RX7 1st gen weight

[tom_sprecher]

The first time I joined the SCCA and wanted to race an RX7, I bought a GCR. That was in '93. While looking at it today I noticed that back then the minimum weight was 2200# for a '79-'83 RX7 ITA. Anybody know when and why they raised it to 2380? It seems like they would reduce the weight like they do in the Formula classes to help keep the car competive against newer cars.

BTW - the GCR came non-bound, but pre-punched and fit perfectly in the binders for the IBM-PC software manuals. Mines in a DisplayWrite 2 manual binder. You remember when software came with manuals, don't you? What about IBM-PC's and the DOS prompt? Next time I hear some computer geek bitch about MicroSoft or Windows I'd like to force them to make a living using DOS, Lotus 1-2-3 or Dbase.

[Speed Raycer]

Just a guess but was that before the "weight with driver" wording was added to the GCR?

For cage purposes, the RX still has the 2200 lb min. weight

[tom_sprecher]

Upon further review you are correct in your assumption. Weight was w/o driver and any form of ballast was prohibited. I quess enough of us 200+ pounders bitched about the "unfair weight advantage" of some of the smaller or slimmer competition. ;)

[JeffYoung]

Tom, that story made me smile. I did the same thing. Started building an ITA RX7 in 94 right out of law school. Got it stripped and then.....law school loans hit and "poof" went the racing dream.

I remember the old ring bound GCR. I THINK we even had to keep the passenger seat back then -- is that right guys?

[lateapex911]

Exactly...the CAR needs to weigh 2200 lbs for cage purposes. The RACE weight is 2380, with the assumption that the driver is 180 lbs.

(I know, that isn't what a lot of guys like to hear, but there ARE lighter drivers...)

LOL, I too started an RX-7 build about that time. Got it on the track and raced in 6 events...drove to every one of them, with the passenger seat AND a passenger, a tent, some tools...ON the race tires, lowered and caged, all around New England.

Even though I didn't drive home from every event,............. (first school event had a car spin on the Pocono banking in front of me, then flop down in my path NASCAR style, threw that chassis away...., built second chassis, a couple events locally went well so I tried another long distace event where the panhard mount ripped in two,.... all seemed ok for anohter local event so I drove 5 hours to Watkins Glen only to blow the motor in qualifying. The season ended with a junkyard motor at Lime Rock and a 5th place finish in a 25 car field in the first of the NASCAR (Busch North Series) Support races called the Mini Stock Challenge, which was won by now Comp Board Chairman Kurt Weiss in an RX-3)...........that year was the most memorable season I could have asked for. I still have the pass seat in the car, ;)

[tom_sprecher]

I first wanted to race after going to Road Atlanta in '80 or '81 to an IMSA race. If memory serves me they had a class that was maybe a cross between IT and Prod. Paul Newman was there racing for Nissan, GTO I think, and the Miller Mustang was THE car. I was in college then and didn't have a pot to piss in (but always found some to smoke) and racing would have seriously cut into my beer budget.

The first SCCA venture came about because I bought a '91 Maxima and wanted to drive it on a closed track. I called some guy to inquire about it, he chuckled and stated I had to have an inspected race car to drive on the track. Maybe they did not have track days back then or the guy just wanted me to rent his car that he was pushing. He did suggest I go to a race to check it out before I do anything.

After the working the inaugural SCCA race at AMS and not really finding what I was looking for I quit the SCCA. Plus, I could not get a car back then due to financial restraints, like the mortgage, saving for retirement and that damn beer budget.

Eight years later me and a buddy talked about racing in AS but I bought a Harley and then he bought a CFC. After crewing for him for four years and looking at several classes I still liked the RX-7 especially with IT7 in SEDiv. This year I finally had the money (and a proper tow vehicle) and figured it was now or never. Can't wait until Feb 9th (double school at Roebling).

In hind sight I wish I had started earlier. Hopefully, I don't get old and find out there are other things that I wish I had done, earlier.

[Knestis]

Originally posted by tom_sprecher@Dec 2 2005, 01:36 AM
I first wanted to race after going to Road Atlanta in '80 or '81 to an IMSA race. If memory serves me they had a class that was maybe a cross between IT and Prod. ...


That would have been the old Champion Spark Plug Challenge ("ChampSpark"), later Radial Sedan, class. It was a lot like IT is now. IT in the '80s was a very different thing.

You newbies (yes you, Jeff) make me smile. When I started racing IT cars, we not only had to have the front passenger seat, it was illegal to remove the headliner, rollcages were restricted in the amount of triangulation allowed (and they HAD to bolt in), and we wouldn't have THOUGHT of running 'real' racing springs.

The original ITCS was a folded, yellow, stapled supplement to that ring-bound GCR - about 20 pages, as I remember.

The minimum wieght of the ITB GTI was 1800# as I recall, when it was first listed.

K

[tom_sprecher]

Originally posted by Knestis@Dec 2 2005, 11:09 AM
You newbies (yes you, Jeff) make me smile. When I started racing IT cars, we not only had to have the front passenger seat, it was illegal to remove the headliner, rollcages were restricted in the amount of triangulation allowed (and they HAD to bolt in), and we wouldn't have THOUGHT of running 'real' racing springs....


67191


Wow! Did you guys have to race uphill both ways in the snow, too? :D ;)

Actually, I remember at that AMS race looking at the IT cars and wondering why they had a nice racing seat and a crappy OEM seat for the passenger. Not knowing the rules I assumed it was either to save money or give joy rides around the track. Talk about stupid. :rolleyes: