Air Dam question

[itaracer]

Like everyone else I'm working on getting my 1st. Gen RX7 ready for next year. One project is the front air dam. I used a Mazdatrix fiberglass air dam last year and it took some abuse. I've been looking for a urethane air dam but have not located one yet. I also need to replace the front bumper cover. So here is my question. Can I replace the front bumper cover and aftermarket air dam with an integrated bumper cover air dam? Specifically I'm thinking of using the Mariah Mode 4 front bumper cover/air dam. My interpretation of ITCS 8.b (2003 GCR page ITCS 16) is that it is legal. Any comments will be appreciated and if anyone has a source for urethane air dams please let me know. I'm also posting this message on the Mazda thread on this site.


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Mark Jeffery
ITA #92 '85 RX7
MiDiv - Arkansas Region

[Knestis]

You might be able to make a case for this being legal IF you can show people the clause that specifically allows the removal of "integrated" bumpers. I haven't asked this question specifically - or critically - but my first instinct is that it is not allowed to do so...

Kirk

[itaracer]

I'm not removing teh integrated bumper. Just replacing the cover.

The NOTE section is ITCS 8. b states "On cars with integrated bumpers, the front spoiler or air dam may be attached to the bumper cover."
The Mariah Mode 4 is basically an '84-85 bumber cover with an air dam molded to it making it a one piece bumper cover/ air dam. It attaches to the shock obsorbing bumper just like a stock bumper cover attaches.

Check out the photos on the Mariah web site.

http://www.mariahmotorsports.com/



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Mark Jeffery
ITA #92 '85 RX7
MiDiv - Arkansas Region

[Greg Amy]

I don't have the rulebook in front of me, but I don't see how it could be legal.

First, the regs do not allow removal of the stock integrated bumper cover, and second, the air dam cannot be attached above a certain height on the car (x inches above the horizontal centerline of the wheels?)

I'd have to say it is an illegal mod.

[itaracer]

It is not removal of the stock bumper cover. It's a replacement of the stock bumper cover with an integrated air dam.

I'm trying to understand why it would not be legal. Especially when CRX's, Itegra's and BMW's has a source for exactly the same type of air dam that is obviously IT legal. Check out this site (an advertiser on the discussion board).

http://www.roadracegear.com/

These air dams appear to me to be integrated bumper cover/air dams and are legal.

[lateapex911]

Nope...Mariah themselves say that the other air dam they sell IS SCCA legal...which implies that this one aint.

But IF you were to use this one, the end result would be lighter than the combination. IIDSYCYC...

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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[Knestis]

You can't "replace" a stock part unless you first "remove" it. Heck, you can't "replace" it with an aftermarket part unless there is a rule allowing said replacement.

You can do anything you want but I have a very hard time picturing how this one will be upheld if a protest is filed.

K

[itaracer]

Ok. I'm not trying to start a pissing match here. Here is where I started.

I want to replace the damaged stock urethane front bumper cover and the damaged aftermarket IT legal fiberglass air dam. The part I'd like to use is a stock bumper cover that has an air dam molded to it. I know Mariah has an IT legal air dam available that is essentially the same. My question is if ITCS 8. b. NOTE "On cars with integrated bumpers, the front spoiler or air dam may be attached to the bumper cover." If the air dam is molded to the bumper cover so that it becomes one single piece why would it not be legal? It is attached to the bumper cover. It has all the stock locating and attachment points and otherwise meets all the other criteria for an air dam described in ITCS 8. b.

[ITSRX7]

It's not legal because it's not the factory bumper cover. No place in the rules does it say you can use an aftermarket bumper cover.

You can, ATTACH a front air dam to your STOCK bumper cover, provided you do so in a resultant configuration that is legal per the rules GregA states.

I understand your stance, but don't try and manipulate the wording to suit your goal. (no disrespect there) Buy a used STOCK bumper cover and fab a dam or splitter per the rules.

AB

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Andy Bettencourt
06 ITS RX-7
FlatOut Motorsports
New England Region #188967
www.flatout-motorsports.com

[itaracer]

OK. I've seen the light. Can't blame me for trying. A one piece bumper cover/air dam sure seemed better than 2 pieces. I'll save the $500 and use the one from ISC. I hate fiberglass though.

Andy, I really prefer "interpretation" of the rules rather than "manipulation" of the rules.

No offence or disrespect taken and I certainly hope none was inferred. Thanks everyone for the posts.

[philstireservice]

use the ones from roadracegear.com.....incredibly durable, light, user friendly, functionable ....can take a pounding

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Phil Phillips
94 Acura Integra GSR #4
ITS/H3/ST1
www.philstireservice.com
Amsoil Dealer
distributor for FireCharger AFFF fire systems
Hoosier Tire Dealer
Toyo Tire Dealer

[Festus E. Simkins]

Victoria British sells an air dam for 1st gen RX-7s that works very well and is very durable. They are about $200.

They advertise them as unbreakable but I hit a wall at about 100 mph and it did break where I had put holes for the brake ducts. However, it did survive several off course excursions without damage.

Drive well.

[sgallimo]

Originally posted by ITSRX7:
It's not legal because it's not the factory bumper cover. No place in the rules does it say you can use an aftermarket bumper cover....

hmmm.... slightly different angle on this one. Suppose I have an aftermarket bumber cover that appears to be identical to the factory one (no integrated air damn, etc). You're saying I can't use the aftermarket one even though (1) they really do look 100% identical, (2) it is tons cheaper than the factory one, and (3) the insurance company used aftermarket bumper covers, hoods, and fenders on the last two street cars that we had repaired (heck they even tried it on my 3 day old truck that the ice storm clobbered)??


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-Scott Gallimore
-ITC #88 Pulsar

[jc836]

If it is a replacement part that is identical to the stock one then I do not think anyone will question it. The issue here dealt with a cover that has the airdam molded on it rather than a bolt on piece. Certainly a CRX (example) with a molded airdam would not be correct. Even my Prelude has a bolt-on one.



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Grandpa's toys-modded suspensions and a few other tweaks
'89 CRX Si-SCCA ITA #99
'99 Prelude=a sweet song
'03 Dodge Dakota Club Cab V8-Patriot Blue gonna tow

[grjones1]

Originally posted by Knestis:
You can't "replace" a stock part unless you first "remove" it. Heck, you can't "replace" it with an aftermarket part unless there is a rule allowing said replacement.

You can do anything you want but I have a very hard time picturing how this one will be upheld if a protest is filed.

K

Does this mean I can't replace a brake rotor (same specs) with any other than an OEM part even if the OEM part is no longer manufactured by the original manufacturer, because nowhere do the rules say I can replace brake rotors?
GRJ

[jc836]

A brake rotor of the same design and size-as shown on the spec line in the GCR can come from any source. I run Brembo "blank/plain" rotors that are an exact replacement for the stock Honda part. Brake pads are "free", btw. The thread's author was asking about a part that was not available from the OEM to begin with in the form he asked about.

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Grandpa's toys-modded suspensions and a few other tweaks
'89 CRX Si-SCCA ITA #99
'99 Prelude=a sweet song
'03 Dodge Dakota Club Cab V8-Patriot Blue gonna tow

[Eric Parham]

If the bumper cover with molded air dam *looks* exactly like an OEM cover with a bolted-on airdam, I believe that it would be allowable since the airdam may be attached by any means (e.g., does not have to be "bolted"). "Molding" the airdam to the bumper cover seems perfectly reasonable to me, as long as no part of the "cover" is missing (such as, perhaps, a portion just behind where the *airdam* meets the *cover*).

[lateapex911]

Originally posted by Eric Parham:
If the bumper cover with molded air dam *looks* exactly like an OEM cover with a bolted-on airdam, I believe that it would be allowable since the airdam may be attached by any means (e.g., does not have to be "bolted"). "Molding" the airdam to the bumper cover seems perfectly reasonable to me, as long as no part of the "cover" is missing (such as, perhaps, a portion just behind where the *airdam* meets the *cover*) .

Italics mine. I would bet a gazillion Ferraris that indeed that is the case. No way would an aftermarket manufacturer deal with such an impossible to mold and produce part, especially when the potential market that needs the hard to produce feature (the exact contour of the bumper cover under the air dam joint matching the stock cover) is so small.

Any peice that doesn't include the lower section of the bumper cover, which is hidden by the airdam is illegal.



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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[grjones1]

Originally posted by jc836:
A brake rotor of the same design and size-as shown on the spec line in the GCR can come from any source. I run Brembo "blank/plain" rotors that are an exact replacement for the stock Honda part. Brake pads are "free", btw. The thread's author was asking about a part that was not available from the OEM to begin with in the form he asked about.

You miss my point: K said in so many words that you cannot replace an OEM part with an aftermarket part unless the rules say so. My response is then I cannot nor can you replace OEM brake rotors with Brembo or anything else but an OEM brake rotor because nowhere in the ITCS does it say you can. This of course is absurd, we all use aftermarket replacement parts within specs but not necessarily OEM because often OEM parts are no longer available. Am I wrong?
GRJ

[grjones1]

Originally posted by grjones1:

Originally posted by jc836:
A brake rotor of the same design and size-as shown on the spec line in the GCR can come from any source. I run Brembo \"blank/plain\" rotors that are an exact replacement for the stock Honda part. Brake pads are \"free\", btw. The thread's author was asking about a part that was not available from the OEM to begin with in the form he asked about.

You miss my point: K said in so many words that you cannot replace an OEM part with an aftermarket part unless the rules say so. My response is then I cannot nor can you replace OEM brake rotors with Brembo or anything else but an OEM brake rotor because nowhere in the ITCS does it say you can. This of course is absurd, we all use aftermarket replacement parts within specs but not necessarily OEM because often OEM parts are no longer available. Am I wrong?

Excuse me, but where does it say a brake rotor can come from any source?
GRJ