as long as you stay less than 245 tire width.
Got myself a rear swaybar and I'm hoping to pick up some 17X9s this spring as track wheels. Actually been thinking about 255s in the new azenis when they come out, but I still have some life left in the advans believe it or not. Should be a fun summer!

 

I thought I was one of the only low spoiler evos. We are a rare breed.

 

I can't look at the rules right now, but someone told me that the new index favors STU, plus that's what all the other EVOs/STIs are running in.

For this season I am going to pull the boost controller and BOV (back to stock diverter valve so I can get out of street mod), do an alignment (see if this works better then I might add the rear swaybar), add the AMS downpipe/Highflow cat (this should even out removing the boost controller), and I might go with that Sparco Harness bar.

I want to do a few track days this year so I will also get new pads and the steel brake lines.

I also might have to go w/ a new clutch by the end of the season.

For 2006 I will probably go with a set of coilovers.

 

Im already a windy city bmw member, and waiting for my scca membership kit to arrive. Can you give me an idea of what class I would be put in with my mods and what kind of competiion I would have in those classes?

My setup - 03 evo, xede with stage 0+downpipe map, 3" tbe, 3" o2 housing, 23mm rear swaybar, trunk and rear strut bar, stock springs/shocks, 17" RPF1, 255/40/17 RA-1 tires. I also have plans to add coilovers after I am done researching on what is best for me.

I want to get some hks 264/264 cams/gears and use the xede stage 1 hks cams map, but I afraid this will bump me up into another class. I might just go with camgears if that is the case. I also want to get a rollcage installed as soon as I find me a reputable installer.

Please help a newb, thanks

 

I'd hold off on the mods and simply track the car "as is;" get a bit of seat time before you mod the car. This is beneficial for several reasons: 1) the Evo is quite good right out of the box; 2) It's easier to gauge if you're improving as a driver if you don't mod the car as you gain experience.

 

I think cams will put you in street mod too, and if the Excede changes your boost levels you will also be in SM.

I'm taking parts off to get out of street mod. Like Bogie said, the car is already fast and beyond most people's capabilities from the factory.

 

One problem I have is that my ecu is reflashed so that I dont have boost and rev limit removed. I cant run the car safely without a boost controller or my xede. So I will have to use my xede unless I reflash my ecu back to stock which I do not want to. So with the xede, I will still be put in Street modified right?

I guess I will be placed in sm. How was your experience in SM?

I understand about getting some seat time, I can hold off the cams and the coilovers and just use the stock setup for the time being until I get some experience. Im just afraid I will be out of place as a newbie in SM.

Any suggestions?

 

If the Excede does not change your boost profile then you are ok. You can also add coilovers in STU and I am pretty sure you can use them in ESP.

You can download the rule book here: http://www.scca.org/_filelibrary/File/2005SoloRules.pdf

 

The index in SM is pretty tough, and there are a lot of experienced drivers in that class. I know 3 people that started in SM last year and then moved into other classes b/c it was a they weren't very competitive.

Like I said, I am taking parts off of my car to get out of SM.

 

Thanks for the link, I was trying to find the rulebook yesterday. Anyways, Im trying to save up money for the rpf1's and ra-1 tires for the season, probably will get them sometime this month. Anyways I cant wait to meet you and the rest of the guys and gals? at the track

 

Adding to what Bill said.


SM was very competitive in CR-SCCA.
Street Tire SM (S-SM) didn't have it easy either


IMHO

SM is rather open at local events, since none of the local cars are National Level. It depends who drives and how long they have been doing it.
- Insider note - in '05 look out for red M3 -

S-SM is very similar, with the difference that you are running in S class.
That means you are going against 25 - 50ppl on street tires, where first 5 - 10
spots of almost every event are taken by ppl who have done this before (for many years). It is very hard to compete with a not fully build SM car, there is just too many Stock Car that have good index and setup.

STU - was in part made for moded AWD cars, and I think it is a good place for them to play. Just like Bill said you will find more competition from similar cars and drivers in that class. It looks like it is going to be a blast in '05 - Can’t wait -


It looks like you are getting RA1's ?


I am assuming that you are talking about Toyo RA1's.
Those are Race tires that IMHO are not the best for learning experience,
some people wait 2 - 3 years before they go onto race tires. Between the
AWD (with bizillllion computer aids) and race tires most ppl can't learn
how to drive the car. Yes, you can be fast, but IMHO not as fast as somebody who did progress from lower grip to higher grip. This sport is very driver oriented.
Very often I thought that I was on fire, yeee right, I did let one of the more
experienced drivers drive my car just to find out that I should have been few seconds faster.

If you decide to get them just make sure you research thread depths.
Take a look at shaved RA1’s especially for track use, full tread RA1"s can
chunk badly on track.




If you are looking for good track driving school,

http://www.cgimotorsports.com/

and BMW clubs - they have great instructors.




Hubert B.
- posting from Bart's account -

 

I was planning on getting them shaved and put them on a set of 17" RPF1 that will be used for track only. I figured I would get started with this tire/wheel setup early so I can get use to it, especially with wide tires. Do you suggest I just keep my stock enkei's/advans and run them this season instead, then upgrade later?

Initially I wanted to join the evolution school but they couldnt find a venue in illinois so I thought I was out of luck. Well thanks for the link, I will send out my app tomorrow.

Also is that you with the red m3 ?

 

Yes, IMO if you are planning on working on your driver skills then the OEM setup if better then Race tires for your first events. I think that the is so much to learn about driving a EVO in OEM form, that it will take at least a year to catch up with the car. I am on 4th year with >200hp FWD car and I am not driving the car to the maximum. I have a co-driver prove it to me event by event - I will get him this year.


Evolution school is the best for AutoX. You can try other semi-local locations, like MI or IN. The CR-SCCA Learning Curve is a good start for some seat time and to see if you want to do AutoX or maybe look into track days, rallyx, ice racing etc....

CGI school has more of a track day layout. You will get a lot of seat time and guidance on how to drive the line on Gman.


Mr. K if he shows up in a E46m3 is very entertaining to watch, he has great car control at the limit, that car never goes straight. If he is there you will know who I am talking about.


Hubert