Autocross Questions

[AustinL]

Ok can I autocross this thing in a stock class. Someone told me that SVOs have to compete with other modded cars since it was a limited production run. Is this true.
Thanks
Corey

[svobud]

Nope....not true - unless you have some modifications on the car that are not stock (ie: K&N air filter, sub frames, springs...etc).

They've been moved around a couple of times, but they're currently classed in G Stock. If you have mods...you'll more than likely be classed in ESP or CP - depending on the mods of course.

[AustinL]

yippeee. I guess I should be pretty competitive in g stock huh? My car is completely stock down to the radio. Do you think the bleed valve kit should be left off or put on?

[svobud]

Well - a bleed valve isn't stock. You'll have to leave the stock BCS on the car. I would suggest buying a set of autocross specific tires (khumos are cheap and work very well) - and yes, if you can drive (nothing against you personally - but the car won't win it alone) - the car should be very tough to beat.

[gbeaird]

The car is VERY competitive! You will have to keep that bleed valve off.

We have driven our 86 for 4 years now in the Houston Region. We have collected a lot of trophies along the way, running against newer, more powerful cars. It IS possible. You will need to be a good driver (a great driver can still dominate the class in one of these cars). Don't get discouraged if you aren't winning right 'out of the box'. It will take some time to get good and to learn how to drive the car. It is not an easy car to go fast in, but once you learn how to control it, it can be fast. Expect it to take at least a year before you are running with the regular front-runners in the class. The car can be very rewarding, though.

Good luck, and have fun.

Gene Beaird
86 2R SVO, G Stock
Pearland, Texas

[8T6 SVO]

Autocross

Gene,

Where do you race? Is the G stock class represented all across the U.S.? Sounds like a fun thing to do and a fun place to start.

8T6 SVO

[gbeaird]

We run in the Houston Region in the SouthWest Division of the SCCA. G Stock is a standard open class in the SCCA. It is very competitive, and there are a lot of good cars in that class, new ones being added every year. The current troublemakers for the SVO are the '00-'01-'02 Neon ACR and the older Honda CRXs (in the Houston Region, at least).

It is a LOT of fun. The only real issue I have with the SVO is getting replacement parts for it. They are hard to find, and expensive when you do find them. The only stuff we have worn out, though is tires. In all our years driving the car, we have only broken the clutch (had a lot of miles on it already) and popped a head gasket.

I have the replacement lower control arms on order, amongst other parts, and although the car has been officially retired from Regional autocrossing competition (we moved to C Prepared in another car), we will probably start running it with the Porsche club and make the occasional ESP appearance with the SCCA (or drive CP when the race car breaks).

Gene Beaird
86 2R SVO
Pearland, Texas

[AustinL]

Well I just ordered my new heat cycled kuhmo victoracers. I also have some more svo wheels on the way(I hope) If everything comes through okay I bought four svo wheels for 225 including shipping. I think that is a good price.
Any tips on running the kuhmos? like I said they are heat cycled so I guess I can just start driving when I get them at the track. Right?
Thanks again
Corey

[svobud]

Khumos

I always start off with pressure set at 40psi in fronts and 36psi in rears...and adjust from there after each run. If air isn't supplied at your local events...then you might want to think about buying a hand-portable air tank or one of those small (cig lighter operated) air pumps.

[vrinner]

I have found with the Kumhos and Hoosiers that a lower pressure works for me. On the Kumhos, I run about 32 front, 28 rear. This is on my stock 84 slapper bar SVO. On my 86 with alot stiffer suspension, I run about 34 front, and 28-30 rear.

Have fun!

[bigwingsaleen]

tire pressures

I have run the Kuhmo's for a couple years...here's what works for me and the set-up on my SVO.

front: 28psi
Rear: 24psi

I highly suggest start higher and use the shoe p[olish technique on the edge of the tire tread and lower pressure until your using ALL the tire.

Good Luck!!!

[gbeaird]

Wow, such low pressures! We have had success with high pressures in our Kuhmos. We use 53#F 43#R. The car does have a Turbo Coupe front sway bar, factory original control arms and rack. The Konis are new, however. We have the front set at 1/2 turn from full stiff. I believe the rears are set at mid-stiffness (haven't found that setting in my notes).

We are running on asphalt, and the added pressures may get the tread warmed up quicker so the tires bite better on that surface. I know this seems like a lot of pressure, but we tried it after hearing of some other stock class drivers doing so at an Evolution course, and we immediately dropped some time. Not saying it will work for you, but it is something to consider.

Kuhmos have little triangles on the outside corner of the tread. You want to be scrubbing right at the tip of those triangles.

IMHO, I would keep the factory SVO wheels for some nice street tires and go looking for some LIGHTER wheels of the same size and offset. The SVO wheels are way too heavy to do you any good. If you can find some lighter wheels, do so. For every 10 lbs you remove from the wheel/tire assembly, the car will accelerate like it weighs 20 lbs less. It is not hard to pull 10 lbs off of each corner of the car. Thus, the car will accelerate off the corners like it weighs almost 100 lbs less than previously. That is incredible, IMHO. SVO wheels are pretty, but also pretty heavy. Find something lighter.

Gene Beaird

[AustinL]

what are your recomendations on wheels that fit well?

[gbeaird]

I am still looking for something myself, although we probably won't be running in G Stock any more. You will need a wheel that is the same diameter and width and within 1/4 inch of the same offset to stay in G Stock.

I don't know about the offset, but the Gen 2 RX7 Turbo II wheels are the same diameter and width and bolt right up. They are VERY light, too. Again, I didn't check offset, but it looked likt they were moved closer to the centerline of the car.

I think the factory SVO wheel is something like 25 to 27 lbs. Getting lighter with just about any aftermarket wheel shouldn't be a problem. Sorry I am not much help here. I know what will help, but haven't investigated it much more than that. If we were campaigning the car this year, it would have been THE remaining mod we would have made.

Gene Beaird

[svobud]

There's a thread titled "will these wheels fit" in the Wheels/Tires section. So - you might want to look there first for Wheel and Tire discussions.

I have a set of American Racing wheels. They are specific for a Probe GT. They have a 40mm offset - 16"X7.5" They are very light, although I've never compared weight to a factory 25lb wheel - theses are much lighter. I use these as my daily wheels and keep a set of factory wheels wrapped in the Khumos. I should probably switch that around...but I just don't have much time where I would be able to autocross this season.