building my first challenge car. I have some ?'s: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

Subscribe get a full year for only $23.95 Sample Free Test Drive—no strings attached

May 21, 2009 10:11 p.m. carrotsnax None

Hey I am building my first challenge car and I have some questions.

I have been looking around but I didnt seem to find any info on a deadline for signing up? I have yet to register my car.

Dont mean to bore and or annoy anyone. Just trying to get into the groove of being legit for the competition.

Also I got rather overwhelmed trying to look over the nhra rules and the scca rules. Mainly due to not being able to find them or to find tid bits of info. Does anyone have a direct link toa page that is just solid rule information?

Also does anyone have any past challenge insight they would care to share?

Thanks much,

Brian
May 21, 2009 10:32 p.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

The deadline is usually really close to the contest, and then extended a time or two.

The rules on the site are the first priority.

The NHRA rules are the next most important. The NHRA rules are only truly available and clarified by buying the rulebook. The reality is the tech guys at the track inspect your car to be sure you are safe, rulebook be damned unless you are really fast in the drags. Be sure to have a zip tie or hose clamp on your radiator overflow hose-that's the only thing they have been consistent about.

You must use DOT tires for the autocross and whatever you want for the drags.

Challenge insight, bring something, finish early so you aren't busy building the car last minute, stay at the host hotel, figure out your hangover cure before you show up-you will need it, etc...
May 21, 2009 10:46 p.m. friedgreencorrado Reader

SCCA calls autocross "Solo" (old timers call it Solo 2). You can download the rules here:

http://www.scca.com/contentpage.aspx?content=61

I haven't been to the Challenge, I don't know how they're enforced, or what part of the book they're using.
May 21, 2009 11:31 p.m. Opus HalfDork

Monitor your spending closely. My car blew the budget and I thought I had a chance this year.

Read and understand the GRM rules including any and all loop holes with in the rules left there either on accident or on purpose. If you find a loophole, you may be lucky enough to have a rule named after you.
May 21, 2009 11:49 p.m. carrotsnax New Reader

awesome thanks for the info fella's. I will have to remember the overflow coolant line clamp!

Thanks for the scca rules! I am not planning on being terribly fcast in the drags. My cars isnt close to being finished at all But I am aiming for a 13sec pass with a ton of wheel spin. If I could get the car to hook up I could absolutely see it in the low 12's high 11's. But what can you do with a turbo fwd? lol

Also any good insight on keeping track of items collected? I have bought some items and dont have reciepts. :( I want to be clean and legit as possible. Any recommendations on what to do about this?

Thanks for the help!
May 22, 2009 5:56 a.m. MrJoshua SuperDork

You can look to ebay and print out completed auctions of similar items, find craigslist ad's for the same item, grab a price sheet for a junkyard, or just tell us what you bought for how much and print out our replies. If you make an honest effort to prove price you will be ok.
May 22, 2009 7:53 a.m. AngryCorvair Dork

carrotsnax wrote:

If I could get the car to hook up I could absolutely see it in the low 12's high 11's. But what can you do with a turbo fwd? lol

used drag slicks at about 5 psi = 11's in boosted FWD if you've got a driver. see Team MiniMe or Westside in your GRM Challenge History. they E36 M3 and git. no disrespect meant to any other quick FWD Challengers, but these two stick out in recent memory.

carrotsnax wrote:

Also any good insight on keeping track of items collected? I have bought some items and dont have reciepts. :( I want to be clean and legit as possible. Any recommendations on what to do about this?

find similar items on Craigslist or eBay and print them out. note that they are not your exact parts, but are being used to justify purchase price for your budget log. all the cool kids are doing it.

Personal Accountability: if you paid $75, then later you find another one on CL for $50, you still have to put $75 into your budget. you'll be the only one to know, but after you've been to a Challenge and hung out with challengers, you'll never think of cheating on your budget again.

in general, here's my top rules: - bring something reliable, even if it's not fast. - buy the best autocross tires you can afford, and build a car around them. - go through concours as early as you can on the first day, while the judges still resemble humans. - walk around the pits, talk to everyone, ask a million questions, keep your eyes open for the subtle tricks that really make the difference on a car

Welcome!
May 22, 2009 12:15 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

AngryCorvair wrote:

Personal Accountability: if you paid $75, then later you find another one on CL for $50, you still have to put $75 into your budget. you'll be the only one to know, but after you've been to a Challenge and hung out with challengers, you'll never think of cheating on your budget again.

That, of course, assumes that you don't BUY the $50 item and swap it in.

My first Challenger blew the budget by overspending on a very nice suspension. I found the same parts at a lower price, removed the overpriced ones, installed the lower priced ones, and re-set it up. I then installed the expensive suspension components on a non-Challenge car. If your want to go to that effort, it's legit.

Tips: try to enjoy yourself. It's hard the first time. I came to compete the first time, placed 13th, and have done worse every year since then, but I've enjoyed myself more each time.

Also, I learned to enjoy my skepticism. You'll probably see things you doubt (budget wise). That creates a great opportunity to ask questions of the builder, learn something, and make a new friend. If you ask, you'll probably hear a very good explanation which is extremely plausible. I don't doubt budgets anymore, I just doubt my own perceptions.

Welcome aboard!
May 22, 2009 12:55 p.m. AngryCorvair Dork

SVreX is exactly right, if you buy the $50 item then of course you don't leave the $75 item in your budget. budget reflects what's actually on the car at the challenge.
May 22, 2009 2:22 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

Yep. After I maxed out my recoupe on a parts car, I started selling parts off of the real car, and swapping them over.
May 24, 2009 5:25 p.m. carrotsnax New Reader

awesome well thanks for the heads up. I want to be legit and plan to be so. But I was curious as to how strict it was or is. I appreciate all the help. Also I have been getting frustrated over looking over the nhra rules. metal or composite/plastic battery box fellows? I promise these silly questions will stop soon. Thanks much!
May 24, 2009 5:42 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

Battery box is a bit of a problem. If you are going to be REALLY true to the letter of the law, there is only one that is legal to both NHRA and SCCA- a Moroso plastic one.

No one will hold you to the letter of the law (except for the budget). Play by the NHRA rules if you are running 12's or better.

You do not need one unless the battery is in the passenger compartment (think creatively). You do not need one if the battery is in the origianl location. You do not need one if the battery is in the passenger compartment, but is a dry type unvented one (which might blow your budget).
Sept. 18, 2009 10:45 a.m. miatame2 New Reader

SVreX wrote:

Battery box is a bit of a problem. If you are going to be REALLY true to the letter of the law, there is only one that is legal to both NHRA and SCCA- a Moroso plastic one.

No one will hold you to the letter of the law (except for the budget). Play by the NHRA rules if you are running 12's or better.

You do not need one unless the battery is in the passenger compartment (think creatively). You do not need one if the battery is in the origianl location. You do not need one if the battery is in the passenger compartment, but is a dry type unvented one (which might blow your budget).

Anyone know if a plastic marine style battery box will do?
Sept. 18, 2009 11:17 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

It will.